Near new condition
More than 55 000 € invested in the restoration
Superb configuration
French car registration document
Chassis No.: 11304410010904
Following the international success of its 300 SL and 190 SL versions, Mercedes-Benz caused a sensation at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show with the unveiling of its new roadster: the 230 SL. Its elegant, sporty lines seduced and highlighted the talent of the young French designer Paul Bracq. With its hard top with a concave roof reminiscent of Buddhist monuments, the nickname "Pagoda" is added to the SL name. Originally, it is equipped with a 2.3-litre 6-cylinder in-line engine powered by Bosch direct injection that develops 150 bhp and 22 mkg of torque. On the transmission side, it was fitted as standard with a 4-speed mechanical gearbox (5 speeds as an option) or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. It will then be upgraded with two new engines, 2.5l then 2.8l. It was the embodiment of a high-performance GT without claiming the status of a true sports car. In addition, its first-rate interior space and the quality of the finish were surprising for the time. The Pagoda we present in these pages is a 280 SL convertible first registered in the USA in September 1969. It is therefore equipped with a fully foldable soft top in its housing, and a hard top which was an option at the time. As the chassis number indicates, this model is left-hand drive and is equipped with a 4-speed manual gearbox. Its color scheme is also in line with the original, and not very common. Its dark red colour (code 542) is very elegant and goes perfectly with the tawny leather interior. This Pagoda was bought in 2014 from Top Classics, a dealer and restorer specialising in vintage Mercedes in Belgium. As the car needs restoration, Top Classics will first of all take care of refurbishing the mechanics for an amount of 14 900 €. Its current owner will then take care of completing the restoration in France between 2015 and 2019. In total, more than 55 000 € will be invested in this 280 SL, justified in the invoice file attached to the car. A large part of the work has been entrusted to the Ravé Automobiles Classic team, renowned for the quality of its work. After the long hours of labour and the amount of money invested in the restoration, our car is in almost perfect condition, not to say close to new, and works perfectly. The 6-cylinder engine starts at a quarter of a turn and the handling at the steering wheel is disconcertingly easy. The fact that this 280 SL is equipped with a mechanical gearbox is a real plus, since most of the models sold in the US were equipped with an automatic transmission. The quality of its restoration and its configuration make it a very attractive 280 SL considering its particularly reasonable estimate.
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