1979 Mercedes-Benz 350SL

Recently extensively structurally and mechanically refurbished by Cotswold Classic Car Restorations at a cost of almost £4,000, this well-presented Mercedes-Benz 350SL is finished in the sensational colour combination of Signal Red over Tobacco.

First registered on the 31st of December 1987, the vendor has had it in his care for the past four years. Now solid and running well, it nonetheless offers its new owner the chance to further improve it when money and motivation coincide.

With a very sensible guide price and an even more reasonable reserve, this is your chance to get your hands on a very pretty example.

Signal Red is a classic colour, and the paring of bright red coachwork and a tan interior is hard to beat. The chromework adds another layer of classic cool too, and it’s all in good shape.

The metalwork is in good shape with straight panels, ripple-free flanks, and very good alignment. The red paintwork is bright and vibrant too, and the car looks very good as you walk up to it.

This impression is reinforced by the black folding fabric roof, which is in an excellent condition. It fits tautly and has clear plastic windows rather than the more usual opaque milky ones. It can also be raised and lowered very easily. Completely weathertight, it has a very good headlining, albeit one that is slightly stained.

The 14-inch OE alloy wheels are in great shape with no signs of kerbing, scuffs or other damage. They’re shod with matching Runway Enduro 205/70R14 tyres, too.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As well as a few stonechips and marks plus evidence of previous paint there are some carefully touched-in areas, most noticeably on the nearside A-pillar.

There are also some bubbles starting to appear on areas such as the leading edge of both front wings and the sills and doors, there’s a dink on the nearside of the tonneau cover, there’s an area of matt paint near the scuttle, and some of the chrome is lightly pitted.

We sell a lot of R107 SLs and yet this one’s Tobacco interior still stopped us in our tracks. Not, we hasten to add, because it’s perfect because it isn’t, but because the colour combination of the leather and wood works so well, doesn’t it?

And red over brown is such a classic colour combination anyway that we can’t help but think that this is a far nicer look than any number of the more usual subdued metallics with black leather.

While it isn’t perfect (the rear seats look a little soft, for example) the overall condition is actually very good. The seats, for example, are firm and springy and free of any damage whatsoever. The good carpets, black and piped with tan leather, sit on top of solid metal and there’s the factory fitted outside temperature gauge too, which is only the second we can recall seeing in recent years.

Good quality Alpine speakers are fitted in the rear, channelling the music from the dashboard-mounted Sony CD player. The boot is good, with a solid floor and an OE spare alloy wheel but we can see some moisture, surface corrosion, and there was some mildew in there prior to it being valeted, so we can see that tracing its source will be high on the new owner’s To Do list.

Other faults and blemishes? Well, there is some overspray on the plastic sill covers, there is a very small slit in the lower edge of the nearside door card plus a couple of rips. Mind you, replacing it would be easy, as would having it retrimmed.

Other blemishes include a small crack on the far offside corner of the top of the dashboard and a rip on the outer bolster of the driver’s seat, and well as a split on its base. There is also a musty smell inside, which might be related to that damp boot.

The servicing history is recorded thus:

25.10.1979 and 489 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Isaac Agnew Ltd of Belfast

10.06.1980 and 5,432 miles – service by Isaac Agnew Ltd of Belfast

15.01.1981 and 11,036 miles – service by Isaac Agnew Ltd of Belfast

05.04.1982 and 19,736 service by Isaac Agnew Ltd of Belfast

12.08.1983 and 31,420 miles – service by Isaac Agnew Ltd of Belfast

12.11.1984 and 40,073 miles – service by by Isaac Agnew Ltd of Belfast

Unknown and 48,050 miles – service by Motortune

13.07.1994 and 53,353 miles – service by Motortune Ltd

28.09.1996 and 60,309 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by Bradshaw Webb (Chelsea) Ltd

23.10.1997 and 62,362 miles – service by Bradshaw Webb (Chelsea) Ltd

26.10.1999 and 74,124 miles – service by Steve Redfearn Motor Co

10.11.2006 and 78,239 miles – service by German Motor Works Ltd

02.12.2009 and 82,832 miles – service by Clerkenwell Motors

27.06.2014 and 90,433 miles – service by D&G Autocare

05.07.2016 and 90,645 – inspection

10.05.2018 and 90,838 miles – rear brake calipers and pads replaced plus spark plugs cleaned and gapped by GP Bike and Auto Centre Ltd

08.09.2020 and (unknown) miles – service, fresh brake fluid, and repairs to wipers by Cotswold Classic Car Restorations at a cost of over £1,000

Cotswold Classic Car Restorations also made some repairs to the bulkhead and scuttle area, cutting out the corrosion and welding in new metal. This work, alongside some other bits and bobs, set the vendor back another £2,700. All-in-all, he estimates he’s spent around £6,000 in the four years and 2,200 miles he’s owned it.

We’ve driven it and can confirm that it drives as well as you’d expect and doesn’t show any obvious faults.

As you would have every right to think given this recent work, the underside looks to be solid and shows evidence of recent underseal.

The engine bay is well presented without being obsessively so. This pragmatic approach to its upkeep allows the new owner to either continue in this direction while also providing a solid base for a more fastidious owner to prettify it to their heart’s content.

It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus some invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. It also still has its original owner’s handbook, a well-stamped stamped service history, book pack, and two sets of keys.

The SL doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

Few classics are as tough and easy to work on as a Mercedes R107, which makes them the perfect classic for the discerning enthusiast who is looking an entry point into one of the most beloved classic sportscars of them all while simultaneously enjoying reduced maintenance costs thanks to its DIY-friendly engineering.

And, with a guide price of between £9,500 and £12,000, this well-fettled, recently welded R107 is not only hugely accessible but is also probably going to outlast us all.

Plus, because the need for some further refurbishment also allows the new owner to add further value to a model that is currently under-rated anyway, it might turn out to be a canny buy, too.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.