1979 Mercedes 450 SLC
Discussion
Good deal, if you have a flash light , poke around behind the front drivers side wheel at the steering box to see if it's yet as that's where it usually leaks. If it's not leaking badly then let it be and kick the can down the road. These steering boxes are not fun to repair and it's hard to get them right.
Good afternoon, evening or morning.
Well the car remains on the road and just peered from underneath the winter cover to see another spring. I keep saying I am going to sell but the stay of execution remains. 4 new (well, Ebay-delivered second hand but in great condition) tyres have been fitted and I spent all of Sunday finally changing the door cards.
I am sure anyone familiar with this thread has long since forgotten that at some point in the distant past my door cards were recovered with plain vinyl. Not very attractive at all. After several years of waiting and scouring the internet I managed to stumble across the exact grey velour door cards that matched the interior.
Doors open, spanners out and knuckles scraped, it's all done. As usual with this car, a task that at first appeared daunting turned out to be fairly straightforward...I only misplaced one screw which I will have to replace via the SL Shop.
Several hours later I was still driving around the fair roads of Rutland. What a pleasure it is to be out and about again.
Given it has not run for about 4 months it was issue-free, although sounded just a little tappety. A few more miles might sort that, but I will keep an eye, or ear, on it.
Things 'on the list'
A service and clean ready for the 2023 Goodwood Members Meeting in April
A little rust here and there to be addressed
A compound polish....it never did get one when that scratch was fixed before lockdown and I think it'd really benefit
More ponderings on how on this green earth I am going to get the replacement sunroof cable in without removing the headlining. That's a tricky one and I've had no pointers despite messages in the engineering section here and more specialist MB forums
Also I saw one of these on the road. Wow.
Well the car remains on the road and just peered from underneath the winter cover to see another spring. I keep saying I am going to sell but the stay of execution remains. 4 new (well, Ebay-delivered second hand but in great condition) tyres have been fitted and I spent all of Sunday finally changing the door cards.
I am sure anyone familiar with this thread has long since forgotten that at some point in the distant past my door cards were recovered with plain vinyl. Not very attractive at all. After several years of waiting and scouring the internet I managed to stumble across the exact grey velour door cards that matched the interior.
Doors open, spanners out and knuckles scraped, it's all done. As usual with this car, a task that at first appeared daunting turned out to be fairly straightforward...I only misplaced one screw which I will have to replace via the SL Shop.
Several hours later I was still driving around the fair roads of Rutland. What a pleasure it is to be out and about again.
Given it has not run for about 4 months it was issue-free, although sounded just a little tappety. A few more miles might sort that, but I will keep an eye, or ear, on it.
Things 'on the list'
A service and clean ready for the 2023 Goodwood Members Meeting in April
A little rust here and there to be addressed
A compound polish....it never did get one when that scratch was fixed before lockdown and I think it'd really benefit
More ponderings on how on this green earth I am going to get the replacement sunroof cable in without removing the headlining. That's a tricky one and I've had no pointers despite messages in the engineering section here and more specialist MB forums
Also I saw one of these on the road. Wow.
The car hasn't had this much tinkering in about 8 months.
Tyres changed, which I may have mentioned. The old ones were cracking, and not in a positive way. I've got some confidence to start pushing on through the Rutland and Northamptonshire roads at last.
About 2 years ago I came down one morning to find the left-front indicator lens smashed. A note kindly placed on the windscreen noted that someones daughter had cycled into it one Sunday. I hadn't the heart to reply and demand nearly £100 for a piece of orange plastic so swallowed the cost myself, but only now have had the time to fix it.
I didn't photograph the whole procedure but it's just a few screws. Don't drop the headlight - I sold a spare on Ebay for close to £500 in lockdown. Luckily the gasket held together as they alone are about £60.
Treated the old thing to some Redex before a spirited drive to Cafe Ventoux outside of Leicester. Might take the car out to Caffeine and Machine again soon but next week it's time for a compound polish courtesy of 'Scuffs n Buffs' near Corby in preparation for the 80th Members Meeting on the 18th. I'll be parked up at Lavant so do say hello if I am not asleep on the bonnet.
