Mercedes-Benz C107 buyer's guide

The SLC — the R107 stretched into a four-seat coupe, and an unlikely rally car.

Years: 1971–1981 · Models: 280SLC, 350SLC, 450SLC, 380SLC, 450SLC 5.0, 500SLC

Overview

The SLC took the R107's running gear, lengthened the wheelbase, and fitted a fixed steel roof, producing a four-seat coupe that Mercedes also took rallying — successfully, in 450SLC 5.0 and 500SLC form. About 63,000 were built against more than 237,000 SLs, so the coupe is the rarer car today, though the market still prices it below the roadster except in its homologation forms.

Engines

The M110 six (280SLC) and the M116/M117 V8s, including the all-alloy 5.0-litre engine of the 450SLC 5.0 and 500SLC rally homologation cars.

What to check

• The R107's rust checklist applies in full — sills, floors, and the bulkhead — with coupe-specific attention to the rear side windows and their distinctive louvred trim.
• Sunroof operation and drainage where fitted; blocked drains put water exactly where these cars rust.
• The V8 timing-chain questions, including the single-row chain on the 380SLC.
• Interior condition: the coupe's longer cabin carries more leather and wood, and retrimming is priced accordingly.
• On a claimed 5.0 or 500SLC, verify identity exhaustively — alloy panels, engine, and paperwork — because these are the series' valuable cars and are imitated.

Values

The 450SLC 5.0 and 500SLC are genuine collector cars with competition history. Standard SLCs trade below equivalent SLs despite being rarer — which makes a fine, documented V8 SLC one of the better-value classic Mercedes, bought on condition as always.

Buying tips

Use the SL's market knowledge but the coupe's own inspection points, and treat homologation claims as a research project. For a standard car, the rule is the familiar one: records and a rust-free shell beat specification.

See the 17 C107 cars currently listed.