1975 MERCEDES 450 SLC

In 1978, my wife and I were walking past a car dealership in Germany and she paused to admire a car on the lot. What kind of car is that? she asked. I replied without much thought, "It's a Mercedes SLC. I will buy you one when we retire!"

Since that time, Verna would see a Mercedes SL on the highway and ask, "Is that my car?"

Twenty five years passed very quickly and, suddenly, we were retired! My wife expected to receive a toy Mercedes, but I found and bought a very nice Mercedes SLC for $6600 (new price in 1975 dollars was $45,000). The car had a leather interior, electric sunroof, AC, automatic and 4,5 liter V8 engine. The previous owners had pampered it for 24 years and it only needed minimal attention. I replaced the lower rear splash guards, had the trunk lid repainted (discolored where dealer decals had been), and re-did the  front seats with original Mercedes leather covers because the driver's side was beginning to show age.

Verna was happy when she got the keys, but she preferred to drive the Buick! We sold the car for $8000 and used the money partly to pave the driveway. So we can tell friends, "The Mercedes is in the driveway!"