Got to shoot my all-time fave Mercedes

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
10/11/2016 at 10:05 • Filed to: None

And it’s as great as you think it is. It’s a perfectly restored 1968 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 . It was faster than the ‘69 Camaro 396 I drove a few weeks ago and it’s the second fastest classic car I’ve ever been in. The giant iron lump of a SOHC 6.3-litre fuel-injected V8 is rated at 300-horsepower but dear god it feels like more. The engine kicks out a muscle car-like 430 lb.-ft. and this thing just HAULS.

It just surges forward like few cars I’ve ever been in. And it handles better than like a big 70's Aston. Simply incredible car. I’ll have a full video on it when I get the time.

DISCUSSION (9)

Party-vi > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/11/2016 at 10:12

6.3s to 60mph is not shabby at all considering what year this monster came out. Goodness.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Party-vi
10/11/2016 at 10:25

Apparently it can do it in 6.5 seconds. Which is still fast today.

fintail > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/11/2016 at 10:35

And they can get to 140 mph or maybe more, not bad considering it wasn’t exactly made to cheat the wind.

DynamicWeight > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/11/2016 at 11:22

I swear the way they calculate horepower these days must be screwy. All these claims of high horsepower in modern cars yet when you drive them they just don’t feel like they match their rated output.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > DynamicWeight
10/11/2016 at 12:06

Well the big reason is weight. My 1970 Corvette weighs the same as a new Golf R hatchback. This Mercedes for all of its old school looks, weighs in at the same amount as a new Mustang. Weight is a killer.

DynamicWeight > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/11/2016 at 12:12

I think weight and tuning. The engines today, even in neutral, just don’t seem to be as anxious to rev as engines in the past. I’m sure it’s for fuel economy, and reliability and blah blah blah and a bunch of actually really good reasons, but it all adds up to cars feeling dull even though their numbers are better. For instance, even my 1.6L miata, a car that is continually lamented for lack of power, has an engine full of character that is anxious to rev.

I reread that and it makes no sense. I think I just feel like whining this morning for no reason.

Xyl0c41n3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/11/2016 at 13:05

Great photos! I love the fog.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > DynamicWeight
10/11/2016 at 13:11

The not wanting to rev bit is actually due to the demand for a smooth idle. Modern cars have big heavy flywheels that reduce vibrations at idle to zero but create for weight to be revved up under load. Old cars have light flywheels so are more eager to rev.

DynamicWeight > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/11/2016 at 13:28

Oh that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the bit of knowledge!