1974 Mercedes Benz 450SL

"MY FATHER-IN-LAW SURPRISED MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WITH THIS 1974 MERCEDES BENZ ROADSTER 450SL. IT WAS THE PRIVATE CAR OF THE OWNER OF THE MERCEDES DEALER IN TOWN AND WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD. SHE TOOK SUCH PRIDE IN HER NEW CAR THAT SHE NAMED HER BETSY. BETSY HAS NEVER BEEN IN SNOW BECAUSE MY FATHER-IN-LAW BUILT A SPECIAL GARAGE TO HOUSE HER DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. IN THE SUMMER MY MOTHER-IN-LAW CHOSE TO TAKE THE HARD TOP OFF AND PUT THE RAG TOP DOWN. THE EXTENT OF HER DRIVING WAS TO THE COUNTRY CLUB FOR GOLF. THE GROCERY STORE. CHURCH. AND CARD CLUB. ALL OF HER GRANDCHILDREN LOVED TO TAKE THEIR TURN WITH GRANDMA FOR A SPIN TO GET ICE CREAM. WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY. MY SISTER-IN-LAW INHERITED BETSY. SHE COULD NOT AFFORD THE UPKEEP AND INSURANCE ON HER. SO I BOUGHT HER FROM MY SISTER-IN-LAW. WHEN I BOUGHT HER I WENT TO THE EXPENSE OF HAVING A NEW TIMING BELT INSTALLED. I ALSO HAD HOSES. AIR FILTER. POINTS. ETC DONE AT THE SAME TIME. BETSY HAS HAD A TUNE UP EVERY YEAR FROM 1975 TO 2011. SHE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AIR CONDITIONING. HEAT. RADIO. 8-TRACK. AND RUNS WITH THE 450 ENGINE. I'M SURE IT TOOK MY MOTHER-IN-LAW NO TIME AT ALL TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT Z. WE LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN AND THAT WAS ALWAYS THE JOKE! I SAW YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW WHIPPING AROUND TOWN IN HER MERCEDES. I AM SAD TO GIVE HER UP. BUT I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN HER TWICE A YEAR TO A GOLF OUTING AND FAMILY REUNION. I HOPE SHE WILL FIND A HOME WITH ANOTHER FAMILY AND THE STORY WILL CONTINUE. THE ODOMETER STATES 68. 23. IT STOPPED AROUND THE TIME MY MOTHER-IN-LAW FLUNKED HER DRIVERS TEST. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US IT WAS NOT OUT OF THE NORM FOE A ODOMETER TO STOP ON THESE MODELS. THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY THAT IT STOPPED AT THE SAME TIME SHE STOPPED DRIVING HER BETSY!" That's the ad that hooked me on this car in June of 2012. I'm sure I have driven it less than 500 miles since and it has been stored in a heated warehouse when not in use. I had the Mercedes dealer in Madison go over the car in 2013 and spent $1. 00 on upgrades.