Mercedes W107 fans: any here?

As an aside, I always found the 107 series SL center consoles amusing. Someone left an acre of flat space there and the engineers never found a use for it.

(Kind of the opposite problem of today's cars.)

 

There is what looks to be a nice example at F-40 motorsports 87 for 19.5

 

Bump.

How much should it cost to replace the top on an W107 SL?

Matt

 

Our family had a 73 450SL and a rare 71 350 SL w / manual transmission ( w/c in my opinion is an inferior car to the automatic transmission version).for 10 years . The 3.5 liter M116 engine like to rev , but the 4.5 liter had more torque. They drive like the 4 door sedan Mercedes Benz of their era. Nice & firm ride . Brought them to the racetrack and they're too heavy unwidely , 911 of their erea ran rings around them . When I got 84 BMW 635CSi its faster , and better handling and frugal on fuel . But for long distance driving and durability the R107's are hard ro beat. Both cars were sold and replaced by 88 Mondial Cabriolet & a 89 Porsche 911 Turbo .

audio research

 

And....

On a 560SL, is there any smog equipment that can be removed (I'd be exempt) to increase power?

Mid-1980s were terrible for smog strangulation.

And I would really appreciate an estimate for a replacement soft top.

Thanks!

Matt

 

I had an 85 Euro 500SL, but all basically the same. Built like a tank. When you close the door you will smile as it's more solid than any other car. AND that's with no window frames! They are terrifically old school. You can even hear the clock ticking away if you get into it at night when things are quieter. I didn't have it for too long so I can't comment on the long term. But they are well built.

 

They are kind of popular now. I owned one when they were new and loved it. Looks like a real sports car to me.

 

Had a 89 560sl black, palamino. It's a very elegant, classic car. I loved it. However, my wife says it a old man's car. She didn't share my feelings. It's not a sports car, not like a Porsche. It's a touring classic. The convertible top was difficult and time consuming to open, close. Also you have to store the hardtop, and that's a 2 person job to put on, take off. Always afraid I would scratch the paint in the process.

But, still luv them will probably have another someday.

Never had any mechanical problems. Rock solid.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

I had one (450) as a "company car" in the 80s when I was in my early 20s, and two girlfriends from that time who subsequently bought their own because of that one (one still owns hers). There's something special about them, even if so many other cars are faster or handle better.
The memories of that one prompted me to find another, an '89, back in 2011, which I still have. Top has been up 4 times in its life, and under the tonneau, looks and feels new. Original owner was confirmed by Beverly Hills Mercedes as "little old lady" who would have the dealership store the top, and put it on for her on the occasion she wanted a closed car for a few days. Second owner also in Malibu, and as anal as I am about taking care of his cars.
Only two picks -
1) Original owner installed cell phone, with its attendant antenna hole perfectly located between the tonneau and trunk lid, now with a paint-matched plug, and three holes in the passenger-side carpet of the console for the handset cradle.
2) BH Merc sold her on the idea of having the AC converted to inefficient R134. I knew from the 450 that the AC wasn't going to be strong, but I suppose it was adequate for Malibu. R134 is smaller molecule that R12, and escapes through the R12 hoses. I had it converted back, which is when/how I found out about the molecule size issue, which is worse with old hoses. This is your first thing to address if you want what AC the car has to offer - new hoses. I haven't bothered because of how involved running those new hoses is.
The vent-control valves are pneumatic, and their diaphragms get old and crack. Replacing them is a MAJOR PIA, requiring the dash to come out for the deepest of them...... but if you're replacing the hoses.... I'd already had the valves replaced before finding out that the 134 would never stay in the R12 hoses anyway, and then the old hoses wouldn't hold the new R12 much longer anyway, but the cooling was drastically better (than the recharged R134) for a while. Oh, well.

I just drive mine in mild weather, though summer nights are fantastic. I don't worry about the AC. For a German car, heat output isn't tremendous, either.
As already noted, they're stout, and near-bulletproof (almost literally), but when something does need repair, it CAN be $$$$, but not necessarily.

Something funny - Around my new (to me) house, three neighbors within about 500 ft have 107 SLs, a white Euro-twin to my US-spec being directly across the street.

 

My dad bought an 87 new and drove it for 90K miles. Handed it down to me and I put another 15K on it over 5 years. Not a sports car, more of a cruiser but it can handle pretty well. Other than replacing hoses and other consumables (include the convertible top in that equation) it only needed fuel pumps over that 105K miles. Solid cars and I miss it. Handed it down to my brother and he won't give it back.

 

Jack,

You already started the same thread here:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/general-automotive-discussion/444003-mercedes-w107-fans-any-here.html

Matt

 

I just rediscovered this thread.

Earlier this year I bought a 560SL. Fantastic car.

This morning I followed a 220SE for a while. I’m now think of upgrading to an SE Convertible...

Matt

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