1967 230 SL

This 1967 Mercedes 230 SL is Kevin Caputo's car, being featured in a Ralph Lauren fashion photoshoot.

Kevin regrets to have to put the record straight: although it is his car, he himself does not feature in the photographs, and the house isn't his either. This, however, is his story.

• VIN number: 113042 12 019213
• Produced: October 1966
• Body number: 04223

• Colours Exterior 670 Light Ivory
• Hardtop 670 Light Ivory
• Interior 113 Bronze Brown
• Softtop 737 Brown

The Story

Ever since selling my treasured 114 to pay for my wedding at 26 (20 years ago) I have fantasized about owning another vintage Mercedes. Although I had had newer models though the years, I felt that there was nothing like the feeling of pride and sense of accomplishment of improving upon and enjoying a vintage car.

During the summer of 2004, I set out with notes printed from this site trying to find the nicest 113 I could afford. After passing on nine other cars, in December of that year, my quest finally took me to Napa, CA where I found an extremely well care-for daily "driver", a 1967 230SL with (1)32,000 miles on the odometer. While not a shining star, I noticed the perfect headlight door notches in place, consistent spot welds on the inside of the upper fenders, the hood stamped with the numbers "223", and solid red tail light lenses. A look under the car on a "lift" sealed the seal as no rust or rust repairs were evident. Even all four plastic jack stand covers were in place. The seller also presented me with an invoice showing a complete ($12k) engine rebuild at 118,000 miles in 2001.

I had the car trailered to south Florida in January 2005. That month, I was pleased to find Precision Motors in Delray Beach, Florida. The owner has been working in this same location for 28 years and was extremely easy to deal with. I felt that his shop labor rate was reasonable and his approach certainly not typical of what I expected. I was freely allowed to source my own parts and he has even given me NOS parts that he states "have been just laying around anyway". While I am a "tinkerer" (replacing things like windshield wiper hose, replacing the CD player with the original Becker unit), I rely on Precision to do the heavier-duty tasks.

In the past year, I have completed the following:

• New Radiator and Fuel Pump
• Differential Rebuild
• Front End Overhaul
• Auto Trans Shifter Rebuild
• New Plug Wires/Tune-up
• Bridgestone Potenza Whitewall Tires (5) (195-70 R14)
• New Top
• New Keys (cut to code) from MB

Also, great Ebay finds include an owner's manual, a manual holder, separate soft-top instructions, a "parts" book, a BBB, a 230 SL "prestige" brochure from 1966, an ivory horn pad, a shift guide insert, a first aid kit, a spare tire-fitted fuel container and even a "Gulf Oil" map of Florida from 1967.

On the horizon... new carpets, MB Tex repair/replacement plus lots of top-down driving.

I am certainly grateful to the Pagoda SL group for the invaluable insight and information I have received during the past year.