Description
Lanes Cars present what may be one of the most significant Mercedes-Benz W113 Pagodas available today: a 1968 280 SL California Coupé in right-hand drive specification. This is not hyperbole – this car represents multiple layers of extreme rarity that seasoned collectors will immediately recognise.
The California Coupé: Understanding the Rarity
The California Coupé was Mercedes-Benz's only attempt at creating a 2+2 configuration within the W113 Pagoda range. Introduced with the 250 SL in 1967 and continuing with the 280 SL from 1968-1971, these cars deleted the soft-top mechanism entirely, replacing it with a fold-down rear bench seat.
Production only lasted just four years, making them exceptionally scarce.
Right-hand drive California Coupés are virtually non-existent.
This car may be one of fewer than ten such examples worldwide.
Provenance & History
Original Delivery: 15th September 1969 to Mercedes-Benz sales distribution agency in Malta
Matching Numbers: Chassis 113 044 22 012 637 retains original engine, matching data card
Current Mileage: 77, 091 miles (warranted, fully documented)
Original Specification:
Paint: DB 568 Signal Red (factory original)
Interior: DB 147 MB-Tex Vellum (Cream/ Parchment leather)
Configuration: California Coupé (Option 417) - hardtop only with rear seat bench
Transmission: Automatic with power steering (Option 426)
Equipment: Becker Europa radio, ivory steering wheel, English instruments
Comprehensive Restoration (2007-2009)
Body Restoration: Tommy Heaney Co, Derry, Northern Ireland
Complete restoration October 2007 to October 2009
Total cost: €67, 290
Mercedes restoration specialist
Bare metal restoration to concours standards
Engine Rebuild (2010-2012): Benjamin Lichtenberg Classics, Dublin
June 2010: Valve guides, seals, spark plugs, timing chain and tensioner
December 2010: Distributor rotar, rotar arm, thrust washers, rocker arms
April 2012: Complete engine removal, pressure test, head and block reboring
New pistons, small end bushes to conrods, regrinding crankshaft
Complete supply bearings, refacing cylinder head, new seatings and valves
New exhaust guides, complete engine reassembly
Mileage at engine rebuild: 73, 642 miles
Total cost: €9, 413
Only 3, 449 miles since engine rebuild
Service History
Exceptionally well-documented from new:
Early History (Malta & Jersey):
1ST Service: 17-9-1969, 230 miles - Daimer Benz, Koln, Germany
Services 2-5: Mercedes specialists Malta (1969-1971)
Services 6-11: Jacksons garage, Jersey (1972-1976)
UK History:
Services 12-15: Mercedes Majestic group, Dorset (1978-1981)
Service 17: Three Cross garage, Wimborne, Dorset (1984)
Services 19 & 23: Majestic garage, Bournemount (1989)
1998: Jacksons, Bournemount - 65, 730 miles
2009: Heaney Motor Company restoration
2013: Michael Moore, Mercedes specialist, S. Ireland - 74, 888 miles
Complete Documentation
Included with sale:
Original Mercedes-Benz Zertifikat (Build Certificate) dated 23. 10. 2007
Original Data Card specifications
Full history file with all restoration invoices and receipts
Original handbooks and documentation
Original toolkit (complete)
Comprehensive photographic record of restoration
Letter from Motor Distributors Limited (original warranty documentation)
Current Condition
Following its comprehensive restoration and mechanical rebuild, this California Coupé has covered minimal miles. The car was carefully stored from 2013-2019, sold by prestigious dealers Hurst Park Automobiles in 2019, and has been in careful storage with the current owner since acquisition.
The car will require recommissioning before road use after storage, which is factored into the realistic asking price. The cosmetic condition remains outstanding, with beautiful paint depth, gleaming chrome, and immaculate interior.
Why This Car Matters
Extreme Rarity:
California Coupé (one of the rarest Pagoda variants)
Right-hand drive (virtually unique in California Coupé specification)
Early 1968 production (first year of 280 California)
Original color combination (DB 568/ 147)
Matching numbers throughout
Impeccable Provenance:
Delivered new to Malta 1969
Complete ownership history documented
€76, 000+ spent on restoration and mechanical rebuild
Full photographic restoration record
Original Mercedes certification
Previously handled by Hurst Park Automobiles (est. 1938)
Investment Potential: Ultra-rare factory variants of iconic models consistently outperform standard examples. This car's combination of California Coupé specification, right-hand drive, documented history, and comprehensive restoration makes it genuinely irreplaceable.
Viewing
Located in the United Kingdom. Viewings welcomed by appointment for serious collectors who understand the significance of this remarkable car.
