1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL "California Coupe"

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

Hagerty Marketplace is honored to offer a selection of vehicles from the SugarCreek Collection. This private collection in southeastern Ohio is supported by its own in-house restoration and maintenance shop, with a full-time staff of craftsmen. The garage is a true spectrum of car enthusiast dreams, ranging from unfinished restorations to the most recent SEMA-exhibited 1,000 horsepower 1962 Dodge Power Wagon. Sixteen select cars from the collection are being offered in time for the holidays. Whether awaiting restoration, preserved showroom stock, restored to like-new, or tastefully modified, these cars and trucks are truly SugarCreek quality.  

The Geneva Motor Show in March 1963 marked the debut of the Type 230 SL, a significant sports car from Daimler-Benz designed to replace the popular 190 SL and legendary 300 SL. This new model faced the challenge of uniting two distinct design philosophies while maintaining a common identity. The 230 SL, internally designated W113, emerged as a versatile two-seater GT, blending performance with comfort and safety. 

Along with stylist Paul Bracq’s elegant and iconic design, it was the first sports car featuring a safety body, incorporating a rigid passenger cell and deformation zones at the front and rear, based on Béla Barényi’s innovative principles. The optional, distinctive removable hard top, with its concave shape, not only added an avantgarde aesthetic but also enhanced the car's structural integrity and visibility while earning it the “pagoda” nickname. 

In 1967, the 250 SL succeeded the 230 SL, maintaining the iconic exterior with a 200cc increase in displacement. But this 250 SL, acquired by the collection in 2009 in its current condition, has been enhanced with the powerful 2.8-liter engine of a later 280 SL that delivers an additional 20 hp. Comfortable and classically stylish, this is a true “special-occasion” sports car and one of life’s finest automotive experiences. 

Highlights 

• Offered from the SugarCreek Collection 

• A rarely seen "California Coupe" variant with a larger rear seat and without a soft top

• Retained by the current owner for the past 15 years 

• Enhanced by a mechanically fuel-injected 2.8-liter “M130” 170 horsepower inline six-cylinder engine 

• Four-speed automatic transmission 

• Finished in Dark Blue (332G) over Gray leather interior 

• The rarest of the “Pagoda” models, with just 5,196 250 SL's produced  

Features 

• Maintenance includes:

  • Replacement starter in 2010

  • Windshield wipers in 2017

  • Spark plug and wires in August

• 14 inch painted steel wheels with color-matched hubcaps 

• Becker Europa II radio 

• Four-wheel power disc brakes 

• Dual-zone heating 

• Bucket seats 

• Door mounted armrests 

• Power steering 

• Door-mounted map pockets 

• Lockable glove compartment 

• Dash mounted clock 

• Illuminated glove compartment 

• Manual roll-up side windows 

• Padded sun visors with passenger-side vanity mirror 

• Independent front suspension 

• Cigar lighter 

• Steering wheel / ignition lock 

Known Imperfections 

• The windshield washer system is inoperative 

• No soft top 

• The clock is inoperative 

• Paint chips and scuffs around hardtop mount points 

• Paint chips around the trunk lid gap 

• Chrome brightwork is pitted 

• Large scratch in hardtop 

• Stains on headliner 

• Crazed and cracked steering wheel 

• Touch-up paint on hardtop 

Included 

• Spare handbrake 

• Spare wiper blade 

Ownership History 

As a long-standing member of the SugarCreek Collection, this 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL was acquired by the collection in 2009. 

Additional Notes 

A Broad Arrow Auctions Consignment Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the owner of this vehicle. 

Contact: Matt Lowney  Phone: 623.308.2640  email: mlowney@hagerty.com