California Conversion....

[n/a]

Hey folks, I have a line on a really nice California Coupe and had a few qestions from an advanced DIY'er.. 1) How hard is it to install a soft top and revised back seat?  Parts? 2) How much price differential is there from a factory soft top before the conversion? I wouldn't really consider this car, but it has the nicest sheet metal and original paint I have ever seen on a 69 280SL!! BTW Is 16K too much for one of these 70K mi. example??

[Douglas]

IMHO, $16K would be a good price for a mint 280SL Coupe.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[Nate]

Are you absolutely positive the paint is original?  99.9% of the pagodas have had at least one respray...

[KevinC]

You may want to check this out on ebay. Not sure of the condition but you gotta love the starting price!

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-113-chassis-convertible-top-frame-roadster_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33652QQihZ017QQitemZ270014997732QQrdZ1

Kevin Caputo
Boca Raton, FL
1967 230 SL Automatic
670 Light Ivory
113 Bronze/Brown MB Tex

[pagode.info]

What You need is a mint frame with a new hood on it and a rear
lock. An experienced mechanic will need one day to install the
whole thing on any california coupe.

Some coupes are worth to buy, because lots of them were kept in
almost new condition, very low mileages, never driven etc.

Here are some pics:

http://www.pagode.info/56.htm

Have a nice day,

Tom

www.pagode.info

[Benz Dr.]

It's far more difficult to remove the soft top area from a regular car than it is to install this piece into a coupe.
You would need the soft top frame, release handle and cables, hatch cover and hinges and the soft top area from another car. I have most of these pieces and saved the rear clip from a 280SL in case anyone ever needed this area. You can figure on 3 or 4 K for parts.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[Raymond]

There is no doubt that having a soft top makes a difference both in price and convenience.  I like my Coupe and won't cut up the car to install a rag top.  I have taken many day trips without the hard top and I am perfectly happy to drive showing off the Pagoda top. However, I have three other convertibles to choose from if I want to go overnight.  

The SL letter puts something like a $4,000 value on the drop top. $16K is a great price for a rust-free, low-mileage edition.  That is, if you can document the mileage.  It is still a good price if it's in great shape and has 170,000 miles.  In my opinion, once a car is over 15 years old, unless you want it for a garage queen, the mileage doesn't matter.  If you are going to drive it, then the quality of its condition is far more important than the odometer.  My car has 180,000 miles and my only interest in the odometer is tracking the lubrication maintenance schedule.

If you buy the car for $16K, spend $3-4K for parts, spend another chunk for the cutting, and finishing, what will it look like, and what have you done to any value the originality of the paint and 70K miles might have had?

Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[pagode.info]

Those who own coupe in need of restoration should go
for a complete conversion including softtop compart-
ment, lid, locking mechanism etc. during restoration.
Dan has the parts in stock.

Those who have a low mileage perfect coupe should
think about leaving the car original by installing
a softtop only (see pics below in this thread).

Have a nice day,

Tom

[TheEngineer]

If it's really in good condition, buy it at 16K. You are not going wrong! It really should have A/C too.

[Benz Dr.]

16K for a Coupe with 170,000 miles? Don't think so....

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[Raymond]

Depends on the condition Dan.  You know there are cars with fewer miles than your car that aren't worth what yours is.  I know there are cars with many fewer miles than mine that don't have a newly rebuilt engine, brakes, suspension, and are rust-free with new, bare metal paint jobs. I bet my car is worth more than a lot of them.  

You work on scores of old cars. You must have seen similar models with similar miles that were in vastly different condition.  

Could be a 170,000 mile car is worth twice that.  Or maybe a 70,000 mile car is worth half that.



Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[Benz Dr.]

This is simple. Mileage, condition and many other factors combine to give a value to an old car. Just because a car is rare doesn't mean it worth anything. Coupes are always worth less than convertables with the exception of the Gullwing.
In this case location makes a big difference. A California coupe isn't a great car around here because we have storms that come up quickly in the summer and they're unpredictable. In California and other dry climates this isn't so much of a factor. For 16K I'd be more inclined to buy a nice 3.5 coupe.
 170,000 miles IS a lot of miles on one of these cars. All kinds of things will be well worn by then. The most I see is maybe 130,000 miles and they usually need an engine rebulid by then. 150,000 miles with normal maintenance is about the limit. If this car isn't rusty that's a plus, but the conversion over to a soft top isn't that hard to do. Cutting the tray out of the regular car IS hard to do. Why do you think so many have been switched over to convertable? It's not because it's cheap or easy to do, it's because it adds value to the car by making it more desireable.
There's nothing wrong with the coupe, it's just not a hot car that everyone wants. So, by the coupe, put a soft top on it and have a $30,000.00 car for 20K.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061