280 SL Auto Temptation

[jh72i]

Hello, I've just been to my local breakers yard to pick up some bits and pieces and came across a silver 280 SL Automatic.  It been burnt but to my eyes all the damage is superficial - paintwork mostly. In every respect it seems all there.  Thing is that these people have no appreciation and will let the car disintegrate and probably crush it – like its left with the windows down so the rain and weather can do even more damage.  I’m into my VW Karmann Ghia so I could see things I’d really appreciate like the doors just clicking into place with perfectly straight lines, etc.  But I’m a complete Mercedes novice.  So, my question (finally) is whether a 280 SL Automatic restoration is a job for a complete enthusiast or a doable project for an amateur.

I am absolutely not in a position to buy this car right now – married last month, renovating our house, etc. but I truly hate to think of this car rotting away.

Thanks for your thoughts,
jh

[Douglas]

Sounds like a great project. You'll find most parts are readily available, as is expertise in places like this site. Let us know your progress with this. Good luck.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[JamesL]

Go for it

Or if it doesn't appeal, post the location on here and I am sure that someone will be tempted to stop the loss of another 280... :oops:

[ja17]

Hello jh,
Once you drive the SL you'll never look back on the Karman Ghia!

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[joelj]

Hi Jh,

I agree with the other posts. Send us more info and someone would probably want to put some osuld back into that 280sl. Tell your local breakers to hold on to it. Just the parts alone is worth much much more that they can get in scrapping it.

BTW in addition to my 280sl, I also  have a 1958 Karmann ghia lowlight that is still being restored.

Cheers,

joel-j

[jh72i]

Well, thanks for all those replies.  I am completely tortured – a huge part of me wants to take this project on but I also want to keep me new wife a wee bit longer.  She is away for a couple of weeks and if she arrives home to discover this in the driveway and no new kitchen that’ll be the end of me!  Last year the Karmann Ghia arrived instead of a kitchen!!!  But we weren’t married then so she ‘understood’

Anyway, I have decided to take one morning off this week and see what the scrapyard guy would be looking for to take the whole care off his hands.  As I say these guys are not interested in cars – just scrap.  In fact I was thinking about why the windows on one side were smashed and I reckon I know why – to move cars about their yard they use a forklift-type thing and its much easier to lift cars by putting the forks through the windows and lift from the roof.  Now doesn’t the thought of that that just break your heart?

I don’t really expect the scrapyard guy to be anyways reasonable either – its not any normal business.  In fact, they have no office or name or phone number just thousands of cars piled on top of each other.  You want a part then remove it yourself and pay them premium.

Ok, what I have done is tell a few local people I think might be interested.  I will take my (crappy) camera up there the next morning and post more details – including location, etc.  Hey, if there is anything of particular interest can you tell me what to look for.

[norton]

It's been said before on this forum "A cheap Mercedes ain't cheap" Body panels, chrome, fuel injection parts and electric's are very expensive on these cars, Take a close look at the hood, doors and deck lid, they are aluminum and where hand fitted to each car, not just anybody can fix them. Make yourself a list of what the car will need, and check prices on parts before you buy.  

Mike Halleck
Chesterfield Mi
71 280SL
68 250SL (parts car)
94 E320 Coupe

[Ben]

Is this car by any chance in Dublin ?

Seems a coincidence that there was a silver 280SL burnt in Dublin about 2 weeks ago. I have some photos and one of the guys in our club took a look at it !

This car was torched deliberatly in some sort of punishment attack and its paintwork is badly scorched and the interior ruined. I havent seen it myself but I reckon if the chrome and engine are still good and its a repaint and reupholster then it should work out okay provided it can be bought for reasonable money !

See photos here
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/BeCos/DSCF1215.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/BeCos/DSCF1216.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/BeCos/DSCF1214.jpg

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[norton]

Well I guess that's one way to strip paint

Mike Halleck
Chesterfield Mi
71 280SL
68 250SL (parts car)
94 E320 Coupe

[jh72i]

quote:Originally posted by Ben

Is this car by any chance in Dublin ?

