Outstanding condition with traces of tasteful originality
Ground up restoration by Roger Edwards
Very low mileage of 45,278 believed to be correct
Offered with cherished plate
The Appeal
The Benz that truly needs no introduction, and one that bears the Pagoda name proudly, a name that more often than not causes salivating from any nearby Mercedes enthusiast who is close enough to hear it muttered in any conversation.
The final iteration of the W113 chassis before it was replaced by the entirely new and subsequently heavier R107 - the 280SL received the best engine of the earlier bunch, the M130, producing a healthy 170bhp and making the chassis feel much more lively and responsive in comparison to its older and smaller siblings, the 230 and the 250. Many Mercedes enthusiasts would argue that the 280 is the one to go for - and honestly we agree with them.
This particular 280SL has been held by the same family since 1990, a group of brothers have ensured that this vehicle was restored to a fantastic standard somewhat 20 years ago, however it was unfortunately left in storage and neglected for between 15-20 years. Recently the car was brought back out and fully professionally repainted in silver - from the original white - and inspected by Mercedes professionals at Roger Edwards Motors (a renowned SL specialist), who actually restored the car all those years ago.
The car has undergone long road trips since its reappearance on the road, and has performed outstandingly and exceeded all of the owners expectations in terms of drivability and reliability.
Professionally reupholstered in gorgeous red leather
Brightwork all dashingly well presented with only very gentle signs of age if you look hard enough
Steering wheel in like-new condition
Gauge cluster all functional and original, with gorgeous brightwork surroundings
Wooden dash vents in fantastic condition
Original Becker Mexico cassette player and radio present and functional
Seats all in outstanding condition thanks to the lack of use over the years
Carpets all extremely well presented and free from damage - basically brand new
Door cards fantastically well presented
Like any 280SL, it absolutely reeks of class and elegance from a mile away. The scrumptious red leather upholstery adds a whole new level of luxury that fits the car so fantastically you’d be a fool to not stop and stare in awe.
Upon opening the SL’s driver side door, you’re greeted with that flood of red and chrome accents. Originally this charming Mercedes wore black leather and textile interior however during the restoration of the car, the brothers saw it fit to retrim the interior in the stunning red you see before you - and we honestly don’t think they could have chosen a better colour.
The drivers seat appears to be in almost unused condition - mainly because this vehicle barely turned a wheel over the last two decades, - and it is free from any cracks or tears you would normally expect, and the passenger side seat is very much the same if not better!
Directly in front of the driver's seat, the black steering wheel greets you with its well maintained leather horn cover and its damage free outer rim which glistens any time a source of light hits it. Right behind this circular masterpiece rests the completely functional gauge cluster which is free from any unwelcome warning lights or symbols, and reads the staggeringly low mileage of only 45,000 - which is believed to be original and genuine due to the nature of the cars ownerships.
The brightwork here appears to be in lovely condition, and all of the surrounding switches and control knobs are completely functional.
Moving across the dashboard to the centre, the brightwork remains just as good, with some very gentle and handsome signs of patina from sitting in long term storage - but you have to really be looking for it. The original Becker cassette player and radio remain situated in the dashboard as does the VDO clock.
The heater control switches just above the cassette player are in fantastic condition too - a seemingly recurring theme from this car! Dropping down from the dashboard, the gear shifter and surrounding carpets are in stunning condition, the carpets appear to be almost brand new with the exception of the drivers side floor mat which has seen some recent use thanks to the aforementioned road trips, but even at that, it is very minimal.
It doesn’t matter where you look in this charming Mercedes, you’ll be surprised at how well done everything is - it's easy to tell a professional job because you’re always shocked when someone tells you it isn’t in its original form, and honestly, we were gobsmacked to find this out.
