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#1
04-09-2004, 03:36 AM
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new member, need advice
Greetings:
This is my first posting on this board, although I am an active member on the Roadfly BMW 8 series board and have a bit of experience with cars and DIY stuff. My question: My father recently passed and I have inherited a 1972 450 sl. Apparently it was originally badged as a 350 sl. It has the thin bumbers (not the larger shock-types). It has sat in his garage for atleast 15 years undriven, as it was his hope to sometime restore the car. It is, frankly, a mess. The hood lock failed and the hood came up while driving many years ago leading to a front-end fender-bender (frame ok). It was then parked where it has remained. Is this car worth restoring? If so, I would do it over 2 - 3 year period. Where would one start? I wouldn't even think of trying to start the thing. My German mechanic is interested in a redo but I am unsure of the value of such an endeavour. It was a beautiful car at one time (AMG package with euro lights etc). Advice and comments, please......bsherman 
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#2
04-09-2004, 01:07 PM
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The early 350/450's do have a certain following. The SCM price guide shows a range of $5-12K, and a very nice, original 79K mile car recently sold at auction for $10,815.
It's hard to advise you without knowing more about the car, the mileage, and how badly damaged it is. After sitting that long, there is a long list of stuff that will need to be flushed, cleaned, and replaced. I would think that you could EASILY spend $4K on body work and paint, and another $4K on mechanical, suspension, rubber seals, tires, brakes, fuel lines, cooling system, etc. Much more if you have to pay to have the work done. Much more if you use Mercedes parts. And in the end, you would probably have a $6-7K car because it won't be the original kind of car that brings the big bucks. Our sympathies on your Dad's passing.
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Chuck Taylor Falls Church VA '66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe
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#4
04-09-2004, 05:45 PM
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Very nice examples of this model are available for $10K to $15K and would likely give you many years of fun at far lower cost than restoring this car. Selling it for parts or keeping it for parts to support another less thorough restoration of another better car may be more cost-effective. That said, if there is sentimental value to you and you can do some of the work yourself and your mechanic is reliable and cheap, restore it and keep it to drive out your money. Remember, virtually every car that is restored to a high quality standard is a money loser for the guy paying the bills. You have to love the things to ever justify the cost of restoring.
Ditto on the condolences. 230/8, and also owner of a 350SL
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#5
04-09-2004, 10:29 PM
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Check out www.collectorcartraderonline.com. They have a huge list of Mercedes, esp. sls. You will probably find your Euro version there. I have a 1973 Euro (small bumpers) 350 slc 4 spd. manual trans. for a parts car.
I doubt that it would be worth restoring this car unless it was something really special like a one off racing version. I bought my '77 slc for $4,000 and have put another $4,000 into it. It is in near prefect condition now but it was in very good condition before I bought it so the $4k really just went for some cosmetics and some mechanical. Nothing like a major paint job or engine rebuild. Sell this car to a parts yard and buy a slc for half the price of an sl. They are just as fast, much safer in an accident, and much, much more stylish.
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