1972 Mercedes-Benz 350SL

Description

It's time to look retro, sophisticated, cool, and unique - all for a value price. This 1972 Mercedes-Benz 350SL has been carefully restored to be a beautiful and luxurious drop-top that will get your attention immediately upon arrival.

This car keeps a very vintage style, and that's for a very good reason. This was the first model year for the R107 model SLs. This car defined an entire generation at Mercedes because they were an impressive balance of sophistication and power, and this is the one that started it all. This example not only respects its history, but it also stays quite vintage because of a passion project restoration. The consignor/restorer was married in 1972, and so he wanted to celebrate the half-century anniversary for both the car and himself. You can see the level of care all around the car. The factory-correct Light Ivory was given a professional respray that was color-sanded to be exceptionally smooth. So the sunlight loves to give a radiant glow to those precision-fit panels. And the ivory-painted one-piece hubcaps also offer a great vintage appearance. These were the wheels that came on most of the legendary post-WWII Mercedes-Benzs, but unfortunately, not too many feature them today. This has the color-matched hardtop, but the newer coco folding roof looks so tasteful against the ivory paint that you may just want to use it as your primary top. And speaking of great appearances, 1972 was one of the final years before the largest bumper laws were enacted. So these chrome pieces hug the SL's contours better than later US-bound cars.

While we like how both roofs look, the best way to enjoy an SL is with no roof at all. The full black interior is another sharp-looking color combo against the ivory exterior. And because this is a detail-oriented restoration, you can appreciate the level of quality. It's seen everywhere from the correctly sourced leather bucket seats to the re-dyed trunk carpet. While the style is impressive, it also has the substance to be a true cruiser. This means luxurious features like air conditioning, power windows, and cruise control. And Mercedes fans will be quite happy that the Becker AM/FM radio is still in place and cranking out the tunes.

Under the hood is the proper 4.5-liter V8 motor. For those who know Mercedes-Benz history, this is a cool little detail. After all, the usual nomenclature would have a 3.5-liter motor for a 350 SL, but the earliest R107s came over from Germany as 350SLs with this 4.5-liter motor. The rear even has the 450SL badge upgrade. It was something often done at the dealers because even when new, most people knew there was something a little off about the factory's jargon. Just like the rest of the car, you can tell there was time, money, and passion invested in the engine bay. So this fuel-injected powerhouse fires up eagerly and feels terrific out on the road. This torque-filled V8 fully works with the fully independent chassis for a supple but confident driver. Power steering, a three-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel power disc brakes for the best all-around control.

The sale comes complete with the owner's manual packet and maintenance records. This is an impressively restored first-year R107 SL, and so it's already quite attractive to true enthusiasts. And at an affordable price like this, this classic Benz is absolutely irresistible. Call today!!!