Lot Ended
Description
Just two owners and 82k
miles from new; lots of history; wonderfully original; recently recommissioned
following 15 years in storage; driven 130 miles to the sale; legendary W123
build quality; a proper time capsule that will outlive us all
Produced between 1976 and 1985, the
Mercedes W123 Series is widely regarded as one of the most durable machines ever
made by mankind. Even to this day they are commonly seen across Africa and the
Middle East in daily use as taxis, many clocking up well over a million miles
and still going strong.
This super 230E is showing a mere
82,170 miles on the clock which is almost certainly correct and is
backed up by the service history and the overall condition of the car.
Supplied new by Eyebury Motors of Peterborough, it has had just two
owners in total, the first being a Mr F Butcher of Stone Bridge Farms, Thorney,
who kept it for 22 years and covered some 75k miles in the car. He had it
regularly serviced by the supplying dealer with 11 stamps in the book, the last
in July 2001 at 56,345 miles (see photos).
In August 2004 it was acquired by a King’s Lynn
gent who used the car very lightly until 2010 when it was taken off the road and
put into dry storage.
Recently unearthed from its resting place, it
has been lightly recommissioned, including the fitment of some new exhaust
sections, and was driven some 130 miles to the sale without
drama.
As you
can see in the photos, this wonderful Merc is a proper time capsule, retaining
its original Eyebury Motors number plates, original Blaupunkt Melbourne
radio and all its original handbooks. Even the paintwork appears to be
original and still looks impressively shiny some 44 years on.
The underside
looks equally good, as does the interior with its original Mercedes accessory
coat hangers still attached to the front headrests. The electric sunroof works
as it should and the good old-fashioned wind-up windows will never give any
trouble. The original spare wheel and wheel-changing kit are still present in
the boot.
The
car has been starting promptly and running very nicely as we have moved it
around on site, with healthy oil pressure. We did note that the brake
pedal is a little soft and there is a very slight blow from the exhaust.
Given that it has just emerged from a long hibernation, it would no doubt
benefit from a thorough service and check-over before being pressed back into
regular use.
Cars like this don’t come along very often, so
if a W123 has ever been on your shopping list this is an opportunity not to be
missed. The styling on these old Mercs has aged very gracefully, the build
quality is second to none and they can be reliably used every
day.
The 136bhp
fuel-injected four-cylinder engine is mated to four-speed automatic transmission
which makes it good for a top speed of 105mph so it won’t have any trouble
keeping up with modern traffic.
All this car now needs is a proud third owner
who can continue to enjoy and preserve it for future generations to admire. They
don’t make cars like this anymore and, looked after properly, it will no doubt
still be trucking along faithfully long after we have all departed.
Consigned
by James Dennison – 07973 309907 –
james.dennison@brightwells.com