Next on the list after Goodwood - bodywork. I think some new wings are in order due to some rust bubbling through. Happy Easter all.
Tyres changed, which I may have mentioned. The old ones were cracking, and not in a positive way. I've got some confidence to start pushing on through the Rutland and Northamptonshire roads at last.
About 2 years ago I came down one morning to find the left-front indicator lens smashed. A note kindly placed on the windscreen noted that someones daughter had cycled into it one Sunday. I hadn't the heart to reply and demand nearly £100 for a piece of orange plastic so swallowed the cost myself, but only now have had the time to fix it.
I didn't photograph the whole procedure but it's just a few screws. Don't drop the headlight - I sold a spare on Ebay for close to £500 in lockdown. Luckily the gasket held together as they alone are about £60.
Treated the old thing to some Redex before a spirited drive to Cafe Ventoux outside of Leicester. Might take the car out to Caffeine and Machine again soon but next week it's time for a compound polish courtesy of 'Scuffs n Buffs' near Corby in preparation for the 80th Members Meeting on the 18th. I'll be parked up at Lavant so do say hello if I am not asleep on the bonnet.
Next on the list after Goodwood - bodywork. I think some new wings are in order due to some rust bubbling through. Happy Easter all.
Can't the weather make its mind up?
Took the car over to 'Scuffs n Buffs' in Corby yesterday and just collected it back. Some 2 years ago a cat got into the cover I place on it and the resulting claw holes let moisture in during a time when I could not go and visit the parking spot regularly. I took the cover off expecting a clean car only to see microbubbling on the bonnet, which I presume is a different alloy to the rest of the car which was fine.
The car needed a polish and when asking about the cost of a future bonnet respray the guy in Corby suggested it could likely be solved with a good polish. He was not wrong. 24 hours later I now have a mirror smooth car as it has all been 3-stage machine polished. The paint is not perfect on this car - it's certainly seen some professional spraying at some point during its lifetime but its now a whole heap better. So a recommendation for this business and we will be going back when I get round to fitting new front wings. I've found several online from SL Shop and also a place called Magnum Car Panels in Rochdale. Both of my front wings are bubbling through near the headlight and although they've not got much worse in the 6(!) years or so of ownership I'd like to get them sorted.
My four new and so very glamorous Semperit tyres feel good. I quite realise that I 'ought' to be putting classic Michelins on the car but at almost £350 or so a corner I really can't justify not spending that money on other areas of the car. This is after all the owner who melted the old varnish from the wood centre console in an oven whilst also making 4 spring rolls. The SLC never goes above motorway speeds and isn't the last word in 'on the limit' handling regardless of what it is shod with, so I am happy with these. They were hardly used and cost me, if I recall correctly, about £39 each delivered from ebay.
I've noticed an electrical gremlin in so much as one rear light is not working. Changing the bulb had no effect so someone is going to have to trace that once it gets warmer. I'll avoid night driving in the meantime.
So that's me ready for this weekend at Goodwood Members Meeting if only the cold stays away. I'll not be dragging myself out of bed and driving the 3 hours to an old windswept aerodrome if it looks to be a chilly weekend as I am still defrosting from that event back in March 2018 when it was snowing and my aircon was stuck on.
Currently deciding on whether I should spend the £50 and join the UK Mercedes Benz Club as I suspect their SL forum is a well of handy technical information...if anyone has any recommendations or otherwise do let me know.
Took the car over to 'Scuffs n Buffs' in Corby yesterday and just collected it back. Some 2 years ago a cat got into the cover I place on it and the resulting claw holes let moisture in during a time when I could not go and visit the parking spot regularly. I took the cover off expecting a clean car only to see microbubbling on the bonnet, which I presume is a different alloy to the rest of the car which was fine.
The car needed a polish and when asking about the cost of a future bonnet respray the guy in Corby suggested it could likely be solved with a good polish. He was not wrong. 24 hours later I now have a mirror smooth car as it has all been 3-stage machine polished. The paint is not perfect on this car - it's certainly seen some professional spraying at some point during its lifetime but its now a whole heap better. So a recommendation for this business and we will be going back when I get round to fitting new front wings. I've found several online from SL Shop and also a place called Magnum Car Panels in Rochdale. Both of my front wings are bubbling through near the headlight and although they've not got much worse in the 6(!) years or so of ownership I'd like to get them sorted.
My four new and so very glamorous Semperit tyres feel good. I quite realise that I 'ought' to be putting classic Michelins on the car but at almost £350 or so a corner I really can't justify not spending that money on other areas of the car. This is after all the owner who melted the old varnish from the wood centre console in an oven whilst also making 4 spring rolls. The SLC never goes above motorway speeds and isn't the last word in 'on the limit' handling regardless of what it is shod with, so I am happy with these. They were hardly used and cost me, if I recall correctly, about £39 each delivered from ebay.
I've noticed an electrical gremlin in so much as one rear light is not working. Changing the bulb had no effect so someone is going to have to trace that once it gets warmer. I'll avoid night driving in the meantime.
So that's me ready for this weekend at Goodwood Members Meeting if only the cold stays away. I'll not be dragging myself out of bed and driving the 3 hours to an old windswept aerodrome if it looks to be a chilly weekend as I am still defrosting from that event back in March 2018 when it was snowing and my aircon was stuck on.
Currently deciding on whether I should spend the £50 and join the UK Mercedes Benz Club as I suspect their SL forum is a well of handy technical information...if anyone has any recommendations or otherwise do let me know.
Edited by paulyv on Wednesday 12th April 22:11
I think the MB Club is worth it paulyv. Like most clubs you get the odd knobhead but there's masses of knowledge you can access and a couple of excellent Club magazines; their monthly mag and then a quarterly (I think, but might be less frequent) Classic from Germany. I would absolutely recommend the club.
Something called the 'Stilton Cheese Run' came to the town I currently live near this morning so I tagged along. Happens annually and apparently attracted around 170 cars this year. They congregate in Uppingham town square before driving through the countryside eventually ending up in Stilton.
Some striking vehicles on display despite the weather.
Surprising how small mine looks compared to something like the red Crayford Convertible.
Also some lovely roads to drive through around Rutland - the route today took the cars under the Welland Viaduct which I believe is the lonngest of its type in England at over a km long.
Some striking vehicles on display despite the weather.
Surprising how small mine looks compared to something like the red Crayford Convertible.
Also some lovely roads to drive through around Rutland - the route today took the cars under the Welland Viaduct which I believe is the lonngest of its type in England at over a km long.
Edited by paulyv on Sunday 23 April 17:42
New oil and transmission fluid in today. Also getting a quote on changing the front shocks which I purchased quite some time ago. The front left makes a bit of a thudding sound on bumps now so keen to get the shocks on to see if that helps matters. It came on quite suddenly, so could be something entirely different.
Not the most interesting of updates but that's car maintenance and upkeep for you. It's not all trips to the Cote d'Azur or Goodwood.
Not the most interesting of updates but that's car maintenance and upkeep for you. It's not all trips to the Cote d'Azur or Goodwood.
Edited by paulyv on Tuesday 25th April 22:51
Rumdoodle said:
Snapped in Amman this afternoon. What it is to be somewhere you don't have to worry about rust!
I lived in Amman in the mid 90's for about a year. They had a 300% import duty on cars at the time so everybody and I mean EVERY BODY was rocking a 60's or 70's Mercedes Benz. The private cars and Taxi's were mostly W115, W116 and W123's while the service which is like a ride share taxi on a fixed route ran W110's. For an MB lover like me, I thought I was in heaven 
Apologies for ethnic thread diversion -
The Jordanians are still into their classic Mercs like no other nation. Not like Lebanon, which must be have the highest concentration of W123s per square metre in the world but hardly any other models. This was in Tyre last year
In Amman, they are really into 107 and 129s. I don't think I've seen a single post-129 SL, and I've been here nearly two years. Incongruously, there is a florist down the road from me who drives a Panther Kallista.....
...anyway, this part of the world is where they all are.
