Sunday afternoon around 1:00 PM I decided to take the 280SL out for a drive. Car stated fine unloaded trunk of parts and put only my necessary items in the center console box, cell phone keys to house garage door opener. With the gate open I
navigated her out to the street. At first I was going to just cruise the neighborhood, then decided I need to streach her legs and get he fluids hot. It takes a long time to get the engine at operating temperature and one of the best ways to do that is a streight of road were you can clime into the RPMs and use the transmission.
So with that in mine I piloted my course to PCH not far from were I live. At first there is traffic the restaurants and beaches are still not with in distance were you can open the throttle and hear the exhaust of this car with the hard top off and the soft top down. About two miles out I was able to fine some streaches of road along the scenic beach communities that allowed me to crank up the throttle and open her up. Along slower traffic I cut a path and the sound of the exhaust came to live with the Tachometer now claiming into above permitted speed limits. This being very careful and leaving my self an out and plenty of room for braking. You got to remember the brakes on this old SL are not as fast as my wife's 300E.
A total of 36 miles were put on her today streaching her legs with out any complication except to say keeping my hat on at 4500 RPM. Returned to home no problems to report gave her a wash and put her to bed. Over all not bad for a 40 year old SL.
Bob Geco
