Barn Find Benz 300SL Garners $800,000 In Sale

For any old rusted out hulk of a car for sale, $800,000 seems beyond ridiculous. But this 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL convertible, which did indeed garner this money recently when it changed hands, is no ordinary car.

The sad old Merc was a barn find by the Beverly Hills Car Club, which sold it just recently to an undisclosed buyer, untouched and without repair, along with sales and repair bills and private correspondence from the previous owners dating back to the early 1960s. It’s fair to say said buyer has the means not only for the purchase price but also to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into a full, frame-off restoration, because this 300SL will surely need some professional care.

The car was purchased originally in 1961, returned to the dealer in ’63 and resold again, driven to 75,629 miles on the clock and then parked for good in a garage in 1968. And time has not been kind, with rust chewing holes through the bodywork, and mould and mildew making a mess of the interior.

But despite all that, it’s still likely worth the expense; this Merc was just one of 256 built and one of just 101 produced in its light-blue color, which can barely be seen through the rust and discoloration. Just to give you an idea, clean examples can easily exceed $1 million at auction.

*Images courtesy of Beverly Hills Car Club