mercedes 500sl r129 1990
mercedes 500sl r129 1990
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f1ten

Original Poster:

2,165 posts

182 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
Hi

photos to follow as my work now blocks my ability to upload files to any website... gestapo comes to mind.
I meant to post a while ago but I never really read the readers cars bit… lesson learned !

I was seeking to get hold of one of the first made r129’s SL’s. I previously owned a 89 Z1 bmw which was inside of the first 500 of 8000 made so was trying to get the hold of an early SL.

As we all know they are a pretty common site on the roads but the first 3 years of build were actually quite restricted numbers before Mercedes ramped up production to meet the demand.

The very first cars were also just ever so slightly more powerful as well.

Mine is a 1990 G, 500sl, astral silver with black leather.

So what Ive got is a pretty clean (not perfect) but good example of one of the first 500SL’s to come into the UK. In fact it was RHD order number 87, this includes other RHD markets share such as Japan, Singapore and Aus.

My car was of course an original dealer demonstrator as those were the first cars to be delivered to the UK and was registered on 1st Jan 1990.

It is totally standard with no naff additions.
Includes the correct Classic Bundt alloys (as these were the launch wheels- 18months before the 8 hole alloys came out). It has the correct amber indicators, correct early 4 spoke airbag steering wheel, prior to the upgrade again in 92 to the more anglular 4 spoke wheel.

Its also still got the correct analogue milometer (amazing how many older ones have had a replacement with a digital milometer )

Its also correct two tone sacco panels and bumpers.
Im a stickler for originality and not really a fan of the colour coded cars unless they are 94 models as per period factory spec.

The other real geek spot for the early cars is that the red soft top button is on the right of the console rather than left (92 models saw this change onwards).

Im going to be continuing some tlc to it.
So far so good
Its got a good turn of speed and the rumble of the v8 is awesome. Still wondering if removing the resonator to make it sound better is an acceptable alteration!

74merc

602 posts

221 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
Never seen Bundts on a 129! Do you mean the 15 hole flat faced jobbies, rather than the Bundts which came out in the early 70s?

f1ten

Original Poster:

2,165 posts

182 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
hi yes thats what i meant stand corrected! the Classic 15 hole design

74merc

602 posts

221 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
Yeah, the 15 hole wheels are like a flattened Bundt anyway, good luck keeping 60 holes free of brake dust! My mate has a 95 SL500 and he has removed the rear box completely. It sounds like a big Yank V8, but if you are a stickler for correctness, maybe a step too far. It's a little loud for my liking but then, what's the point of having a V8 if you can't hear it?

f1ten

Original Poster:

2,165 posts

182 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
A quick pic
Am I alone in liking the early look ?

f1ten

Original Poster:

2,165 posts

182 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
A quick pic
Am I alone in liking the early look ?

slevin911

652 posts

205 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
Saw one the other day and my GF said now thats A manly looking car.She is very fussy and the only car she seems to like is the manta.So a pretty good compliment.Nice car OP smile

dome

688 posts

286 months

Friday 1st March 2013
quotequote all
slevin911 said:
She is very fussy and the only car she seems to like is the manta
She's a keeperyes

Lovely car OP

0a

24,133 posts

223 months

Saturday 2nd March 2013
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Absolutely stunning. It's funny how the earliest cars merc produce for a model almost always look the best. That really is very nice indeed, I didn't realise how much tat they put on the later cars.

ALawson

8,054 posts

280 months

Saturday 2nd March 2013
quotequote all
Great car, I think I still have a wall poster at home from the NEC "wunderbar" with the car upside down on the pop up crash roll bar.


f1ten

Original Poster:

2,165 posts

182 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
quotequote all
Well i remember as a boy going outnin glasgow callander merc dealers demo in 1990 which was an identical silver wigh black leather car, i couldnt get over how fast it was.

It needs a bit more work like the front wheels refurbed but generally its in very good condition
Another pic taken yesterday
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Very nice. I remember the excitement when these came out - they were going for mega money over list IIRC.

A friend's Dad had one of the first cars, a 300 SL-24 in silver, almost exactly the same to look at as your's.

Erwin1978

97 posts

175 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
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A very, very lovely car indeed. Share your dedication on originality, compliments.

Mastodon2

14,322 posts

194 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
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That is a really good looking car. Much nicer than the current models MB are putting out.

clarkmagpie

3,697 posts

224 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
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These are getting better with age. Lovely.

f1nn

2,694 posts

221 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
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Lovely car, and I totally agree about the earlier cars being more attractive. As you say, every successive facelift was a step backwards.

Proper car.

harry kular

2,784 posts

255 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
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Beautiful example. Reminds me of Clint Eastwood in the Rookie...

MrBrightSi

2,926 posts

199 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
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Love this model of SL, those gills by the front wheels are great.

Thanks for making me envious.