As can be seen in the photo, the 450SLC door striker had worn over the years, particularly the plastic insert.   It is a much better design than the striker used on the W111, which is a two piece unit.   Over time, the two pieces become loose, making the door hard to latch.

The striker is held on by four screws and there is a backing plate that can be re-used.   I found it easier to screw it on loosely and then close the door a couple of times to locate it properly.

So far it seems to close properly first time, and opening the door there is a bit more resistance in the door handle too.  Changing the 450SLC door striker was a very easy job, only took a few minutes!

A striker of similar design is used in other contemporary Mercedes models.  This includes cars like the W123, W126 and others.

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