1978 Mercedes-Benz R107 350SL with Parchment Cloth

The R107 brochure by Mercedes-Benz read, in a very to the point manner, ‘The 350 SL — more than a sports car…’ before listing out how it’s different from a saloon and remarkably different from an ‘out-and-out sports car’, too. More than half a century later, all those qualities have worked in the SL’s favour; it successfully carved a position in the market for itself. Unabated demand led to its unquestionably long presence on the market as a new car, spanning nearly two decades. Mercedes-Benz despatched about 300,000 units of the SL (and the fixed-hard-top derivative, the SLC) in said period. Since then, four new generations of the SL have been successfully released by Mercedes-Benz, but even now, it’s hard to find a major chink in the R107’s armour; the Panzerwagen soldiers on rather strongly!

Listed with the SL Shop is a 1978 MB (R107) 350SL with only 77,423 miles on the odometer. This 350 SL is accompanied by the optional hard top and the car looks appealing both on the outside and inside, with genuine low mileage, (less than 2,000 miles a year) and the seller has assured us that it has been continuously garaged during their ownership (an insurance clause). The owners were members of the Mercedes Benz Owners Club, taking part in various organised events, and also entered the London to Brighton Classic Car Run and the Goodwood Festival. This car has also been toured around and in Monaco, as well as very recently being featured as part of an elite London store wedding promotion. About the car’s overall condition, the SLSHOP’s thorough tests recommend possible replacements and repairs, more on which you can read in the section below.

According to the seller's notes, the car was purchased by himself and his wife in 1993 from a long-time owner who had acquired it from the original keeper in 1980. In 1995, the car underwent corrosion treatment and was resprayed completely along with getting its new upholstery. Apart from regular maintenance and replacements when required (as shown in the extensive file), a stainless steel exhaust was fitted in 2002, with a new soft top professionally fitted in 2020, it was again totally resprayed in 2019 with minor corrosion around the headlights removed (photos available).

Accompanying the car are its invoices along with other details like MoT’s, tax discs, the V5C, a letter of correspondence between the second owner and the car's custodian, and even a copy of its registration when it was in the Isle of Man, and some old photos. Crucially, the history file also contains a letter from Mercedes-Benz verifying the car's original numbers, for it to conform to the criterion for Historic Vehicle Tax.

When new, the R107 SL showcased Mercedes-Benz's engineering prowess with a safer passenger cell, reliable and powerful engines, and unmatched class and appeal. These were the makings of a good car then, and they still are the qualities of a veritable classic like the SL. This particular example comes with a good history, long ownership, and low mileage. While it does require some work to bring this V8-engined machine back to its original glory, it'll definitely be worth the effort.