Produced between 1971 and 1981, the C107 was a fixed roof, four seater coupe based on a longer version of the R107 chassis. Badged as an SLC, it was effectively an SL in 2+2 configuration, with a modest amount of room in the back for a couple of (small) adults. The 4.5 liter V8 in the 450 put out a meagre 190 hp, so it wasn’t all that fast. But it was, and remains, a gorgeous and classy cruiser whose looks neatly capture that moment at which the design language of the late 1960s began to give way to that of the 1970s. Even in elongated form, the car retains the timeless good looks of the SL. Those pleated, curtain-looking louvres behind the rear windows? I always thought they simply gave rear passengers a bit of privacy while also letting in some light. But a bit of internet research reveals they have another purpose. They allow for shorter rear windows that can slide downwards into the body without hitting a wheel arch. This means the car can retain a completely pillar-less look. A typically German solution to a problem: practical and elegant at the same time.
Tag: 450SLC
1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC
I’ve been on a little bit of a green kick as well as a featuring a few C107s of late. So why not combine the two and feature an outstanding 450SLC that is absolutely covered in the color green? This 1980 up for sale in Portugal has a nice lighter shade of green in Silver Green Metallic on the outside, but it’s what is inside that really blows you away.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay
Year: 1980
Model: 450SLC
Engine: 4.5 liter V8
Transmission: 3-speed automatic
Mileage: 48,000 km (29,825 mi)
Price: $43,250
1980 Mercedes Benz 450 SLC 48.000Kms Perfect untouched Condition!
1 Portuguese Owner from New!
48.000Kms!
100% Factory Paint – All the Factory assembly marks and wax protection!
All the books; Keys; Tools.
Impossible to find another one in this condition!
This car was order new by Portuguese emigrant in South Africa. LHD special order.
When he came back to Portugal in 1987 the car came with him!
This car was bought directly by us to the 1st owner.
This car was part of small classic car collection.The last owner was a successful entrepreneur in the car business in South Africa and actually it’s a business man in the automotive area at Portugal.
This car was always extremely well care by the owner!
It’s impossible to find another one in this condition!
Collector’s item!!!
I personally love the color combination on this car. Yes, it’s about late 1970s/early 1980s as you can get, but I think that’s the beauty of it. It’s basically a step back into that era in every way. You can get in this car and suddenly you are transported back 37 years. Everything is nearly factory perfect on this car outside of a dented up muffler and a rusty exhaust pipe. Otherwise, it’s as good as it gets.
One thing I did find a little odd about this specific car is that the 450SLC badging is on the wrong side on the trunk lid. Mercedes always put them on the left side up until about a year ago (Don’t ask me why they changed, I think it’s a dumb idea) but the thing that gets me is that the badging should be held on with three little pins that insert into the trunk lid. This means the trunk lid had to have the holes filled on the left side and three new holes drilled on the right. I suppose they could’ve just snapped the three pegs off then used adhesive to attach the badge. Either way, this strikes me as a little odd.
As for the price, I can’t believe the bidding on this car is up over $38,000 and probably still has a little bit to go. Maybe the Portuguese love the C107 or the color green, but it’s pretty shocking to me how much this 450SLC is set to gather. I’ve posted examples of C107s selling for very little money on the side of the ocean so this is a little surprising to me. Granted, they weren’t in the shape this one is in, but I never thought I’d see a 450SLC even with under 30,000 miles approach almost $40,000.
– Andrew
1974 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC
About a month again I looked at a 1980 280SLC which I found intriguing for two reasons: the relatively low cost and its rare color. Today’s 1974 450SLC for sale in Virginia is a car along those same lines. It is presented in a nice color and, surprisingly, at an even lower cost. It has its flaws but that is probably to be expected for a Mercedes as cheap as this one is. Like I mentioned before, the C107 surely isn’t my favorite Mercedes ever, but deals like this one have me softening my stance on them.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1974 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on Hemmings
Year: 1974
Model: 450SLC
Engine: 4.5 liter V8
Transmission: 3-speed automatic
Mileage: 103,690
Price: $4,750
Classic and rare 450SLC 4 passenger coupe.
