Vehicle Details
- Year: 1968
- Make: Mercedes-Benz
- Model: 250SL
- VIN: 11304312003395
- Mileage Shown: 4,768mi (5-digit odometer)
- Transmission: Automatic
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Horizon Blue
- Seller Type: Dealer
- Location: San Diego, CA 92102
- Dealer Fees: None
- Lot #: V-0028305
Available for auction is this 1968 Mercedes-Benz 250SL finished in Horizon Blue over a blue MB-Tex interior. The W113 250SL was revealed at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show as an update to its 230SL predecessor and was produced from December 1966 to January 1968. The 250SL features a unique body-color removable hardtop that earned it the “Pagoda” moniker, a retractable soft top, four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, and a 2.5-liter inline-six engine. Having undergone over $11k in recent service, this 250SL is now being offered for auction by its seller out of California.
This W113 is finished in Horizon Blue and has a matching removable hardtop along with a soft top. It rides on factory 14” steel wheels fitted with painted hubcaps and Goodyear Integrity tires from 2014. Exterior details include non-standard pinstripes that run the length of the car along with chrome brightwork that extends from the front grille to the rocker moldings, bumpers, windscreen frame, headlamp surrounds, and driver-side mirrors. The seller describes the paint to be in good overall condition and notes that the soft top canvas has recently been renewed. Detailed images are provided in the gallery.
The cabin is appointed with blue MB-Tex upholstery and features a painted dashboard that houses analog VDO instrumentation including a clock as well as temperature controls. Additionally, this 250SL has been lightly modified with a modern vintage-look Becker stereo system that includes an iPhone charger and Bluetooth capabilities. The seller notes that the carpets have recently been refreshed and all gauges, electronics, and accessories are working properly.
This 250SL is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-six engine that was factory rated at 170 SAE HP and 159 lb.-ft of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission. Performance features include four-wheel disc brakes and power steering. Service from approximately 2k miles ago included a new fuel tank along with the associated filters and hoses, a new cooling system including a new water pump, an oil change, and a power steering pump reseal. The seller notes that new service items have included the turn signal switch, electronic ignition, and shifter bushings.
This sale will include a clean title, spare tire, some documentation, and one key.
Auction Results
- Highest Bid: $86,250
- Auction End: Apr 04, 2023 07:28:59PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 44
Comments (63)
Bid in the amount of $86,250
Bid in the amount of $86,000
Bid in the amount of $85,000
Bid in the amount of $84,101
Bid in the amount of $82,000
Bid in the amount of $79,001
Bid in the amount of $77,000
Bid in the amount of $76,001
Bid in the amount of $74,000
Bid in the amount of $71,000
Bid in the amount of $70,001
Bid in the amount of $68,000
Bid in the amount of $67,500
Bid in the amount of $66,000
Bid in the amount of $64,001
Bid in the amount of $61,000
Bid in the amount of $60,001
Bid in the amount of $55,000
Bid in the amount of $51,001
Bid in the amount of $50,000
Bid in the amount of $45,000
Bid in the amount of $40,750
I have put several hundred test miles on this car personally and would not hesitate to drive it cross-country. It is generally recommended to ship cars new to oneself so one can get to know the old timer in familiar surroundings, but I would do it (but I'm already familiar with the car).
@mayart Barring "acts of God," yes, of course it can be driven back to LA without issue. The car has been dialed in by specialists. A/C would need a freon service to blow cold. Previous owner had not used the a/c for some time. The gauges work properly. You can bid confidently.
We are in the final hour! Bid in good time in advance of the two-minute reset mark. Please don’t wait to bid in the last 30 seconds as the system might not register the bid. This is not eBay. The system could have overload & not accept your bid. Please bid 2+ minutes and above, as well as refresh your browsers. I have seen bids and cars lost due to this.
Thanks,
Brian
@seller this car looks good, but can it be driven back to Los Angeles with no issues? Does the AC blow cold or does it need a charge, and do other electrical gauges and other things work as they should?
Bid in the amount of $40,001
Bid in the amount of $38,000
Bid in the amount of $35,250
Bid in the amount of $35,000
Bid in the amount of $32,750
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the final hours of my W113 Pagoda auction. It has been a fun week being your host. If you have questions or requests, please comment well in advance of the closing and I will do my best to accommodate.
You might do a test bid early to confirm your equipment and internet connection. Also, there is no reason to wait until the end to bid, since, unlike other auctions, late bids extend the bidding by 2 minutes. Also, refresh your page.
