Hello everyone,
I like to introduce myself, my name is Rolf-Dieter S, retired Mechanical Engineer. I was born in Magdeburg, Germany some 75 years ago (still feel like 55) and immigrated to Canada in 1957, married now for 52 years one daughter. I purchased a partly reconditioned 1969 Mercedes 280 SL last week from a local collector of mainly 1950s to 1960s cars. The 280 SL was his wife's car. The car rolled off the assembly line in late 1968 and was shipped to Florida USA for the first owner. The second owner also lived in Florida, USA. The car left Florida mid 1992 for Canada with 65,102 Miles on the odometer where the third owner had it restored here in Ontario. When the car had 67,027 miles on the odometer the odometer had to be replaced. The new odometer now has 4,400 miles on it, therefore the total milage on this car when I purchased her was 71,427 total miles. From what I understand in the past 20 years the previous owners wife has only driven this car 4,400 miles. She eventually gave it back to him since she mostly started this car without driving it. As we all know this car loves to be driven and starting it only is not a good idea.
I own two late model cars (a 2011 Mercedes C350 4MATIC and a 2011 BMW M3) and purchased this 1969 Mercedes 280 SL since it will not only be great fun to have and drive to car shows, also I will enjoy working on the engine as I am now retired. When I was a young fellow I drove this type of car in Montreal and at that time the price was around $9,000- Canadian if my memory serves me right. I mainly drove American cars up to the age of 50, after that mainly Mercedes and BMW's. My love for German cars comes from watching my dad carefully taking his engine apart and labeling every part for reassembly
Back when I was 17 I worked part time as a student in a small company, the owner had a Mercedes and I was allowed to drive this car out and back into the garage after washing her ... what can I say, I'm a car nut
Anyway ... I've done a lot of research before purchasing this car and I am glad I found one in such great condition. I look forward visiting this forum and once I figure out how things work here to become a Full Member. Photo attached below.
EDIT. 1… My former Mercedes C350 was my company car I sold her to a lady in Ottawa, Canada since our plan was to go to only one Daily Driver. Once the C350 Benz was gone my wife became unhappy with our joint decision to give up the Benz, so we traded the BMW M3 in for a nice 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 4MATIC last month now both the wife and I are happy after all I do have the 280 SL to play with
Also note once I became a member here I changed my handle from Alter Peter to my real first name Rolf-Dieter. During this edit I also corrected the milage I earlier stated in this post.
EDIT. 2 ... June, 2016
Update Last year I changed my DD to the C63 AMG [btw I drive my AMG for safety not for speed, it's nice to have those 481 HP under the hood when needed, also love the sound] for I missed my M3. I like to think of my 2 cars as ...
EDIT. 3 .... All the cars have now gone ecept my SL 63 AMG and my Blue Tornado. See photo below.
Something New and Something Old ... and not nessesarely in that order. I'm found of both cars and I drive my Pagoda at least once a week during the summer months ... Also going to car shows. Soon I will have driven my Pagoda 10,000 Miles since I found her in May 2013.
