need some syrup to go with my waffle

[kognito]

I have always loved the MB SL line. There is a beautiful 560SL for sale near my office. It is a 1978, silver w/hardtop black interior (haven't seen what condition the convertible is in) 112K miles. 10,500 dollars. Have only looked at it so about 45 seconds when getting gas this morning, but it really looks cherry! Only bummer is it is an automatic. (not sure if these came here in manuals??)

Because of the size of my monster GMC, I have an open garage for it, and being over 25 years old, I can get NJ "historic" plates for it, and it then costs pennies to insure.

I'm in trouble. . . need to find an independant MB mechanic today

I would look so good in this car :bigpimp:

[blee]

I love old Benzes. At present, very few of them come with clutch pedals, and I suspect that was also the case in 1978.

[FC]

I love SL's also. I have books on them. Too bad I am not at home, but I would put money that the 560SL (R107 chassis) was only a slushie. As recently as the 1993 300SL (R129 chassis) one could get a manual (even in the US), but since 1994 it has been slushie-only. Mercedes has not offered manual trannies on high-powered cars for a while.

I have NEVER seen any R107 with a manual tranny. That said, they are beauties, classics, and there are tons of restoration guides and materials out there. Make sure the owner stil has the standard hardtop and that it's in good shape.

Before buying my 190E 2.6, I almost bought a 1972 280SL with a stickshift.

<img src=http://www.cars-on-line.com/15100/70mb15182-A.jpg>
Interesting link I just found on this car (I know it is not the one you are looking at). http://www.ritzsite.demon.nl/280SL/MB280SL.htm

[kognito]

Fernando, I was hoping you would chime in. too bad you are not home. I have to go check this car out more at lunch time.

Now, how to explain to the wife... :eeps: :eeps:

[FC]

Fernando, I was hoping you would chime in. too bad you are not home. I have to go check this car out more at lunch time.

Now, how to explain to the wife... :eeps: :eeps:

Well, go check it out. Look for the obvious (interior, paint, corrosion, engine bay, ask about the hard-top, records). Let me know if you liked it. I'll try to get you all the info I have at home on it tonight.

Also, try http://www.mbnz.org/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=23 for now.

[kognito]

Fernando, I was hoping you would chime in. too bad you are not home. I have to go check this car out more at lunch time.

Now, how to explain to the wife... :eeps: :eeps:

Well, go check it out. Look for the obvious (interior, paint, corrosion, engine bay, ask about the hard-top, records). Let me know if you liked it. I'll try to get you all the info I have at home on it tonight.

Also, try http://www.mbnz.org/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=23 for now.

Thanks for the link :thumbup:

[lip277]

Yep - All US R107 (MB chassis designator for the SL in question) had automatics.

That price is kinda low. I see SL's of that vintage go for mid teens to low twenties.

All "SL's" (450, 380, 500, 560) delivered in America included as standard equipment
the removable hard top. None are "2+2". An accessory is a 'jump seat' pad for the rear deck behind the 2 seats, but ZERO leg room.

Now, an "SLC" (450, 380, 500, 560) is a 2-door coupe with a full back seat for children, and short adults.

A 280SL, SLC is a European 'Gray' market model never sold here in America, but many come up for sale. The emission control conversions on some can at this age can be very dodgy and botched. Exhaust systems with poorly installed catalitic converter would be the tip of the money pit iceburg. BUT, a 'good' Euro 280SL/SLC might have a stick shift (not available on USA cars) and the performance of a well maintained 280 (six cylinder) can equeal a USA V-8 450/380. The V-8 500 and 560 models are the best to find, strongest runners. My advice is to avoid any 380SL/SLC just because of the weak motor performance with all the same weight of the more powerful 450/500/560 models.

Happy hunting. Have any car inspected by a Mercedes-Benz dealer or good independent shop.
Always remove the hard top and fasten the soft top for inspection, and check the fit of the windows and doors with both tops in place.
It's normal to need to adjust the window stops to fit the closed window to the rubber seals on either top.

There are some decent web sites for these (I have most of them on my home computer)
But here are a couple -

http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/gallery/w107.htm
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=23 (forum on Benzworld)
http://northernresource.com/mercedes/107.htm (more than you'd ever want to know...)

Good luck - Have fun.

:thumbup:

[SCA]

SLs are absolutely beautiful cars. My father always wanted a 450SL while we were children (mid 70's - early 80's), but they were impractical for a family of 4. Since 1998 my mother has had two SLs; 1998 500SL and currently on her 2nd, 2004 SL500.


Another MB Forum:

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/index.php?s=5e07ef6ca5dcd8da3040fd69c001a78f

[kognito]

Update. First, thanks everyone for the links, they helped in finding a MB shop in NJ.

Now for the good news. Took wife to see car at lunch time (she works about a mile away from me, and the car was kinda inbetween our locations) She liked the car, but not 100% sold on getting it.

Now for the strange news. The phone number on the for sale sign is in a different area code from where the car is parked. NJ only has 4 area codes so this seemed a little funny. (more on this later)

I found 1 small ding/spider in the trunk area. Looked like something hit the quarterpanel from inside the trunk, or maybe from rust. 1 ding in the chrome strip around the rear boot for the drop top. Looked like someone slipped when removing/installing the hardtop. Interior is grey, not black and is in excellent shape for the age of the car. Needs some Lexol, but nothing is worn through or faded. All four of the rubber insert at the ends of the front and rear bumpers "drooped" a little, but were not damaged.

Now for the bad news. I decided to call a shop that was close to the area of the phone number on the car, instead of the MB guy closest to me. I didn't have to pay a penny for what he told me on the phone. He knew the car as soon as I started to describe it to him. He told me it needs transmission work, timing chain guides, and there are "problems" in the rear sub frame. (Nate might chime in here!)

