This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL “Pagoda” is finished in White (050) over Black MB-Tex (131) and comes powered by a 2.8-liter fuel-injected inline-six mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Factory features include a paint-matched removable hardtop, a folding soft top, a driver-side door mirror, manual windows and a Becker radio. Recent maintenance included new tires, drive shaft flex discs, engine and transmission mounts, shift bushings, a new fuel tank hose and a neutral safety switch cable. This 280SL is now offered by the selling dealer on the current owner’s behalf with the original manufacturer’s literature, tool kit and a clean California title.
The body is finished in White (050) and features chrome brightwork which lines the windows, beltline, door handles and bumpers. Exterior equipment includes a paint-matched removable hardtop, a black folding soft top, a driver-side door mirror, heat reflecting glass and rubber bumper guards. The seller reports that the car was previously resprayed under prior ownership with all body panels noted as original. Evidence of body filler is said to be present on the hood and driver door panel. Imperfections are noted as dry door seals, minor stone chips, a faded door mirror, minor paint blemishes and dented chrome molding on below the rear glass.
The original 14” steel wheels wear paint-matched hubcaps with chrome accents and were recently fitted with a set of Hankook Kinergy ST tires measuring 195/75 on all four corners. Four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes are fitted to the car as standard. The factory spare tire and tool kit can be found mounted in the trunk.
The manually-adjustable seats are trimmed in Black MB-Tex (131) which extends to the door panels and dashboard. The dash wears a paint-matched face with chrome accents and is lined in wood trim. Interior appointments include heating and ventilation controls, a lockable glove box, an analog clock, manual windows and a Becker radio. The seller notes that the clock is inoperable and that the wood trim appears weathered.
The black two-spoke steering wheel fronts a 140-mph speedometer along with a 7k-rpm tachometer and a central multigauge showing fuel level, oil pressure and coolant temperature. The five digit odometer currently shows 11k miles with true mileage unknown.
The 2.8-liter fuel-injected inline-six was previously replaced and produces a reported 170 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Maintenance performed in July 2023 included new drive shaft flex discs, engine and transmission mounts, shift bushings and a neutral safety switch cable. The seller notes a slight leak from the pinion seal along with a dented fuel tank and minor oil leaks.
The underbody shows limited signs of corrosion with photographs demonstrating the originality provided in the photo gallery. This 1970 280SL is now offered by the selling dealer on consignment with the original manufacturer’s literature, a copy of the data card and a clean California title in the seller’s name.
A thorough video of the car has been provided by the seller below.
The W113 or "Pagoda" SL is arguably one of the best looking Mercedes ever produced and moreover, one of the most iconic convertibles to come out of the 1960's. These cars are significantly better to drive over their predecessor, the 190SL, and seem to be poised perfectly as one of the best investment cars to buy. The Bracq-designed masterpiece was almost twice as expensive as the Jaguar E-Type of the time and seems to be a favorite amongst various MB enthusiasts and generations. This well-loved example shows all original body panels and comes finished in its original white over black color scheme. Looking through the documentation for the car, seeing older pictures of the car over the years helps prove this car was a part of the family. And not just any family. The late Pegi Young, Neil Young's first wife, enjoyed this car for decades until her passing in 2019. And it's now time for the car to be enjoyed by a new owner. With recent maintenance included, buyers can bid with confidence knowing this 280SL will be sure to provide many more decades of top-down fun.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
The winning bidder will receive an email with the quote and option to proceed with shipping.
Get the best of The MB Market directly in your inbox every day. Subscribe for a curated list of our top market listings and articles!
