Vehicle Details
- Year: 1968
- Make: Mercedes-Benz
- Model: 250SL
- VIN: 11304312003395
- Mileage Shown: 4,476mi (5-digit odometer)
- Transmission: Automatic
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Horizon Blue
- Seller Type: Dealer
- Location: San Diego, CA 92102
- Dealer Fees: None
- Lot #: V-0028859
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. Previously listed on PCARMARKET, this 250SL has undergone over $11k in recent service and is now being offered for auction by its seller out of California once again as the original transaction could not be completed.
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: $60,000
- Auction End: Apr 19, 2023 08:09:32PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 47
Comments (70)
Bid in the amount of $60,000
Bid in the amount of $55,555
Bid in the amount of $55,000
Bid in the amount of $53,000
@eramzi It may have an electronic ignition - I don't quite remember.
Bid in the amount of $52,500
Bid in the amount of $52,250
@eramzi As far as I know the engine is original.
Bid in the amount of $52,000
Bid in the amount of $51,250
Bid in the amount of $51,000
Bid in the amount of $50,000
Bid in the amount of $43,000
Bid in the amount of $42,529
@motoringinvestments Thank you for taking the time and answering. I also appreciate your clarification on original. Indeed, i shouldve been more accurate and asked for any modifications. To that point, any modifications to the engine, or has it stayed original (aside from maintenance).
Bid in the amount of $42,000
Bid in the amount of $40,001
Bid in the amount of $38,500
Bid in the amount of $37,250
Bid in the amount of $37,000
Bid in the amount of $36,249
Bid in the amount of $35,999
Bid in the amount of $35,000
Bid in the amount of $32,250
@eramzi Hello. She is a great driver just the way she is. One might service the air conditioning to have it blowing cold, and the heater control levers could use some adjustment, which is typical of cars, which have not undergone a full restoration. So, to answer your question correctly about "what is not original," one would have to list anything which was ever renewed or replaced over the past 55 years. Or, maybe you’re referring to stock or modified items? Some things have been mentioned already like the vintage radio which has modern internals, the new carpets, the new firewall pad, the new soft top… Also, one does not expect a 55-year-old car to be all original paint, and if one finds a car like that which does not require repainting, that would be a significant find and highly rare. That said, this car appears to have had a paint job in its original color of horizon blue some decades ago. If I can answer any further questions before the end of the auction, feel free to comment.
Bid in the amount of $32,000
Bid in the amount of $31,250
Bid in the amount of $31,000
Bid in the amount of $30,750
Bid in the amount of $30,500
Bid in the amount of $30,250
Bid in the amount of $30,000
@motoringinvestments what work/renovations would you recommend the next seller consider? Other than what's highlighted in your description, what is NOT original to the car. Can you please clarify if the engine is original to the car.
Bid in the amount of $29,000
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 an 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.
Check your equipment & Wi-Fi and bid with the assumption that every bid is potentially a winning bid. If you need to discuss this with relevant family members, please do so prior to bidding.
Thanks
~ Brian
Bid in the amount of $28,500
I just uploaded photos of the absolutely original interior floorboards as lhw32 requested. A side benefit of the time it took to remove the transverse third seat to get the photos - is the deeper I look at this car, the more blown away I am at how original and authentic she is. Looking at the backside of the transverse 3rd seat backrest, one can see the original 55-year-old paper label with production number matching the grease pencil number drawn on the wood. ~ Brian
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Bid in the amount of $28,250
Bid in the amount of $28,000
Bid in the amount of $26,000
@lhw32 I'll have to see if I can shoot them today, but the undercarriage photos and comprehensive undercarriage video show the car is absolutely rust-free.
Bid in the amount of $25,000
@motoringinvestments
Do you have any photos showing the condition of the footwells underneath the carpets/floor mats and also if possible under the rear third seat?
Bid in the amount of $23,750
I put 2 more videos of this car up on YouTube
Folding top demonstration:
https://youtu.be/_KUWsM8wjG8
Vintage/Modern radio playing:
https://youtu.be/peXit3aGXEE
Perhaps the PCarMarket team can embed them above Wednesday morning.
Hello everyone. With less than 24 hours to go, now might be a good time to do a test bid to confirm equipment and internet connection. Also, there is no reason to wait until the end to bid, since late bids extend the bidding by 2 minutes. Also, refresh your page often.
Best regards,
Brian
Bid in the amount of $23,500
Bid in the amount of $23,000
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Bid in the amount of $21,000
Bid in the amount of $19,250
Bid in the amount of $19,000
Bid in the amount of $18,250
Bid in the amount of $18,000
Bid in the amount of $17,000
I just uploaded additional photos with captions showing some of the originality features.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
@lhw32 We somehow missed uploading the soft-top up photos. I will go in shortly and upload them. Great idea on a vid of the process of raising and lowering this top. I'll see if we can do that next week.
@motoringinvestments
Might you have pictures of the retractable soft top up and/or a video of putting the soft top up and down?
Bid in the amount of $16,000
Bid in the amount of $15,361
Bid in the amount of $11,111
Bid in the amount of $10,113
I love the custom wood cup holders. My Father was a carpenter and cabinet maker and he crafted something similar for his old Benz.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to our W113 Pagoda auction. A bit about my background first. I started working on cars in the 1960s, entered the automotive business in 1978, and started Motoring Investments in 1985. We have been a Pagoda specialist for some decades now and enthusiasts and professionals worldwide use our website as a sort of originality guide. I write this because I want bidders to be confident in the answers they receive to questions. If I don’t know the answer, I probably know someone who does. Our client purchased this California car about eight years ago and brought it straight to us to go through to be a reliable daily driver. All the major mechanical systems were gone through then, and I don’t think she has put much over 1000 miles on the car since then. It is only due to the limitation of garage space that this cherished family member is offered to a new caretaker. Best of luck! Brian
@Jimbo1907 @Jimbo1907, thank you for your question. I at first thought this was a modern Becker offering with a vintage look. However, it turns out that this audio system was a custom build by La Jolla Audio. Essentially, it is a Becker (Europa, I think) face with a modern radio behind it. When one inserts their smartphone in the holder, it connects at the base and interfaces with the system.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Would the seller be kind enough to comment on the Becker radio, which does look vintage but apparently does a lot more than a vintage radio does? What model is it, and what is the Becker model number, as well as where to find it? Thank you in advance for any information provided.