Benchmark Restoration

Description & More Photos

In a way, it’s easier to speak of what this car is not: it is not a car restored down to a cost, as is the typical ‘restored’ Pagoda, which was done for resale purposes. Everything was done with an eye to authenticity based upon what the original Mercedes engineers envisioned. It takes between 2,500 and 3,500 shop hours to comprehensively restore—or recommission—a Pagoda properly. It is not difficult to “do the math” to see what sort of costs are involved in performing this work in a fully evolved economy.

If you wish for the absolute highest level of restored W113 280SL, this car should be on your radar. Facilities turning these cars out in volume, either for resale or for clients, simply cannot do this level of work for typical market prices (no one can—work is done to a target price, and this invariably means short cuts). This is not to disparage other business models; it is simply the reality (we are all in the business of satisfying needs and there are different niches, desires and levels of resources). However, if one wants something done to the highest level of authenticity, one must go beyond what is seen as the current market.

If you’ve looked at other cars and they seem fine, perhaps one of those serves your purpose. However, if you can put a “resale-restoration” next to one done to the highest authenticity-level, look at and drive the two, and discern the difference—then perhaps a ‘reference’ or ‘benchmark’ restored car is what you are after, if not this one, then one done to your specification—a bespoke restoration.

Coming soon …