There are Pagodas, and then there are early 250SLs.

The 250SL sits in that sweet, slightly misunderstood chapter of Mercedes-Benz history - built for barely a heartbeat between the 230 and 280, and produced in fewer numbers than either. But here’s the nuance: the early 250SL kept the delicate chrome, dash details and aesthetic charm of the 230SL, while benefiting from meaningful mechanical upgrades - the seven-bearing engine and rear disc brakes.

The later 250SL adopted 280SL trim and cost-cutting measures. The early cars? Rarer. Prettier. More correct. This is one of those cars.

Provenance 

Delivered new to the United States, first owned by J.W. Eaves, founder of the Eaves Movie Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, backdrop to productions including The Cheyenne Social Club. One imagines this Papyrus White Pagoda glinting beneath that high desert sun.

And the climate has been kind.

The car retains its original panels, with factory spot welds still visible beneath the bonnet. The alloy bonnet displays its original body number. Door gaps are right. Panel fit is honest. This is not a car that has been apart and reimagined.

Interior: wonderfully unspoilt

Inside, the originality continues.

• Original Navy MB-Tex seat trim

• Correct carpets

• Rare factory rubber floor mats

• Early coloured heater controls

• Original Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio (dealer-fit when new, supplied with the car)

It feels exactly as a Pagoda should - light, airy, precise. A new set of seatbelts has been fitted for sensible modern use, but otherwise this is a cabin that hasn’t been diluted by over-restoration.

The original Mercedes book pack is present, including handbook, service book and spare parts catalogue, along with the rare dealer plate confirming matching engine and body numbers, paint code 717G, and a delivery date of 29th May 1967.

History and Works

Documented US history from the late 1970s confirms its time in Albuquerque, with recorded mileage of 69,354 in 1987.

Arriving in the UK circa 2015/16 and registered with the DVLA in August 2018, the car then benefited from significant mechanical recommissioning:

£22,000 initial works, including:

• New Navy soft top

• New fuel tank

• Whitewall tyres

• Suspension overhaul

• Major service

Followed by continued maintenance through 2020–2023, including new exhaust, servicing and £4,000 of further works by respected specialist Roger Edwards Motors after a 600-mile continental trip last summer.

Invoices for all works are on file. It has been used properly and maintained accordingly.

Our View

It is these early cars that collectors quietly seek out.

The Mercedes-Benz 250SL represents a subtle but significant chapter in Mercedes-Benz history. Early, original examples such as this - retaining factory panels, correct interior materials and documented provenance - are increasingly scarce.

Finished in its factory colour scheme, matching numbers, and benefitting from careful mechanical stewardship, this example offers both collector-grade integrity and genuine usability.

A refined and highly desirable Pagoda.

£74,995