My mother has a piece of paper on her refrigerator that says, “Things of quality have no fear of time.” I’ve always liked that phrase because it represents so much of what we love about the old car business. And nowhere is that phrase more true than in the case of Mercedes-Benz automobiles. With an edict to simply build the finest cars in the world, the machinery is beautifully and elegantly engineered, remarkably durable, and, in the process, often strikingly beautiful. And when it comes to the Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters, they were and always will be the gold standard by which all other sport/luxury two-seat convertibles are measured.

This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL isn’t a perfect car, and we aren’t going to tell you that due to Mercedes-Benz legendary quality, you can jump in and drive it coast-to-coast without a second thought. However, I am going to tell you that the W113’s meteoric rise in values isn’t a fluke, because these cars are beautiful to look at, a delight to drive, and yes, the bulletproof engineering makes them feel special on the road. This one has just two owners from new, including the most recent owner who has owned it since approximately 1976. There’s an extensive paper trail that follows the car, including things like the original manuals, window sticker, purchase invoice, data cards, and service receipts dating back to Day One. It has been in storage since 2006, but has been maintained and periodically exercised during that time, so it remains limber enough to be driven and its condition can be fully evaluated. It is shockingly straight and rust free, suggesting both a car that lived most of its life in a mild climate (Maryland and Virginia) and that has never seen winter weather after moving north.

The car was professionally repainted in the mid-2000s using the original code 268 Dark Green. The finish is quite good and the workmanship was well done, and there’s no evidence of body damage or rust repairs, but maybe they may have fixed a few door dings at the time. Doors fit beautifully and close with the precision that only Mercedes-Benz owners understand, the hood pivots easily on its hinges, and the trunk closes with light pressure, not a heavy slam. The finish still shines up well and could probably be taken up another notch with a professional wet sand and buff, but even as-is, it remains quite presentable. The chrome and brightwork is undoubtedly original and in good condition, and we left all the parking permit stickers in place, as they trace the life of the car, first in Virginia, later in Maryland, and finally in Ohio. The grille is excellent, the bumpers shine up nicely but illustrate that 1970 production chrome and today’s show chrome are two different things, and the emblems are still crisp and sharp. If there’s a cosmetic demerit, it’s that the parking lamp lenses are a little faded.

The original Cognac interior is a lovely contrast to the Dark Green paint, offering a sophisticated look that suits the SL just fine. Everything inside the car is original, including the carpets, MB-Tex seat covers, and the door panels, and for the most part, it’s all in fantastic shape. The seats do not show any splits or tears, although the stuffing underneath is a little lumpy, so it might be worthwhile to have that attended to while preserving the original covers. The door panels are excellent save for the map pockets, which have separated at the bottom (an easy fix), and the carpets were apparently protected by accessory floor mats all their lives (those mats sadly were not salvageable). Those beautiful VDO gauges are fully functional and it shows 00042 miles, which suggests 100,042, a figure we have no reason to dispute. The original Becker Europa AM/FM radio (a $178 option in 1970) is still fully operational, although the clock is not. As is typical of Mercedes-Benz vehicles of this vintage, the hard rubber sliders for the heater/defroster are cracked and broken and the wooden trim strip at the base of the windshield is delaminating, but fortunately replacements for both are commonly available. The windows roll up and down easily and are not loose, indicating window guides in good condition, and the storage compartments behind the seats are in excellent condition with no critical rust or rot. Both tops are included. The tan canvas convertible top is ancient and worn with a quarter-sized hole on the passenger’s side, so it will likely need replacement, although it fits tightly and seals up well. The hardtop, of course, looks great and fits nicely with no notable wind leaks at speed. The trunk is tidy with what we believe to be the original mat, which has some discoloration from the repaint (we suspect that during the sanding/buffing stage, some water leaked in). There’s also a full-sized spare tire with cover and only the usual surface scale on the trunk floor due to moisture being trapped, not elemental damage coming from below.

We’ve verified that this is the car’s original, numbers-matching engine (serial number 130983-12-011300), which is confirmed by the data cards. Service records show that it was properly maintained throughout most of its life, ranging from an initial oil change at the selling dealership (LHB Porsche/Audi in Fairfax, VA) to tune ups and fuel system services later in its life. The second owner reports that he had the engine rebuilt sometime around 1990, but with such light usage, he estimates the mileage on the rebuild at less than 10,000 miles. As we mentioned, the car has been in storage since approximately 2006, but there’s a more recent oil change sticker so even though it was not used regularly, it was still getting the attention it required and was regularly serviced before each driving season, just in case. It starts easily and after about five seconds of grumpiness, it settles into a smooth idle. The engine bay is clean but not detailed and shows signs of routine maintenance, including hoses, belts, battery, and other replacement parts. The inner fenders show correct spot welds and it’s worth noting that the hood is original with its ‘985’ serial number stamped on the lip. The original data tag is still affixed to the inner fender as well and the factory-installed firewall insulation pad remains in good condition.

Underneath, the chassis is quite clean and solid with no signs of critical rust and rot. Yes, there’s some surface scale on the heavy metal parts, but experts will quickly dismiss that as normal and much of it is protected by undercoating and/or a coating of grease. It is not detailed for show, either, but you will find no nasty surprises waiting for you should you embark on a more comprehensive freshening. The 4-speed automatic transmission offers crisp shifts, although the bushings in the shifter are worn so you need to count the clicks as you move it into gear. The suspension still rides well, but I suspect the ancient KYB Gas-A-Just shocks are plain worn out. The brakes are firm and there’s a fresh set of brake pads included with the car. The exhaust system is an ancient SuperSprint setup that dates to 1977, and I note in the service records that in 1982 the owner of the car attempted to use SuperSprint’s “lifetime guarantee” to get a replacement system and was denied because the company had changed hands. Interesting, no? It sounds a bit more aggressive than stock and is probably due for replacement today. It sits on original wheels and color-matched hubcaps as well as a set of recent 185/75/14 whitewall radials.

The documentation that accompanies the car is quite impressive. There’s a large folder of receipts dating back to when the car was new, including some initial service work by HBL Porsche/Audi, the selling dealership. There’s also the original window sticker with a listed price of $8623.00 with options. We have the original bill of sale and purchase invoice, the data cards from Daimler-Benz, original books and manuals, a tech sheet, and numerous other bits of paperwork that make for a fascinating paper trail on a good, honest, original car coming out of long-term ownership.

With their sudden and dramatic rise in values, solid, running, driving W113 SLs are not going to get any more affordable than this. We understand that it is not a perfect car and that it will require some reconditioning to be 100% ready to go, but the critical items are all excellent on this car: rust-free, excellent pedigree, great colors, and, perhaps most importantly, a reasonable price. If you missed buying one when they were $25,000, don’t make that mistake again, because a better, cheaper car will probably not present itself again.