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Garage => Test Drive => Topic started by: oversize on 07 April 2013, 05:17 AM

Title: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 07 April 2013, 05:17 AM
Does anyone know the VIN of the last W116?  Or the last 450SEL?
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Squiggle Dog on 07 April 2013, 11:52 AM
I know there were 4 W116 450SEL 6.9s built in 1981, so it would probably be one of those.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Type17 on 07 April 2013, 12:57 PM
I know of one (with only 15k miles on it) that was registered in London in 1981, and was one of the last - the first owner had another 6.9, and had confirmed that there wouldn't be a W126 6.9, so bought one of the last ones available - I'll try to get an idea of the VIN, but I don't see the car very often.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 07 April 2013, 05:07 PM
I suppose the VINs on the 6.9s would be easier to determine since it's widely known only 7380 were built.  But I didn't know there was 4 built in 1981!!!

But what about the 450SELs?  Anyone know the last VIN?  What's the highest number you know?
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Squiggle Dog on 07 April 2013, 06:45 PM
I am going to guess the VIN number of the very last W116 (a 6.9 from 1981) is 11603612009196 (assuming 9,196 total 6.9s were built in both the World and North American markets). VIN number may vary based on whether the vehicle is left or right hand drive.

As for the 450SEL, I assume the VIN of the last one built would be 11603312059578, depending on the side the steering wheel is on.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 07 April 2013, 09:07 PM
The whole reason I'm asking this is due to the VIN on my latest parts car (116033 22 101122) which seems very late and I was wondering how close is was to the end of the run.

I thought they only built 7380 6.9s (worldwide) and not 9196....
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Squiggle Dog on 07 April 2013, 09:41 PM
According to the 6.9 Wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_450SEL_6.9 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_450SEL_6.9)), Mercedes built 7,380 6.9s for the world market, and 1,816 for the North American market, making 9,196 total, though the W116 Wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W116 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W116))states 7,380 total.

I think your 450SEL is the 1,122 one made (they apparently only made 59,578, unless that is only for the world market, not including North America), meaning it would be an early production.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: CraigS on 08 April 2013, 02:27 AM
I seriously doubt that they made any 6.9's in 1981. As stated, there were only 7,380 built. Mine is 7114, and that was built 28.11.79, so I don't think it would have taken them more than one year to build the remaining 266. They averaged about 1400 per year up until mine was built, so why more than a year to complete the rest ?
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 03:32 AM
I think wiki has it wrong on total 6.9 numbers and maybe even the 1981 builds.  I believe they made 7380 and of that 1816 were for North America.  So that leaves 5564 for the rest of the world.  Australia officially got only a fraction of that.

My 1975 450 has a VIN ending in 028414 (the last 6 digits) and the 1980 ends with 101122.  So if they numbered them sequentially, they made at least 101,000 of them!!!!

Wiki also says they made 473,035 W116s in total, but only 59,578 W116033 (450SEL) so I'm now completely confused....   :o ???
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 03:46 AM
Indeed Wiki seems to list the world and North America separately:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_450SEL_6.9

9196 throws what I've always believed totally out the window....
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: CraigS on 08 April 2013, 04:22 AM
http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/content/classic/mpc/mpc_classic_website/en/mpc_home/mbc/home/history/s-class/Die_Tradition_der_S-Klasse/116_series.html
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 05:59 AM
Ok I'm back to Wiki being wrong....  Thanks CraigS!   :)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 06:25 AM
But then again....  Wiki:


W116.032

1973–1980

450 SE sedan

4.5 L M117 V8

41,604



W116.033

1973–1980

450 SEL sedan

4.5 L M117 V8

59,578

According to another thread and a comment made by s class the 450SE and SEL shared sequence numbers.  If you add the two production figures together you get 101182.  So my car....  OMG WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just worked out I have THE VERY LAST of the 450s!  What the hell are the chances of that???

;D ;) :) 8)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: john6007 on 08 April 2013, 06:32 AM
So by your own analysis it looks like you owe a carton .  ;D
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: CraigS on 08 April 2013, 06:38 AM
Either your abacus has made a mistake, or you have the wrong chassis number. How does  the total of 101,182 relate to your car being the last one with a chassis number of 101,122. Isn't that 60 cars short, or did you mean "close to one of the last" ?
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 06:38 AM
I wonder what postage of a carton to the US will cost me??   ;) ;D
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 06:42 AM
Quote from: CraigS on 08 April 2013, 06:38 AM
Either your abacus has made a mistake, or you have the wrong chassis number. How does  the total of 101,182 relate to your car being the last one with a chassis number of 101,122. Isn't that 60 cars short, or did you mean "close to one of the last" ?

Oh thank GOD (sort of)!!!  I think I got delerious with excitement!   ;) ;) ;D ;D  Yes 60 cars short if Wiki is to be believed....

At least I'm back to using her for parts....  LOL!
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 06:46 AM
It does bring up an interesting point; how much would the last be worth??   ??? ::)  At least I don't have to buy that carton!   ;)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: john6007 on 08 April 2013, 06:50 AM
No need to send good beer to the USA. Plenty of 116 drivers in Australia that will drop by for free beer.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 08 April 2013, 06:55 AM
Well according to my crap math they made an average of 40 450SE/Ls per day, so my Green Lantern was made 2-3 days before production stopped; noice!
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: john6007 on 08 April 2013, 07:06 AM
So that's good you are still wanting to buy us Aussie 116 owners beer. You might be a long drive away but I'm sure we will all stop by at some stage.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: ptashek on 08 April 2013, 04:12 PM
My 450SE was made in August(ish) 1979, first registered in October 1979 - chassis number is in the late 95000s. So I guess the 450SE/SEL did share their sequence numbers (the 350SE/SEL, 280SE/SEL probably too) and your math with 40/day would be close enough. You're still 60 cars short though ;)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: jbrasile on 08 April 2013, 05:48 PM
My 1980 US spec 450SEL is 100377,  so oversize, you have one of the last ones ever made!

