Hi, my name is Sam, I'm 66 and I live in Carmel, IN for now. In 2024, I became the owner of a 1970 Dark Blue 280SL with Grey leather interior. The car belonged to a good friend of mine who passed in an airplane accident at Thanksgiving of 2023. He got me into Mercedes and introduced me to my wife. His family asked me to help them as they looked at selling my friend's 1991 560SEL, 197X 450SL and the 70 280SL. I ended up buying the 560SEL and 280SL and urged them to keep the 450SL. My goal is to renew/restore them as a tribute to my friend. I've spent the last year renewing the 560, as it was the easiest job to tackle and am now pretty much done, or will be as soon as I get the new fuel pumps in. Just starting on the 280 and figured I needed some resources and just joined. I've traced the background of the car to understand based on the data card that it was part of the NATO program, belonging to a Captain Lavoie, later ending up near Quebec and getting restored at MERCEDES BENZ Canada in Quebec in 1990. From there it was sold at the Auburn Duesenberg Festival Auction to a Ft Wayne, IN dealer, who then sold it in 1999 to my friend, Randy. He drove it rarely and so it has sat for awhile. Needing a quick win, I gave it a good polish and then restored a Eckel Speziel Ski Rack ("Eckel München Germany") that was in the trunk and identified on the data card as a factory option. They turned out good but now I am just getting into the real project. The car runs, but is running rich and dies when I depress the clutch when shifting. I'm looking forward to learning from everyone and hope to be able to share my experience. Besides the 560SEL and 280SEL, I also own a 1987 190e 2.3-16 and a 2004 SL55 and my wife has a 2012 E550 Cabriolet. Thank you all in advance!
Sam
