This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL was purchased in Germany by an American serviceman, who subsequently had it imported to the US in the early 1970s. It spent time in North Dakota, Arizona, and Michigan before a cosmetic refurbishment was initiated during the 1990s. Work included a repaint in its factory Signal Red and reupholstering of the black interior. The car is powered by a fuel-injected 2.8L inline-six paired with a four-speed manual transmission, and features include a limited-slip…
This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL was purchased in Germany by an American serviceman, who subsequently had it imported to the US in the early 1970s. It spent time in North Dakota, Arizona, and Michigan before a cosmetic refurbishment was initiated during the 1990s. Work included a repaint in its factory Signal Red and reupholstering of the black interior. The car is powered by a fuel-injected 2.8L inline-six paired with a four-speed manual transmission, and features include a limited-slip differential, a black soft top, a removable Pagoda hardtop, and a JVC CD stereo paired with aftermarket speakers. The current owner acquired the car in 2000, and service most recently performed included a tune-up, an oil change, and coolant flush as well as replacement of the battery, clutch slave cylinder, and cooling hoses.
Finished in Signal Red (DB568) from the factory, the car is said to have been repainted while under original ownership in 1992 aLording to the seller, who notes the front-right fender was replaced in the process.
Factory 14” steel wheels wear polished wheel covers with body-color aLents and are fitted with 195/70 Cientra white-stripe tires dating from 1992. A spare wheel and tire combination is housed in the trunk.
The cabin was retrimmed in the 1990s with black MB-Tex (131) upholstery covering the seats, along with matching treatments for the door panels and dashboard padding. Wood aLents the dashboard and center console mounted between the seats, and a JVC CD stereo is linked to rear-mounted speakers.
Factory instrumentation that includes a 140-mph speedometer and a tachometer as well as fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure gauges. Over 54k miles are shown on the five-digit odometer, approximately 4k of which have been added by the current owner in 20 years of ownership. An Exceeds Mechanical Limits title was issued by the state of Ohio in 2000, and total mileage is unknown.
The 2.8-liter M130 inline-six features Bosch mechanical fuel injection and produced 168 horsepower with 177 lb-ft of torque when new, and power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. Maintenance completed in preparation for the sale is said to have included a tune-up, an oil change, and coolant flush as well as replacement of the battery, clutch slave cylinder, and cooling hoses. Leaking is noted at the front crank and differential boot seals.