Description

1972 Mercedes-Benz 350SL 4.5

Recent import with correct paperwork; lots of history; running and driving; essentially solid car needing cosmetics and paint; hardtop; a rewarding project with great potential; LHD

Badged a 450SL, this car is technically a 350SL 4.5, a model produced for the US market before it changed its name to simply 450SL for the 1973 model year. It must have been right on the cusp.

Dating from October 1972, this V8 4.5-litre 350SL arrived in the US and was registered in October 1973. It is thought to have been used in Europe first, which was quite common in those days prior to shipping to the States.

As is so often the case with American imports, there is little in the way of history, although this one comes with its original handbook, service book with several stamps early on and a spare parts book.

The certificate of title shows its last owner, a New Yorker, acquired the car in 1996 and it has been correctly imported with a NOVA number so UK registration should be a straightforward operation.

The car itself shows an unsubstantiated 106,000 miles on the clock and starts readily and runs and drives. There are some cosmetic jobs to be done and it does need a respray but the bodywork is essentially sound including the vulnerable sills and looks good in the key areas including the bulkhead.

It comes with a rather groovy wooden steering wheel and at one point, an AMG front splitter has been added. Being an early car, it has avoided the 'over-size' bumpers and side repeaters which usually give away a US import, so this car would blend in nicely in any European setting.

Prices of V8 107s have taken a real hike of late - this solid, sensible mileage example looking good value at the catalogue estimate.

For more information - contact Matthew Parkin 07813 936698 matthew.parkin@brightwells.com