Price: £110, 000
Offers invited from discerning collectors
Contact: [Your details]
This is not just another Pagoda. This is a piece of Mercedes-Benz history that may never come to market again.
For Sale: A Collector's Holy Grail – 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL 'California Coupé' RHD
Price: £99, 950
We are privileged to offer what is undoubtedly one of the most significant and rare Mercedes-Benz W113 'Pagodas' in existence: a factory-built, right-hand drive 1968 280 SL California Coupé. This vehicle's unique combination of factory specifications makes it a potential one-of-a-handful survivor, representing an unmissable opportunity for the discerning collector.
The "California Coupé" (option code 417) was a special factory variant that deleted the soft-top and its housing, replacing it with a practical rear bench seat, creating a true 2+2 grand tourer. While scarce in any form, a factory-produced Right-Hand Drive 280 SL California is the pinnacle of W113 rarity.
Key Highlights
• Marque Rarity: A genuine factory "California Coupé" with rear bench seat.
• Ultimate Specification: One of very few factory-built Right-Hand Drive examples.
• Provenance: Matching numbers vehicle confirmed by official Mercedes-Benz Zertifikat.
• Originality: Presented in its factory specification of Signal Red over Vellum MB-Tex.
• Documented History: Comprehensive file from new, detailing its life in Malta, Jersey, and the UK.
• Major Restoration: Over €76, 700 spent on a multi-year, specialist body and engine restoration.
• Concours Winner: Awarded at a concours event in Ireland (2010) post-restoration.
•
Vehicle Provenance & History
• Chassis No: 113 044 22 012 637
• Engine No: 130 983 22 008 042 (Matching)
• Initial Registration: August 1968
• Date of Delivery: 15th September 1969
• Original Destination: Mercedes-Benz Sales Agency, Malta
• Current Registration: RCD 908G
• Current Mileage: 77, 091 miles (Warranted)
•
Original Factory Specification (per Data Card)
• Paintwork: DB 568 - Signal Red
• Upholstery: DB 147 - MB-Tex in Vellum colour
• Option 417: Hardtop mounted with rear seat bench (California Coupé)
• Option 426: Automatic Transmission & Power Steering
• Option 551: Ivory-coloured steering wheel
• Option 461: Instruments with mileage gauges, in English
• Option 598: Heat-absorbing wrap-around glass
Comprehensive Restoration History
This vehicle was the subject of a meticulous, no-expense-spared restoration by renowned specialists.
Body Restoration (Oct 2007 – Oct 2009)
• Specialist: Tommy Heaney Co, Derry, Northern Ireland
• Scope: A complete, bare-metal restoration to concours standards.
• Cost: €67, 290
Engine Overhaul (2010 – 2012)
• Specialist: Benjamin Lichtenberg Classics, Dublin
• Scope: Full engine removal and rebuild including reboring, new pistons, reground crankshaft, new bearings, valves, guides, timing chain, and more.
• Cost: €9, 413
• Mileage at Rebuild: 73, 642 miles
• Mileage Since Rebuild: Approximately 3, 450 miles
Documented Service History
The vehicle is accompanied by an exceptional history file, with servicing documented from its first year.
• 1969 - 1971 (Malta): Serviced by Mercedes specialists in Malta, including its first service at just 230 miles.
• 1972 - 1998 (Jersey & UK): Extensive servicing by Jacksons Garage (Jersey) and Majestic Group (Dorset).
• 2009 - 2013 (Post-Restoration): Maintenance by restoration specialists and Mercedes experts in Ireland.
Documentation & Accompanying Items
• Official Mercedes-Benz Zertifikat (Build Certificate) issued in 2007.
• Copy of the original factory Data Card.
• Comprehensive history file containing invoices for all restoration work.
• Extensive photographic record of the restoration process.
• Official correspondence from Mercedes-Benz Motor Distributors Ltd. confirming its 1968 registration date.
• Original toolkit.
Current Condition
Following its exhaustive restoration, the car has seen minimal use and has been preserved in careful storage. The cosmetic condition remains exceptional, with deep, lustrous paintwork, excellent chrome, and a beautifully presented interior. As it has been in storage, a degree of light recommissioning should be expected before regular road use, a factor that has been considered in the asking price.
Investment Rarity
This is not merely another Pagoda; it is a piece of Mercedes-Benz history. The combination of its ultra-rare factory specification (RHD California Coupé), matching-numbers provenance, stunning original colour scheme, and comprehensively documented restoration makes it genuinely irreplaceable. For the serious collector, this vehicle offers a blue-chip investment opportunity that is unlikely to be repeated.
Viewing is strictly by appointment. Located in the United Kingdom.
