Gorgeous
1974 Mercedes 450 SL - Poor health caused by DWI driver hitting me head on
forces sale of my classic cars.
Deposit
will hold the car for up to 4 weeks etc!
Please
read the entire description before asking questions.
51 Years Old beauty! Ready for a spring project?? VIN: 10704412021536 (This is the old-style vin)
It’s difficult to know where to start with listing a car you never intended to sell.
Background.
Late 2024 I was Hit by a drunk driver who drove at me head
on, at speed. Thankfully I survived. Recovery has been slow, but things are improving,
however my back is not so hot anymore.
This car is originally from Texas, it had been off the road for 15 years~.
Just before it had received a huge overhaul and a full repaint which is one of
the best I have seen on a classic car. That owner unfortunately passed away and
it was passed on to a friend of mine who also lives in Austin, Texas. He had it
sat for 15 years parked in a garage with a cover over it – Eventually he
realized he was never going to get to it, so he reached out to me knowing I was
a Mercedes guy. It sat for a while, and then I finally got out to Austin and we
got it up and running and driving. A lot of preemptive work was done because I
wanted this to be my forever car etc. List of jobs done that I can remember
below.
A verity of picture during the initial work are included showing the car up in the air – 0 rust etc.! These were taken before a lot of work was carried out, or the injectors being replaced etc. Happy to include all of the original pictures I have to the new owner to continue its lineage.
Pros:
All work carried out between 09/23 and 07/24 (Car has been driven periodically and battery charged etc)
· Oil change + filter
· Front brake pads
· Vacuum check valve replaced,
and vacuum reservoir holds vacuum.
· Bled braking system
· Rear taillight bulbs
replaced
· Install new radio and
speakers (Has USB and AUX port)
· Clean distributor and
trigger points (Points set and car ran so much better from this alone)
· New Battery and hold
down bracket inspected cleaned and painted
· Differential fluid
drain and fill with correct limited slip fluid.
· Gas tank inspected and
OK– New in tank strainer installed and new fuel pump (Old varnished gas was
flushed out)
· 8 NEW injectors
installed
· Replace rear sway bar
end links
· Front left tie rods and
steering damper
· Wire wheels cleaned -
new tires installed and balanced
· Transmission filter and
pan gasket plus partial flush (Shifts perfectly)
· New Bosch spark plugs
installed and gapped correctly
· Coolant flush and
thermostat replaced
· Rear brake pads
installed
· Central locking isolated
and working
· Plastic oilers replaced
(Common failure point) – valve cover seals replaced
· NEW gas level sender unit installed - Gas gauge works correctly
· Genuine Dayton wheels with correct knock off tool. (This was a dealer upgrade when the car was new)
· Comes with Kar King fitted cover - heavy duty and if I am not reading the paperwork incorrectly, cost $1000
· AC
holds vacuum and pump is free – It was electrically disconnected awaiting the
flush and conversion – R12 was evacuated.
· Las picture
shows hardtop installed – Has black rag top in reasonable condition.
A verity of spare and
tools are included with the car – LOTS of parts receipts and manual included. Spare
wheel included – holds air!
Cons:
· It
could use a better tune up. It does run on all 8 cylinders and will spin the
back wheels if you push it. Idle is a little stumbly when cold - at times. The
MAP sensor does hold vacuum and works correctly.
· It
would befit from a front-end alignment after new tie rods and drag links were installed
but still drives fine!
· Transmission
pan leaves a few drips on the drive – Transmission is perfect!
· The vacuum
actuator flap under the good for the Heat setting leaks vacuum so it was
plugged – you can manually set it into heat mode if required (These parts are abundant
on eBay) Diagrams included with sale!
· Piping
on driver’s seat [Patch included] and general wear and tear
· No
lock barrel in the driver’s side door – VERY simple to fix and I will get it done
if the asking price is met.
· Tach
does not work – it was intermittent when I got
· Cruise
control needs vacuum lines connecting – I personally don’t use cruise so never bothered
me.
None
of the issues above stop this car driving and it is just a matter of wanting to
be transparent so the new owner has a full picture – I would love this car to
go on to someone who cares about these cars and can give it a good home / take
it over the finish line.
In conclusion:
You’re getting a car that is already driving and had a lot
done to it, it also looks incredible and is a real head turner – A classic cars
work is never truly finished as my dad used to say – But these R107 450 SL’s
are pretty robust and parts are not hard to find and being this is a southern car,
everything comes apart – no rust anywhere.
The car is available to pick it up from Menifee – Plenty of space if you wish to send a shipping company to pick it up.
**Updating this section** The car drives fine - I believe the car would drive 100 miles with no issues at all, but for your own piece of mind, I would recommend getting it tuned up if you plan to drive it further - It could drive a thousand miles etc. The front end could use an alignment and the timing could do with being adjusted as it has a bit of stutter when hot, but always keeps going etc. It has plenty of of power when you get on it or at highways speeds. It's kind of hard to explain. I would be comfortable driving it 100 miles etc.
Ownership and History:
Payment and Collection:
Disclaimer:
Once the vehicle leaves my possession, it’s entirely your
responsibility. Ensure your shipping company includes insurance, as I am not
liable for mishandling.
Please refer to the extensive photos provided. This is a
genuine sale, Serious inquiries only.
Thank you for your interest - Matthew!~