Registration No: OHF 860
Chassis No: 11304220002527
MOT: Exempt

• Desirable UK-supplied, right-hand drive example
• Current family ownership since 1977
• Beneficiary of over £26,600 improvement with The Splined Hub in 2014-2017
• Rare manual gearbox example and offered with a hard-top

Successor to both the exotic race bred 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupe and its humbler 190SL sibling, the W113 series SL proved more comfortable than the former and faster than the latter (a point emphasised by Eugen Bohringer's 1963 Liege-Sofia-Liege rally victory). First of the line, the 230SL was introduced at the March 1963 Geneva Salon. Penned by Paul Bracq, its wonderfully crisp styling clothed a monocoque chassis equipped with all-round independent coil-sprung suspension and disc brakes. Powered by a 2308cc SOHC straight-six engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission, the model was credited with 150bhp and 159lbft of torque. Reputedly capable of 124mph, it was praised by the contemporary motoring press for its performance, roadholding, and refinement. Available in Californian Coupe, Convertible or Coupe Convertible guises, the last of these came with both a soft-top and the famous 'Pagoda' hardtop roof, so called because of its gently scalloped centre section.

A desirable UK-supplied, right-hand drive Pagoda, this particular example was first registered as ‘OHF 860’ on 29^th April 1964. Finished in White with Black vinyl interior upholstery, the Mercedes-Benz comes with a Black hard-top and the rarer manual gearbox. Acquired by the vendor's father in 1977/78, he drove the 230SL for some 12-18 months before passing it to his son. Initially used for commuting and so regularly exercise, the Pagoda was taken off the road in 1983 and was placed into dry storage due to a lack of suitable parking at the vendor's London home. Pressed back into gentle action in the early 1990s, the early 2010s saw ‘OHF 860’ deserving of some restoration works.

Entrusted to well-renowned firm, The Splined Hub in 2014, the Mercedes-Benz was lavished with over £26,600 worth of expenditure. The work undertaken included, but was not limited to, a comprehensive bodywork restoration with new panels as required; engine refresh with set-up and many new parts; repainting; fuel system reconditioning; interior re-trim; renewed cooling system with re-cored radiator; attention to the brakes; and numerous renewed and restored cosmetics / trims. The refurbishment was completed in 2017 since when a mere 1,000 miles or so have been travelled. The odometer shows just shy of 98,500 miles which is understood to represent the total covered from new.

More recently (in 2021-23) ‘OHF 860’ has seen further enhancement with an overhauled timing assembly, new gear linkage, renewed fuel lines / fuel pump, and engine tuning. Accompanied by a history file that comprises a large selection of invoices and MOTs dating back to 1981 (at 88,484 miles), interesting correspondence between the vendor and suppliers in Germany regarding the difficulty of sourcing a fuel pump in the 1990s, and a current V5C document. Desirable due to being a UK-supplied machine and coming to market for the first time in forty-five odd years, this Pagoda is an inviting prospect. Not only that, but coupled with the manual gearbox, ‘OHF 860’ is a little more engaging to drive than the more plentiful automatics feeling a little more like a sports car. A useful hardtop that be deployed in the chilly winter months is a bonus too.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452