1972 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Convertible

4.5 V8

Automatic

10704242120062428

Clear

Gasoline

Her name is Audrey. She is a rare car in the fact that she is the first of the long line of SL's that shared the iconic look of the boxy SL, but, still has the pagoda roof and bodyline of the famous 60's SL. This body styling only existed for one year, 1972...and then in 1973 it all evolved, to a much boxier flank design, as well as several engine options. And then on to the official engine designation as a 450SL...meaning a 4.5 litre V8. This is one of the rare occasions when Mercedes Benz did not associate a model moniker with the engine size. The 350 SL is a bit of a mystery to most people, save for MB afficianados, as it has the 350SL model designation, but is a 4.5 litre V8. Unusual for Mercedes. I have a title that says that is a 1973 model. I doubted this when I purchased it, so, I contacted the Mercedes Center in California, and they redirected me to the center in Germany, who correctly coded the VIN as an original 1972 350SL, in a very rare Black on Oatmeal. You are welcome to confirm this information. It is free, and MB was very helpful. I will correct the title. So, this car had the benefit of having some of the style cues from the old Pagoda SL, but with the power of the up and coming SL...and it is a joy to drive. Super comfortable, and easy to cruise in. The 4.5 litre V8 starts right up every time, and purrs. The transmission shifts smoothly and with out hesitation. The brakes are just fine...the tires have plenty of life left in them, and the monobloc wheels are a nice modern touch. You could leave this car alone, and drive it as is. It has a factory AC that works just fine, along with power windows and a modern stereo, power brakes, power steering, and an automatic trans. This car will most definitely need paint. However, it will be a simple repaint, as there is only the slightest amount of corrosion on the very top of the tailights, and that is it. The registration history puts this as a southern car, so, it was never subjected to harsh winters. I do have some service records from the previous owner, but not the entire history. I can say that it starts right up and is a joy to drive. The soft top will also need replacing at some point...it was poorly done by the previous owner, although the frame for the soft top is fine. So, is it a "blue chip" Mercedes? Im not sure, but if you check Hagerty and Martins, these cars have been trending upwards, specific to this year/ model, as it becomes clear that they are an unusual model. This was a car that was more or less, from what I can gather, a stop-gap model year. In any case, she is a joy to drive.