1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

The 1970s were generally seen as a pretty harsh time for the automobile. It was the end of the era for large American sedans with big V8s under the hood and muscle cars. Consumers in the US turned to a myriad of imported subcompact cars to combat ever rising fuel prices. Things stayed fairly consistent at Mercedes-Benz, with exception of some larger bumpers and lighting differences as compared to their European market counterparts. Through it all, from 1972 to 1989, there was one car that defined the brand, the R107 SL roadster. Whether it was cruising the Sunset Strip or going on a weekend jaunt to The Hamptons, the SL was the car to be seen in during that era. I generally prefer the later 300SL and 560SL variants, but this 1977 450SL for sale in California has caught my attention. For the mileage, the car presents very well and the Anthracite Grey over black MB-tex livery gives it an almost timeless vibe.

Click for details: 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SL on eBay

Year: 1977
Model: 450SL
Engine: 4.5 liter V8
Transmission: 3-speed automatic
Mileage: 98,795 mi
Price: Reserve auction

1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL Roadster

I purchased this vehicle in January of 2014 from Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel. They took the car on trade for a new Mercedes and I was looking for a nice upgrade from the 300 SD I had also sold on eBay. The car was sold by House of Imports in January of 1977 to a local business owner. It was sold upon his death in 1994 and was owned by an area school teacher.

The car was dealer maintained for the first 10 years and then serviced by independent service shops up until I purchased it. I am a factory trained Mercedes-Benz restorer and have been restoring classic Mercedes for over 10 years. All of the parts I have used for the service and maintenance work have been purchased from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine and all of the work I have done myself. The list of service work includes:

Complete vehicle inspection
Service of the brakes including the replacement of the brake discs, pads, parking brake shoes, brake hoses, master cylinder and fluid.
Engine oil and filter service as of 11/25/14
Rear axle service
New coolant along with upper, lower and coolant tank hoses
Replacement of the air filter
Complete cleaning, adjustment and servicing of the front windows and regulators
Replacement of the hardtop window seals
Replacement of the hood pads
Repainting of the wheels
New wiper blades

Overall the condition of the car is very nice with all original interior in black MB tex, a very tidy trunk and engine compartment. The car drives very well with good shocks, tires, suspension, alignment and plenty of power. I believe the car was repainted at some point in the past but was done very well with no tape lines or overspray. There are several dents on the right rear fender where it was parked by another car and got a few door dings. These could be easily removed by a paintless dent repair service. I have always used the car with the hardtop as the soft-top has several holes and is not in great condition. Everything on the car works as new, including the factory Becker radio, except for the clock and the cruise control.

When selecting a classic W107 it is interesting to note that this car falls in between a few good years and bad years for the US cars. In 1975 the cars had under hood catalysts which caused a lot of problems with hot starting etc. By 1977 they had placed the cats under the car and changed over to the CIS injection system rather than D-jetronic. This car also was the last year for a purely mechanical climate control system and in 1978 they went to the rather complex ACC servo.

Please note that I will not be able to arrange shipping of the car but will be able to assist with loading if notified in advance.

Below you will find all of the production information for the car as well as when and where it was originally sold.

Chassis # 107.044-12-035669
Motor # 117.985-12-010565
Paint Code Upper 172- Anthracite Grey Metallic
Paint Code Lower 172- Anthracite Grey Metallic
Interior Code 101- Black MB-Tex

Options
401- Single seats
416- Hardtop mounted
440- Bumpers with guards front and rear
467- Central locking system and instruments with English lettering
494- California version
502- Outside rear view mirror, on the right
518- Becker radio Mexico cassette full stereo (AM/FM-USA)
524- Paintcoat preservation
531- Automatic antenna
585- Behr air conditioner and electric window lifters
592- Green heat insulating glass, heated rear window, laminated safety glass, tinted strip
630- Michelin X tires
640- Aluminum wheels with radial-ply tires
662- 10 liters of fuel
666- Mode of packing VE
668- 662 + 666
673- High capacity battery
740- Soft top black 9001

Vehicle History Details

Vehicle production date: October 28, 1976
Retail date: January 12, 1977
Retailing Dealer: House of Imports, Buena Park, California

I rarely give the 450SL much attention, but this is the kind of SL you would want to buy. Dealer serviced for its early life, owned later by someone with factory training at Mercedes with parts sourced from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center here in the US. As the seller points out, the 1977 is a good year for the R107, as it has the combination of the catalytic converters on the underside of the car in conjunction with the simpler mechanical climate control. The 450SL isn’t the most desirable of the R107s, which helps keep prices down a bit. For a very good example such as this, values are hovering around the $17,000 to $18,000 mark with the best of the best hovering in mid-$20k territory.

-Paul