This was once one of the most expensive and desirable cars. For almost twenty years (1971-1989) the R107 SL was the default choice for someone who was obviously more interested in their image projection than in mere transportation. No wonder it was the car of choice in Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Palm Springs, for those that made a living from projecting images on the big screen. These were thick as flies on a fresh turd during my years living within a stone’s throw of Beverly Hills.
As its ability to convey a certain image grew, and it became relatively more affordable as a used car, the SL started to show up in all sorts of places. But I never expected to see one abandoned on a weedy right of way next to Hwy 99 in Eugene. It can happen to the best of us.
Here’s where I found it, under this billboard on a triangle of grass and weeds between the highway, a side street and a parking lot. I had to stop and take a look. Did someone drive it there late at night under the influence? But there’s no license plate.
It’s been there for a while, as ODOT’s mowers have thrown their grass clippings all over it.
It’s a 450 SL, sold here from 1972 through 1980, after which it was replaced by the somewhat weak-chested 380 SL which i turn was replaced in 1986 by the well-endowed 560 SL. Obviously it’s a 1974 or later MY due to the 5 mile bumpers.
No, that’s not how the wipers are supposed to be. But they are unusual in that they are parallel and very close together. The passenger side arm should be over resting on top of the driver side’s arm.
Look at those vintage genuine shealing lambskin seat covers. I had them in my 300E; so comfy in either hot or cold. No wonder airline pilots still sit on them. I can still smell mine.
Of course I was initially impressed by the R107 when it first appeared, although replacing its classic “pagoda” predecessor was bound to be a challenge. But the removable hardtop didn’t work for me from the get-go. I know; it’s a hard thing to pull off, and I am an unabashed lover of the pagoda top.
These were of course quite rare in Iowa in the years after I moved back there in 1971. But when I moved to SoCal in 1977, they were everywhere. And I’m going to sound like a stuck up prick, but the folks mostly driving (puttering. actually) them in Beverly Hills and such really turned me off them. I used to think of SL’s as primarily the domain of successful men who really appreciated its driving dynamics; now there was a sea of overly-made up women parking them at Bonwit-Teller and Saks, or old guys with combovers and white shoes. The horrible 5-mile bumpers only enhanced their turn-off vibes. I wouldn’t have been caught dead in one.
But your mileage may vary…
I do wonder just how this got here and what its future is. Not good, I’m going to guess. You can be a Mercedes SL — or a very important leader of a nation — but when you get beyond a certain stage of decline and decrepitude, it’s time to call it quits; hopefully in a more dignified way or setting than this one.
Related CC reading:
1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL (R107) “Final Edition”: Bei Mir Bist Du Schön Tatra87
Junkyard Musings: Color Me Verklempt – The Joy Of The Saddest Mercedes-Benz R107 Jim Klein
Ran when parked. Or at least a few seconds before then.
Those wheels really make it look like a far newer 560, I kind of like it, even the color, sort of an electric tangerine. Or is that just another version of copper?
Solid as a granite tombstone.
Big 1954 Mercury steering wheel. That lump on the hood is more bigger from the drivers seat.
Floor it and it sounds like WAR.
The demographics might be rich posers there, but it was Old Money And Class here.
100% agree with your last point.
It’s always surreal to see a once-mighty car sitting abandoned. This one looks in good enough shape that I’d assume the intact parts alone would be rather valuable. And the wheels – aftermarket European Centra wheels. I’ve seen these wheels more often on S-class sedans, but they look good on this SL.
This is *probably* a 1980 model, since it has the slimmer head restraints shared with the W126. The steering wheel pad also changed that year.
Jim – that color may be “English Red” (DB-504). I have seen photos of it on both 123s and 107s but never in person. Quite a unique Mercedes shade.
Surely it had scrap value?
Truly a sad end. My dream car from the age of 10. This one’s fate feels like a metaphor for my dreams of ever owning one. *sigh*
Melancholy moment indeed. I parked next to a super clean white 560 with a coffee interior and the top down last week at the grocery. I peeked and saw the odo only read 33k. Rain was threatening as a lovely young lady walked up. Her Mom’s car and driven sparingly. Just purchased at auction. The style and look has stood the test of time.
Classic look
There are a few cars out there with a wiper resting position similar to today’s Benz, and I find them positively hypnotic in action. The Panhard 17 and 24 used them, as did the Alpine A310. I’m unaware of any others with this mechanism, but given that two dissimilar brands had this arrangement it seems likely there’s more of them out there. Curiously, the Panhard wipers look like they’re dancing with each other, whereas the Alpine wipers look more like they’re fighting.
Neat thing about them is that they work the same in left or right-hand drive.
This is super-depressing! A work of Curbside Fiction could be written with this car as its subject.
