Pagoda buffs?

[t walgamuth]

I am going to go look at a 71 pagoda owned by a gentleman here. He says it has original paint and no rust. It has been sitting for about 20 years and has stuff stacked on it.

I am looking for information and sources. Value too depending on condition etc.

[POS]

Nice! Body is everything. The unibody is hard to get correct if it was whacked in the past 50 years and fixed improperly. Rust is God-awful expensive too. You know it won't be running, but it'd be nice to know why it was parked. Papers and a history is always interesting to me. Check for repaint; check for bondo. The front headlight buckets came with a little crease on the inside near the grill; if they're gone, you know the front was hit.

Information on 230 / 250 / 280 SL 1963-1971
http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Buying/PrepurchaseEvaluation
http://www.motoringinvestments.com/280SL_BuyersGuide.htm

The rock bottom Pagodas are now $10,000. You can find cheaper, but they'll be in sections and be incomplete. If the car will clean up nice, I'd want to get it for $10,000 (PLEASE take pics, Tom - I'd love to see a 'barn find' Pagoda - how exciting!). Figure you'll spend $3k-5k pretty quick to get it running and driving faily well. The parts for the w113 are expensive.

But the 280SL is the one to have. The 1971 is the year to have. It sounds definitely worthy of an inspection. Cleaned up very well and running with few issues, and the car would be worth $20k-$30k depending on body/interior condition. Dad had a 1971 that I learned to drive on when I was 16 - I've always wanted another one for myself. I almost bought this one - it's the last Pagoda ever made and it was for sale in Houston about two years ago. I was first on the spot, but the price was high, the engine was non-original, and it had ostrich-leather seats (yuck). I passed on it, but called the Classic Center - who promptly bought it and are currently restoring it. Kinda wish I had bought it still.

[t walgamuth]

Cool! I will take pics. I will just have to take a look see and see how bad it is. Bottom is 10 k for a non running non driving car you think? I expect mechanically it will be solid but may need seals etc. brakes of course and perhaps fuel injection work. I believe the fuel injection pumps are pretty similar to our diesels.

I am pretty excited to have a look at it.

[elchivito]

Beautiful Mercedes, but what about the 50's vintage Oldsmobuick behind it?? Shoulda bought it maybe....

[elchivito]

Or is that a Chev?

[t walgamuth]

Looks like a fifty seven chev to me.

[Chas H]

I think that a '57 Chevy in the background.
Years ago a friend rescued a number of Pagodas and turned a good profit doing it. Some of the cars he bought for very little money, some needed big work, but he always made money on the flip.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by POS

Nice! Body is everything. The unibody is hard to get correct if it was whacked in the past 50 years and fixed improperly. Rust is God-awful expensive too. You know it won't be running, but it'd be nice to know why it was parked. Papers and a history is always interesting to me. Check for repaint; check for bondo. The front headlight buckets came with a little crease on the inside near the grill; if they're gone, you know the front was hit.

Information on 230 / 250 / 280 SL 1963-1971
Pagoda SL Group Technical Manual :: Buying / PrepurchaseEvaluation
Mercedes Benz W113 280SL buyer's guide for originality

The rock bottom Pagodas are now $10,000. You can find cheaper, but they'll be in sections and be incomplete. If the car will clean up nice, I'd want to get it for $10,000 (PLEASE take pics, Tom - I'd love to see a 'barn find' Pagoda - how exciting!). Figure you'll spend $3k-5k pretty quick to get it running and driving faily well. The parts for the w113 are expensive.

But the 280SL is the one to have. The 1971 is the year to have. It sounds definitely worthy of an inspection. Cleaned up very well and running with few issues, and the car would be worth $20k-$30k depending on body/interior condition. Dad had a 1971 that I learned to drive on when I was 16 - I've always wanted another one for myself. I almost bought this one - it's the last Pagoda ever made and it was for sale in Houston about two years ago. I was first on the spot, but the price was high, the engine was non-original, and it had ostrich-leather seats (yuck). I passed on it, but called the Classic Center - who promptly bought it and are currently restoring it. Kinda wish I had bought it still.

The ostrich skin may be original.

[TylerH860]

Is there a story behind this one, or did it just pop up for sale somewhere?

[t walgamuth]

Well, I was out goofing around with my SIL and took him by my Indie's shop to show him the new paint on the 85 300SD. On the way back into town we went by the travel trailer sales place. I have known the owner for about 20 years and somewhere along the line I found out he had this pagoda top. Last time I talked to him about it was at least five years ago. At that time it had been sitting around for ten years or so. So today I just decided to ask him if he wanted to sell it.

He said it was his wife's car and she couldn't drive anymore and yeah, he would sell it but it was in his garage covered with junk. I said I would take off the stuff, heck once I bought a cadillac convertible out of a garage which had collapsed on it. We both laughed and so forth.

Any way I will contact him next week and try to go look at it.

I am getting excited about it.

Is that a story?

[The Clk Man]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Well, I was out goofing around with my SIL and took him by my Indie's shop to show him the new paint on the 85 300SD. On the way back into town we went by the travel trailer sales place. I have known the owner for about 20 years and somewhere along the line I found out he had this pagoda top. Last time I talked to him about it was at least five years ago. At that time it had been sitting around for ten years or so. So today I just decided to ask him if he wanted to sell it.

He said it was his wife's car and she couldn't drive anymore and yeah, he would sell it but it was in his garage covered with junk. I said I would take off the stuff, heck once I bought a cadillac convertible out of a garage which had collapsed on it. We both laughed and so forth.

Any way I will contact him next week and try to go look at it.

I am getting excited about it.

Is that a story?

Your Sister in Law is a DUDE???

[t walgamuth]

Son in law.

[engatwork]

LOL

I thought the same thing.

[Jim B.]

John Olson's newsetter is believed to be the definitive guide to values of the SL, most especially every pagoda, R107 and R109.

I have personally been aware of its existence for well over a dozen years.

I met Olsen once at national MBCA function in Colorado in 1998.

SL Market


these remarks pertained to a euro-spec 500SL but are of relevance to the Pagoda roof SL and other old Mercedes Benz autos as well.

Olsen wrote:

For buyers, the 500SL remains a serious option for those model years IF CONDITION HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. First priority is a NEVER rusted body, regardless which engine. ALWAYS inspect them on a hoist and walk away from anything more than minor surface rust! If it passes this first test, drive it for a half hour, not just around the block. Take in on the express way and boulevard. Feel it. Listen. Some old Mercedes feel old. Others remain tight and smooth and civil. Remember too, a good “feel” is only coincidentally correlated to your favorite color! The price range mentioned above is entirely justified, and weak cars of uncertain mileage and no service records are not even worth $5,000 because you can’t reincarnated them for $10,000+ ! Better to pay $15,000+ for a first rate example as a tired car is a personal time-sump too. All that said, these were well made, strong, cars. Ageless styling and about as safe as old cars get!

[t walgamuth]

Thanks guys! There is some good stuff to check out.