Mercedes’ SL-badged roadsters have been around since 1954 with the longest-running variant being the version with the internal designation R107, which was produced from 1971 to 1989, racking up over 230,000 sales in the process. It was largely aimed at the American market but found popularity elsewhere too with its high levels of refinement and versatility, particularly when the optional hard top was made standard equipment in 1980.
Mercedes continued to develop the R107 SL during its lifespan and at each stage prioritised safety with, at the outset, strengthened A pillars to provide rollover protection and more thought put into crash safety than was fashionable at the time and, later, the early introduction of anti-lock brakes and airbags as an option. But as well as its sensible side, it was also the first SL to offer the option of V8 engines and although tuned for torque rather than outright power, the smooth shove provided by the flagship model in Europe, the 500SL, was enough to propel the car to 60mph in 7.5 seconds. Today the SL is an increasingly sought-after classic with a strong following.
This example was purchased by the current owner as a project car about six months ago. There were known issues with corrosion and so the car came with two replacement front wings which have been fitted for the photographs.
Prior to his ownership, the car had been off the road for around 12 years and it appears that some restoration work had been carried out; the bootlid and at least some of the exhaust look to have been replaced, for example. Some initial work has now been completed on welding the driver’s side bulkhead and lower bulkhead plates and the fuel lines have been replaced. Also, genuine Mercedes replacement sills and front crossmember (which is in two sections) have been obtained and are included in the sale. However, with an impending move abroad on the cards and a small fleet of other classics to care for, the vendor doesn’t have the time to organise the completion of the remainder of the work and is offering the car for auction for someone else to take on the restoration.
There is a small collection of receipts and old MOTs in the glovebox, and some of the original manuals but it’s not a comprehensive history. The vendor has a copy of the signed V5 which has been sent to the DVLA but the replacement seems to have been held up.
The cream leather interior has, let’s be honest, seen better days but, as with any project, it’s worth looking at the potential. Aside from the stereo panel and the passenger window switch, it’s all there and although water ingress has stained the carpet, the seats are actually in pretty good condition, although the driver’s side bolster will be in need of a retrim. A thorough valet and a new carpet set would go a long way to making the interior very usable though, if approaching this as a rolling restoration.
Some of the other items that would need to be attended to in order to bring it fully up to scratch would include refixing the centre of the left hand dial and perhaps refreshing or replacing some of the dashboard wood panels which are showing some wear.
The boot contains many of the trim items, including the headlight units, which have been removed from the exterior and it is believed that everything is present, although some parts (such as the nearside front indicator lens) will need to be renewed. It’s not known how long the hard top has been in place and it wasn’t possible to remove it to inspect the hood, so we can’t report on the condition of the outside of the hood but inside the headlining is clean and sag free.
The trial-fitted front wings give a clear impression of the elegant, well proportioned car that this could be but there is clearly work to do to get there. Genuine Mercedes parts have been acquired for the sills and front crossmember and will come with the car. There is likely to be further metalwork required to address corrosion to the front suspension, however, and the nearside rear wing has corroded through below the window. A specialist who has examined the car quoted up to £10k for the welding to bring the car fully up to scratch. A respray will also be needed.
The wider, more modern wheels are in reasonable order with some kerbing marks but, recognising that they are neither original nor to all tastes, the vendor has acquired some original ‘Mexican Hat’ wheels which have been soda blasted and are ready for painting, and will accompany the car. Given that a respray is on the cards, it was thought best to leave them unpainted in case the new owner selects a different colour scheme.
Much of the chrome is in good condition, though there are some detail parts that will need refurbishment or replacement due to corrosion and there are also a few small areas of corrosion to the paintwork that will need to be addressed before a respray.
With the aid of a battery pack, the engine fires willingly and runs very smoothly and the workshop that carried out the initial stages of the welding report that the engine and gearbox both appear to be in good order. Lacking an MOT as it is, we can’t report on a full road test but when moving the car for photography purposes, at low speeds, it moves under its own steam with no obvious issues. Given the length of time it’s been off the road, it is likely that that some of the ancillaries will need refreshing but there appears to be a good base to work from.
Despite its current Mad Max-refugee look, there are some signs of the high-end luxury car that is waiting to be brought back to life. The doors, for example, shut with a reassuring thunk, the interior still exudes a feeling of quality in the actions of the switchgear and the engine is super smooth. While not a project for the feint of heart, this is definitely a car worthy of restoration. True, it’s unlikely to generate a huge profit margin in the short term but values of eighties SL’s have been steadily rising for a while which should mean that it won’t be uneconomic to fix.
What then? Well, you’ll have a creamy 5 litre V8 roadster to enjoy and with the hard top option you can burble around rain or shine while you enjoy the lack of depreciation that you’ve invested in, and feel the satisfaction of preserving a fine piece of engineering. If that appeals, then head on over to the bid button.
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As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
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NO RESERVE! 1985 Mercedes 500SL
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