1981 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL

Having spent its life in America, this 1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SL has weathered the intervening 43 years way better than anything that’s braved four decades of salt-laden European winters, that’s for sure.

Not that ‘BFW 830W’ is perfect, because it’s a bit of a project, not least because it isn’t running and has a tatty cabin. And yet, this is a car that repays closer investigation because it isn’t rotten and seems to be largely original.  

It’s had some recent work, too. The seller bought it in 2019 after it had been imported from the United States a year or two earlier and he ran it for a while and fell in love, so decided to commission a garage to restore it. It made a start but recently went out of business, forcing this sale. 

It has a new hood in the boot, the new hood is in a box . Also, there are lots of parts / trims to help complete most of the parts that are missing.

For a project vehicle the bodywork isn’t half bad. The panels are mostly straight and they still fit together well with decent shutlines and typically good alignment. 

Even areas like the door shuts and wheelarch lips are in good shape. There’s evidence of rustproofing fluid on the door hinges too, plus the lights and bumpers have been changed to UK-spec items.

The blue paintwork is also decent and has a nice shine to it. It might have a few more stonechips and marks than we typically see, but you could drive it around as it is for a while without shame and might even be able to get away with just sorting out the affected panels if your bodyshop is proficient enough to be able to match the paint accurately.

You won’t have to worry too much about much of the chromework, most of which is complete and straight and shows a healthy gleam.

While the 14-inch factory alloy wheels are in a good condition being free of scuffs, scrapes, and other damage, the tyres are either cracked with age and/or don’t have much tread left on them, so you should budget to replace them all before the car is driven on the road.

The black folding hood is shabby with mildew on it and enough wear and tear by way of loose seams, opaque windows, a scruffy headlining, and holes that we’d be thinking of replacing it if it were ours. 

Of course, anything can be repaired if you throw enough time, money and talent at it but we can see most would be wise to budget to simply buy a new one.

The hardtop, which is painted to match the rest of the coachwork, is in a better condition, so you would have the option of running the SL with that fitted if you wanted to defer sorting out the folding roof.

As for its other faults, there is a dent plus quite a lot of marks on the nearside front wing, damage we are told was caused by the garage that was restoring it. 

Some of the badges and side trim are also missing, the nearside front indicator lens is cracked, the bonnet has several dents coming up from below, the offside wheelarches are scuffed, and the front bumper is rusty.

Like the exterior, the interior needs work. 

The door cards and sunvisors, for example, have gone saggy. The trim around the doors has eased away from the rubber seals and that on the rear quarters and behind the rear seat isn’t in great shape, either. 

There are some unused mounting holes in the centre console, and the fabric cover on the driver’s headrest has cracked, as has the trim around the rear-view mirror.

But please don’t be dispirited because, just like the coachwork, the underlying fabric of the cabin is good even if your first impressions aren’t.

As you can see, the seats are in a good condition with no rips, tears, or other damage bar that to the carpet on the back of the rear seats. 

The wooden veneer might need revarnishing, but the wood underneath is still in good shape, and the top of the dashboard has been changed for a leather-covered jobbie, so is free from UV-damage.

Yes, you’ll need to do some work in here but it’s probably a case of unbolting the old fittings before reinstalling their replacements rather than anything more involved.

The Mercedes was running when it arrived with us, albeit not well. However, it is now refusing to start so you’ll need to base your bids based on its current condition – and bring a trailer if you win.

The seller tells us the engine was replaced in 2019 and that it’s had a new fuel pump and injectors since then, plus fresh sparkplugs. He says got a video of it running but it hasn’t been started in the six months prior to coming to us and won’t do so now.

The engine bay is grubby and could do with being cleaned, not least because it would provide a nicer working environment for the necessary fault finding. 

But, again, it looks solid and complete under there, so as far as the cosmetics go, a deep clean might be all it needs to provide an engine bay you can be proud of. 

The underside looks pretty good with a decent coat of an older underseal that’s held up well over the years. We certainly can’t see any red flags like newly applied sealant or paint.

A Mercedes-Benz Club of America badge in the windscreen hints at an enthusiast owner in its past.

The current owner registered it here and the Mercedes comes with a V5 in his name and a pair of numberplates to be fitted. 

Sadly, like so many imported cars, that’s the extent of its history file.

Nor does it have an MoT, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with one key. 

This is an interesting project because ‘BFW 830W’ is a car that gets better and better the closer you look, so please don’t be put off by its largely cosmetic flaws.

Its blue colour also makes a change from the more usual silver, black, and red we more commonly see, and the underlying structure looks to be unusually solid, probably because it spent so much of its life Stateside. 

And the half-dozen years it has spent here in the UK have been largely under cover in a garage, so it’s had little exposure to winter salt, which means it should form a good base for a cheap(-ish) home restoration.

And it is likely to be cheap, not least because it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

So, if you’ve ever fancied restoring your very own classic, why not make an appointment to pop along and take a look for yourself?

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £5,000 - £10,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.