This is nice. Offering plenty of style for the summer ahead is this freshly-repainted 280SL with just 3 owners from new, lovely MB service history and only 82,200 miles recorded. Currently awaiting the fitting of a newly-rechromed rear bumper, the car will shortly present as one of the finest early R107 Series cars currently available.
Launched in 1971 and with a production run spanning 18 years (the second longest in Mercedes history), the R107 (convertible) and C107 (coupe) became legendary cars in their own lifetime, known for superb build-quality and engineering. The R 107 was available as either a pure 2-seater or the option of having 2 child seats and initially came with the choice of just two V8 engines, the 350 and 450 respectively. In 1974, the lighter 280 joined the party featuring a fuel-injected, twin-cam straight-6 producing 182bhp and enabling the car still to reach a very respectable 130mph.
Our car was supplied new in November 1980 by Normand Cruickshank Ltd. of Bristol. It remained with the first keeper for some 19 years being serviced almost every year by initially the supplying dealer and subsequently by a MB specialist, Parkway Engineering. By 1993, the car had covered some 72,500 miles as very much a daily-driver. From hereon, it is evident that it became a “high days” car only travelling a further 10,000 miles in the past 19 years to date. In 1999, it was sold to the second keeper, also of Bristol, who retained the car until 2007 selling to a lady in Devizes. In the past 3 months and after a period of storage, the car has been re-commissioned including a full service with all new brakes (callipers and pads), new ballast resistor and new tyres all `round. Cosmetically, the body-work and wheels have been completely re-sprayed, new side mouldings fitted and the rear bumper re-chromed. Internally, the original cloth trim is in excellent condition and the car benefits from a very good soft-top and desirable factory-option hard-top and stand.
With recent servicing and a current MOT Certificate, the car starts and drives beautifully. On the road, it is surprisingly nimble with an impressive turn of speed and instant kick-down from the automatic gearbox. These R107 Series cars are the perfect year-round classic convertible. Nothing else from this era feels as solid and safe.
Our car comes with comprehensive service history (13 stamps) plus all the supplying dealer literature including Handbook and Warranty Information, many old MOT Certificates, sundry bills for recent work and a current MOT to May 2013. A fresh MOT will be issued on sale.
A true classic with great provenance in lovely order throughout.
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