Sorry, I bought another W126

[carl888]

Been busy with the new OHOS (Link below) and not much W116 action of late.  In fact, disgracefully, I hadn't drivent the 280 for 7 weeks.  I did take it out last weekend, and it was totally wonderful.

380 SE:

http://ozbenz.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14980

[s class]

Awesome.  Its really nice to see a car that hasn't suffered any sun damage. 

[Type17]

You shouldn't apologise, it's gorgeous. (It would be even better if it was a 116, though  )


Nice job on the cleanup, too 

[TJ 450]

Great find, that one... That's sort of like the ideal project!

Tim

[foss]

Nice 1 Carl a entertaining read.

[Tony66_au]

Nice find Carl!

About the 380's though, I have driven a few and always found them a bit reminiscent of my 300SEL (126) especially after driving a 420SEL and although i have been tempted a few times to buy one I haven't because of the smaller V8.

If i lived in the Burbs of Melbourne again i guess I wouldn't mind so much but here in hill country with 7 to 10 km climbs on the highways I suspect it would hunt through the gears and drive me nuts.

I believe it is also why the diff ratio is what it is, something to do with shift points and Torque figures that was explained to me at length and i have mostly forgotten but emission figures were also in play when THAT bright decision was made so id put it down to an Environmental plot against the well heeled masses.

As for mice poo?

For me its not a deal breaker under the bonnet (Hood) however it is if its inside the car.

Rat poo under the Bonnet/Hood is cause for concern though and inside the car id walk away due to the sheer damage probablility.

Stellar job on the cleanup though Carl!

[TJ 450]

My 560 still has mouse/rat droppings in it, there's probably a nest behind the rear seat too.

The 380 would still be a nicer performing option than the 280 in my opinion, but there's no doubt the engine/trans will be busy when climbing steady hills.

At the end of the day, it's the condition that is the main thing IMO.

Tim

[Tony66_au]

280's in the W126 are hideous things and the 2.8 in the 116 is or seems far more tractable to drive although I assume they are basically the same M110.

The 3.0 300's seem far more sprightly for a 6 in the 126's and i suspect the gearing has a bit to do with this, The 380's I drove were good examples although one had near on 460'000 km the service history was very good to the day I drove it but it seemed to be working just a tad too hard although once at the target speed it was effortless driving.

The second unit I nearly bought I actually took home for a few days as it was traded at a mates yard and he wanted to hide it for a week or so to sell another Benz on his lot that wasn't as sharp so I got a ride to his place of business and drove the thing home from Dandenong in peak hour to Trafalgar where I took to the hills on my way home and this was where the differences started to show and by the time I reached Thorpedale the car had blown away any hint of cobwebs the elderly prior owner had left in the old girl.

I had on leaving chucked a full tank of Shell 100 into the beast and this started to show once id freed myself of the peak traffic and stretched the old girls legs in the 110 kph zone overtaking with ease with the heater (And ofcourse AC) on and the sunroof tilted.

The Trafalgar to Mirboo North run is very hilly and steep although an excellent road due to the heavy vehicle traffic (Spud and Quarry trucks) although you really need to know the road to get the most from it.

Id taken the choice of gears away from the old girl and was manually rowing the box myself holding 3rd most of the way and had an absolute ball belting past Falcodores and around tractors towing spud boxes until I got back onto the Strzelecki Hwy and went back to behaving myself.

The following morning I drove my kids to school in the old girl and she was pulling like a train (Albeit a small one lol) and it seemed the run had done her good and she almost seemed a bit more vocal tooling about the town.

$750 and I could have had that car but sadly I didnt make that choice and when he popped up with 2 other cars to stay while he moved a few others on the lot I bid her a sad farewell.

I got a call later that day asking WTF id done to the Benz as it drove like a different car (A good thing) and I just replied id given her a 100 Octane Italian tuneup and laughing, told him what id done.

The car sold 3 days later with the first guy to test drive it buying the car and I got a nice box of Cigars as a thank you, and another Commodore to park in my shed...

Sadly these days his yard has more space and i don't get toys to play with any more.

[carl888]

The biggest issue I have with the 380 is its shockingly short final drive, 3.27.  At 100 km/h is spinning at a lofty 2,850 rpm.  The USA 380 engine (With 50HP less) ran a 2.47, like the ROW cars which would have been far more relaxing.  Only Sweeden shared the 3.27 with the 116.963 engine.  So to downchange to climb a hill would be most unusual in a 380.  A 420 has about the same gearing in third as the 380 does in top.

