1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL
Anthracite Grey Metallic with Bamboo MB-Tex
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Mercedes-Benz 250SL
Year: 1967
Chassis Number: 113.043-12-003369
Engine Number: 129.982-12-001703
Price: £POA
Specification
Anthracite Metallic with Bamboo Tex
Exceptionally original throughout
Just 39,000 Kilometres from new
The very rarest and most desirable cars are the original ones. Cars with exceptionally low mileage which have been loved, kept and maintained in their original state.
This is a that Unicorn.
The 250SL was introduced at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show with production dating from December 1966 until January 1968. This one year only production makes it the rarest of all the Mercedes W113 series cars. The 250SL retained the stiffer suspension and sportier feel of the early SL’s whilst providing improved power through the new seven bearing engine and four wheel disc brakes. The introduction of the 2496cc engine significantly improved the power band with noticeably improved performance and a larger fuel tank gave increased range
This extraordinary car was completed by Mercedes-Benz on August 11th 1967 and scheduled for the French market. It was delivered in DB172 Anthracite Grey Metallic paint with 114 Natural MB-Tex interior with brown boucle carpeting and rubber floor mats. It came with the desirable European one piece headlamp lens with the French market specific yellow headlamps. The MB data card records that the hardtop was also painted in dark metallic grey and that it was optioned as “radio delete” and “soft top delete” Today it has acquired a Becker Europa radio whilst still retaining the original 250SL delete blanking plate and it has since acquired a black soft top. Mechanically it was equipped with automatic transmission and it was optioned to omit the lettering “automatic” on the boot lid.
According to the French title which accompanies the car, the date of registration in France was September 4th 1967. The first owner on record and believed to be the original purchaser was Mr Gerard Sallet of Bellerive sur Allier, a commune located near the city of Vichy in the Auvergne Rhone Alpes region of France. Mr Sallet owned the car from at least 1991 until 2011 according to the French title at which point he sold the car to Mr Phillipe Pas of Mazenzele in Belgium, a village about 20kms from Brussels. According to correspondence and conversations with Mr Pas, Gerard Sallet was the original owner of the car. He also confided that he only parted with it after such lengthy ownership in order to purchase a steam locomotive! On February 12th 2014, Mr Pas sold the car to Dr Phillip Lufty, a collector of unique and original Mercedes-Benz in Phoenix, Arizona. Sadly, ill health has forced Dr Lufty to reduce his collection and this fabulous car has now travelled back to Europe.
Today, the factory originality of this French delivery 250SL, both mechanical and cosmetic, are worthy of special comment. The exterior of the car still retains most of its factory applied original DB172 Anthracite Grey Metallic paintwork from 1967, and it remains in very good condition, especially since its metallic finish in its 56th year. At some point the car has received a well applied coat of protective lacquer to protect the original paint which gives a great finish. The chrome and other exterior trim remain in superb original condition with very light degradation and minimal patina. There are the odd scratches and chips here and there on the exterior, but the overall condition is quite remarkable and consistent with the expected level of patina on such a low mileage car. The hard top also remains in original paint condition.
The interior of this car is simply extraordinary in displaying originality. The natural 114 MB-Tex upholstery on the seats, door cards and dash shows virtually no wear, degradation or discolouring. The brown boucle carpeting is near perfect as also is the wood on the dash. It also retains the original rubber floor mats, in themselves a rarity. Quite simply the whole interior presents a “like new” condition with the mildest of correct patina. According to the factory data card this car was not supplied with a soft top, but one was added at some stage and it is retained today in correct black canvas. It was also supplied “radio delete” when new, but has since been fitted with a Becker Europa radio. It has also been professionally retro fitted with an ultra-rare Phillips 45 rpm record player, total nostalgia taking one back to the 60’s with a selection of records accompanying the car.
The mechanical side of this car also matches the rest for originality. The factory data card tells that it retains the original engine and the engine bay is as original and well preserved as the 38,000 kilometres on the odometer. The factory paint runs on the underside of the bonnet, the original preserved firewall insulation, the factory fabric bonnet strap are all indicative of the very low miles.
Mention must also be made of the boot space. Often neglected and notorious for rust, it is simply superb and of course, the factory original finish. The spare wheel is wrapped in its cover and still retains the factory paint code sticker 172, it seems to have never been used. The jack is also unused. The factory tool kit perfect, complete and unused. Also in the boot is the original factory tag with instructions to change the spare wheel in case of a puncture.
Since its arrival in the UK, it has received a new set of Michelin MXV-P tyres and a full service in the hands of Roger Edwards Motors, noted Pagoda experts. It has the original hand book and spare parts book and even a user guide for the Phillips record player.
It has a UK V5 registration document, old French Carte Grise registration document and Belgian papers. It has the factory data card and dating letter from Mercedes-Benz UK.
In a world full of over restored and overly shiny cars with a provenance of neglect, it is almost unique to find a car retaining such superb factory original condition.
A Unicorn indeed.