MB Tex vinyl is less prestigious than leather, but more durable; this material is 48 years old. Stereo and five-speed are desirable.Carefully finished jambs hide factory spot welds; painted, polished, and chromed engine components show this car was built for display.
stand out as special. These were things that I caught, but my
broker friend had missed.”
He immediately began researching this hardtop-equipped
SL, and its paperwork offered a glimpse into its provenance.
The original title was in French, like all the other documents
that came with it, and which Philip was careful not to disturb.
The first owner had been Claude Lelouch, the famous French
actor responsible for 1976’s thrilling race-through-Paris short
film, Rendezvous. The Irvine, California-based Mercedes-Benz
Classic Center interpreted the 280’s data card, and confirmed
that option code 997 indicated it had been built as a “stationary
car for use on exhibition.”
A German-language document noted this SL’s scheduled
August 1970 delivery to the Paris-based Royal-Élysées, France’s
exclusive Mercedes-Benz importer. Michael Kunz, Classic
Center manager, wrote, “There are clear remarks on the sheet
indicating ‘Display—Vehicle’ with the following specific
equipment: ‘License plate holder front and rear; Installation
of model type plate on front license plate holder; Plastic sheet
covers for front seats; Shock absorbers with limited travel; send
1 set of car keys to Display Department Wangen, attn.: Mr.
Korell; Phoenix tires.’”
“Looking at the details, and the literature—it all fit into
place, being a factory display car. I once owned a Gullwing
that had been a factory show car, so I recognized the way it
was prepared,” Philip explains. While he drives this 40,000-
kilometer (around 25,000-mile) SL sparingly in consideration
of its provenance, he’s quick to praise its manners. “The five-
speed makes it more exciting to drive; you can reach higher
highway speeds, and the gearing makes it more relaxed, with
lower revs than the four-speed.
“This car is special, but I love all of the W113 cars,” he
admits. “Once you drive one, you really appreciate what they
have to offer.”Hemmings.com I october 2019 Hemmings classic car 95