Engine Type: M117
275.8 V-8 with overhead cam shafts, electronic fuel injection, 5 main bearings, positive valve rotators & transistorized ignition.
3 speed automatic transmission with torque converter, disk brakes on 4 wheels with power assist, power assist steering, 2.7 turns lock to lock.
Body: Welded unitized construction
Interior:
Speedometer/odometer/tachometer/clock
Halogen fog lights
Power windows
Power sliding sunroof
Automatic antenna
Center rear seat armrest
Needs: AC repair (or replace) and new radio or sound system. The AM/FM original system only works well on the AM setting. The paint and trim are in good shape, two small “bubbles” near the tire wells. See the photos for clarity.
Work done: We have replaced the radiator, hoses, and clamps, (2) front headlight systems, front bucket seats to match original rear leather seats, battery is recent. The car runs well and has been garaged in Virginia. We’re downsizing and won’t have the space to keep it.
I must admit I am a sucker for dark green cars. I’d buy all my cars in dark green if I could, but sadly when dealing with the cars I personally buy (old Mercedes), color is usually the last thing I can be picky about. The paint on this 450SLC looks fairly clean outside of the few rust bubbles that have popped up. The small spot on the lower louvers worries me a little because replacing that kind of metal work is a lot more difficult to fix than the standard flat metal. Inside, the interior needs some love with a cracked dash and some visible dirt, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed in a weekend. Mechanically, the seller says it does need the A/C repaired but I’ve yet to personally meet a old Mercedes that actually has a functioning air condition system. So for me, it’s not a deal breaker.
The price of $4,750 is more than fair for this C107. If this was a 450SL, the seller would be asking $14,750 or maybe even more. The mileage of 100,000 has me wary a little bit as this car might need a timing chain and plastic sliders as well as the hydraulic tensioner with its own plastic slider. It’s about $800 in parts alone but it’ll keep this M117 happy for another 100,000 miles. So if you are looking for a little bit of a rare project car, this one has some real potential in it.
– Andrew
1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC
Even despite it’s somewhat awkward proportions, I was always a fan of the Mercedes-Benz C107 SLC. This car lasted barely for a decade before it was pulled in favor of the S-class SEC coupe that debuted in the early 1980s. Somehow, the SLC is relegated to a rather curious position in Mercedes-Benz history as the only four-place coupe to be based off the SL roadster. This 450SLC for sale in California is about as good as they come these days, in a very eye-catching combination of Astral Silver over red leather. If you want the style and grace of an R107 but perhaps don’t want the convertible or the higher entry cost of the 560SL, you should spend some time looking at a car like this.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay
1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 5.0
When I think of homologation specials, there are all sorts of models that instantly pop into my head. Of course, being an Audi fan, the Sport Quattro is a great example, but plenty more images pass through my mind, too. Of course, Group C spawned a whole series of special cars, from the RS200 and Lancia 037 to the Porsche 959. There’s the special 924 Carrera GTS, for example – a car few remember outside of Porsche circles, and one that’s often forgotten even by them. Then there’s the great period of DTM specials – the “Evolutions” of the M3, 190E and V8 quattro that proved Darwin was right. Of course, you can go back even further and look at one of the most special cars ever created – the original Ferrari GTO – to see a very special homologation of a race car. But outside of the big headlines, there are plenty of small production run cars that were created to jump through loopholes, and returning to my original Group B example, we can see one neat car that was created in order to run in World Rally. It’s not a car you’d expect though – it’s the quite heavy and long Mercedes-Benz C107. Mercedes took steps to make it rally worthy, including lightweight aluminum panels in front and back, and of course upped the power with a new all aluminum 5.0 V8:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 5.0 on eBay
1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC Euro-spec
