Buying a late 70's early 80's SL

[simonward78]

Any advice / tips greatly appreciated; what to look out for, area's for concern etc.

And someone tell me I'm not mad to want to use it as a daily driver!!!

 

[Mikesmerc]

Hi Simon
I bought a basketcase(didnt know that at the time) 72 350sl about 6 yrs ago and I am still working on it. Dont let that put you off just spend the money and buy a half decent one. Mine came cheap (obviously) but had some major hidden rust. My sills were sound but worth checking as this is the backbone of the car.
heres a partial list of what I had to repair
1 Cracks on chassis near power steering box
2 Firewall behind dash rotten
3 Drivers and passengers floors
4 Boot floor
5 Leading edges of rear wings
6 Door bottoms
7 Lower edges of front wings
8 Panels under rear passenger seats
9 Compartment and lid where soft top is stowed.
Check condition of exhaust, can be pricey to replace
Condition of rear drive boots to wheels
Oil pressure guage should be at 30(2) when properly warmed up.

My one was mechanically sound(thank god) so I cant really advise you.

I must stress the above car was very far gone and is just an indication where to look for early signs of rust. Dont let that thick coat of underseal beneath the car fool you(as it did me), check from the inside.

Still love the dam thing went to France, Belgium, Lux, Holland and Germany for a week last year and didnt miss a beat.

As an every day car it can be a bit thirsty, lucky to see 20mpg.
Saying that I drive a 560sec every day, well until the sun comes out.

Buy a good one Simon and you will not regret it, buy a basketcase and I will call you mad.
Regards
Mike

 

[simonward78]

Thanks for your response Mike. I have found a '79 350SL from a guy who seems to be an enthusiast. He even offered some advice on buying an SL in case I didn't want his!! The car needs a little bit of 'touching up' to stop the rot as it were, but I have negotiated this work to be done as part of the price. I'll also be getting a professional to examine the car before I hand him my cash. Let's hope they spot any potential problems....