July 22, 2021 Update – The seller just alerted us that he was able to sell this Mercedes locally, so we’re now able to call this one “Sold!”

July 12, 2021 Update – This Mercedes-Benz 450SL did not sell at auction, so if you are interested you can select the “Buy Now” option of $3,500.

The Guys With Rides team is pleased to auction this project-quality, Asia Blue,1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL. Bidding opened at Noon on Monday, June 28, 2021, and continues through Monday, July 12, 2021, at 6:30 PM Eastern Standard Time.  This 450SL is currently located in the Staten Island Burrough of New York City.

To inspect all of the pictures provided, click on the photograph below to enlarge it and then click on the gray “<” and “>” icons to navigate through all of the other stills in this carousel:

Mercedes-Benz imported the R107 version of its iconic two-seat personal luxury roadster from 1972 through 1980. The most noticeable difference of North American is the four-round sealed beam headlights and starting in 1974, massive eight-inch longer bumpers, all designed to meet more stringent U.S. safety regulations at the time.  By 1980 the 4.5L V8 still featured Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection, however, it featured electronic Lambda control that was one of the first examples of an exhaust-mounted oxygen sensor used to monitor the air/fuel ratio

If you’re looking for a Malaise-Era 450SL you can drive and enjoy while you restore, this may be the car for you if you are capable of performing most of the work yourself.

First the good:  In our test drive around town, we were impressed by how well the engine started when cold and how smooth it runs once warmed up.  This 450SL felt very solid with no rattles or odd noises emanating from either the suspension or brakes.  The blue MBTex seats are in good condition with only minor driver’s side lumbar wear.  The car comes with both the convertible and hardtops.  The sale includes the very desirable roll-around hardtop stand.  The convertible top appears to be only a few years old with plastic windows that show no signs of UV damage and are in need of a very good cleaning and polishing.  This 450SL features new brakes, tires, sway bar links, and fuel pump already installed.  Also included with the sale is a box filled with brand new weather stripping. Here’s a quick video of the seller and Rudy removing the hardtop:

Now for the bad: On startup, there is a minor valve cover gasket leak that seals itself once the engine warms up.  The vacuum-controlled servo-motor climate control, a known problem on these cars, is currently inoperable. While the passenger side window raises and lowers, it needs hand assistance to do so. Cosmetically, the interior and trunk carpets are faded and could use a new set.  The Asia Blue exterior paint is badly faded, but we believe light wet sand and polish could really improve its look before you make the investment in a full repaint down the road.

Onto the Ugly: While we did not find any structural rust underneath this 450SL, there is noticeable rust through in a number of places.  On the exterior, it’s most noticeable on the driver’s side front fender and the rear wheel arch combined with some bubbling on the rear deck lid.  Underneath the car, the floor of the spare tire carrier, and several places on the driver’s side floor appear to have rust through due to trapped water and will need to be properly repaired with steel patch panels. Again, it was clear these problem areas were not structural as the car tracks straight and the doors do not sag and close easily.

To help you make informed bids, we’re providing a link to Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the Classic Car market, that provides an interactive graph of recent comparable sales in the past two years. By clicking on the green dots, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you make an educated bid on the car we are featuring for auction here:

If you have any questions about this 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL please leave a comment below or feel free to call Rudy directly at 877-468-6497.  Thank you for looking and happy bidding!