04-23-2020, 10:08 PM | #11 |
Alphanumeric
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The thing is that - if/when - you get tired of it, a BMW converted to manual will allow some recouping of investment. A Benz with a BMW transmission? Maybe, but a bit more chancy.
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04-24-2020, 01:21 PM | #12 | |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
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Quote:
A manual benz? Very much a unicorn. Are you going to get back all of that conversion cost? Probably not. But remember that FC's user name used to be "mbr129." This is a car he wants. Bad. And you know what? I love the R129. It's so perfect for what it was designed to be. Just get one from the right year range before they value engineered the price down like $50k, and after they got rid of the biodegradable chassis harness. Edit: Also, "600SL" reads so much better than "SL600." I understand why they did that, but it was a mistake.
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04-24-2020, 01:35 PM | #13 | |
195
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04-24-2020, 02:30 PM | #14 | |
Relic
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And its not like people thought a 300SL, 500SL and 600SL were 3 different body styles. They may not haven known that the numbers were approx engine displacement, but it did read as 3 trim levels of the same car.
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04-24-2020, 02:55 PM | #15 |
Alphanumeric
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I get that it will be unique, but it will be a mongrel. Secondly, the Benz market was never into manuals much. So yeah, I think it's risky. If you think it's a great idea, find a similar project to invest in...
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04-24-2020, 05:14 PM | #16 |
Solving problems
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04-24-2020, 07:18 PM | #17 |
195
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Yeah that looks like a nice one for this purpose.
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04-25-2020, 05:23 PM | #18 |
Carmudgeon
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,667
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Engine and exhaust sound are very hard to capture in a video ... I bet that car sounds a lot better in person ..
Those big S class cars are not fun driver's, yes they are very fast (at lest for theme they were built) but they are boats. I think you are better off finding a C class with the big engine ... those have got to be fun !! I remember back in the day driving my dad's 500 SEC's, both were very fast coupes but they weren't drivers cars ... his CLK550 was a bit better but still not quite a drivers car, maybe due to the heavy feel in the front due to the heavy engine ... actually thinking about it his CLK 350 was more fun ... There are a lot of cool smaller Mercedes models for really reasonable prices out there you could have fun with. |
04-25-2020, 08:50 PM | #19 | |
Relic
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Edit: Fun fact! I took my driver's test in a W140.
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04-25-2020, 11:08 PM | #20 |
Carmudgeon
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Not a fan of the SL either, I’ve driven quite a bit of them going back to the 80’s ... maybe a bit better than the s class coupes but still not a drivers car.
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