By 1978, the C107 was fairly long in the tooth. It wasn’t so much that it was an antiquated design; sure, it was 7 years old but let’s not forget that the R107 convertible version would soldier on for another amazing 10 years, meaning it was one of the longest lived Mercedes-Benz chassis ever. But the personal coupe had two issues – one was from within, with a new big coupe launching in the early 1980s in the W126 chassis. The much more modern C126 effectively negated the purpose of the C107. But the real issue was the competition from BMW, and more importantly Porsche – both of which managed to thoroughly out-class the sports coupe. The E24 was a much more modern and sporty car; though it had a smaller inline-6 motor and no V8 was available, the E24 was several hundred pounds lighter than the C107 and much more of a sporty coupe. But the real revolution was Porsche’s new front-engined Grand Tourer, the 928. Porsche managed to get both more power and more sport out of its interpretation of the GT car, making the C107 seem decidedly dated in comparison. Now a few generations on, finding clean 6s from the 1970s is near impossible in the U.S., and while there are 928s out there, rightly or wrongly they have a certain reputation as complicated cars that are hard to keep running correctly (or, at very least, quite expensive to). The result? The C107 may be the best 1970s personal sports coupe value these days:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay
1976 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC with 54k miles
While the R107 Mercedes-Benz is fast becoming the quintessential classic Mercedes-Benz, it’s hardtop sibling, the C107 SLC coupe has been relegated to a bit of obscurity in the annals of automotive history. It was a curious offering, a large Mercedes coupe based off the smaller SL roadster. I always wondered what would have became of the SLC if Mercedes developed it fully to the end of the R107 run, but with the introduction of the SEC coupe in 1982, it was not to be. This 1976 450SLC is a one family owned car and smack dab in the middle of the production run. With just over 54,000 miles on the clock, this is one to watch.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay
1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC with 33,000 Miles
Relative to the W113 that it replaced, the R107 and C107 coupe version are still relatively unloved and undervalued in the world of classic Mercedes-Benz models. Much like the E24 6-series compared to the 3.0CS, the design wasn’t quite as striking as the original but the refinements of the newer model really changed the class the car was considered in. If the W113 was a bare-bones roadster, the W113 added luxury and weight to the recipe; for some, it was very appreciated and made the R/C107 a more usable car than the W113 was. For others, the “Sport” was gone and the result was more a personal luxury vehicle. But is that such a bad thing? The SLC has always been an interesting car to me, and today’s example is no different. An early model, it has the slim European bumpers and steel wheels giving a classic look:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay
1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 4-speed manual
When the R107 Mercedes-Benz SL debuted in the early 1970s, it was a decidedly more boulevardier cruiser than it’s Pagoda-roofed predecessor, the W113. Mercedes then decided to base their replacement for the W111 Coupe on the R107 chassis, resulting in the C107 SLC. This was the only Mercedes-Benz coupe to be based on a roadster, rather than the other way around, with exception of the SL65 AMG Black Series. With the extra ten inches in length and unique louvers in the rear quarter windows, there was no mistaking this larger SL variant. Most R107s and C107s that arrived on US shores came with automatic gearboxes. Those in other markets could specific a manual, mated in some cases to the the larger V8 engines. This 450SLC with the 4.5 liter V8 and 4-speed manual transmission is for sale in Missouri. It wears later style alloys, comes with the original set of bundt alloys and has covered a low amount of miles for its age.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay
Homologation Special: 1979 and 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 5.0s
It’s hard to believe it’s been over two years since Paul last wrote up a 450SLC 5.0, a homologation special intended to get a big motor into a lighter SLC to make it competitive in World Rally Championship. Remember, this is the pre-Quattro days, so a heavier rear driver wasn’t such a crazy proposition. It was aided by a fair amount of aluminum, too – the engine, doors, hood and trunk all were switched to aluminum. In the case of the hood – long enough to land a small aircraft on – that change made a difference. They didn’t sell like hotcakes though, and few remain today; they’re rare sights for sure, and it’s a treat to get two at the same time. Let’s start with the 1980:
