1973 Mercedes SLC

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Northbrook said:

You bought the 124? Do you have plans for how to get it from Bordon to Lux? I'm not a million miles from Bordon...

To say what I have is a 'plan' would be over-stating it. I currently have a problem!

It's possible that a PH-er might look after the parts which would mean it's a more simple task. I've posted the job on Shiply but only one quote so far and it wasn't a good one.

You've got previous for driving cars on the continent ...

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Northbrook said:

Quarantine adds to the challenge, but let me know if I could be part of the solution. I'll see what I can do.

Many thanks, that's very good of you and I appreciate it.

It's all rather tricky with quarantine and limited flights back to UK. The delivery quotes are currently hovering around the 1000 mark which is more than I was expecting, but it may yet prove the most straightforward.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Krikkit said:

I've got room to store the parts for you CdeG if you get stuck.

I'd offer to bring the car over for you and put up with quarantine, but I've got a holiday booked 5th-13th September!

Thanks Krikkit, that's jolly decent of you. At the moment it's possible that BVF72 might take them as the parts might be useful for us both, but we haven't tied it down yet.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I've just returned from a cross-border dash to Germany to meet a chap to discuss a lens change for the headlights. He's pretty confident that will get it through the test so he'll order and will fit when I can get it back to him.

The car is running very well, and I did a bit of V-Max on the autobahn on the way back. Got it comfortably over 100 (with the sunroof open). The speedo showed 110 mph and the phone GPS 160 km/h. Car was rock steady and comfortable.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The clock still has a mind of its own.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

To avoid causing upset I can confirm that I was appropriately covered where it matters. I think the road positioning was due to having just overtaken a flabby chap in a VW, but it might have been poor skillz and a tendency to hog the middle.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The 70s German now has a 70s Italian stable-mate.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

The SLC goes to my German garage-iste in mid-Sep for the work on the lights.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

55palfers said:

You also need a white car mon general

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I take your point, but I don't much like white cars and I really don't need a 5th one. The current tally is 3 blue and a red.

Latest purchase.







I now have a red(ish), white and blue.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I took it out last week and got a pic in the same spot I'd taken one of the SLC.



Thread on it here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The SLC goes to a chap in Germany in 2 weeks time to get the lights converted and then it'll go for the Controle Technique test.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Will head off to Germany this afternoon to collect the SLC with it's re-lensed lights. The garagiste is an engaging chap with an alarming Germanic mini-ponytail. It's pretty corny, even by COVID barber standards.

More positively, he knows his stuff and has an interesting little workshop and car collection.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Car collected, with new lights.



Managed a V-max run on the way back and sat at an indicated 120 mph for around 5 miles. Car is rock steady and very smooth at those speeds.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The only car to match my pace and pass on the autobahn was a Passat estate. I've driven a lot in Germany and the fastest car - without fail - is always a Passat.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Total bill came to 350 euros. Compared to the 1600 for the new lights alone, seems like a bargain.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

paulyv said:

Any further plans for the SLC now you are the owner of two classics? It's like having an extra mouth to feed I imagine.

It's a good question actually. I am beginning to wonder if I might have been better off trying to sell it rather than run three cars out here. The Fiat 124 Spider is a more practical proposition as it's LHD, but the SLC is running so very nicely and is so practical that a Continental road trip* in it would be fun. I know this has been an odd year but I've only done a few hundred miles over the past couple of years.

* I have 'form' for these in the Lexus, and have done 3 big trips this year; something more sedate and stylish in this old thing would be rather charming.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The car once again did a cross border dash this morning as I took it back to the German chap that did the lights. He cracked an indicator lens back then and the replacement is in. He is also going to deal with some rust around the front jacking points.

The other big job is to deal with the rusty boot-lid, either through repair or replacement, I strongly suspect the latter. It doesn't look too bad from outside but it runs along a seam on the inside and he's not hopeful a good repair will be possible.



I've also asked him to investigate a strong smell of petrol.

In other news, the flaky odometer has started working again.

My oldest car next to my newest.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Lux beers sound good to me.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I think my SLC chapter is drawing to a close. Having sat in the garage virtually unused I have decided to ship it back to the UK and put it up for sale. My Lexus has been sold in an intra-thread 1-5 Barge deal, and I plan to take the opportunity to have the SLC transported back to England at the same time.

Collection is due tonight or tomorrow, and in preparation for that I tried to start the car, but nothing happened. I only have limited diagnostic skills, but all the symptoms were typical of a flat battery, despite the battery conditioner showing a full complement of lights. I swapped the conditioner over for my other one, left it on overnight and then tried again this morning. Success! Think I may have a slightly dodgy conditioner as the car has always stared first turn of the key in the past, no matter how long it's been left. Anyway, looks like it'll be ready to go on the transporter later.

I'm not quite sure what will happen next. The Lexus buyer can hang on to it for a few days, and we might then end-up getting it to an auction near him in the North of England.

The term 'reluctant sale' is one that always irritates me; a car is either for sale or it isn't, but I now know what is meant by the sentiment. I know I'm going to miss and it and I'd prefer to keep the car, but a RHD car on the Continent doesn't really make sense, and it just isn't getting the use it needs. I've had enough drama getting the 124 Spider registered and legal over here, and that is a LHD car, so the time has come to let KNJ go.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

As a final thread closure, the car was sold today. It actually went back to UK last summer and the terrifically helpful threadist emeye looked after it and hosted it for me. It was never really properly advertised for sale but was quietly offered around.

Being in the open for an extended period didn't help and the boot got wet again. It needed a new battery and it smoked a little on start-up, but it was run periodically and left emeye's house today in fine fettle as the new owner took it away.

Re-reading the thread is a little sad as it was such a wonderful car to own and I really enjoyed it, but it was the wrong car for my current circumstances and it's best that it's gone to a very suitable new owner for the next chapter.

Thanks for all the tips and comments along the way, and I hope that fellow 107 owners are enjoying their cars.