1970 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda

113.044.12.016625roadGermany

Engine: 2.8L inline-six
Colour: White over black vinyl

A 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL 'Pagoda' (W113), finished in factory White over black MB-Tex vinyl with matching hardtop, automatic transmission, and period Becker radio. Delivered new through a California dealership to a Pasadena Hills resident, the car has remained California-registered throughout its life. With only two recorded prior owners and a consistent service history at authorised Mercedes-Benz facilities, it represents a well-documented, carefully maintained example of the final and most refined iteration of the W113 series.

Ownership

—Auction sale
Sold US$100,800
RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →
1970-05-28 →Factory delivery
Pasadena Hills, California resident
full documentation
Original buyer took delivery through a Southern California Mercedes dealer. Car remained California-registered throughout and was serviced at authorized Mercedes facilities until late 1991.
2000-04-01 → 2005-12-01Acquisition unknown
Second recorded owner
partial documentation
During this period, the car received periodic work using manufacturer-approved components, with attention to suspension, drivetrain, and cooling components.
2005-12-01 →Acquisition unknown
Tenenbaum Collection
full documentation
Collection maintained the car consistently, commissioning a major mechanical overhaul in 2015 and a scheduled service in 2019. Car is offered after roughly 16 years in this collection.

Competition

No competition history extracted from the catalogue.

Maintenance & restoration

1991
Service
Regular authorised-dealer service entries documented in the original maintenance booklet up to this date, carried out at various Mercedes-Benz facilities across Southern California.
Final documented service entry in the original service book; covers the span from delivery in 1970.
2015Repair
Auto Engineering
A thorough repair programme costing approximately $6,000 addressed all chassis mounts including engine, transmission, and subframe mounts, along with brake hoses, the starter motor, and fuel injection hoses.
Work carried out by Scott Melnick at Auto Engineering in Calabasas, California.
2019
Service
A scheduled 15,000-mile maintenance service was completed.
—
Modification
A Frigiking air conditioning unit was fitted by a dealership at some point after the original sale, supplementing the factory specification.
Exact date of installation not recorded; described as a dealer-installed upgrade.
—
Mechanical
Periodic refurbishment using genuine OEM parts during the second owner's tenure, focusing on suspension components, drivetrain, and the coolant system.
Supported by invoices on file; exact dates within the April 2000–December 2005 ownership window not specified.

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