has anyone had a 450 sl

[MARTIN AIDE]

Hi folks,picked up a 78 450sl and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on the car good or bad.It's in great shape just not sure if it's a keeper.Thanks Marty

[kaisen]

Yes. 77-79 were the best years. Bulletproof cars. Watch out for rust. Everything else is pretty simple.

[speeder]

Have a 1980 450SL, (last year), bought new. My Dad also bought a '76 new and kept it for 4 years. Those were the days when MB was the best car in the world, build quality-wise, hands down. The technology is ancient, (late '60s/early '70s development), but they are decent driving cars. Terrible gas mileage but fuel is cheap at the moment. Our 1980 calls for 87 octane in the owners manual. (8.5:1 CR).

Here it was last fall:

[kaisen]

1980 had significant engine/emission/injection changes, but was last of the 450's, as Denis points out. 1981 brought the troubled 380's. 1976 was the last year of the old-style injection, so '77-79 is what collectors seek out.

What are the colors? Any pics?

[Dantilla]

-Solid as a rock.
-Heavy as a rock. Not a nimble sports car.
-Great hiway cruisers.
-Highest quality car ever built.
-Sucks gas faster than a 747.
-Too bad they were never imported with a manual tranny. They're all slushboxes.

[chapo]

Drove my buddies for a week. I am 6'3" and I got tired of looking at the top of the windshield frame and visor. Nice cruiser, rivals any American v-8 for gas guzzling ability, not fast but not slow. always wanted one, now I can cross it off the list.

[kaisen]

I'm 6'2" and I fit just fine. Are you sure you knew how to adjust the seat? (It's weird at first)

[ruf-porsche]

Car for Palm Spring socialites and MILF.

[BeauBlues]

We have a '72. Right now it's a basket case, but back when the interior, paint and top were in better condition, it was a nice car.

[chapo]

Yes, i know how to adjust the seat, I have a real long torso I guess. If i owned it i probably would just ditch the visors, hell, its a convertible anyway

[cab83_750]

Deciding between a 450 and an SC, someone yelled:

"Dad, that is for old people!"


But then again, I would not mind owning a 450SL. They are classic.

[911Rob]

No never had one but always liked those cars.
Figures our resident mr.Speeder would have one

Congrats, I hope the car treats you well, enjoy!

[speeder]

Thanks, Rob. It's my Dad's car but he's 77 and rarely if ever drives it so he's sort of given it over to me. I doubt I'll ever sell it, (not worth much), so I'll probably have to leave it to someone when I die.

[tabs]

That was the day when men were men and cars were cars...

[masraum]

I've always liked the SL series (aesthetically) from the 60s to present for the most part. Nice looking cars. They always looked and sounded (5.0L V-8 some of them) like they should be fast, but never really heard about them being fast.

[MARTIN AIDE]

Thanks for the input everyone.
drove the car yesterday,motor sounds perfect,tranny had been rebuilt,interior perfect,body both above and below perfect,new top,but rattles and clunks like a tank from underneath.please advise.Marty

[daepp]

Were they available in Germany with a stick? 4 or 5 speed?

[Dantilla]

Yes, they were available in Germany with a manual tranny.

For several years, decades maybe, Mercedes decided it was not worth the hassle of getting DOT approval for manual trannys because Americans wouldn't buy them. The vast majority of cars sold in America are automatics.

The 230/250/280SL was available with a 4-speed. When the 450SL was introduced in 1972, it was only with an automatic.

[speeder]

It would not have been a hell of a lot sportier w/ a manual trans, IMO. They are cruisers. Not every machine is better w/ a stick, some just become tractors.

[daepp]

Point well taken.