From what other 560's are selling for in NJ, 10,900 (read price wrong this morning) seemed like a "to good to be true" deal.

I can deal with engine repairs and the other detail stuff, but auto trannies and frame work are out of my league.

Thanks again for the info

[zach]

Yep - All US R107 (MB chassis designator for the SL in question) had automatics.

That price is kinda low. I see SL's of that vintage go for mid teens to low twenties.

All "SL's" (450, 380, 500, 560) delivered in America included as standard equipment
the removable hard top. None are "2+2". An accessory is a 'jump seat' pad for the rear deck behind the 2 seats, but ZERO leg room.

Now, an "SLC" (450, 380, 500, 560) is a 2-door coupe with a full back seat for children, and short adults.

A 280SL, SLC is a European 'Gray' market model never sold here in America, but many come up for sale. The emission control conversions on some can at this age can be very dodgy and botched. Exhaust systems with poorly installed catalitic converter would be the tip of the money pit iceburg. BUT, a 'good' Euro 280SL/SLC might have a stick shift (not available on USA cars) and the performance of a well maintained 280 (six cylinder) can equeal a USA V-8 450/380. The V-8 500 and 560 models are the best to find, strongest runners. My advice is to avoid any 380SL/SLC just because of the weak motor performance with all the same weight of the more powerful 450/500/560 models.

Happy hunting. Have any car inspected by a Mercedes-Benz dealer or good independent shop.
Always remove the hard top and fasten the soft top for inspection, and check the fit of the windows and doors with both tops in place.
It's normal to need to adjust the window stops to fit the closed window to the rubber seals on either top.

There are some decent web sites for these (I have most of them on my home computer)
But here are a couple -

http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/gallery/w107.htm
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=23 (forum on Benzworld)
http://northernresource.com/mercedes/107.htm (more than you'd ever want to know...)

Good luck - Have fun.

:thumbup:

This is a phenomenal post. I'm very interested in picking up one of these for summer cruising and you helped a ton.

Thanks!

[ZBB]

Yep - All US R107 (MB chassis designator for the SL in question) had automatics.

snip

This is a phenomenal post. I'm very interested in picking up one of these for summer cruising and you helped a ton.

Thanks!

I agree... Thanks!!!

I remember my grandma wanting an SL when R107s were still new. But she refused to buy one since they only came in automatics, and she wanted to shift. So she bought a Toyota Supra instead (ended up getting a 2nd one later -- both were sticks.

My grandma died a couple years ago, and my grandpa remarried last fall. My step-gramma has an '85 560SL that is in absolutely perfect condition. Don't know the exact mileage, but its ~75k give or take a bit. White with navy blue interior.

MBR - I love those pagoda-top SLs also -- the R107s are obviously an evolution of the design, but the prior gen overall is prettier.

[FC]

MBR - I love those pagoda-top SLs also -- the R107s are obviously an evolution of the design, but the prior gen overall is prettier.

That car was probably the last to truly be an "SL" (sport-light). It came in at under 3000lbs. The R107 were in the mid-3000lbs, and from the R129 on, they truly became fat pigs.

http://www.panix.com/~rmadison/sltable.shtml

Of course, my favorite SL is still the Gullwing 300SL. :)

[Mathew]

[QUOTE=lip277]An accessory is a 'jump seat' pad for the rear deck behind the 2 seats, but ZERO leg room./QUOTE]

Ah yes, I spent many trips cooped up in that pseudo-backseat during my childhood...

[JST]

Feh.

I don't know what you guys are so excited about--I briefly considered one of these as a second car and drove a late model (89?) 560SL. It reminded me for all the world of a Mustang, except a Mustang that had really soft suspension settings and big, flat seats that offer zero support. Add to that a slushie and an engine even in the 560 whose power output by today's standards is modest, and you get a massively overpriced boulevard cruiser that offers nothing for the driving enthusiast. You don't even get a whack of V8 power in a straight line--more like a gentle, feeble push, like from an 80 year old woman in the shopping aisle.

The styling is cool, and I hear that these cars last a long time. But if you have to have a Mercedes from this era, why not a 560SEL? That way at least you get a car that drives like it looks--like a big, heavy sedan. The German Buick.

I can think of any number of convertibles I'd buy before an old 560, most of them starting with M and ending with a or g.

[rumatt]

This is a phenomenal post. I'm very interested in picking up one of these for summer cruising and you helped a ton.

Thanks!

I thought you were an E30 guy.

Traitor.

[SARAFIL]

I love the style of the current generation SL, and I like the previous-generation with the Sport appearance package. Other than that, I can't really say that I share everyone else's love for the older examples. That being said, I'm also much younger than most of you guys so that might explain part of it also. ;)

I'd love to pick up a nice 2003 or 2004 SL... those can be had at really good prices. I've seen $100,000 '04 SL500s selling in the mid-60s. Talk about killer first-year depreciation!

[SCA]

I've seen $100,000 '04 SL500s selling in the mid-60s. Talk about killer first-year depreciation!


Ouch! :eek: My mother has a '04 SL500. That is one hell of a hit. Oh well... it will probably be her last car. Come Jan. it will be 2 years old. Current mileage is around 3500 miles.

[SARAFIL]

Ouch! :eek: My mother has a '04 SL500. That is one hell of a hit. Oh well... it will probably be her last car. Come Jan. it will be 2 years old. Current mileage is around 3500 miles.

Yeah, tell me about it... I've got a bad taste in my mouth after the loss we took on one last month when the market on these cars dropped.