Friday 2nd January 2015

Hillclimbing a 300SL: Time For Tea?

Thrashing a very valuable Mercedes up a Swiss hill? Well done that man!

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We're all guilty of it. A low mileage or particularly valuable version of a great car comes up for sale and we all maintain it would be driven as intended no matter what the cost. Maybe some really would but the suspicion remains that the reality may differ slightly from the original plan.

And even for those who would drive a classic regularly, you can't imagine many would do it like this. Daniel Muller's hillclimb vid in his Mercedes 300SL has become rather popular recently (indeed we found it on the forum, thanks irocfan for beginning the thread) and with very good reason. It's insane. Brilliantly insane.

It's the definition of commitment. In a car worth hundreds of thousands. Brakes are locked, apexes are clipped and drifts are caught even when they aren't provoked... Note as well how much work is required on the steering wheel, a slow rack making the hairpins really hard work. Good noise too.

This should be a great video for rousing you from the post-New Year malaise. When does the motorsport season start?

See it here.

 

[Vee12V]

Shows you that grip is overrated. Wished all racing was like this. Hat off!

[Urban Sports]

Thread already running, lock this one.

[dandare]

Nice. Good to see a fast classic driven quickly.

[P4ROT]

Awesome - subtitles make more sense if you imagine them with German accent btw.

[sideways man]

I'm guessing this is a non modified example, on standard tyres? Just a hunch.
Good to see an enthusiastic amateur blowing the cobwebs off a fine car. Bravo.

Reminds me of my first tarmac rally event in a very mildly modified mk1 escort,also on std tyres. After 1 lap the tyres were overheating,and on the 2nd lap we crashed. Soon bought some michelin slicks,it was like being glued to the road,in comparison.

Edit; just noticed the digital tripmeter screwed to the dash,maybe not so standard!

Edited by sideways man on Saturday 3rd January 10:16

[desmos]

Far better use of your time, as opposed to polishing and checking the dehumidifier!
High 5's to the man.

[MattCSLnut]

[untakenname]

Nice seeing older cars driven on the limit, sadly 99% of expensive ones just gather dust these days.

The length of that hill climb was quite impressive, are there many climbs in the UK that are 4+ minutes long?

[Omaruk]

2:22 Bravo!!!

[wildman0609]

untakenname said:

are there many climbs in the UK that are 4+ minutes long?

no

[Axionknight]

Awesome, what a way to use a car like that - how much do these things go for these days?

[ravon]

Brilliant video, fabulous driving, and all on a swing axle !!

[55palfers]

What a great noise!

[iSore]

A black 300SL Gullwing is my lottery win. I don't care how much they're worth, I want one.

[aeropilot]

Axionknight said:

Awesome, what a way to use a car like that - how much do these things go for these days?

Average price around the million quid mark these days.....

[MC Bodge]

untakenname said:

Nice seeing older cars driven on the limit, sadly 99% of expensive ones just gather dust these days.

The length of that hill climb was quite impressive, are there many climbs in the UK that are 4+ minutes long?

Absolutely superb. It was surprisingly brisk too.

I was thinking similar about the UK. Are there any long private roads used for time trials in the UK?

UK hill climbs are a bit lame in comparison. Some sprints are on closed circuits, but not as long as that Arosa one.

[aeropilot]

European hillclimbs take place on closed public roads are are generally quite long in nature.

If the proposed public roads thingy happens then similar could happen in the UK - if the NIMBYS don't interfere.

Otherwise, our small, short private road hillclimb courses is all we'll get.

[TimLambert7]

Omaruk said:

2:22 Bravo!!!

It's amazing isn't it!

Excellent driving, amazing road and a wonderful car.

[irocfan]

Urban Sports said:

Thread already running, lock this one.

yup, I know - I posted it!!! Shame on you PH!! lol

[thegreenhell]

sideways man said:

I'm guessing this is a non modified example, on standard tyres? Just a hunch.
Good to see an enthusiastic amateur blowing the cobwebs off a fine car. Bravo.

Edit; just noticed the digital tripmeter screwed to the dash,maybe not so standard!

As the car is maybe not completely standard so the driver is perhaps not so amateur, as the son of a successful racing driver (twice Targa Florio winner Herbert Mueller) and himself a racing driver and professional race-driving instructor.