I lived never in California so I find these quite appealing. While not as good looking as a “pagoda” I think they are a very pleasant viewed on their own. This one has a nice colour, attractive alloy wheel, uncracked windshield and seemly not much rust. It would be worth a few thousand here in that shape even with some mechanical issues.
Why is it that I feel there must be some “story” with this particular car? After all, if you look at where it’s at, it seems to be DOT or at the least, city property. A very strange place to “park” it and even if it died and they were able to coast it into that spot (highly unlikely due to the curbs), it wouldn’t sit there for long.
Just way too much unusual here to think otherwise. I’d love to find out the entire story.
This SL is just crying out for Paul to rescue it, and restore it to its former Miami Vice glory!
In Dallas around 1975 my girlfriends sister had one of these. I drove it once and was not impressed. The feel was much more heavy and ponderous that the light, nimble, quick feel I was expecting. It is very possible that this particular car need all sorts of maintenance as the owner did not seem to be keen on that sort of stuff.
I suggest a late-night recon and recovery of the hardtop. They’re worth a penny or two sold on the classic MB sites.
These were the “bomb” for a very long time. First with wealthy original owners, then with a succession of owners who bought them as they aged and depreciated down the line to less affluent owners. Everybody likes to get a little of that reflected glory. This example is a nice color and is surprisingly intact, with no body damage.
The value of a running and driving model in decent shape is not that high, and project SLs are not worth very much. It only takes a few major mechanical problems to make these unfeasible to repair. A bad transmission, a blown head gasket, or emission problems with later models. Not to mention rust or other body problems. These issues can sideline all older cars when the owner decides that the cost to repair exceeds the value of the car, either in financial, emotional, or utility terms.
I have swam in those waters in the past, and it’s all too easy to drown in them.
But it’s still a shame to see a once desirable car reach this state.
Considering how old these SLs are now, I still see a fair number of them tooling along the streets and highways of NJ. In fact, they may be the most common cars of that era still seeing “daily driver” service. They turn up on Craigslist on occasion. I’ve considered picking up a nice-condition, “senior citizen-owned” creampuff for daily driver use!
Here’s one for sale on CL; Fair Lawn, NJ (not far from where I bought the infamous ’60 Comet!). 97K miles, one family owned, $14,666 (not cheap)
Forgot to mention it’s a 1988 560SL Roadster
https://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/ctd/d/fair-lawn-mercedes-benz-sl-roadster/7764508008.html
I had the same impression of owners back then. These were the people who had owned Coupe deVilles a generation earlier.
But once they got to 20-30 years old, they started to appeal to me. I feel bad for this one.
These are definitely cars where it makes sense to buy the best example that you can find. I’ve done the fancy Euro Car project thing, and it doesn’t usually turn out well.
There was nothing wrong with Coupe de Villes!I would have thought that buyers defected from Eldos and Marks.
A mushroom grade Mercedes not an unusual situation for that brand though this is the first of the sports model Ive seen dumped, obviously nobody is coming back for it or they would have been there by now.
I met a guy who had restored one of these he reckoned never again it looked ok untill he got in stripped down and found a nightmare of rust.
In spite of their ponderous weight these were in fact lively cars that handled far better than most owners ever drove them .
I had a European graymarket 350SLC with manual box, it was a hoot to drive and gave me few problems but like most graymarket cars is was rusty .
The front suspension “K Member” on all 107’s were extremely prone to cracking and then failing, often when the car was parked .
Last thing I knew M-B No. America was still on the hook for replacing these K members free .
My ’75 has this issue but it had been fixed by welding up the crack before it collapsed the suspension .
-Nate
Also forgot to mention that when I had my ’72 Mercedes 250 sedan, I had those same lambswool seat covers!
This would make a great “Roadkill” episode.
Considering the kind of hoopties they’ve pulled out of junkyards and gotten going again, this might be a little out of their wheelhouse, but that just makes it more interesting.
Now you have to think how it ended up there. Catastrophic failure of something (tranny?) that was out of the owner’s budget? Only one way to find out, though.
Because of the quality of materials and construction, even at its rattiest it will never get too ratty. Even that paint could be restored, it’s on thick enough.
I’m willing to bet anyone who knows these cars could bring this one back to its former glory.
Look at those vintage genuine shealing lambskin seat covers. … , so comfy in either hot or cold.”
Order your Benz with velours (plush upholstery) instead of lousy MB-Tex or even leather seats – and you may forget those interior ruining dead sheeps.
There has been one on my Cougar’s seat since 1974 when my mother brought it back from New Zealand.
My father had a 74 for two years as his chosen company car after his 92 911E company car. Only drove it once and noted that those Mercedes seats where easy to slide forward in even when strapped in.