NPOCP: Classic Mercedes Edition

"Party-vi" (party-vi) 08/07/2013 at 18:30 • Filed to: oppositelock, NPOCP

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Probably going to look at this later with the GF's dad as a possible gift to her mom. For some reason she really wants an older SL. 76k miles, ABS light (probably a relay) and supposedly no rust. It comes with the original hard top so that's a plus. What say ye, Opponauts? Edit: D !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

desertdog5051 > Party-vi 08/07/2013 at 18:38

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How much and where is it?

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Party-vi 08/07/2013 at 18:57

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My mom also wants that exact car. I kind of like them in a weird way. My dad and I are planning on grabbing her one in the next few years.

. . > Party-vi 08/07/2013 at 20:57

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It needs Euro bumpers ASAP. A shame lights can't be easily replaced.

Funnily enough, even though I live in Europe, American R107s are easily and relatively cheaply available. Euro models on the other hand cost crazy money.

Party-vi > desertdog5051 08/08/2013 at 01:21

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$6,500 near Baltimore, and it's probably spoken for tomorrow ;)

Bengal55 > Party-vi 08/08/2013 at 03:23

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My 86' 560SL is in the shop right now getting all the bugs fixed (for the DMV Jalop meetup at the end of the month, Yay!). That being said $6500 for a 80's SL with under 100k miles is a good price. That interior looks really good, and the lack of cancer is always a plus. From what I understand, the 380's are easier to maintain, and have the advantage of a better weight balance, so that is always a plus.

Here's what I've recently found on the minor restoration I've had to do on mine, so maybe it will help you when looking for one.

- Leaky:
Mine leaked right at the driver's cowl vent, evidently this is very common on the passenger side, bit less on the driver's. It's caused by either a plugged drain line or by rotten gaskets, if it's a clogged line (much more common) it's as simple as blasting it out with an air hose, gaskets are a bit trickier to fix.

- Dead Speedo:
The Speedo gear is known to turn to dust, it will eventually happen to all SL's of this vintage and quasi annoying fix, as it requires removing the instrument cluster, which requires removing the steering wheel. I just had to do this, it's not rocket science, but it's not super fun either.

- Instrument Lights & Dash Lights:
These are not run off LED's, rather traditional incandescent bulbs. The good part is the bulbs (bulb.. to be exact) for some of the dash lights is behind the HVAC wood panel, which is a breeze to get off, and powers many of the dash lights via fiber optic lines (yes, you read me right.) Easy fix.

- ABS Light:
It's the 80's, things were not always perfect. The ABS sensors get dirty REALLY easy, and usually cause this light to come on. The ABS will still function as it should. You can clean them, or get it cleaned it if bothers you. Simple as a "harder" brake test to check and see if it's something more substantial or not.

- A/C
Remember, this is the 80's West Germany we're talking about here. This car takes R-12 and not R134. There is mixed opinions on what to do when it comes to recharges, conversions and the such. Sadly I'm not too familiar with that as mine works well for now (crosses fingers) - worth mentioning though.

- Stereo:
It sucks, they all suck, but this is a roadster with a drop top, so it's not supposed to be an issue. Just like the lack of cup holders right? If this is an issue for her mom then it's easy to upgrade the head unit, the front speakers are annoying to replace, and you can add rear ones if desired (most common place is the rear parcel shelf.)

- Vac Lines:
The entire car is run off vacuum lines, and they occasionally pop off somewhere, usually in the most annoying spot ever.

- Euro Headlights & Bumpers:
Mine still has the US spec bumpers and headlights, but if you (or her) want to swap for the Euro units expect to pay a lot of $$$$ for the parts. The bumpers can be found and if I remember right are quite easy to swap. The headlights are a different story, the connectors are different and require some rewiring to function. I have debated doing a sealed beam conversion kit (NOT a euro swap) but I'm not sure on what will be required. Food for thought.

- Hardtop & Soft tops:
- The manual lies, the hard top is anything but lightweight LOL. Easy to take on and off though IF you have 2 strong people, or 3-4 average people.
- This is not a Miata, you cannot put the top up and down while seated in the car with one hand. It's a multi step process, with proper German procedures! If you're quick it can be done in about 3min. Soft top replacement usually runs about $900-$1500 depending on where you live.

- Exterior:
Made from old German tanks and battle ships, this car has the most satisfying door closing thud you'll ever hear in your life. It's rivals my 1955 dodge in solid built like a battle ship sound. While solid (almost two tons solid), it can be prone to rust. If it's used as a winter car, keep it clean and you should be fine. Actually a good thing to note anyway, keep it clean and you should be ok.

- Interior:
The wood is real wood, the carpets are German mouse fur and the seats can either be MB-Tex or MB-Leather. MB Tex is supposed to wear better (mine is MB Tex) but the leather is heavenly. Carpets, Leather, Etc can all be sourced new if it ever needs to be replaced. (I just redid ALL the carpets in mine myself, quite the task.)

Parts & Replacements:
- This car has a GREAT aftermarket and part chain, seems to be getting bigger every day I look. If you need it, you can most likely find it either used or repo.

- Last Words:
All that above looks daunting, but it really isn't. If the car is better maintained than mine (not too hard) was then most of that above should be moot. As Mercedes go, this truly is a easy car to work on oneself, scary at first but quite simple when you get a good look at her. She/You/Whomever will enjoy the hell out of it for sure. Classic beauty that still gets me lots of looks today.

- If anyone has anything else to add, or you have questions just let me know and I'll try my best to answer em. : )

Good Luck!

PS: This was me a couple months ago lol:

Party-vi > Bengal55 08/08/2013 at 08:19

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Quite the write-up! Thank you for taking the time to post this here. Also, congrats on the 560!