This was between the Turkish and Syrian border gates at the Kilis/Aleppo crossing
These were all in Antakya, pictures taken in the weeks leading up to the earthquake
Idleb has a little more variety
and, for old times' sake, this was in Kabul a few years ago
Those are my holiday snaps. Still wish I'd bought an SLC full of velour when they were worth buttons. I suspect it would have been a keeper.
The Jordanians are still into their classic Mercs like no other nation. Not like Lebanon, which must be have the highest concentration of W123s per square metre in the world but hardly any other models. This was in Tyre last year
In Amman, they are really into 107 and 129s. I don't think I've seen a single post-129 SL, and I've been here nearly two years. Incongruously, there is a florist down the road from me who drives a Panther Kallista.....
...anyway, this part of the world is where they all are.
This was between the Turkish and Syrian border gates at the Kilis/Aleppo crossing
These were all in Antakya, pictures taken in the weeks leading up to the earthquake
Idleb has a little more variety
and, for old times' sake, this was in Kabul a few years ago
Those are my holiday snaps. Still wish I'd bought an SLC full of velour when they were worth buttons. I suspect it would have been a keeper.
No apology required. I love this stuff.
I regularly visit Berlin and the streets there are not a stranger to the classic Benz but you are quite correct, seeing one in a dry climate is a very different prospect.
Would love to buy a well-worn diesel w123 or similar out there and drive it back...I know it isn't that simple but what an adventure.
Front shocks have now been done due to the thudding I'd heard having been the top bolt which had sheared. My Nigel Mansell-like mechanical sympathy could barely tell the difference. The shocks were admittedly very old so I look forward to seeing how it feels with a pair of brand new Sachs absorbers on tomorrow. Let's put it down to the Merc being very well built rather than my lack of driving nousce shall we?
.
I may have a go at the rears but I have to figure out how to remove the rear door cards in order to reach the top bolt but other than that they don't appear too tricky.
I regularly visit Berlin and the streets there are not a stranger to the classic Benz but you are quite correct, seeing one in a dry climate is a very different prospect.
Would love to buy a well-worn diesel w123 or similar out there and drive it back...I know it isn't that simple but what an adventure.
Front shocks have now been done due to the thudding I'd heard having been the top bolt which had sheared. My Nigel Mansell-like mechanical sympathy could barely tell the difference. The shocks were admittedly very old so I look forward to seeing how it feels with a pair of brand new Sachs absorbers on tomorrow. Let's put it down to the Merc being very well built rather than my lack of driving nousce shall we?
.
I may have a go at the rears but I have to figure out how to remove the rear door cards in order to reach the top bolt but other than that they don't appear too tricky.
Edited by paulyv on Wednesday 26th April 23:00
A bit of waffle rather than an educational post but I have the car back from having had the transmission fluid changed. As hoped it I can tell it has made a difference with upshifts in the three-speed gearbox being much smoother.
Engine oil done and the tappet noise has been greatly reduced - kinda sounds like it should now, I guess...It's very rare that I come across another 450-engined SL that I can inspect for reference.
Finally the car is a much sharper steer with the new shocks on the front. I'll not compare it to when I drove it for several miles with one unattached but the old ones were clearly very soft. I'll take it along the snake-like roads of Rutland later this afternoon and appreciate the money I've spent.
German Autos of Uppingham seemed to know the type well and whilst not cheap I cannot fault them for their work and they were very friendly. They had lots of interesting stuff in and I got to look underneath a 'real' G-Wagon as opposed to one with tinted windows and an exhaust that runs down each side.
Engine oil done and the tappet noise has been greatly reduced - kinda sounds like it should now, I guess...It's very rare that I come across another 450-engined SL that I can inspect for reference.
Finally the car is a much sharper steer with the new shocks on the front. I'll not compare it to when I drove it for several miles with one unattached but the old ones were clearly very soft. I'll take it along the snake-like roads of Rutland later this afternoon and appreciate the money I've spent.
German Autos of Uppingham seemed to know the type well and whilst not cheap I cannot fault them for their work and they were very friendly. They had lots of interesting stuff in and I got to look underneath a 'real' G-Wagon as opposed to one with tinted windows and an exhaust that runs down each side.
Edited by paulyv on Thursday 27th April 16:47
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