1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL W113 SL

This 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL is said to have remained with the family of its original owner for 48 years, and it was listed on BaT in June 2022 and purchased by its current owner in August 2023. Wearing a repaint in Medium Blue over Parchment MB-Tex upholstery, the car is powered by a 2.8-liter inline-six paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes a black convertible top, a removable hardtop, power steering, and four-wheel disc brakes as well as electronic ignition, a cabin heater, and 14″ steel wheels with painted covers. Under current ownership, the exhaust system was replaced and the engine oil was changed. This W113 SL is now offered on dealer consignment with owner’s manuals, a copy of the data card, a tool kit, service records, and a clean California title. The W113 SL was designed by Friedrich Geiger, Béla Barényi, and Paul Bracq and was introduced to the public at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. This example was factory-finished in Medium Blue (350) and was reportedly repainted in the 1980s and again in 2016 after a ladder fell on the right-front fender. Exterior details include a black soft top, a removable body-color hardtop, US-specification headlights, dual side mirrors, and a retractable antenna on the left-rear fender. Corrosion perforation in the left-front wheel arch is depicted in the gallery. Steel 14″ wheels feature polished covers with body-color centers and are mounted with 185-section Michelin MXV thin-whitewall tires that have 2022 production-date codes. The car is equipped with power steering, and braking is provided by power-assisted four-wheel discs. The front brake pads were replaced in August 2022. The bucket seats are upholstered in Parchment MB-Tex, and the dashboard and door panels are trimmed to match. Blue carpeting lines the floors, and additional appointments include wood trim, a heater and defroster, inertia-reel seatbelts, a floor-mounted gear shifter, and Coco-style floor mats in addition to a non-operational radio, analog clock, cigarette lighter, and glovebox light. The driver’s seat-cushion frame is broken, and the heater temperature-selector slider is frozen. The two-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and frames a 140-mph speedometer and a tachometer with a 6,500-rpm redline as well as gauges for fuel level, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 31k miles and is believed to have rolled over, with approximately 500 miles added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown. The 2.8-liter M130 inline-six was factory equipped with Bosch fuel injection and was rated at 180 horsepower and 193 lb-ft of torque when new. Work since 2022 included installing a 123ignition coil and electronic-ignition distributor, changing the oil, and replacing the oil-pan gasket and fuel-tank vacuum hoses. Cylinder compression was measured in October 2024, and the results can be viewed in the gallery. Power is routed to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The exhaust headers, mufflers, and finishers were replaced in May 2024, and the transmission’s speedometer-drive-gear seal was replaced in October 2024. A differential leak was noted at that time, and underside rust and trunk-floor repairs are further depicted in the gallery. Owner’s manuals will accompany the car, as will a tool kit and spare parts. Filed under: pagoda, sl, w113