0a's Mercedes r129 500SL
Discussion
Thankyou very much for the kind words. It's a 1991 model.
I will collect the car next week (I have a few jobs to get done on the 190E and my wallet needs a break!).
The list of jobs outstanding is as follows:
1. The hood mechanism isn't working
2. The hood 'glass' needs replacement. The hood as a whole is a bit tatty so i will do the whole thing
3. The noisy exhaust needs civilising
4. It could do with new tyres all round
5. It could do with a suspension refresh (will do after the tyres to see how that improves things)
6. The air conditioning doesn't work
7. There is some wear to the driver's side seat
GULP!
I will collect the car next week (I have a few jobs to get done on the 190E and my wallet needs a break!).
The list of jobs outstanding is as follows:
1. The hood mechanism isn't working
2. The hood 'glass' needs replacement. The hood as a whole is a bit tatty so i will do the whole thing
3. The noisy exhaust needs civilising
4. It could do with new tyres all round
5. It could do with a suspension refresh (will do after the tyres to see how that improves things)
6. The air conditioning doesn't work
7. There is some wear to the driver's side seat
GULP!
Don't be surprised if the ball joints are shot, very, very difficult to tell when there knackered due to the suspension set up.
Check the flex discs as well (don't ask why I'm paranoid about these)
Nice car.
I went through the tyres/suspension thing on my 320, when I 1st had it the car suffered from odd steering vibrations and a harsh low speed ride.
1st top mounts, arb bushes
2nd steering damper (old one knackered but didn't notice and difference
3rd wheels/tyres (17" wheels buckled, tyres old and wanted to get back to 16"s)
4th shocks (while doing these discovered ball joints)
5th control arms (camber bolts seized and needed cutting off)
Each change made a little improvement, now the whole lots done it rides as it should.
How much did your respray cost? I'm envious, I've had some bits of bodywork done but perhaps should of bitten the bullet and had the whole lot sprayed.
Check the flex discs as well (don't ask why I'm paranoid about these)
Nice car.
I went through the tyres/suspension thing on my 320, when I 1st had it the car suffered from odd steering vibrations and a harsh low speed ride.
1st top mounts, arb bushes
2nd steering damper (old one knackered but didn't notice and difference
3rd wheels/tyres (17" wheels buckled, tyres old and wanted to get back to 16"s)
4th shocks (while doing these discovered ball joints)
5th control arms (camber bolts seized and needed cutting off)
Each change made a little improvement, now the whole lots done it rides as it should.
How much did your respray cost? I'm envious, I've had some bits of bodywork done but perhaps should of bitten the bullet and had the whole lot sprayed.
Edited by PositronicRay on Sunday 27th November 08:45
Given that the usual crew of 129 sickos have checked in here, and to save cluttering up the 3/4k thread on the other forum, I'll note here that the well-specced M113 engined R129 offered at auction a few weeks back did pretty well, reaching pretty much to the top end of the estimate. Not quite at a price where the new owner should be unable to drive it though.
http://www.silverstoneauctions.com/2000-mercedes-b...
http://www.silverstoneauctions.com/2000-mercedes-b...
Zonergem said:
Given that the usual crew of 129 sickos have checked in here, and to save cluttering up the 3/4k thread on the other forum, I'll note here that the well-specced M113 engined R129 offered at auction a few weeks back did pretty well, reaching pretty much to the top end of the estimate. Not quite at a price where the new owner should be unable to drive it though.
http://www.silverstoneauctions.com/2000-mercedes-b...
Crikey. I may as well clutter up the thread with a picture of my wife's late grandfather's '91 300SL. Back in about 2010, after he'd died, I could (should) have bought this. But I hesitated, and a local trader got wind of it and http://www.silverstoneauctions.com/2000-mercedes-b...
A short while later, it appeared here with a price tag of £10995, but sold.
Arse, drat, etc.
That is a pity - it would have been great to keep a good car in the family. But cheer up - you can buy a 1992 500SL in the same colours inside and out this Saturday
http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/mercedes-benz-...
in an auction that is stiff with R129s. The Turnbull and Oliver bright red SL500 has been withdrawn (presumably sold in advance of auction) but there's a facelifted SL320 and a rather suspect LHD SL500 6.0 AMG that a dealer in Norfolk has been punting around a while.
http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/mercedes-amg-s...
