No canoe...
http://rowesauctionservice.com/feb6/feb6.html
Link to photos on that page
This auction house has a history of cars going cheap. I suspect a possible reserve on this one (which will tick me off because its not advertised that way)
I'm not sure I want to keep it, so what would be a good number that won't cause me to lose my shirt if I want to flip it? NADA says $12k-17k, and asking prices on Ebay suggest that isn't out of the question.
How high would you bid?
Says sold.
1975 Mercedes 450SL Convertible w/ hardtop, only 87,000 miles*** Sold @ 6:00
Side not it was nice but I wouldn't have paid more than 5k on it with the risk of getting stuck with a car I didn't really want to keep.
No, that's when its scheduled to hit the block. Its not sold, that is when it will be auctioned.
I'd like an SL, in fact I was looking at them today, but shop cautiously. My friend's mother had a 74 that she bought new. He said it was an absolute lemon. I suspect that it was because it was the first year of the big emissions stuff.
Woody wrote: . He said it was an absolute lemon.
That means open the bidding at $1500, take it home for $3000, and if its a lemon just drop in an LS1
curtis73 wrote: No, that's when its scheduled to hit the block. Its not sold, that is when it will be auctioned.
Oh Doh! Yeah still 4-5K for resale if it was perfect. More than that and I wouldn't bank on finding a buyer quickly for a swift profit.
I'd avoid the 450s and either go older or newer,
Lower front valence looks like it's missing. Convertible top looks like it is starting to tear. Nothing on the papers taped to the windshield indicate a reserve.
If you are interested and the time is available, could be worthwhile to at least go.
I bought one for $1700 last year, put a $300 top on it and sold it for $3500 or so after months of advertising. Blue book is smoking crack on the prices of these. I don't think I could get that much for my wife's 560sl, and it is the best of the R107s.
I don't know the pics aren't very good but that butterscotch/butterscotch isn't a sought after combo. The problem with the 75 is it used the d-jet efi system that might be difficult to work on, they use trigger points in the distributor to control the injectors, kind of a strange system. I guess you can upgrade some of the systems with aftermarket parts.
I wouldn't buy one of these cars to make money they don't seem to command much. The 560/500sl are the pinnacle of the development for the r107 chassis. You can even upgrade the front brakes to big brakes.
Check for rust, these cars rust something fierce and hide it well under the 1/4in of undercoating.
Good luck with it if you need any more info hit up the benzworld r107 forum.
curtis73 wrote:Woody wrote: . He said it was an absolute lemon.That means open the bidding at $1500, take it home for $3000, and if its a lemon just drop in an LS1
Don't even wait to see if its a lemon. Buy it cheap and start the swap as soon as you get it home.
My wife's first car was a '73 MB 250 sedan. She loved it, and every time she sees a '70s Benz for sale she tells me she wants another. The only way that agree would be to start with a clean roller and drop in in a SBC or LS right away.
Those old MB engines are too expensive to keep running, even the ones that are easy to work on.
Ok, thanks for all the input. I knew there were some earlier MBs that were in the "not so good" category.
I'll drop by the auction house at 5:00, look it over, and I'll take a little scratch with me. Updates tomorrow.
I mean hell if you win it for $2k, cruise all spring and summer and sell it early fall for $4k.
We're shopping a 300SL for a customer right now.
190's are climbing in value like crazy because the 300SL's are unobtanium now.
The 230 and 250 are following, can't imagine the 450 will be much far behind.
The bumpers on that car are horrible, can they be swapped for a more attractive euro bumper?
Are you looking for a quick flip or planning a "buy and hold"?
I don't know what the petroliana market is like in your neck of the woods but it might be worthwhile tossing a low bid on the B&D polish cart and the Fram filter cart.
If you can get them for $75 or under for each one, you might make a quick buck.
That green Victor safe in the 4th row is super cool! The Benz would be cool if you can get it super cheap...keep us posted!
I actually like that color combo.
On an unrelated note, I don't know what a radio compass is, but I think it looks cool.
I like the fram service cart and the drinking glasses at the bottom of page 1...
My mom still has a 1972 280sl available for $2250. In good shape. Runs/drives loads of new parts grey market car new soft top/has hardtop with lift crank. Probably needs fuel accumulator. In STL
In reply to nocones:
STL stands for St. Louis?
A 72 280sl? I thought there was a production gap then of the 280 version of the sl?
Gray market car.
Nocones, can you put up the photos of that car again?
Yes st Louis. I'll have to check with her. It is that gen. Wiki indicates 1972 is possible but now that I think about it I think its a 1979 
It has the non smog I6 & 4 speed auto
Dog, those things are expensive to keep running. 
If it has the automatic temp control and it doesn't work, keep on lookin'. The cost to repair the original temp control unit (not the wheel, the actual temp unit that controls coolant flow) would make a monthly payment on a decent house. There's an aftermarket repair kit available that replaces the original electromechanical unit and does work but it's an absolute sacbuster to install.
Cans of film? 70's skin flicks, maybe. Or rolls of tape or ???
Dammit, Curtis, what happened?!
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