1966 Mercedes-Benz 300SE W112

With matching numbers and in the care of the same family since 1978, this W112 comes with a charming history: “It was my Dad’s pride and joy. I started cleaning this car fifty years ago for Mrs. Daintree Johnson, who was a family friend and its first owner, when I was ten years old.

“Dad also looked after the car for her in the early 1970s, and in 1978 she sold the car to him. It became his pride and joy and I’ve been its custodian since he sadly passed in the 1990s. 

“I have decided to sell it, and while this hasn’t been an easy decision for me, my daughters aren’t into cars and I don’t want to burden them with such a responsibility.”

The chromework is charmingly patinated, and would be happy to attribute the patina to overenthusiastic polishing by the seller when he was a child, but then we’re notorious romantics on such matters. The grille has never been rechromed and remains in very good condition, while the bumpers were re-chromed around 20 years ago and have never seen rain. 

And this dilemma sets the scene for the rest of the exterior. “Dad resprayed the car himself in the late 1980s in its original metallic beige colour” and it’s clear he knew what he was doing as it still looks terrific, albeit with some micro-blistering to the front wings. 

Again, we’d be happy to leave it as it is for the time being – and that time being might well end up being many, many years as it looks terrific. Nor can we help but think the fact the paintwork was applied by the seller’s father forms an important part of the car’s history and should be retained for as long as possible.

But, if you win the auction and decide to turn it into a concours-winning example, who are we to judge you? After all, with a car this nice you might even have the right idea…

Either way the panel fit is excellent with factory-spec shutlines, great alignment, and the sort of overall fit ‘n’ finish you’d expect to see on a car of this quality whose history is known from new.

The black hood was apparently replaced in the 1990s with a genuine Mercedes-Benz replacement, and it’s weathered the years very well because even the Polyglass rear window is clear and unblemished. 

There are no rips, tears, or other damage either and a very good tonneau hides it when it is lowered. As you’d expect, it rises and falls as it should, and seals tightly when it is raised.

The steel wheels are hidden behind some very good body-coloured hubcaps. More good news comes with the news they’re fitted with a matching set of 185R14 Michelin MXV-P tyres. Date-stamped 2017, they show plenty of tread. 

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The interior maintains the theme, being carefully curated and conserved rather than restored: “The seats have a couple of tears, but they are original and I didn’t want to ruin the patina.”

We’d agree with his assessment; if you wanted to have them restored few would find fault with your reasoning but if you can live with them as they are then the car’s character would be preserved.

The rear seat is much better with only a couple of loose seams likely to make their way on to your To Do list.

The wooden dashboard is both the original item and utterly glorious. Of all the wonderful design flourishes inside, this might be our favourite because we think it has the best grain pattern in any car that has ever been built. (If you disagree, we’d love to hear your contender for Best Car Veneer of All Time.) 

It’s also in a wonderful condition, and remains totally original and as it left the factory. 

Other notable features include a Becker Europa radio, the three vertical gauges that are sandwiched between the speedometer and rev counter, and the elegant steering wheel.

And the dashboard. Have we mentioned the dashboard?

The car’s service history is recorded in the booklet as follows:

• 14.02.1966 and 387 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 28.06.1966 and 4,964 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 6,000-mile service – ‘Done by Mercedes not entered’
• 03.10.1966 and 9,819 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 19.07.1967 and 15,928 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 15,000-mile service – ‘Done by Mercedes not entered’
• 18,000-mile service – ‘local’
• 03.04.1968 and 20,864 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 24,000-mile service – ‘local’
• 27,000-mile service – ‘local’
• 17.02.1969 and 29,304 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 23.02.1970 and 38,563 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 39,000-mile service – (unreadable)
• 19.10.1970 and 44,004 miles – service by Alan Day (Service) Ltd
• 29.04.1971 and 47,004 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 52,034 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 54,815 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 57,448 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 62,244 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 28.12.1973 and 65,215 miles – service by Normand Mayfair Ltd
• 24.03.1975 and 70,203 miles – service by N.M. Ltd
• 19.11.1975 and 74,851 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford
• 11.08.1976(?) and 79,174 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz (Great Britain) Ltd of Brentford

The seller tells us: “I have generally maintained the car myself over the years with the help of a couple of dad’s friends who own workshops.”

The video shows the M189 engine, which produces a satisfactory 170bhp via Bosch indirect fuel injection, starts well, idles as it should, and revs smoothly, which suggests the seller has done a great job of maintaining it, something the car’s analogue engineering encouraged.

However, the seller insisted on pointing out: “The last time I drove it, it had a tendency to cut out when warm. I suspect this will turn out to be a fuel supply issue. Also, the air suspension works well but will go down after a few weeks. The air bellows were replaced around five years ago.”

The engine itself is nicely presented, being workmanlike in appearance and as clean as most folk would need it to be, with the condition of the bulkhead soundproofing mat being especially notable. 

As for the underside, while it looks decently clean and solid, some of the suspension rubber bushes are showing signs of perishing, and there is some light surface rust here and there, primarily where the underseal has cracked and fallen away. The vendor has recently noticed a small weep of power steering fluid.

That said, while we acknowledge the last MoT did run out in 2018, every single one before that was a clear pass, so chassis and underbody corrosion doesn’t ever seem to have been an issue, which is reassuring.

NB: As we mentioned earlier, we are told that the engine is the original and that all the numbers match.

Originally supplied by Normand Mayfair, whose sill plate still graces the Mercedes, the 300SE has spent its life in the capital, and, as the seller says, “I don’t think another exists with this provenance.”

The Mercedes comes with the original service history booklet and owner’s manuals, as well as the original keys and a vast array of old invoices and expired MoT certificates.

There is also an album showing the car’s respray, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear.

The Mercedes doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

If you’re in the market for a Mercedes-Benz 300SE – and if not, why not because they’re beautifully engineered and supremely elegant – you could do far, far worse than this.

With a known history from new and half-a-century of adoration by the seller, we doubt many examples have such a charming provenance.

Its condition is very good too, and while the patina won’t be to everyone’s taste, we can’t imagine many folk finding significant fault with it, warts ‘n’ all.

All of which leads us to the thorny issue of our estimate – and you know it isn’t going to be cheap, don’t you?

But, we would point out that quality is always worth paying for.

We suspect the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £100,000 and £120,000, which we still think represents strong value. After all, when did you last see one with such romance in its soul?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Hadley Wood, Hertfordshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.