Interesting the comments about the 280.  I have a 280 W126 and it's quicker than my friends 1979 450 SE.  (After a few things fell off in a similar manner to the 380) But his is stock with all the pullution gear running and timed as per the book.  His 450 is so lazy on the throttle it feels like the throttle is connected to the engine via a rubber cushion. 

The W126 110 should be a little more sprightly than the 116 unless it's a D-Jet version.  The W126 is about 50kg lighter and has superior aerodynamics.  My D-Jet W116 280 is quicker than the W126 280 up to about 120 km/h where the 126 is faster.  But there is no doubt the 126 280 would be quicker than the ADR27 compliant 116 280.

It's all a bit academic really.  If it's in good condition, just buy it, there are not that many good ones around.

The 380 was offered to me for $500 BTW.  That was what the wreckers had offered to take the car away.

[carl888]

PS.  The price of the car is put into perspective by the 4 XWXs I just bought for it lol.

The single biggest cost with these projects is not the capital cost of the car, or the parts, the single biggest cost is.....

1. Your own time.

2. Bodywork.

Anything else, cost of the car, parts, fuel, insurance, registration, consumables is insignificant really.

[TJ 450]

I know why we got that final drive, the 380's action starts at much higher revs, and Australian drivers like the extra bite on takeoff too.

However that's tame compared to my South African 280S 116, it's already at about 4k cruising at 100km/h from memory. I'd have to confirm that, but it is crazy. It's nice and responsive though.

It's a nice purchase for $500... Is it registered?

Tim

[Tony66_au]

The biggest issue I have with the 380 is its shockingly short final drive, 3.27.  At 100 km/h is spinning at a lofty 2,850 rpm.  The USA 380 engine (With 50HP less) ran a 2.47, like the ROW cars which would have been far more relaxing.  Only Sweeden shared the 3.27 with the 116.963 engine.  So to downchange to climb a hill would be most unusual in a 380.  A 420 has about the same gearing in third as the 380 does in top.

Interesting the comments about the 280.  I have a 280 W126 and it's quicker than my friends 1979 450 SE.  (After a few things fell off in a similar manner to the 380) But his is stock with all the pullution gear running and timed as per the book.  His 450 is so lazy on the throttle it feels like the throttle is connected to the engine via a rubber cushion. 

The W126 110 should be a little more sprightly than the 116 unless it's a D-Jet version.  The W126 is about 50kg lighter and has superior aerodynamics.  My D-Jet W116 280 is quicker than the W126 280 up to about 120 km/h where the 126 is faster.  But there is no doubt the 126 280 would be quicker than the ADR27 compliant 116 280.

It's all a bit academic really.  If it's in good condition, just buy it, there are not that many good ones around.

The 380 was offered to me for $500 BTW.  That was what the wreckers had offered to take the car away.

I suspect the down shift was partly my wanting to hear some engine road but the car had been owned by an elderly gent in Caulfield and was pretty clagged up, when i stopped at the top of the hill in Thorpedale and grabbed a drink at the milkbar the exhaust was fluffing well after id shut the engine off which is usually a sign of ignited carbon in the muffler so the thing would have been a bit crusty and clogged.

the following morning I started the school run with a 7 km uphill run in a 100 zone and although I warmed the car up for 5 before taking off the car had a far better response than the day before and I just left the car in drive and nailed it to get onto the highway.

Considering it had 5 heads onboard and some fairly hefty schoolbags and my big bum she did rather well and old mate also commented that id blown the cobwebs out so maybe they are not as sluggish  but nearly 30 years down the track Id say condition would vary from car to car and having owned a 300SEL for years and only recently (At that time) Acquired a D jet 450SEL I was a touch disappointed but horses for courses and my morning ritual is a big ask for any car.

It is worth my suggesting a good look via google maps or similar at the road between Princes hwy Trafalgar through Thorpedale to the Strzelecki Hwy as this will explain why I chose to peg the shift back a gear especially the initial climb up Mt Speed which is fairly hard and the engine note was glorious through the cuttings and embankments especially under load, I didn't flog the car either but did work it hard within fair use boundaries and the result was a far better running car than when id initially picked the thing up.

Cheers,
Tony