73 450sl with standard transmission

[sparkyt]

I am looking to purchase my first sl and have come across a 73 with 85,000 miles and a standard transmission. The car is in great shape and I'm very interested in it. It is my undestanding that the car must have been bought in Europe and then shipped into the states. My question is, what would be the avalibilty of parts for service if and when the tranny needs work?

Also, what effect does a salvage title have on the value and resale of this vintage sl?

Thanks alot for any help you can provide!!

[Deltacom]

Originally posted by sparkyt
I am looking to purchase my first sl and have come across a 73 with 85,000 miles and a standard transmission. The car is in great shape and I'm very interested in it. It is my undestanding that the car must have been bought in Europe and then shipped into the states. My question is, what would be the avalibilty of parts for service if and when the tranny needs work?

Also, what effect does a salvage title have on the value and resale of this vintage sl?

Thanks alot for any help you can provide!!

Take a look at a thread on page 2 of the SL Forum titled: "SLC OWNERS - How does it handle?" for substantital information.

[sparkyt]

Anthony, Thanks for the reply. Theres a lot of info there for slc but not what I'm looking for.
Is this 73 450sl I'm looking at a grey market car that should be avoided? The reason is that the I read that standard transmissions were not shipped into the US.
Also wondering how much a salvage title affects value of a 70's sl?

Mark

[BWatson]

I am not an SL owner but I have had mercedes stick tranny's before and found them to be really good. I don't know about the parts availibility but they are very solid. My 300D is a salvage title. I guess that means that at some point an insurance company figured the repairs as 70% of kelly blue book. The question is when was it salvaged. My car had 2,000 in damage and was KBB'd at 2,500. I know I have a great car but if I were to sell it, I would have to contend with peoples fears. A salvage title on a new benz would be a much bigger problem. Imagine $60,000 in damage. I think if it's a good car and a good deal, run with it. I know that a stick SL is a scream to drive. My friend had a 67 250SL and I took it for a few "death rides." Loved it!

[mbdoc]

MB never brought a V-8 to the US with a manual transmission. The last euro version with a V-8 & manual trans was the 350SL/350SLC. THE 450sl never had a manual transmission even in Europe.

Your vehicle is probably a rebadged 350SL, as euro delivery V8 SL's were all 350's in 1973.

From a pleasure point of view, a manual R107 sounds like fun. From an investment point of view, you have a gray market car with a salvage title. Not good.

If the price is right (below comparable U.S. delivery 1973 SL's), maybe this is a way to go. I wouldn't spend a lot of money on restoration, however.