Mercedes R107's

[b11ocx]

Spent some time last year with Sam & Bruce from the SL Shop on a trip around the Cotswolds, and have to say a nicer, more genuine bunch I could not imagine, well certainly not for car dealers anyway :-)

While they certainly drive the market and, to some degree the aftermarket parts scene for SL's, I have not found them to be profiteering as some in the classic car marketplace do. A decent product at a decent price and that is good for those of us running older vehicles.

[steely dan]

I've enjoyed this thread and did consider buying one but ended up with an early E24 instead .
Thought you'd all like to cry over this one that has sat in salty atmosphere for nigh on 4 years now down here in SW Ireland .I did consider chasing the owner but frankly after a two and a half year restoration of my E24 I just don't have the heart to start all over again........yet .
The owner is known but his intentions are not .
It may actually be too far gone already .

[acme]

Now that's a crime!

Is that not a Merc club sticker I can make out in the window? Odd to be neglected if so.

[iSore]

steely dan said:

I've enjoyed this thread and did consider buying one but ended up with an early E24 instead .

How early?

[Howitzer]

I hired one for a few days from the Classic Car Club some years ago.

What was surprising was how well it covered ground. It was very delicate to drive and absorbed everything the road had and was deceptively fast. It was a 300SL. It wasn't as fast as my 500e but would keep pace unless driving close to the limit.

Practical, classy, fast.

Very little chance of ever owning one but would be a perfect weekend car.

Dave!

[acme]

Interesting feedback. Any ideas on reg? I was pleasantly surprised too, not sure if the pre facelifts are much different but the post 85's aren't too bad. Throttle response on the 300 being a particular delight!

[lowdrag]

I was having a spring clean and came across this lot in one of the garage drawers. Mostly from my 1982 SL I think, and never used since all the cars that need attention are AF and Whitworth! Probably I'm wrong since there is a mixture of makes; Unior, Heyco, Walter and Matador but all stamped Mercedes Benz.

Edited by lowdrag on Monday 9th May 14:01

[jdw1234]

Drove to Spa and back on the weekend in convoy with a 911 and a Z4.

That's what I love about this car;l, it's got the classic looks, but can sit at 90 plus on motorway for hours on end.

[jke11y]

Indeed, but cars without AC are tough going on the continent. Also, the noise really got to me more than anything. I see my old car up at £5k more than I sold it for at a "classic car dealer" - chancer more like, as it's now "totally original" and has "all history" . No MOT so his profit will be gone when they do MOT it. Still miss it though!

[Dapster]

First episode of Season 13 shown this evening on Wheeler Dealers is a US spec 560SL.

http://wheelerdealers.discoveryuk.com/episode/seas...

To paraphrase chirpy cock-ker-ney geey-zah Mike, "...a bad 560 has the potential to burn through money and totally ruin you so the best way to mitigate that risk is to buy as cheaply as possible..." ha ha! Cracking advice!

[jdw1234]

jke11y said:

Indeed, but cars without AC are tough going on the continent. Also, the noise really got to me more than anything. I see my old car up at £5k more than I sold it for at a "classic car dealer" - chancer more like, as it's now "totally original" and has "all history" . No MOT so his profit will be gone when they do MOT it. Still miss it though!

I had the roof down all weekend with A/C on and was listening to the stereo so it was always going to be noisy.

However, I have driven the car twice with cloth roof up - I agree the noise with roof up is pretty annoying on motorway.

I have only driven it once with hardtop on (bringing it home) so I can't remember if that was noisy.

[idiotgap]

My little kids don't really like the roof down - too blowy in the back, so I've had the hardtop on a fair bit. You actually end up with a pretty refined coupe in my opinion. Worth trying it out. I'm not a religious hardtop on in Oct off in Apr kind of guy, but I do swap every so often and the fun part is that I experience something of the novelty of a whole new car every time.

[jdw1234]

idiotgap said:

My little kids don't really like the roof down - too blowy in the back, so I've had the hardtop on a fair bit. You actually end up with a pretty refined coupe in my opinion. Worth trying it out. I'm not a religious hardtop on in Oct off in Apr kind of guy, but I do swap every so often and the fun part is that I experience something of the novelty of a whole new car every time.

If love to do that, but I need a stronger wife!!!

[Skyedriver]

idiotgap said:

My little kids don't really like the roof down - too blowy in the back, so I've had the hardtop on a fair bit. You actually end up with a pretty refined coupe in my opinion. Worth trying it out. I'm not a religious hardtop on in Oct off in Apr kind of guy, but I do swap every so often and the fun part is that I experience something of the novelty of a whole new car every time.

Understand the "blowy in the back" after a trip, Christmas day many many years ago in the back of a Stag
On an SL either this or the later model R129, what do you think is the max age for a rear seat passenger. My son is now 10 and one of the taller in the class?
Thanks

[jke11y]

Out of them both I'd feel most comfortable with a child in the 129, but it's doable in both I think.

[austinsmirk]

The wheeler dealers Mercedes appears in my eyes to be utterly beautiful.

And sold for 21 k dollars. Probably far better value than anything in the uk !!

[idiotgap]

jdw1234 said:

idiotgap said:

My little kids don't really like the roof down - too blowy in the back, so I've had the hardtop on a fair bit. You actually end up with a pretty refined coupe in my opinion. Worth trying it out. I'm not a religious hardtop on in Oct off in Apr kind of guy, but I do swap every so often and the fun part is that I experience something of the novelty of a whole new car every time.

If love to do that, but I need a stronger wife!!!

I suffer from hardtop-reticent wife disorder so I enlist a powerfully built neighbour when necessary.

You could try "the turtle”, I did it once and it worked but never again.

[Skyedriver]

austinsmirk said:

The wheeler dealers Mercedes appears in my eyes to be utterly beautiful.

And sold for 21 k dollars. Probably far better value than anything in the uk !!

Agree, but am I the only one on the planet that still likes the chrome wheel arch spats???
And also like the 2xround headlights too.

[Skyedriver]

jke11y said:

Out of them both I'd feel most comfortable with a child in the 129, but it's doable in both I think.

Why the 129, more room?

Just a "child" though?

If you push the passenger seat forward to actually give some leg room in the back is the front too compromised?

Would need to fit 3 point lap & diag belts to either the 107 or 129.

Thanks

[Lowtimer]

I don't consider the rear seats in my early 129 usable for any form of adult except if they squash in sideways across the width of the car for very short distances. You have to have the roll-over bar raised (as it could take the head off a rear passenger if it fired from the stowed position) and with it up, there is very little rear headroom, which adds to the problem of the slender-to-legligible legroom.

There is a 3-point belt conversion available which is discussed here:
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/interior/137130-r12...