1976 Mercedes Benz 450sl INFORMATION

There weren't many options available on a 1976 450SL. Many dealers added pinstripes, and you could order steel wheels with hubcaps, or alloy ("bundt" style) wheels. Standard tire for either was 205/70R14.

All 450SLs came with a hard top - don't believe anyone who tells you different. All 1976 models had manual climate control - auto climate control didn't start until 1978. All had two side mirrors, a fold down armrest (this was optional on earlier years, but was standard by 1976). No 450SL originally sold in the US had a rear seat - DOT safety regulations prohibited it - but many people have added them.

But, really, in a car this old, the deciding factor isn't options, it's condition and availability of records. The general condition gives you an idea of how well it's been maintained, records (receipts for work done) provide documented evidence of how committed the owner was to maintaining it. Unfortunately, all the good intentions in the world can't protect from bad work. I got my car after the previous owner paid nearly $3,000 to have all the vacuum lines replaced. When the customer finally got it back, the car wouldn't run. I bought it and found that, not only had all the lines not been replaced, the few that had been were hooked up incorrectly. I spent a weekend with a diagram in one hand and a flashlight in the other, rerouting lines, and the car started right up.