When it came to market in 1963, the W113 era Mercedes SL turned heads and appealed to buyers almost immediately, people were in love with the all new “Pagoda” and quite frankly several decades on, that love has only grown. Deviating from famed sloping, curved body lines to a new, more angular design saw the coveted model taken in an entirely new direction styling wise, but crucially, the W113 remained true to the core values of what made the SL continually popular and a leader in the luxury convertible market.
 
Exceptionally desirable in collector and restoration scenes, the W113 era SL has comfortably cemented itself in the automotive hall of fame, and as such these models are seemingly being snapped up in an instant. With fully restored examples gaining incredible traction in the auction world and claiming impressive values, the idea of an unrestored Pagoda has a delightful ring to it, cue KKP 417E. An exceedingly rare and sought after RHD 230SL, this 1967 model comes to market requiring an engine rebuild, with the current unit reportedly seized, making it an ideal winter project or candidate for full restoration.
 
Opportunities like this seldom come around these days, it's fair to say this is one that's sure to have the avid Mercedes enthusiast with a finger firmly on the bid now button.
 

 

 

It's hard to look at this car and not see endless potential, a blank canvas ticking all the right boxes. This SL is a truly wonderful car longing to be brought back to its glory days.
 
A rare red over cream colourway adorns the 230, and whilst heavy or serious corrosion looks to have been avoided especially in the commonly seen wheel arch areas, paintwork does leave something to be desired in its current state. There are some areas of deep scratching and general age related marking which would naturally benefit from attention and rectification if a restoration is undertaken, however an inspection of the external trim and badging shows that whilst exhibiting general signs of pitting and patina, it looks as though the majority if not, potentially all of it is still present with the vehicle.
 
The characteristic removable hardtop still finds itself in place, and the vendor advises that since acquisition, no attempt has been made to remove it.
 
Charming and stylishly, marvellously nostalgic. The suave cabin of the 230SL was an undoubtedly special place to be,  boasting good quality upholstery and trim, both wood and chrome, across the board, this 230 would have certainly been a striking thing in its heyday. Today, the cream upholstery presents in an honestly worn state, there are more notable rips visible on the driver's seat base though the rest of the seating and panel upholstery looks to be intact.
 
The iconic cream white steering wheel with its chrome horn ring and upholstered centre still takes pride of place ahead of the driver's seat and the dashboard that resides behind looks, whilst at a similar level of wear to the rest of the cabin, to be very complete.
 

 

Whilst it was often the bigger brother in its 2.8 litre 280sl that got all of the glory amongst collectors, the smaller 2.3 litre 230sl has begun to gain the admiration it has always deserved. With respectable power figures, good overall performance and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes to go alongside, the 230 was and still is every bit the SL.
 
This particular SL will need to be treated to some long overdue love in the mechanical department, as a reported seized engine has put a stop to any recent mile munching continental road trips. Opening the bonnet reveals what appears to be a very complete and honest engine bay, with the 2.3 litre unit mated to a desirable automatic transmission, however as the full extent of the vehicles engine issues are not yet known, there have understandably been no attempts made to start the Mercedes by its current vendor.
 

 

 
Undeniably cool, unquestionably stylish and increasingly rare. The W113 230SL is a truly special car indeed, and one that will surely win the heart of just about any devoted Mercedes enthusiast.
 
Demand for these simply gorgeous Pagoda SLs appears to be on an endless upward high and as such now seems like a perfect time to get into the world of Pagoda ownership. Certainly not an everyday occurrence, this 1967 RHD 230 presents prospective buyers with a great opportunity to do just that in a rather interesting and unique way.
 
An excellent candidate for restoration that will likely result in a stunning and exceedingly rare RHD Pagoda, this is surely not one to miss.
 
BEFORE YOU BUY 

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