SL350 W107 Parts help please

[crossy67]

Chaps, I need some help finding parts for the old SL350 W107 I have in the garage. I need an exhaust center section (found one on Ebay), a new air idle bypass valve and a new vacuum advance unit. Any one know where's likely to be able to help please?

[Yertis]

Mercedes would be a good starting point, I imagine.

[crossy67]

Yertis said:

Mercedes would be a good starting point, I imagine.

I'll see your "helpful" comment and raise you with a visit to mumsnet!

Merc don't want to know apparently, the car is 40 years old.

[acme]

Try the SL shop, I ordered something admittedly very simple off them the other day and the process was painless, and it turned up as they said it would - and substantially cheaper than the Merc dealer, in fact it was one twentieth of the price, yep you did read that right.

If you're interested in maintaining the car I really recommend the Merc club and it's forum, the R107 is the most popular in the club and there's some very helpful guys on the 107 section, at £30 it's great value too I think.

[crossy67]

Thanks for the help acme.

It's not my car (unfortunately) it's in to have a lot of little problems sorted out. First one was the French garage that took a whole year to replace a cam and timing chain managed to get the valve timing two teeth out on the left bank and one on the right.

Now I need to either get the custom made stainless front box repaired, it's split and I think it's guts are about to fall out and it's vacuum advance is useless.

I have known a few people who have needed vacuum advance units for various old stuff and had no joy finding them. What are people supposed to do when their parts just aren't available any more? I can advance the timing a bit to semi compensate but it's a bit of a bodge.

Edited by crossy67 on Friday 5th December 17:54

[acme]

crossy67 said:

Thanks for the help acme.

It's not my car (unfortunately) it's in to have a lot of little problems sorted out. First one was the French garage that took a whole year to replace a cam and timing chain managed to get the valve timing two teeth out on the left bank and one on the right.

Now I need to either get the custom made stainless front box repaired, it's split and I think it's guts are about to fall out and it's vacuum advance is useless.

I have known a few people who have needed vacuum advance units for various old stuff and had no joy finding them. What are people supposed to do when their parts just aren't available any more? I can advance the timing a bit to semi compensate but it's a bit of a bodge.

Edited by crossy67 on Friday 5th December 17:54

Strange, I thought 107 parts were available least from Merc, though at a cost! For early ones too, give the SL shop a bell, they've seemingly got a good reputation, they've traditionally been sales but have moved into parts and they're expanding, so might not have the less mainstream parts you need. Shame as it's not your car you obviously wouldn't go on the Merc club forum as some of the blokes on there are very helpful, including one who's been a Merc technician for years and his rebuilding a later 107.

[Yertis]

crossy67 said:

Yertis said:

Mercedes would be a good starting point, I imagine.

I'll see your "helpful" comment and raise you with a visit to mumsnet!

Merc don't want to know apparently, the car is 40 years old.

It was my understanding that Mercedes were quite good at supporting their back-catalogue, at least that's the myth circulated in the world of old Audis, where nothing over ten years old is guaranteed to be available.

[acme]

Yertis said:

It was my understanding that Mercedes were quite good at supporting their back-catalogue, at least that's the myth circulated in the world of old Audis, where nothing over ten years old is guaranteed to be available.

If you don't get any sense from your local main Merc stealer try Jacksons of Poole, they're a main dealer but have dealt in classics for years and I think are the 'best' one to go to.

[Hugo a Gogo]

crossy67 said:

Yertis said:

Mercedes would be a good starting point, I imagine.

I'll see your "helpful" comment and raise you with a visit to mumsnet!

Merc don't want to know apparently, the car is 40 years old.

have you tried the MB Classic dept? they do pretty much everything
http://partssearch.mercedes-benz-classic.com/

[Humper]

Mercedes do a fair bit for the older stuff,(though you may st yourself at some of the prices, i do every time i need something for mine) maybe a lazy parts person? Try the SL Shop as suggested or Euromercs have some bits and bobs for the 107.
Price an original Merc SL exhaust, i did, and will be replacing mine with custom made stainless to save a small fortune.....

[dbdb]

I must admit, I also thought Mercedes stocked pretty much everything for their old models, so that would have been my recommendation too.

My own car (Jaguar) sounds to be quite a bit better than Audi, with decent parts availability - I didn't realise Audi were so bad, it's surprising.

[dbdb]

Hugo a Gogo said:

have you tried the MB Classic dept? they do pretty much everything
http://partssearch.mercedes-benz-classic.com/

It sounds like you are talking about a 1970s Mercedes '350SL' - rather than an 'SL350'. Also, isn't the model designation for the car R107? - I don't know how much precision is needed when you try Mercedes-Benz classic parts, it may not matter.

[crossy67]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

The owner of the car is back in the UK trying to source the parts, maybe he st a brick when they quoted him for the bits and he's now asking me to see if I can find anything cheaper. I have found a front box for about 110€ in Grermany but I'm not holding out much hope for the vac advance or idle air bypass valve. Wonder if I can strip it down?