I CAN HAZ 300SEL 3.5 - Now with colourful photographs!

[Junkman]

Probably not much more than a parts donor, but we'll see.

 

No EPIK OMGCURLAKTSHUN thread either, since it's just down the street from the Junkman residence.

 

No idea why they start to accumulate here, I never really liked Mercedesesses.

Once done, I'll flog them all and buy some expensive Britishness.

[Sigmund Fraud]

3.5 ? Is it only running on four cylinders ?

 

[Junkman]

Currently it's running* on zero cylinders.

[Bren]

Apparently James Hunt had a v8 Mercedes.

 

When he was on his arse he just put it on bricks at the front of his house and used his push bike instead.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Apparently James Hunt had a v8 Mercedes.

 

When he was on his arse he just put it on bricks at the front of his house and used his push bike instead.

 

James Hunt's was the 450SEL 6.9, a black one. There is a photo of in this thread: http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/54961-famous-merc-owners-uk-9.html

 

 

I smoked around in a 280SE 3.5 many years ago,  I was only in my teens at the time. My uncle had one which he had had for a long time, even back then. It was white with cream leather and had an incredible spec for a car of its age, with electric windows all round and air conditioning.

 

I remember it handled like a boat, but it had such an effortless, easy charisma than anything even slightly sporting would have seemed inappropriate. These big old Mercs make a Jaguar XJ feel like a Lotus Elan though! I thought it was a wonderful car.

 

Does the 300SEL have air suspension? - I have a feeling it does.

[Junkman]

Yes it does. That's actually what the 'L' stands for. "Luftfederung" is German for air suspension.

Many people think the 'L' stands for 'lang' (long), however this is not the case,

despite all air suspension versions are slightly elongated in the rear.

[Asimo]

Hope it isn't haunted like the Rover.

[Junkman]

The only other haunted car of EVAH was in a John Carpenter film, and it was a lot less evil, since it fixed itself.

[Junkman]

OK, here goes, that's my new beauty*.

 

 

 

 

While I was there, some spottage was had, too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Is it better or worse than expected?

[meshking]

That looks lovely! Plenty of potential - I've always liked the stacked headlight mercs, I think I missed the boat on those though.

[Junkman]

You wouldn't believe it when you see the photos, but it's actually not that bad.

The floors are solid, it has the typical rot in the jack thingies, and it drove where it is now.

It's just a bit plucked, since it's been a bits and bobs donor for the 6.3.

But it will make a very nice parts source for my 280SE, since it has good front wings, a good grille, good bumpers, which will cost you a fortune if you'd buy them from a 'specialist'.

I will certainly be able to make one good car out of the two, and have a lot of very good parts left, that I can flog to finance it.

[stormee]

Yes it does. That's actually what the 'L' stands for. "Luftfederung" is German for air suspension.

Many people think the 'L' stands for 'lang' (long), however this is not the case,

despite all air suspension versions are slightly elongated in the rear.

Please excuse my correction: This is not true. Only the 6.9 came with Luftfederung, 280SEL, 350SEL and 450SEL had standard shocks and springs. The L was the long wheel distance (+10cm) version. Cheers!

[Junkman]

Sorry to correct you.

 

We are talking W109 here, where the L stood for Luftfederung, not long. All W109s were long by default, which set them apart from the W108s.

You are talking about W116, a completely different generation, none of which had air supension, including the 6.9, which had hydropneumatic.

And yes, commencing the W116 S-class, the L stood for long, but this is not the case with the W108/109s.

[cort16]

How come it's in da weedz? What's the suspension setup on these?

 

When I had my w116 I remember bits of trim and stuff were impossible to find. If you did they cost stupid money so I imagine these are that times 4 1/2.

[Sigmund Fraud]

That looks rather splendid actually !

 

After you've taken all the bits that you need for your 280, you can always paint the 350 in cheap ebay NATO paint using a bathroom brush, add the regulation roofrack/pineapple combination and advertise on RR for £££.

[Cavcraft]

Quite possibly the best looking Mercedes ever made.

[anonymous user]

James Hunt's was the 450SEL 6.9, a black one. There is a photo of in this thread: http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/54961-famous-merc-owners-uk-9.html

 

 

More importantly though you can see his A35 van in the background, which shows he was a man of impeccable taste

[Junkman]

How come it's in da weedz? What's the suspension setup on these?

 

Air. It pumps itself up when running, or at least I hope it does, courtesy of an engine-driven compressor.

[Junkman]

That looks rather splendid actually !

 

After you've taken all the bits that you need for your 280, you can always paint the 350 in cheap ebay NATO paint using a bathroom brush, add the regulation roofrack/pineapple combination and advertise on RR for £££.

 

[anorak mode] It's not a 350, it's a 300 3.5. [/anorak mode]

Currently I'm undecided which of the two gets restored, and which OMGRATLUKed. The wiser investment is to restore the 300 for max $$$$$ profit, but the 280 has only covered 8000 miles in its life, which could levy a premium onto the tab that outperforms the value of an average mileage 300.

[vulgalour]

More importantly though you can see his A35 van in the background, which shows he was a man of impeccable taste

 

Unfortunately there's also evidence of Secret Golf Hidden Pineapple if you continue to look at the background.

[stormee]

Sorry to correct you.

 

We are talking W109 here, where the L stood for Luftfederung, not long. All W109s were long by default, which set them apart from the W108s.

You are talking about W116, a completely different generation, none of which had air supension, including the 6.9, which had hydropneumatic.

And yes, commencing the W116 S-class, the L stood for long, but this is not the case with the W108/109s.

Ah, right. Confused the generations, maybe the pic of the 116 mislead me.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Sorry to correct you.

 

We are talking W109 here, where the L stood for Luftfederung, not long. All W109s were long by default, which set them apart from the W108s.

You are talking about W116, a completely different generation, none of which had air supension, including the 6.9, which had hydropneumatic.

And yes, commencing the W116 S-class, the L stood for long, but this is not the case with the W108/109s.

 

 

I am absolutely certain this is correct!!

[Junkman]

I'm absolutely certain it is not, because I wrote it.

[Sudsprint]

That is lovely.

[oman5]

I love those stack light mercs with the little back lights. very stylish in an understated way.

[drum]

I likey. I'm going to look at a w126 today. Are they proper Mercedes or rot boxes?

[cort16]

Both

[ProgRocker]

Stacked headlamps, ftw.

 

There used to be one like this parked on my road in the early 1990s. A silver K or L reg one with that delightful windscreen wiper set up.   Quite an extraordinary sight on a council estate of Cortinas, Escorts and Cavaliers.

[meggersdog]

Back in '91 the boss at a garage I worked in bought a 1965 300SEL fintail, was it a 6.3 V8 ?  dunno but it was green metalflake with custom interior.It arrived on a trailer as it was a non runner.To get the thing on and off the trailer and then pushed into the workshop there were wooden blocks in the suspension to keep the wheels away from the inner wheel-arches.

 

Might be a useful tip if you need to move yours around.