Since the introduction of the original W113 Mercedes-Benz 230SL, Mercedes has literally owned the entire category of the roadster GT car. Over the years only Cadillac (with the Allante and the XLR) and Lexus (with the SC430) attempted to move into this market, but gave up after a few years due to the fact that when people wanted a luxury roadster GT car, they wanted a Mercedes SL. There is a good reason for this. Not only does it have no competition in the marketplace, but also every single generation of the Mercedes SL has produced some of the finest-built Mercedes cars of the time – in fact, some of the finest built cars in the world, period. My Pick of the Day is from the generation that firmly established the SL as a measuring stick of success: a 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SL listed on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Boise, Idaho.
The 450SL was the car to have in the 1970s and ’80s. It represented elegance, taste, style, and success. It was the car of choice for world leaders, actors, millionaire businessmen, and rock stars. Mercedes probably sold more of these cars to the entertainment industry than any other manufacturer ever. Their ad campaigns of the time only helped this. Heck, people seemed to embrace Janis Joplin’s 1971 song “Mercedes Benz” for years.
I have owned two of the SL’s R107 generation, which this car is a part of, and have to say that the build quality is better than any single car of the era. Not only are they built using the finest of materials, but also the door gaps, interior finishing, and every single piece you can see or touch is nothing short of the best in the world. Take a look at one of these cars in a showroom, open and shut the doors, and you will know what I mean. The idea of bank-vault solidity was first used to describe this era of SL Mercedes.
This specific car is an early example, with the small European bumpers as standard and a much more basic and yet still well-constructed interior. This is the SL that was built before the overly complicated climate controls, making it an easier car to live with than the later models. In addition, those small bumpers make this car’s design look perfect.
The SL has been repainted in its original color of Signal Red, a color that looks spectacular, especially against the red MB Tex interior. I see no dash cracks or anything else that makes the car looks like it has any cosmetic needs. It includes its hardtop and soft-top and still rides on factory steel wheels with color-matched hubcaps.
The seller states that he “looked for a ’73 for a long time before I could find one this clean and original and strong. I’ve gone through everything it’s needed mechanically to take it from a B to a straight A.” New brake hoses and new master brake cylinder were installed, as well as new fuel lines, new tie rods, new shocks, new correct Michelin tires, a new air-conditioning compressor, and fresh R12 in the A/C (which the seller states blows ice-cold).
In addition, the seller had the soft-top replaced with a correct German fabric top, and says the hardtop is in excellent condition.
They describe the interior as being “in amazingly good condition for a convertible of this age. The dash has no cracks. The seats are perfect. Carpet is like new. Door panels are complete and solid. The all-red interior is an amazing experience.”
These Mercedes 450SLs, especially the early ones like this example, are becoming more and more popular with younger collectors, who have found out just how well-built and amazing these cars were when new, and offer quality that few cars have today. They are simple to maintain, reliable, fun to drive, and still make a statement wherever they go. I think that shopping for one of these cars is a smart thing, as the demand for really good examples like this one are harder and harder to find. This 1973 450SL has an asking price of $25,000, which is a fair price for one this nice. I feel that this is truly a situation where you can buy it now or pay more later. If you buy it, I am betting you will not be disappointed.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
