Finished in Light Blue (colour code 362), with a Dark Blue folding roof (option code 744), the R107 has weathered the passage of almost four decades very well – and while we’re not sure any of the factory-applied paintcoat preservation (524) remains, the fact the first owner splashed out on it must be a good sign.
The next five owners have looked after it equally well, but then they kept it for an average of seven and a half years each so had a vested interest in maintaining it properly.
And it shows, and not just in the way the paintwork shines, although that is impressive.
It also makes itself felt by way of mm-perfect shutlines still, excellent panel alignment, and the sort of bank-vault thud to the doors that’ll give you a small thrill every time you close them.
Squat down and you’ll see only straight flanks, flanks that are also free of ripples, dinks, and other signs of careless parking and driving.
Heck, even the fuel filler gap lines up perfectly in the middle of its aperture.
The front and rear overriders (option code 440) are also unmarked and straight, the electrically adjustable chromed door mirrors (507) are free of scuffs and scrapes, the green heat-insulating glass (592) is free of scratches and chips, and the front foglamps (341) and the headlamp wash system (600) are still in situ.
The badges and lamp lenses are all very good too, as is the chromework. Even the sills are still painted in the same colour as the body rather than smeared in underseal to conceal who-knows-what.
As for the 15-inch alloy wheels, they’re free of scuffs, scrapes and other kerbing damage. The tyres fitted on the front wheels are Nexen Nblue HD Plus from 2021, while those on the rear axle are Uniroyal Rain Expert 3 (2016). All are 205/65R15 and all have good tread left on them.
The dark blue folding roof rises and falls as it should. It seals tightly when it is raised and tucks away neatly beneath a solid body-coloured cover when it’s furled. There’s no damage to the fabric either, the three plastic windows are still clear, and while the rear one has a few minor creases to it, this is more likely to have been caused by being folded for long periods rather than age or neglect.
And, of course, the SL comes with a matching hardtop too, which extends its versatility to all weather and seasons, not least because it features a proper demister element for the glass rear window.
This, like the rest of the coachwork, is impressively well preserved and even still wears the supplying dealer’s sticker in the rear window. How’s that for authenticity and originality?
Flaws, therefore, are few. There’s a small split in the rubber trim on the nearside corner of the front bumper, the folding roof doesn’t seem to clip down as neatly as it might on the central press stud, the offside door mirror glass has de-silvered around its edges, and while some of the door and roof seals have seen better days, they have got a bit of life left in them yet, so that’s very much a job for Future You.