Originally painted in white upon manufacture in 1968
Bodywork completely restored during the restoration process somewhat 20+ years ago
New floor pans and any other required panels were professionally welded into the vehicle at the time
Brand new front bumper bought from Mercedes at the expense of £4,000 in 1997
Brand new front grill
Brightwork all either brand new or completely rechromed and in fantastic condition
Vehicle recently repainted in a gorgeous period correct silver metallic
Pagoda hardtop is in the process of being completely restored before the sale of the vehicle and will be in like-new condition
Soft top described as “good enough” due to gaining some light patina and signs of age from the long term storage, but remains in functional and weather-tight condition
Wheels in lovely condition and the chrome work remains bright and full of colour, just some light scratches appear on some areas of the outer rim
Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Is there really any other way to describe a 280SL? Especially a Pagoda… This is a car that Mercedes just got right, and with the help of some loving restoration, the owners made it that much better.
Starting off at the front of the vehicle, the front bumper was bought brand new from Mercedes at the time of restoration at the eye-watering expense of around £4,000 - but an arguably worthwhile expense, as it still to this day looks like it just rolled off of the production line. The grill is also brand new and appears in fabulous condition. Headlight lenses are in flawless shape with great clarity and no signs of any damage. Know what else is an eye-catcher up here? The plate - that must be worth a pretty penny!
Moving around to the side of the vehicle, paintwork remains in stunning shape and the body panel gaps are all of factory fitment. Thanks to the recent repainting of the vehicle, the paintwork is probably of better quality than could ever be achieved in the late 60’s. All of the chrome brightwork looks to be in fabulous shape with the only minor imperfection we can spot with our eagle eyes being the driver side door lower chrome strip has a very minor dent near the front of it - aside from that everything else here is pretty much perfect.
Arches are clear from rust inside and out, and the panels are all straight and true! The wheels remain in lovely shape too, the wheel centres have been painted to match the bodywork of the vehicle, and the chrome lips retain great clarity with just some very minor scuffing apparent on some of the wheels, really nothing to nag about.
Moving around to the rear of the 280, the story is very much the same with lovely and pristine paintwork and gorgeous brightwork throughout the bumper and badges. It’s extremely hard to pick any flaws out of this car. The tail light lenses are of fantastic condition and free from any damage and water ingress, and have a great saturation in the red and amber portions of the lens.
The soft top is in good condition, the owner tells us that due to the years of storage it has accumulated some minor patina in the form of light scratching or creasing, however it is otherwise sound and doesn't let any water through on rainy days. Not to fret, though, as the Pagoda hardtop is in the process of being professionally restored and will look completely brand new when it’s done!
Mechanically overhauled during restoration and recently thoroughly inspected by an SL specialist
Tyres show some signs of age with cracks however appear to have a good amount of tread left
Engine bay gorgeously presented
We’re starting to believe that this really is the perfect 280. From looks, to mechanics, it really does have it all. Recently, the owners took the car on a couple of long road trips to ensure the mechanical soundness and make no mistake, the vehicle did not disappoint. The refurbished straight 6 still creates a lovely grumble and produces more than enough power for anyone to consider an easily drivable car, and it is in fact surprisingly quick thanks to the attention to some weight loss from Mercedes in the form of an aluminium hood, deck lid and door skins. Even with these weight savings, the unibody design can still withstand an astounding load of 1000kg.
The engine remains responsive, the gearbox is smooth and predictable, and the suspension is as luxurious as any old Benz should be. But as airy and seemingly delicate as it may be, it makes for a fantastic driving experience with great steering feedback and of course the lovely addictive sound of that straight six engine. Not a noise that anyone could ever tire of.
Sure, it may be the heavier, more grand tourer focused on the family tree but it still holds its own and is worthy of the SL badging, even though it may not be as lightweight as it should be. But what it lacks in Sports Leicht it makes up for in absolute passion and elegance, as well as being the most powerful of the bunch. So damn the weight loss, who needs it?
Any Mercedes worshipper will tell you, the 280SL Pagoda is an absolute God in terms of classic Mercs, and trying to find a well sorted one (especially a right hand drive model) is becoming increasingly more difficult to source.
An absolutely fantastic investment for any car collector, this would look the part in anyone's garage, and even better rolling down the street turning heads and dropping jaws.
So really, the question is, what are you waiting for?
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