Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Roadster 1963

The Mercedes-Benz W 113 vehicles had been comprised of 1963 thru 1971. They had been bought as the "pagoda roof" SL Class. The W 113 changed the W 198 SL-Class in 1963 and became changed via way of means of the R107 SL Class in 1972.

All fashions boast an inline six-cylinder engine with multi-port gas injection the usage of a mechanical pump machine tailored from the diesel motors. All are rear-wheel drive, however also are prepared with unbiased rear suspension, a function that substantially stepped forward street handling. Most of those early SLs had been bought with each the detachable difficult pinnacle and a tender pinnacle withinside the so-called "Coupe/Roadster" configuration, however there has been additionally a "Califorinia Coupe" model to be had that got here with the detachable hardtop however no tender pinnacle. In those fashions, the tender pinnacle nicely (among the passenger compartment and trunk) is removed, and a drop-down bench seat is set up in its place. The rear seat is small and now no longer very useful, so those 2+2 fashions are uncommon however now no longer specifically famous today. While the SLs are fantastically heavy in comparison to different comparable roadsters, weight became decreased in element via way of means of the usage of aluminum panels for the trunk lid, the front hood, tonneau cowl and door skins.

Production started out in 1963 with the 2.three liter 230 SL. These fashions had been usually 4-pace guide transmission automobiles, however a 4-pace computerized transmission became additionally to be had and famous for U.S. marketplace automobiles. The 230 SL sported the front disc / rear drum energy-assisted brakes. They quick received recognition withinside the U.S. marketplace, and this subsequently caused increasingly automobiles being constructed with computerized transmissions.

The 250 SL became essentially a one-12 months version, 1967, even though many had been bought in, and titled as, 1968 version 12 months automobiles. This version is the rarest of the W 113 automobiles. The most important adjustments had been the usage of a 2.five liter motor and addition of rear disc brakes. The 250 SL keeps the stiffer suspension and sportier experience of the early SL's however affords substantially stepped forward overall performance, specifically given the engines wider energy band. The 250 SL became additionally to be had with a ZF five-pace guide transmission that became to be had thru 1970.

The 2.eight liter 280 SL became brought in 1967 and endured manufacturing in large part unchanged thru 1971 whilst the W 113 became changed via way of means of the completely new, and extensively heavier, R 107 350 SL/450 SL. Most 280 SL automobiles constructed for the U.S. marketplace had been prepared with computerized transmission. Manual transmission automobiles are extremely uncommon withinside the U.S. marketplace and are consequently famous via way of means of American creditors. In the European marketplace guide transmission automobiles had been nonetheless dominant.

These automobiles also are famous as U.S. export motors. That is, automobiles introduced to the U.S. from Europe a few years after unique manufacturing. The European-spec motors have some of diffused variations from U.S. marketplace automobiles. The maximum seen is the distinct European 'fishbowl' headlights as opposed to U.S. sealed beam bulb headlights. Somewhat much less acknowledged is that a few European automobiles had been the usage of yellow lenses at the rear flip alerts a whole lot in advance that had been automobiles withinside the U.S. which had been required via way of means of regulation to apply all-purple tail lights (U.S. legal guidelines had been subsequently modified to permit yellow flip alerts). Other variations encompass the metric gauges, no chrome bumper guards, extra use of chrome at some point of the interior, and, usually speaking, no air conditioning. Depending at the marketplace, many Euro-spec automobiles had been additionally regularly prepared with an "add-on" purple emergency flasher, a protection requirement for automobiles introduced into the U.S. that became now no longer a trendy function withinside the European marketplace till later manufacturing years.

Today, the W 113 Pagoda is taken into consideration a incredibly perfect creditors car, with cutting-edge values for the 280 SL suggesting that it's far the maximum perfect of the 3 fashions. The 250 SL, being pretty a piece rarer, is likewise famous with creditors who opt for the extremely stiffer suspension and sportier experience of the sooner automobiles, however additionally respect the stepped forward overall performance of the 2.five liter engine, and the addition of rear disk brakes. The 230 SL is extensively to be had, however needs a decrease fee because of the belief of decrease overall performance from a smaller engine. Buyers of those antique automobiles need to appearance intently for rust, specifically withinside the floors, trunk, and beneathneath the doors. These automobiles, even as usually nicely cared for, are acknowledged for having rust problems. Replacement components inclusive of engine, transmission, interior, and rust restore panels are effectively to be had making recovery a feasible alternative.