1971 280SL Maintain the Air Conditioning?

[nsolot]

The A/C never worked since the I've owned the car, and in Los Angeles, I don't really have any need for it since I only take the car out when the weather is nice enough to take down the top.

Now I'm having some work done on the motor, including a new water pump, and my mechanic suggests we simply remove the A/C compressor and leave it off. He says he needs to remove it to do the work.

My question is whether A/C adds any value to this car?

Appreciate any feedback.

TIA

[ctaylor738]

FWIW, on my 280SL project, decided any increase in value wasn't worth the trouble of getting it working.  I sold the authentic AC setup that came with it.

One thing - you will need to find a regular alternator bracket.  I am told they are NLA from Mercedes but there seem to be plenty of used ones around.

[nsolot]

FWIW, on my 280SL project, decided any increase in value wasn't worth the trouble of getting it working.  I sold the authentic AC setup that came with it.

One thing - you will need to find a regular alternator bracket.  I am told they are NLA from Mercedes but there seem to be plenty of used ones around.

My mechanic told me the bracket appeared to be custom made.  I didn't actually get under the car and look at it myself.  When I bought the 280SL, about 15 years ago, I worked with an inspector/appraiser and I think he told me there was no such thing as "factory installed A/C", and that the units were always installed as a dealer option.  If this is true, I concluded the bracket for the A/C compressor was made by the dealer or perhaps as a repair years later.

Thanks, I'll pass the info along to my guy.

[ctaylor738]

That may be the case for your car.  But the engine compartment pieces are in the MB parts catalog under "Frigiking Compressor with Support" and the other stuff is in Heating and Ventilation.

I was assuming that once the bracket was off to get at the water pump, you would want to go with th standard bracket that mounts the alternator lower in the engine compartment.

[nsolot]

In the end, we decided to remove the compressor.  The existing bracket was slightly modified, but remains in use.

Of course, once he started to disassemble things, there was more work to be done.  New hoses, water pump, and so on, but that's another topic.  lol.

[ja17]

Hello,

Here are a couple of photos of the original factory alternator bracket, this is the one used on the 250 and 280 series without AC. The early 230SLs use a different but similar bracket.


With the dealer supplied AC, the alternator was moved to the top of the engine and the bracket was part of the huge AC bracket. Some belts and pulleys were also changed with AC.

[ja17]

These days, many W113 owners are upgrading the AC systems using a modern compressor. The new compressors are more compact, more efficient, produce much less vibration, less drag and put out more cold air.  In addition a simple smaller AC bracket can be used which does not cover the front of the engine and is easily removed. The alternator is  in its factory location below and can be removed from the bottom. 

[George Des]

Joe,

Is the A/C bracket pictured here from one of the MB sedans using the conversion bracket?

George

[Richard Madison]

Interesting how all the replies are about the mechanics of AC's and no one answered the original question:

My question is whether A/C adds any value to this car?

Let me take a shot at that: after some years of looking at ads of cars for sale, speaking to owners and potential buyers about prices,  and having sold a Pagoda with AC, I believe an AC unit adds little or nothing to the price but a potential Pagoda buyer in a warm area might walk away from a car unless it had an AC unit.

So an AC might not add to the price of a car, but in some places it might add value.

Richard M, NYC

 

[Theo]

So an AC might not add to the price of a car, but in some places it might add value.

Richard, I believe you are referring to the liquidity of the asset, rather than the value. 

By the way, does your present 280SL have AC?

Theo
66 230SL
No AC

[nsolot]

I'm in Los Angeles, which I guess is a moderate climate.

Mechanic is a week or two from finishing up, so I'm interested to see if I get any noticeable improvement in performance.  In addition to removing the A/C, we installed a new water pump and rebuilt the alternator, as the bearings on both units were not spinning smoothly.  And as long as we were putting in a new water pump, we put in new hoses.  I guess there is no such thing as a small repair job on these beauties.

[W113SL]

I'll take a shot at answering your original question.  In my opinion a vehicle that is properly restored to it's originally delivered state is always valued higher than one that is not.  Therefore, if you can bear the cost of renewing the AC, it would enhance the ultimate value.

Pete Lesler
1967 250SL

[nsolot]

I was told that there was no such thing as factory installed A/C on the 280SL, and that it was always installed as a dealer option. 

I'm not sure that is true.

I was also told, my car is original paint color, a champagne gold, but the interior was changed from tan (or light brown) to dark brown, at some point.  Once the shop ordered an interior part based on the serial number and it arrived in tan.

[W113SL]

Yes you are correct.  The Frigiking unit was manufactured in Texas and was dealer installed. The Pagodas were never designed with AC in mind unlike the 107 SL's.  You would have ordered the car with AC fitted and the dealer installed the kit according to the template and instructions that came with the unit.

I believe a late 280SL with AC will ultimately be valued more if the potential buyer lives anywhere south of the Mason Dixon Line.

Pete Lesler
1967 250SL 

[ja17]

Hello George,

Yes, we used a common sedan bracket of the era with the Sanden adapter. The sedan bracket can be easily removed from above and does not cover up the water pump. We also used a sedan thermostat housing cover which allows the radiator hose to clear the bracket. With the old upright compressors ,the W113 cars did not have enough hood clearance for mounting the compressor on top, the sedans did. However the newer Sanden compressors are quite a bit smaller and fit just fine on the top.

Sorry for hijacking this thread TIA.  

[George Des]

Joe,

Thanks. Good to know this will work. I've got the Sanden as well but I used a flat late bracket similar to what Buds Benz sells with their kit. I fabricated out of a flat piece of steel that I cut with a metal cutting sabre saw and cleaned up with an angle grinder. Works okay but does not look stock. I have two sedan brackets laying around and will probably replace it when I get some time so I'm happy to hear they will fit.

George

[ja17]

Hello George,

Let me know when you get into it and I will fill you in on some other details. Maybe I should just start a new thread? I have a lot of pictures of the parts needed.