If you are looking for an iconic Mercedes-Benz classic model that will be a comfortable cruiser for your weekend adventures, without being a limousine, there are options. One of those options is the single-series model that has the second-longest production running by the automaker, as it was made from 1971 to 1989 in one form or another.
First Wash in 16 Years: Mercedes SLC 450 Disaster Detail Buy and Flip!
We are writing about the Mercedes-Benz SL R107, which had an incredibly long production run and with over 300,100 units made, out of which over 204,000 units went to the U.S. market. The SL was available in convertible form, but also in a four-seat coupe variant.
The latter shares many elements in common with the SL, but it is called SLC, and it has two extra seats and everything that goes along with that, including a larger wheelbase. Both models got the thick rubber bumpers on the U.S. market, and the latter was kept in production even after the law that mandated it was changed.
With over 204,000 units reaching the U.S. over the SL and SLC production run, some models ended up being affordable at a point, and not all their owners drove them as often as they could. Since that situation occurred, some examples ended up being almost abandoned in various parking structures, garages, and, sadly, in backyards.
This example is a 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC, and it has spent the last 16 years in a parking space in New York. It is estimated that the vehicle has not been driven for over two decades, though.
Unlike another vehicle that was acquired by Larry Kosilla on the same trip, this one was not sitting in the sun or exposed to the elements, but was left in a dusty corner of the parking structure that will be demolished once it is cleared.
After so many years without a single wash, the vehicle is dirty, but at least it has not been affected by direct sunlight. Well, there are other issues at play here, and one of them is soot, which came from the exhaust of all the vehicles that were driving through that parking structure. Along with dust, it made a layer of dirt across the body of this vehicle, and it is not pretty.
As usual with a vehicle that has been sitting for so many years, the first thing that needs to be done is to wash the body, and do the same for the engine compartment, as well. Inhaling years of collected dust is never a good idea, and working on a clean vehicle is nicer for anyone involved.
Larry then shows us his technique with the interior, which has also collected dust, and getting it to look right is essential if he wants the next owner of the vehicle to appreciate it as much as possible when they acquire it.
Unlike the BMW 535i that was purchased on the same day, Larry wants to sell this SLC to recoup the price of both vehicles, hopefully, and this model can be valuable if it looks and runs accordingly. Enough talking, it is time to watch Larry in action!