If the muscle car character and shaving 1.2 seconds off the 0-60 is important to you then by all means pay 20k more than the 500SL - for my money I'd stick with the normal 5.0 litre V8 which is in character with the cruising nature of the car IMHO.
http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/mercedes-benz-...
in an auction that is stiff with R129s. The Turnbull and Oliver bright red SL500 has been withdrawn (presumably sold in advance of auction) but there's a facelifted SL320 and a rather suspect LHD SL500 6.0 AMG that a dealer in Norfolk has been punting around a while.
http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/mercedes-amg-s...
If the muscle car character and shaving 1.2 seconds off the 0-60 is important to you then by all means pay 20k more than the 500SL - for my money I'd stick with the normal 5.0 litre V8 which is in character with the cruising nature of the car IMHO.
Hi O
I used to see your car in Chelsea and it's a twin to me dads nautic 500sl. The respect looks amazing as well.
My faithfull old silver 500 made it through the mot and although it needed a bit if money here and there it's an amazing car for what it can still do.
I concur since we have 3 r129s in the family it's an illness yes ... I've had distributor caps issues on all of them. They do not like not being used !
I used to see your car in Chelsea and it's a twin to me dads nautic 500sl. The respect looks amazing as well.
My faithfull old silver 500 made it through the mot and although it needed a bit if money here and there it's an amazing car for what it can still do.
I concur since we have 3 r129s in the family it's an illness yes ... I've had distributor caps issues on all of them. They do not like not being used !
Yes it did indeed start life in Japan, I didn't know there was a difference! It's very clean underneath as a result.
I collected it today and the paint really does look nice. It's starting cleanly as well.
There's still plenty of work to do.
In particular despite seeming like it is latched okay the roof beep is still sounding and the button doesn't do anything. Very annoying. I need to identify a specialist and get it there as the next step (I have had a few leads on the barge thread, suggestions welcome).
It's significantly quicker than I remember it being though.
The fun continues.
Edit - picture turned the right way up. The engine seems a bit wild with the dodgy chav exhaust - it's very amusing.
I collected it today and the paint really does look nice. It's starting cleanly as well.
There's still plenty of work to do.
In particular despite seeming like it is latched okay the roof beep is still sounding and the button doesn't do anything. Very annoying. I need to identify a specialist and get it there as the next step (I have had a few leads on the barge thread, suggestions welcome).
It's significantly quicker than I remember it being though.
The fun continues.
Edit - picture turned the right way up. The engine seems a bit wild with the dodgy chav exhaust - it's very amusing.
Edited by 0a on Wednesday 30th November 00:12
PositronicRay said:
Don't be surprised if the ball joints are shot, very, very difficult to tell when there knackered due to the suspension set up.
Check the flex discs as well (don't ask why I'm paranoid about these)
Nice car.
I went through the tyres/suspension thing on my 320, when I 1st had it the car suffered from odd steering vibrations and a harsh low speed ride.
1st top mounts, arb bushes
2nd steering damper (old one knackered but didn't notice and difference
3rd wheels/tyres (17" wheels buckled, tyres old and wanted to get back to 16"s)
4th shocks (while doing these discovered ball joints)
5th control arms (camber bolts seized and needed cutting off)
Each change made a little improvement, now the whole lots done it rides as it should.
How much did your respray cost? I'm envious, I've had some bits of bodywork done but perhaps should of bitten the bullet and had the whole lot sprayed.
An excellent list, thanks! You will have PM regarding the last question.Check the flex discs as well (don't ask why I'm paranoid about these)
Nice car.
I went through the tyres/suspension thing on my 320, when I 1st had it the car suffered from odd steering vibrations and a harsh low speed ride.
1st top mounts, arb bushes
2nd steering damper (old one knackered but didn't notice and difference
3rd wheels/tyres (17" wheels buckled, tyres old and wanted to get back to 16"s)
4th shocks (while doing these discovered ball joints)
5th control arms (camber bolts seized and needed cutting off)
Each change made a little improvement, now the whole lots done it rides as it should.
How much did your respray cost? I'm envious, I've had some bits of bodywork done but perhaps should of bitten the bullet and had the whole lot sprayed.
Edited by PositronicRay on Sunday 27th November 08:45
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