12 Comments
Thanks to all for the spirited bidding. @samir1985 has bought a nice Pagoda and a piece of rock and roll history. And thanks to The MB Market for making this all happen.$75,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$73,500 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$73,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$72,500 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$72,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$71,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$71,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$70,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$70,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$69,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$68,500 bid placed by @ClassicalChas
$67,500 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$67,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$66,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$65,500 bid placed by @samir1985
$65,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$63,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$62,500 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$62,000 bid placed by @CLv12
$61,500 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$61,000 bid placed by @samir1985
$60,500 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$60,000 bid placed by @ClassicalChas
$58,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$58,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$57,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$57,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$56,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$56,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$55,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$55,000 bid placed by @ClassicalChas
$53,500 bid placed by @CLv12
$53,000 bid placed by @Stardriver
$51,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$50,500 bid placed by @Theyab_8
I should mention that documentation of Pegi Young's ownership is via 3 documents: a California registration card from 2015 noting an address on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, a registration card from 2019 same address, and an insurance card from 2019. The current title is in Pegi and Neil's daughter's name. And images of the car at the Broken Arrow Ranch will be included in the sale.@mayart Thanks for the note. Regarding driving the car to LA, the answer is probably but I wouldn't recommend it. As I mentioned in the video, we addressed just the basics to make the car comfortable to demonstrate. I've put about 100 miles on the car with no issues. AC can be installed. The immediate solution is a Bud's Benz kit. Sourcing all the OE bracketry/hardware/under dash unit would take quite some time. Hope this helps.@seller can this car be driven back to southern California as is with no issues on the freeways? Also do you know if an AC unit can be installed in this car?Good morning to all! It's the last day for someone to own this attractive and solid 1970 280SL formerly owned by Pegi Young. Neil, Peggy and daughter Amber undoubtedly shared drives together in the car on the beautiful Skyline Blvd above the Broken Arrow Ranch in Woodside, CA. Thank you to @Shyk1965 and @Stardriver for moving things in the right direction. We still have some distance to go before we hit the pricing sweet spot and I encourage all bidders to review all the images. Note the car's general stance, excellent shut lines and panel gaps and the notes I made on images of important aspects of the structure. And note the rare originality of this SL's black MB tex interior. I'm happy to store the car until the winning bidder is able to arrange trucking. This car is being sold as-is with no warranty implied or otherwise. Bidders should refresh their browsers regularly to insure they're seeing the latest bids. New bidders should know that any bid in the last 2 minutes resets the auction clock to 2 minutes. Good luck to all bidders!$50,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$46,000 bid placed by @Stardriver
$45,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$42,000 bid placed by @Stardriver
$40,000 bid placed by @Shyk1965
$30,000 bid placed by @Stardriver
$28,280 bid placed by @Whiting88
Really cool history with this one. Love seeing photos of the car at the ranchGorgeous Good luck$25,000 bid placed by @Stardriver
@Cardinal Good question. At some time in the car's life there was an engine issue which required replacing the engine block. The engine block in any Mercedes of this era was stamped with a 14 digit number and this number is noted on the data card for each automobile. You'll see that the "Motor-Nr" on the data card in photos 190 and 191 indicates 130983-12-012006. The prefix '130983' broadly indicates a 280SL engine. The '12' indicates an automatic transmission car. The last six digits '012006' indicates where that specific engine falls in the production sequence of 280SLs. Checking the engine in this car revealed an engine number of 113983-12-012552. Importantly, it is in fact a 280SL engine - as opposed to a slightly less powerful sedan engine with a prefix of 130980 - but one from a slightly newer 280SL built with an engine 546 units forward in the production sequence of the 23,885 280SLs constructed. And, importantly, it's an engine out of a 280SL also with an automatic transmission. Hope this helps.@Anton I agree, the car can be enjoyed essentially as-is although it would make sense to take care of some pre-emptive reconditioning to be safe. This would include giving ignition components a good look as well as the cooling system just to prevent any surprises. We've done the basics.Happy New Year to all! Someone is going to celebrate the New Year by owning this attractive 280SL. I recommend all bidders look carefully at all 197 images, particularly those of the various important structural areas that I've labeled."The 2.8-liter fuel-injected inline-six was previously replaced and produces a reported 170 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. " What does "replaced" mean in this context?$20,000 bid placed by @James2Jim
Interesting provenance, but the bottom line is the fact it’s a decent 280SL in good running condition. If I win, I’d probably use it as a daily, and not restore it to be a garage queen.$10,000 bid placed by @Anton