That's the very one Ben.  There are a few more torched cars there for sure - nasty business.

Like I said before I know nothing about Mercs.  What year do you think it is?  What value would you put on it in its current state?  In all reality these guys won't be giving any bargains away.

jeolj, a 58 KG is quite a nice baby to have in your garage.  Good luck with the restoration.

[Ben]

Its a 68/69 280SL, good colour combo, DB180 with red interior. Its an original Irish reg which tends to make it more desirable. I have never seen the car before in Club circles so dont know any more about it !

If the paint is not too badly scorched the the panels may be able to take paint, anywhere where the paint is burnt and rusty red will have to be replaced. The hardtop looks bad and these are expensive to repair/restore/replace and all bodywork panels are expensive !

Everything is available though, at a price, but if it need anything more than a paint job and a retrim, ie engine/transmission/suspension/steering then it is probably beyond saving unless you can do it entirely yourself. You wont be able to establish its health without speaking to its former owner!

Its a parts car I reckon, what do the group think ? Maybe €3-5k ?

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[jh72i]

Thanks for that Ben.  Gives me some idea.  The roof did seem the worst part - going on my memory from when I saw it.  Looked like its been damaged more than just from the fire.  

This is a difficult one and I reckon that only a mechanic will really know what's what.  Probably won't get to see it again until Saturday but I was thinking that because of its location many people who know a hell-of-a-lot more than me have probably already seen and considered it.  

[jh72i]

Well, its been a week and, perhaps, time enough to cool my head down - funny how fast you forget all the work and hours and money you put into your own classic!  Anyway, I took a much closer look this morning and here's the story:

.as I said last week the fire damage was minimal - looks a lot worst that it actually is. The roof was the worse affected but it acutally isn't more damaged/dented which I thought it was from memory last week.  And as its removable the theory is that you could get another hard top anyway.

.BUT.... even before the fire the car wasn't in A1 condition:

.to my reckoning it would need new floor pans or at least some decent weld repair.

.all the panels are good but there is evidence (revealed from the fire) of some lazy repairs sometime in the past - filler.

.i can't imagine the car has ever had and bangs, though, because, as I said last week, the doors, boot/hood, engine cover all click into place effortlessly with nice straight lines.

.the interior hasn't been damaged by the fire but it was pretty ragged anyway.  You could live with it with but a re-trim would definitely be on the list of things to do.

.obviously the rubbers wherever the fire was near need replacing.

.i can see recent shocks were added at the front.

.the engine I know nothing about but it looks all there.

Now the rub!!!  I talked with the people there and they say they have been overwhlemed with people asking/looking/etc. and they have a firm offer of €7000.  They gave me some detail of the previous owner if I want to chekc out the car's history.  They are just waiting for the log book to be recovered/replaced (don't know) before they sell it on.


€7000 is waaay out of my league now. And it would take a lot more money to have that beauty back on the road - I hope the bidder knows what he/she's doing.


I'm obviously disappointed at the price I have to say but this has not been a useless exercise: up to last week I will freely admit that the Pagoda never really got me excited.  But after having been up close I have to say that I am totally smitten - a truly beautiful machine and I applaud all of you for keeping them on the roads.  I applaud all classic car enthusiasts/lovers.

Here's my current project:

[Douglas]

Over $10,000 USD for that car? They would be insane not to accept that offer.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[joelj]

Hi JH,

Great Looking karmann. When mine is done i'll send you a photo

Good luck in your search for your Pagoda. Keep that dream alive and one day you will be driving home in your w113

good luck

Joel- j

[jh72i]

Now, who was it that told me this was a parts car worth €3-5k 


http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/280/SL-Pagod/200847190956941/advert

[abe280SL]

IMHO, buy the best  rust free restored car you can afford.  Restorations are very costly and you will spend alot more than you get back.  Then, when you buy the best restored car you can spend some money bringing up to your standards.  I am currently going through a restoration of a bmw 73 csi..costly mistake.  You can justify telling yourself it will be done in the color you want and the way you want it...but boy, its hard to swallow.
abe