Mercedes-Benz : SL-Class 2 door

This is a pretty little 450 SL that I rescued from a 20-year nap in the original owner's Southern California garage in 2012.   The long slumber required a careful resurrection of the engine. fuel. cooling and electrical systems. plus a mountain of elbow grease.   It now runs and drives nicely and wears its original paint surprisingly well.   It still has a few needs but I've done the heavy lifting to get this car back on the road and be much more than presentable.  

With 255K miles on the clock. this 450 SL was no garage queen--that is until the first owner passed away in 1992. Then it sat in his widow's garage untouched for 20 years.   When active. it was well-cared for and garaged when not driven.  I have all the original owners manuals and some of the records from service.      

To bring it back to life. the fuel tank was removed and carefully cleaned. with all new hoses and filters in the tank area.   The fuel distributor is rebuilt and fuel injectors cleaned.   The only other tune up items were new spark plugs and an air filter and the car passed its California smog check with no problem.  

It fires right up and runs fine. but would likely benefit from a bit more tuning. but the engine doesn't smoke and it has excellent oil pressure.   The engine oil and filter have been changed three times in the 50 or 60 miles I have driven since getting the car back on the road.  

The cooling system was completely redone with new water pump. thermostat and hoses. and I just installed a brand new factory radiator.   At more than $750 it wasn't cheap!     

The transmission was serviced with new fluid. filter and pan gasket.   It shifts crisply and reliably.   The brake fluid was comprehensively flushed with fresh fluid and the brakes work fine. but I recommend new rear pads soon and new brakes hoses just to be safe.

The car has a new Bosch replacement battery.    The battery box and cables were removed and cleaned. so the electrical system is working properly and reliably.   It needs some bulbs for the gauge lights and in a couple other places but otherwise in great shape.   Even the original clock is working.  

I brought the original paint (yes. original) back to life with a laborious. multi-step process of cleaning. polishing and waxing.   It looks surprisingly good.   The left rear fender was repaired and repainted at some point in its early life but the paint match is very good--hard to tell.  

Inside is as clean as the outside.   I gave it a thorough cleaning from top to bottom.   The seats were likely recovered by the original owner because they look new.   Carpets have some worn areas in the front but I have a new set of floor mats.   Matching original loop-style carpet is available at reasonable prices.  

The removable hard top looks like new. and tucked under the rear deck is a black convertible top in excellent condition.   The trunk is extra clean and the spare tire. jack and original tools are all in place.   Even the trunk light works.

What does it need?  The biggest issue is a an engine oil leak--probably a rear main seal.   I would also replace two rubber fuel lines in the engine compartment to be safe.   New rear brake pads and brakes hoses are a good idea as mentioned earlier.   The AC system hasn't been used in many years so it will need service. possibly a new compressor but I don't know for sure.   But really. how often do you need AC in a convertible? 

This is a very nice. clean 99% original California car that needs a bit more loving care to come all the way back. but I've done a great majority of the hard work.   I need the money for other priorities. so the next owner can bring it the rest of the way home.  

I have a full set of factory service manuals that I will include if you like to work on your own car.   And there is no shortage of spare parts and knowledge available for these classic cars.

Feel free to contact me with questions. I encourage prospective buyers see and test drive the car.  I'm located in Torrance. California.  

Also published at eBay.ca

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