Repairable, Salvage and Damaged Mercedes-benz 450sl for Sale

The 450SL was the first V8 of the R107 roadster line, built from 1973 to 1980 and easy to spot by its small chrome bumpers on early cars and the larger US-mandated rubber "impact" bumpers that took over from 1974 on. It rarely trades in more than a car or two at a time in Mercedes-Benz's auction pool, which is too thin a sample for a meaningful price average — a straight, complete roadster with both its soft top and factory hardtop is worth chasing hard, while a stripped or badly rusted one is really a parts source. Most stay in the US with restorers and enthusiasts, picked up on a trailer or shipped in-country.

Mercedes detuned the mechanical fuel-injected 4.5-liter V8 in US-spec cars to meet emissions rules, and it never made big power new, so don't judge the car on performance — judge it on rust and completeness instead. Check the rear wheel arches, the floor pans and the area under the battery tray first, since that's where these cars rot from the inside out after decades outside. Confirm both tops are present: the folding soft top and the optional steel hardtop are pricey and slow to replace individually, and a car missing one is worth noticeably less. The self-leveling rear suspension and the mechanical fuel injection both get finicky with age, so a rough idle or a car sitting unevenly is worth a closer look before you assume it's a quick fix. MB-Tex vinyl upholstery held up better than the leather option over the decades, so check which one you're looking at and price the interior work accordingly. A shell too far gone still carries value in its V8, top mechanism and chrome.

Buying is quick: register free — no dealer license — set a maximum bid and the system bids for you up to that cap, or take a lot at its Buy Now price. Win it, pay the invoice plus fees, then pick up, ship or export.

Note: ACV and damage data come from the original auction listing. Always check the condition and title yourself before you bid.