I have this hard on for an early 80s 380sl. I don't know why, I just really like the look of the little thing. Is this a stupid desire that I should immediately irradicate from my mind or is this a sweet little ride?

Anyone have experience with it? A 280sl would be even sweeter.

I've always liked the 450 SLC !! Nice little car . I have no idea what the 380 looks like. Be a cool project to stuff an Ecotech in one

hemi43 wrote:

---

I've always liked the 450 SLC !! Nice little car . I have no idea what the 380 looks like. Be a cool project to stuff an Ecotech in one

---

 It's the baby brother of the 450. A bit smaller I think

 

 

SLC is the coupe?
SL is the roadster with removable hard top?
No?
The 300 is 3. litres?
The 450 is 4.5 litres?
Yes?

My Dad had an 81 450 SL , nice little car
The top is a real PITA to put up and down
Most tops leak at the front windshield header

As with any Mercedes, avoid the dealer service dept

Funny you should bring that car up,I have had lots of experience with MB and until I bought my 06  280 4matic I was very satisfied with everything about them.We have a 99 ml320 that just turned over the 300,000 mark with only brakes,tires,and tune up's. I have had several MB 320 4 doors and again all with good luck.So I bought this 280 with 90k on it only to have the gear on the balance shaft wear off,completely round.The dealer skirted around any kind of warranty because I was not the original owner and lack of o/change receipts ok fair enough.This is a $9000.00 job!!!!! On a $15000.00 car????? There is a counter weight on the rear of the shaft between the block and flywheel so you can't pull the shaft out the front you need to remove motor and of course the engine,trans,and transfer case are removed together. Anyway enough of me flapping my gills and back to the MB roadsters.I have been going to sell my 32 roadster and was thinking of a pre 90's SL and have been watching them very close all winter and nice clean florida or california ones have been selling for around 2-5 grand with most of them being around the 100,000 miles mark,well it must be the summer or something because those same cars are now selling for 10-20 grand!!!! Whats up with that? So remember if you decide to go new stay away from the 04-07 ones with a 3liter there is a s/n that have a build date you can get from the MB forum I'm on and it tells which ones are affected. I think I'm going to wait until winter when prices are more realistic. Just my 2 cents.

 

  Randy

v8deuce wrote:

---

Funny you should bring that car up,I have had lots of experience with MB and until I bought my 06  280 4matic I was very satisfied with everything about them.We have a 99 ml320 that just turned over the 300,000 mark with only brakes,tires,and tune up's. I have had several MB 320 4 doors and again all with good luck.So I bought this 280 with 90k on it only to have the gear on the balance shaft wear off,completely round.The dealer skirted around any kind of warranty because I was not the original owner and lack of o/change receipts ok fair enough.This is a $9000.00 job!!!!! On a $15000.00 car????? There is a counter weight on the rear of the shaft between the block and flywheel so you can't pull the shaft out the front you need to remove motor and of course the engine,trans,and transfer case are removed together. Anyway enough of me flapping my gills and back to the MB roadsters.I have been going to sell my 32 roadster and was thinking of a pre 90's SL and have been watching them very close all winter and nice clean florida or california ones have been selling for around 2-5 grand with most of them being around the 100,000 miles mark,well it must be the summer or something because those same cars are now selling for 10-20 grand!!!! Whats up with that? So remember if you decide to go new stay away from the 04-07 ones with a 3liter there is a s/n that have a build date you can get from the MB forum I'm on and it tells which ones are affected. I think I'm going to wait until winter when prices are more realistic. Just my 2 cents.

 

  Randy

---

 Sounds like a perfect car to stuff a V-8 into !! 

http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/1985-Mercedes-Benz-380-sl-2-seater-convertiable_19833904

This one looks good, but I wonder why the two different license plates.

-- Edited by poncho62 on Monday 3rd of June 2013 09:15:50 PM

slim wrote:

---

 For  9 grand id spray the sucker down with liquid pig poo before i droped it off. At least you wont be the only one with your eyes watering. honestly Id stuff something like this in the pig and drive it every where belching  black smoke

 

http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1952-mercedes-diesel-engine-comes-with-free-car-around-it-W0QQAdIdZ477725270

 

---

 don't be slandering fatstax's german cruise liners like that

I have never understood the appeal of the M/B cars.Other than the really old ones 50s-60s I see no appeal whatsoever except snob appeal,Which is fine with me as long as people admit that is the reason for buying one.For the price you could get a much cooler hot rod and still buy a daily driver pickup.Everything I hear about these imports says expensive repairs and downtime and what ever happened to buy Canadian or is that just for other people nowadays. Ed

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Mercedes-Benz-SL-Class-CONVERTIBLE-ROADSTER-WITH-15K-ORIGINAL-MILES-/400499137935?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item5d3f9bdd8f&_uhb=1

 

Why would anyone buy this old one when you can have this 2010 for 5k more? Flatblack I know what you are saying and I never would have bought any but I really have had good luck with al my MB except the 06 280.I don't think I'm a snob but I know what you mean and rightly so,most MB owners look down on you like their $hit don't stink and they don't care about you they just want their car fixed or cleaned or whatever.I bought a brand new Pontiac astra in 1974 and that car meant the world to me,at 20k miles when the motor started smoking I stuffed a 400 small block in it finally selling it for a song.I guess what I saying is you are in your own world cruising down the road. Most domestics nowdays are very close if not better.I can't put my finger on it but I get the same cold shoulder whenever I pull the 32 into a cruise nite,look at this thing all stainless and aluminum snub,snub so I go and start talking to others and when the ice is broke everyone is the same.

  Randy

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Mercedes-Benz-SLK-Class-SPORT-/230989562935?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35c80d0437&_uhb=1

 

 

X2 Hemi. I would love to own a Crossfire!

LMAO Hemi I remember that show!! A crossfire you say hmmmmm sounds good

 

  Randy

10 most unfortunate car names

 

http://www.oddee.com/item_93544.aspx

 

v8deuce wrote:

---

Fordy Acres Car Farm wrote:

---

I always thought that 'Crossfire' was a bad name for a car.
1.) When you have plug wires shorting and touching each other you get crossfire ignition- never a good thing.
2.) When two cowboys/gangsters are shooting at each other from opposite sidewalks and you are in the street, you are "Caught in the Crossfire" - I never want to be caught in a Crossfire!!!

---

 Forty how about I buy a crossfire and stuff a SHO yamaha-ford in it

 

  Randy

---

 I've got nothing against the Crossfire itself, just the name.

As far as dropping a Ford in a Merc? It'd have to be the new 5.0 in a classic gullwing!

johnod wrote:

---

I work in a Mercedes restoration shop, mostly 60s 70s stuff.

Lots of 230 250 280 SL s  450s etc.

I wouldn't buy one of those  things  unless it was the last car on earth.

And EXPENSIVE as an example list price for an electric fuel pump for a 280sl is  $1500, no that's not a typo.

Your choice

 

Apart from the expensive parts ( try owning a prowler), are there other concerns you know of?

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

More realistically, I see them for $600 to $700 which isn't too bad for a 40 to 50 year old luxury car.

I've always thought mercedes had great suspensions. The ones I've wridden in were pretty smoooooth. But the truth is, I don't really know. This is why I asked.

 

I remember as a younger lad, thinking they were so cool and I would have one one day despite their price. But the more money I made, the more the sticker price went up. I could never catch up. lol