Vehicle Description
1984 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL Convertible
Personal luxury sports car. If there is such a category, the
Mercedes SL class which has an enduring design that in the R107
generation, lasted nearly 20 years virtually unchanged. It was that
good and associated with a level of affluence once reserved for top
earners, but now is an affordable and iconic car with the
engineering and comfort Mercedes is renowned for.
For consignment, a 1984 Mercedes Benz 380 SL convertible with a
title verified 78,632 actual miles. This is a consignor stated 2
owner car and has been garaged its entire life. It's also a two top
car, coming to the next owner with the accessory hardtop and the
standard soft top.
Exterior
Manganese Brown Metallic presents as a warm shade of brown and in
this case, a bit of flair is added with a double pinstripe in
orange and tan. Not that flair is needed, the style of the car says
it all. Low and wide, its long hood leading a sizable cab forward
with large front fenders and shorter wheel openings in back give
the car a laid back attitude that is magnified when the top is
down. The windshield is raked but not radically, and the shoulder
line is straight terminating in sharp vertical angles in the front
and back. The unmistakable taillights are quintessential Mercedes
from this era, a continuous bar of alternating colors with the
marker light at the corner, covering the back and the side. That's
a good design! The dark brown canvas top and its trio of plastic
windows are in great shape, however we note some cloudiness on the
back window. Chrome bumpers are in very good condition as is the
grille surround and iconic Mercedes star on the nose. Imperfections
include a couple of scuffs in the paint and some rust bubbles under
one of the front marker lights. There's also some discoloration or
delamination on a couple of the wheels.
Interior
Solid heavy doors, a Mercedes mainstay, are lined with a wonderful
stretch of beige leather with perforated panels and a robust door
pull and armrest. Inside, the front bucket seats, also in beige
leather, show some wear, especially the driver's seat which is
subject to more contact and thus subject to wear over its 40 years
of service. No back seats here, but a carpeted shelf for your
groceries or gym bag. In true Benz fashion, from the steering wheel
forward is a compilation of nice materials and design, resilient in
their tendency to age or loosen, a solid collection of gauges,
lights, and switches that still look and feel fresh. A strip of
wood separates the black dash top from the beige lower and the wood
is prominent in the center stack and console. A Becker
AM/FM/Cassette player is in the top center with a myriad of heater
and AC buttons in the burl panel below. The shifter and more
buttons reside in the center console, backed by an armrest. Tan
carpet shows some usage but is high pile and luxurious. The
accessory hard top's headliner is tan cloth and is in great
condition, while the trunk is lined in plush tan carpet and looks
good.
Drivetrain
Under the long hood, we find a clean engine bay housing a 3.8 liter
V8, fuel injected and rated a 155 horsepower. A 4-speed automatic
transmission sends power to the rear wheels and 3.27 gears, while
power disc brakes on all four wheels assure when it's time to exit
the Autobahn, the brakes will be up for the task.
Undercarriage
Generally clean and driver conditions prevail underneath with
typical surface rust, but no invasive rust. The single exhaust
flows into a stock style muffler and exists as two tips on the left
rear of the car. Coil spring suspension is found on the front and
back, both independent. We note some oil on the rear
differential.
Drive-Ability
You don't have to twist my arm to take a classic Mercedes onto the
test loop. Thud goes the door and with a turn of the key, we're
loop bound. The 380 is no slouch and the design of the car gives
confidence around turns, it's sure footed and comfortable and
nothing rattles or squeaks. But it's not perfect as we detect an
exhaust leak, and the A/C is not working.
380's get the short end of the stick when compared with 560's, but
there's no loss of quality and drivability with the smaller power
plant. I hate to overuse a word, but this design, which lasted for
20 years, and much longer if you consider the similar W113, is
iconic. What a great weekend cruiser in a tasteful color and with
the desirable two tops!
WDBBA45A5EA006682
WDB-Daimler Benz
B-C107
A-Roadster
45-380SL
A-Manual Belts
5-Check Digit
E-1984
A-Sindelfingen Assy Plant
006682-Sequential Unit Number
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