As for 6.9's 7380 is the grand total, 1816 for NA e balance for the rest of the world including RHD cars. No 81 cars as far as I know, however I do believe there were a few made in 1980. We have to remember that for certain markets 126's were available as early as late 79 whereas for others 116's soldiered on until about 7/1980

The absolute last 116 was a 300SD.

Tks,

Joe
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Casey on 08 April 2013, 07:30 PM
I have read in numerous places that 4 1981 6.9's were made. Very few were made in 1980; you hardly ever see those. The "1981" models may have just been leftover stock, or maybe custom orders for big customers.

Most 1973 S-class's here in the US are 108's but in some markets apparently 116's were available in 1972. I know a guy in Indonesia with a 1987 W123, but the latest here are 1985's.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Squiggle Dog on 14 April 2013, 03:35 PM
Mercedes supposedly only built the W110/W111 fintails from 1959-1967, but some (60?) were in fact made in 1968--my last W110 200D was built in 1968. I imagine this could have been the case for the W116 as well.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: ptashek on 14 April 2013, 05:05 PM
Quote from: jbrasile on 08 April 2013, 05:48 PM
The absolute last 116 was a 300SD

This sounds like an interesting quest for The Org - find out if the last-ever of each version are still this side of a junk yard :)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: W116-M117 on 15 April 2013, 07:21 AM
Quote from: Squiggle Dog on 14 April 2013, 03:35 PM
Mercedes supposedly only built the W110/W111 fintails from 1959-1967, but some (60?) were in fact made in 1968--my last W110 200D was built in 1968. I imagine this could have been the case for the W116 as well.

Production of 110 went out after 114/115 launch in January 1968, so it end on February 1968.

Production of 111 went out in 1971, after launching 107: we don not forget the coupé and cabriolet, which 6L motor version have finished during May 1971, while 8V completed their history on July 1971.

;)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Squiggle Dog on 15 April 2013, 12:47 PM
Oops, I meant W110/W111 sedans.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 15 April 2013, 06:25 PM
Quote from: ptashek on 14 April 2013, 05:05 PM
Quote from: jbrasile on 08 April 2013, 05:48 PM
The absolute last 116 was a 300SD

This sounds like an interesting quest for The Org - find out if the last-ever of each version are still this side of a junk yard :)

I agree; so what's the highest VIN we've seen in each model??
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: s class on 16 April 2013, 02:27 AM
My 280SE is an 07/1980 South African build.  116 024 62 157148.

Now there were 150 593 units of 280SE, and 7 032 units of 280SEL, or totally 157 625, making my car one of the last 500 built. 

I must actually check the VIN of my one 280SE parts car, which I think is even later. 

BTW, this was discussed before 5 or 6 years ago, and the old thread is worth a read :

http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/who-has-the-youngest-116/msg18113/#msg18113 (http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/who-has-the-youngest-116/msg18113/#msg18113)
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 16 April 2013, 07:18 PM
Thanks for the thread s class; yes very interesting and a shame it seems it abruptly ended without a full resolution.

So what do I win???   ;) ;D
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: s class on 17 April 2013, 12:31 AM
Just checked, my parts car is 116 024 62 141248, so its a bit older than I thought. 

Dunno what you win, maybe a golden hubcap award?
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: ADV_rider on 22 May 2013, 10:56 PM
I found a very informative page... http://forum.mercedes-benz-clubs.com/viewtopic.php?p=93075#p93075

Look at the W116 post.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: oversize on 23 May 2013, 01:17 AM
Oh very interesting!  An 4 x 6.9s in 1981 if it's to be believed.....
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: KenM on 23 May 2013, 04:52 AM
Those 4 6.9s in 1981 were actually sales of the car, not when it was made. Production ceased in 1980 with 129 units made that year. That's how I read it anyway.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: jbrasile on 23 May 2013, 07:32 AM
Ken is absolutely correct, no 6.9's were produced in 81, last cars were made in 1980. In fact I doubt the 4 cars sold in the US in 81 were actual 80 model year since for 1980 all vehicles sold in the US had to have an O2 sensor to meet emission standards and as far as I know no 6.9 was ever produced with K-Lambda fuel injection.

Tks,

Joe
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: 007 on 09 August 2013, 07:06 AM
  I know that the last one was Mercedes-Benz 300 SD from Zindelfingene... i think it was the last one non-6,9 w116.
Title: Re: Last W116
Post by: Type17 on 16 August 2013, 07:35 AM
Quote from: Type17 on 07 April 2013, 12:57 PM
I know of one (with only 15k miles on it) that was registered in London in 1981, and was one of the last - the first owner had another 6.9, and had confirmed that there wouldn't be a W126 6.9, so bought one of the last ones available - I'll try to get an idea of the VIN, but I don't see the car very often.

I got to see the car above, and the number is late, but by no means the last one - 7186.

Must have sat for a long while before being sold and registered.