Growing up a car geek in the ’60s and being totally in love with 2-seater Thunderbirds, I remember the first time I saw one of these 230SLs up close. I was about ten and was a bit awe-struck. It looked like a modern-day T-Bird to me: a two-seater, removable hardtop, nicely proportioned, and sporty, yet genteel.  I also remember digging that concave top, the cool padded steering wheel, and the color-coordinated wheel covers. These beautiful Mercedes-Benz SLs have aged and appreciated in value much better than I have the past 58 years, and here’s a doozy: an original, unrestored 230SL with a great-looking exterior and red interior. This classy coupe is currently located in San Antonio, Texas, and is for sale here on eBay. As of this writing, 36 bids had pushed the price up to $33.433 but the reserve had not been met.

Introduced at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show and produced from 1963 through 1967, the 230SL was the next evolution of the expensive 300SL gullwing coupe and the attractive but somewhat underpowered 190SL. The seller shares that he was the lucky guy who pulled this original, unrestored 230SL out of a Texas barn (and has photos and videos of that day upon request). Not much is shared about the car’s history other than it had been in storage for years. The body and original paint appear to be in very good condition, no rust or repairs are visible. The seller tells us he’s spent the past three months getting the SL roadworthy after a long sleep and shares, “We’ve done a new fuel pump, cleaned fuel system, hoses, filters, brakes, transmission shift linkage bushings, etc. The car now runs very well. The engine runs very smooth: no smoking, chatter, or knocks of any kind. The car drives well….”

Regarding the original red interior, the seller brags that, “it is in superb condition, I would not do a thing to it”. I wish there were more detailed photos of the SL’s cockpit, but based on the pics supplied, the original interior looks to be in very good condition for its age. Regarding the two tops, the seller shares, “The original white removable hardtop is also very nice and original, and the original folding soft top is also in “Like New” condition”. Having both tops in like-new condition is a plus, as replacing both could get a bit spendy.

Under the hood sits the 2.3 Liter (140.8 cu-in) Inline 6 engine with multi-point fuel injection that, when new, could accelerate the 230SL to 62 mph in 10.0 seconds with a maximum speed of 124 mph. The mileage is listed at 51,300 but it’s not mentioned if that’s original or not. These 230SL’s were well-built, well-engineered “roadster/coupes” but they weren’t cheap. When the average car in 1964 cost about $3,500, the SL was priced in the $7,500 – $8,000 range. More than the average household income of $6,000. This rescued original, unrestored 230SL looks like a gem. How many originals like this one are out there? I envy the next lucky owner. Happy bidding!