Best regards,
Brian
Bid in the amount of $32,500
Bid in the amount of $31,750
Bid in the amount of $31,500
Bid in the amount of $31,250
Bid in the amount of $31,000
@FUG123 Thanks for your questions. I just looked at the windshield, and as I do not see the 'Kristall' logo, I believe the windshield has been replaced. Regarding pic 83: the hoods, door skins, and trunk lids are aluminum on the W113 cars. The little blems one sees in close-ups near the hood badge are simply little stone chippies. The little blemish above the driver's side tail light is also a paint blemish, not rust. I would call this a mostly original car which is had a respray possibly decades ago, and upgrades (audio system, new carpet, new soft top ) over the years and about nine years ago (& very few miles ago) had a lot of services performed when it came out of storage (the invoices provided). Having been stored for a while is what allowed the low miles. I hope this helps.
Bid in the amount of $30,000
HI,
Thats a nice looking car and I had a few questions please. On pic 45 it looks like the windshield is delaminating does it appear to be the original one ? On pic 83 is that rust around the hood emblem? On pic 86 is that rust above the driver side tail light? In your opinion would you say this is an original car that has had a repaint awhile ago and some service about 10 years ago or is there more restoration than we can see ?
Bid in the amount of $25,000
Bid in the amount of $21,250
Bid in the amount of $21,000
Bid in the amount of $20,000
Bid in the amount of $15,000
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Bid in the amount of $14,500
Bid in the amount of $14,100
Bid in the amount of $13,777
Bid in the amount of $12,410
Bid in the amount of $10,000
Welcome everyone to our Mercedes W113 Pagoda auction!
A bit of my automotive background: I’ve been a car-guy and ‘motorhead’ practically since I can remember. My World War II era father learned automotive technology in the Marine Corps & vocational schools & taught me all about cars and how to turn wrenches. I went full-time into the automotive business in 1978 and started the company I run today in 1985. Those who ask questions can be confident of the answers. Having been involved with cars for so long, if I don’t know the answer, I probably know people who know the answer or I know where to find it.
Our local client purchased this California car a few years ago and brought it straight to us to be gone through when we performed all the things these cars typically need. She runs wonderfully, shifting crisp through the gears, and stopping straight and true. I will be posting more data as the auction unfolds, and we will undoubtedly film additional videos.
I hope you will ask questions relevant to your purchase so you will have the answers to make an informed decision. Good luck to everyone! ~ Brian
@oneslyone The a/c has all of its functioning hard parts but to be at the top of its game would need the annual maintenance service.
@oneslyone Good question. As you know, there are many terms and acronyms in the old car hobby. “Genuine,” if in this case it is bought through Mercedes Benz; “OEM” for Original Equipment Manufacturer (the car manufacturer’s original & historical source); “NOS,” New Old Stock for an item which has sat on the shelf unused since new (as the term sort of suggests, it is old). NOS is typically used when one wants something ‘authentic’, yet other current supplies are lacking. It gets a bit convoluted and nuanced, and there is crossover amongst all of the above categories. Just because something is ‘genuine’ does not necessarily mean it is ‘OEM’ today and just because some thing is NOS does not necessarily mean it is genuine or OEM (one can imagine an NOS aftermarket part). Further, probably one would not want even a genuine, NOS rubber weather seal. If a new genuine weather seal is not available, certainly a good aftermarket would be superior to a 50-year-old brittle item.
In our restorations and service work, we use a variety of parts sources depending on the car, the client, the application, what has gone out of stock and what is available. Oh, I forgot two other acronyms in parts-speak: “NLA” for no longer available or “NLS” no longer supplied. With Mercedes-Benz, many of their vintage parts go in and out of stock, depending on the manufacturer and demand.
It would be a daunting task to go back to the past repair orders and look at the parts purchased and attempt to look up where they were purchased from. However, rest assured that we choose the best part for the application. Additionally, we have learned over the years that certain brands are superior. As an example, the OEM Behr radiator, which was designed specifically for the W113 cars, is the best. The one in this car is stamped, "Behr."
Sorry, this is probably a longer answer than anyone wanted…
Enjoyable walk-around video seller - nice work. I have a couple of questions. Are the replacement parts form the recent service NOS or OEM parts? Additionally, is the AC operational and blowing cold?
Bid in the amount of $6,000