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Padova Finarte / Collector Cars

Friday 25 October 2019, 02:30 PM • Padua

30

1964 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Pagoda (Mercedes-Benz)

chassis no. 113.042.10 . 001716 engine no. 10017574

Lot subjected to VAT (if due) or sold as in-bond

Estimate

€ 60.000 - 70.000

Un utente ha offerto

Your offer is the highest

Information

  • Exceptionally preserved.
  • Engine with 600 km on the clock from 1982.
  • Eligible to the Mercedes-Benz Mille Miglia Challenge
  • Perfectlyworking.

Documents
Registration and Italian license plates in order.
Eligibility
  • Mille Miglia. Eligible to the Mercedes-Benz Mille Miglia Challenge(Grouping E).
  • Giro di Sicilia.Eligible.
  • Targa Florio. Eligible.
  • Goodwood Revival.Eligible
  • Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique.Eligible.
  • Tour Auto. Eligible.
  • Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti.Eligible.
  • Coppa delle Alpi by 1000 Miglia.Eligible.
  • Winther Marathon.Eligible.
  • Nürburgring Classic. Eligible.
  • Pebble BeachConcours d’Elegance. Eligible.
  • Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Eligible.
  • Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille.Eligible.
  • Concorso d’eleganza Villa D’Este. Eligible

Provenance

The model
The codenumber W113 is the design number of the second series of cars belonging to the SL Class, produced in three versions by Mercedes-Benz between 1963 and 1971 and known worldwide with the “Pagoda” nickname. The 190 SL, which had enjoyed wide acceptance for several years, was aging and the Stuttgart-based company decided to start designing a new spider (improperly called a roadster). The project was born around 1961: three were the demands of the Daimler-Benz top management towards the managers of the various departments involved in the project: the car had to be quick, comfortable and roomy; it had to be made using up the resources already available and should have an attractive line. As for the mechanics, it was decided to use the W111 series as a base: the chassis was the shortened one of the 220 SEb, equipped with a more powerful engine, built starting from the 2.2-liter M180 that equipped the "Heckflosse" (the sedans with the tail fins). On the security front, what had already been tested by engineer Béla Barényi with the W111 series was repeated, introducing a shell with a crumple zone in the event of a collision. The body design was sketched by the team led by Paul Bracq, under the supervision of Friedrich Geiger. The US market was an important and strategic market: it was decided that the car's line should have been more modern, able to compete with that of the Chevrolet Corvette. The factory’s management judged the car's first drawings too going-ahead; however the design department resisted and the result was presented at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show: the new roadster officially named 230SL was born. The car was characterized by taut and dynamic lines, which also suggested some competitive ambitions, confirmed by Böhringer's victory in the Rally Spa-Sofia-Liège in 1963. But the temper was, above all, that of a fast and comfortable gran turismo. In some details it retained a family-feeling with the W111 sedan, as in the vertically developed headlights. The most characteristic aesthetic feature was the shape of the hardtop, which presented a concave shape towards the center. The technical reason was to reduce the frontal aerodynamic impact and maintain habitability in height for the two occupants (mindful of the lesson of the Zagato sports cars, but with a diametrically opposite style). The trick brought the popular nickname Pagoda to the 230 SL and following W113 models. Many were the cars equipped with a canvas top, whose owners had also requested an hard-top, which made it virtually a comfortable coupé. The mechanical scheme was classic: rear-wheel drive, longitudinal front engine, 4-speed manual gearbox, but the 230SL also featured some new features. New was the M127 II, a 6-cylinder in-line fuel-injected engine, with 2308 cc for 150 hp. The rear swing axle was new. The standard gearbox was a manual 4-speed transmission, but a 4-speed automatic was available as an option and, from September 1965, a 5-speed manual was also available. The engine offered good performances. Due to the geometry of the rear axle, the car was challenging in the wet. The power assisted disc/drums brake system was very effective. The top achievable speed was 200 km/h. In 1966 the roadster version was joined by the Hard-top Coupé, in which the rigid roof, however removable, was standard and the elimination of the soft top mechanism made it possible to add two rear folding seats. In December 1966 the 230 SL was replaced by the 250 SL, identical, except in the displacement of 2494 cc. The 250 SL gave way to the 280 SL with a displacement of 2778 cc. In both cases, there were technical updates, but the overall performances remained almost unchanged, except in the torque data, to improve the driving flexibility. The W113 series, in March 1971, was replaced by the R107. From July 1963 to January 1967, 19.831 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL were produced.
The car
The Mercedes Benz 230 SL, with chassis no. 113.042.10.001716, has always been in Italy. Registered in 1964, with a Verona plaque, it was registered in the same property since 1982, receiving the current Reggio Emilia black plates. It is painted metallic green with beige leather interior. The hard top and the soft top are in excellent condition, the rear window of the soft top is healthy but yellowed by time. The car is in an excellent state of preservation. It has always been garage kept, it has no rust and the chrome is good, but needs to be refreshed. YThe car is fitted with a correct Becker Europa radio with FM. The car has a 4-speed manual gearbox. The correct type M127 II engine was installed, new, in 1986 in Germany by the father of the current seller and has traveled, since then, only 500/600 km, with the sole purpose of keeping the car in efficiency. The Mercedes-Benz 230 SL, compared to the previous model 190 SL, is a true leap forward in time; its line is in fact still up to date and modern, despite the timeless charm that comes from every detail. A rare balance of rationality and elegance. The model, like most cars in Stuttgart, can be used almost daily and for long journeys, without reliability problems. The performances are still brilliant, even for the current standard, the comfort is great. As a car built in 1964, it is eligible for the Mercedes-Benz Mille Miglia Challenge (Group E: Mercedes-Benz models built from 01/01/1958 to 31/12/1969).
State of the Art
Preserved. In excellent conditions and perfectly running.

Literature

  • Matthias Rocke, Helmut Baaden, Das neue grosse Mercedes SL buch, Heel, Germany 2002
  • James Taylor,Factory-OriginalMercedes SL, Herridge & Sons, UK 2012
  • Andrew Noakes,Mercedes SL Series, The Complete Story, The Crowood Press, UK 2004

Condition report

To request a Condition Report, please contact automotive@finarte.it The department will provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that what Finarte declares with respect to the state of conservation of the objects corresponds only to a qualified opinion and that we are not professional conservators or restorers. We urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. We always suggest prospective buyers to inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition during the exhibition days as indicated in the catalog.