• Restoration project 300SL
• From a deceased estate, needs restoring
• Complete and in running order
• Black leather interior

Introduced in 1972, the classic R107 SL was one of the most stylish cars of the 1970s and 1980s – a symbol of wealth and good taste and one of the most aspirational cars money could buy, finding favour among the rich and famous.

In the UK, it survived the economic strife of the Seventies to end its life as a symbol of Eighties extravagance – a definition of the Yuppie Years that defined a decade. It was a popular car, not least for its handsome styling (the work of Joseph Gallitzendörfer, who was a senior stylist with Mercedes-Benz for over 30 years). Its comfort, solidity, sturdiness and mechanical longevity also helped it enjoy an 18-year sales run. 

It had a very advanced roof system for its era, whereby the retractable soft top could be folded down and stored under a tonneau cover and the hardtop fitted on top for use over winter, which in many ways made the SL one of the first-ever coupé-cabriolets. 

This one needs returning to its former glory (or it would make a good parts car, but is probably too good for that). It’s a 300SL, the ‘big’ six. And it’s a nice spec. But make no mistake, it’s tired.

The vendor bought this car as part of a collection from a deceased estate and while he has put some of the other cars back on the road for his personal use, this one needs more than just minor fettling to get it back to roadworthy condition – the vendor is entirely honest about that and is selling it as an unrestored, complete and original project.

He is selling it as a going concern, or as a potential parts door for someone restoring an R107, though given its originality it would be a shame if it were broken up.

There isn't a huge amount of paperwork supplied with the car – just a V5 from the estate of the owner.

It was last MOT’d in 2015 but will need work on its underside and exhaust at the very least to see another test. That said, it is honestly presented for restoration with all of the body repair areas chalked up for restoration. 

It has a V5C from the probate sale that can be transferred to the new owner. 

Make no mistake, this car needs work. From a distance, it presents quite well and it certainly sits as it should, but close up there are lots of areas where it needs a bit of love. 

The white bodywork is in reasonable order, at least the upper part. But the lower half of the car will need a full repaint, after the rust issues have been addressed. The cosmetic ones are rust patches around the side trim, one of the rear arches, slightly on the windscreen pillars and around the corners of the rear wings. 

Underneath, all of the repair sections are marked. The front inner arches, the rear arches going into the boot floors, the floor pans and the jacking points. 

But it’s not the horror show it sounds. Each of these areas has been marked up by an MOT tester, and the good news is that they’re isolated areas. A good welder shouldn’t baulk too much at what’s required, making this a very cheap way into SL ownership if you’re inclined.

The good news is that the floor pans, front bulkhead and boot floor are all actually pretty solid, it’s localised repairs that are needed. 

The hardtop is sound, but has corrosion around the front edges. We were unable to inspect the hood or its storage area, as we did not have the special tool to remove the hardtop on the day of the shoot.

As per the outside, the interior needs a bit of love but the good news is that the black leather seats are in good, tidy condition, with no major wear. A testimony to Mercedes build quality given that the car has covered almost 200k. 

The floors and carpets are good, the interior is complete and while it looks careworn by age and dirt, it should come back pretty well overall.

The 300SL is the one to have as far as six-cylinder R107s are concerned as it’s a tough and powerful unit. 

The vendor bought this car as a non-runner, as it had sat in a barn since 2015. He has since entrusted it to a well-regarded Mercedes-Benz specialist to get it into running condition, and that’s where it’s at now. It starts and runs, and goes into all gears, with minimal exhaust smoke and good oil pressure. 

The car has just been serviced with a new water pump, new leads and spark plugs fitted as well as fresh oil.

But it will need further work. The exhaust is holed and blowing so will need replacement. It can be driven onto a trailer for recovery or delivery (with a jump start) but cannot be driven away. The vendor cannot vouch for the condition of the running gear other than from driving it around a private yard, so the new owner should budget for brake and suspension repairs if needed.

R107s are commanding strong money at the moment and their popularity is only going to get even greater as they get older.

But that's hardly surprising. There are few cars, if any, that can match their wonderful build quality, cruising comfort and all-round style. It's a timeless design and one that, if anything, just gets richer and better with age.

As a result, good ones command substantial money and are getting harder and harder to buy. This one could go one of two ways – either as a complete, honest and viable restoration project that will require bodywork and some mechanical work, or perhaps as a spares car for restoring other SLs. We can’t help but think it deserves another chance, though, as it’s all there and the work it needs is pretty much well marked out.

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