1979 Mercedes 450SL, Soft Top, Hard Top, Gorgeous!!

Description for Mercedes-Benz SL-Class 1979

The pictures speak for themselves. Beautiful car with silver exterior and dark blue interior, and just 96k miles. Take a look and you will see that this collectable classic SL450 is in excellent condition, has been very well cared for, and will only rise in value. Rare 1 owner Florida car. No rust. Paint condition is 9.5+ on scale of 1-10. There is one barely noticable thumb size indentation on top of left front fender and a small scratch on the right rear of the hardtop, otherwise the paint is near perfect. All exterior chrome trim and bumpers in pristine condition, all rubber door, window, trunk, hood gaskets all in great condition. All factory windows remain. Stock steel rally wheels in excellent shape and Michelin tires with barely 50 miles on them. Interior is also in exceptional condition, dash is perfect, seats are perfect, gauges all work, aftermarket radio, factory carpet still on floors and in fantastic condition. Starts, runs, and drives beautifully, like a magic carpet ride, smooth and quiet. Fuel injected V8, automatic transmission. Privately owned, not a car dealer, clear Florida title in hand. The car was just taken to local Goodyear Tire and Service Center for a complete check up. Everybody in the shop was drooling over the car. The brakes were a little soft so a new master cylinder was installed and all brake lines flushed and bled. Radiator was also drained, flushed, filled. Engine oil and filter changed. All fluids checked. Didn't need anything else.

$14,900 or first reasonable offer. Please use contact seller link with any questions. Inspections welcome.


History of this car (from Hagerty):

The Mercedes-Benz SL name has always signified a certain level of automotive style and sophistication, and each new generation seems both to define and be defined by its era. Such was the case when the R107 model SL came on the scene in 1972 as a replacement for the popular 230/250/280SL W113 series. The family of models existed with minimal changes until 1989, a remarkable production run for a luxury convertible.

With the R107, Mercedes debuted a V-8 engine in the convertible lineup, which was necessary given the new SL’s relative girthy 3,400-pound weight. Styling was typically conservative and somewhat reminiscent of the pagoda top cars, and despite dimensions more or less the same, the R107 appeared to be much larger.

The first-year cars were dubbed 350SL in keeping with the model designation for Europe, despite actually carrying a 4.5-liter V-8 underhood. The fuel-injected V-8 featured an overhead cam and delivered 230 horsepower. It was paired with a three-speed automatic, with no manual transmission on offer. Suspension was fully independent and four-wheel disc braking was standard.

For 1973, the car’s name was revised and 450SL would be the model designation moving forward. Also revised this year was the way in which horsepower was rated, and the new SAE net meant the 450SL’s power was listed at 190 hp. The following year, the 450SL grew large safety bumpers front and rear in keeping with federal regulations. In 1975, emissions requirements reduced output to 180 hp with the addition of a catalytic converter.

In 1976, the SL was fitted with a continuous fuel injection system, as well as transistorized ignition. Two years later, in 1978, Mercedes introduced automatic climate control and 14-inch aluminum wheels as standard equipment. The cars went unchanged in 1979, and in 1980, the fuel injection system was revised, further cutting power from 180 hp to 160 hp.

The 450SL model ended production with the 1980 model year, and its 380SL replacement would carry the torch into the 1980s. Before it was gone, however, the 450SL averaged about 6,000 units annually. When paired with their renowned reputation, they are easy to locate today and make for very comfortable top-down cruisers.