The Maestro

[Dick M]

Last week James Huber and I met Sam, another local Pagoda owner.  Sam has an interesting personal and Pagoda history.


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Sam just turned 87 years of age and both he and the red 280SL roar around the countryside with gusto.  He says he’s put more than 500,000 miles on the car (3 engines). The high miles are because for 30 years Sam drove to work most weeks from our Sierra foothill community to Los Angeles (900 miles round trip).  
Sam is concert violist, now retired, who played for the Los Angeles philharmonic, movie studio orchestras and big name bands that most of us (age critical) would recognize.

Sam was slowed down a bit a couple of years ago when a young girl on a cell phone ran a stop sign and broad sided the red Pagoda.  Sam was not seriously injured but the red Pagoda was not so lucky.  Twelve thousand dollars later the red Pagoda and Sam are back roaring around the countryside.


Dick M
1970 280SL

[J. Huber]

This was a very pleasant gathering. Sam has plenty of stories to tell about his fantastic signal red Pagoda -- and even more about his career as a musician in Hollywood. Really neat stuff. Thanks DM.

James
63 230SL

[Kemal]

Hi Dick
Thanks for sharing , Why don't you try to get Sam to sign up , I'm sure he would enjoy sharing his wonderful stories .

Kemal
280 SL Manual 69

[TheEngineer]

Looks just like mine!  Can't tell if he has a passenger side mirror. Mine didn't and I'm so used to having one that I installed one. Even found a convex mirror in a junkyard. Took it to the MB dealer parts to get a part number: No luck. Sam's got 12 years on me, so maybe there is still some hope for me. Get him to sign up!

'69 280SL,Signal Red,Automatic,retired engineer, West-Seattle,WA

[TR]

Dick -- Sam sounds like a most impressive gentleman.  Perhaps Carol & I might have the honor of an introduction at sometime, eh?  (in Nevada City, or there 'bouts, of course!)

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[Dick M]

Tom..
Sam enjoys talking about his car and his experiences.  I didn't mention it before but I believe this is his second Pagoda...he sold the first because it did not have air conditioning for his viola.  Unfortunately Sam  does not have a computer so can't participate in our site.  I gave him all my copies of Pagoda World so he could learn more about the group.  He was surprised that so many people would be interested in talking that much about the car.....

You and Carol have an open invitation to visit us in Nevada City... with or without the Pagoda.

Dick M
1970 280SL

[Jonny B]

Dick,

Thanks for sharing this bright spot! Maybe you should make a video of Sam and post that!

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto

[rhersberger]

I hope I am still driving my red Pagoda in 28 years.  Will there still be any gas then?

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Rod Hersberger

Santa Barbara

'68 280 SL, red, tan, 4sp, two tops
'01 Jag S Type brg
'07 Cayman S Carmona red, sand beige

[Cees Klumper]

I recently attended a presentation by the chairman of Shell, and he assured us there is plenty of gas for the next ... thirty years! So two years to spare, Rod!

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[Peter van Es]

Then again Cees, the chairman of Shell would say that.... what would happen to the stock price -- and his options -- if he told an audience oil would run out in 3 years time?

Peter

Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280 SL

[Benz Dr.]

In 20 years I'll be 72 years old and if I'm still around working on these cars I'll have 50 years of working expirience behind me.

 I wonder if they'll call me that '' old guy '' that can fix anything? I'm sure they'll be calling 560SL's classic cars by then..... ( some people do now )

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[rhersberger]

Indirectly, Dr. Dan raises an interesting point.  Are there enough younger guys learning the servicing trade for classic cars?  Are there guys apprenticing with classic car masters in their 50s and 60s?  Will this mechanical expertise become such a specialty that it is available only in a few cities at very high labor rates?  There is no computer read-out on a classic to tell them what to do!

Rod Hersberger

Santa Barbara

'68 280 SL, red, tan, 4sp, two tops
'01 Jag S Type brg
'07 Cayman S Carmona red, sand beige

[66andBlue]

quote:Originally posted by rhersberger

 ...  Are there enough younger guys learning the servicing trade for classic cars? ...

Hello Rod,
there is hope. McPherson College near Wichita,KS enrolls about 100 students to learn car restoration, but it I don't know how many of them learn how to do the work and how many go into "restoration management". The college received grants from Jay Leno because he shares your concerns. Also the Maybach Division of M-B provided some funds. There is a story from the NY Times posted on the college's web site: http://www.mcpherson.edu/technology/ under "Headlines [all news]".

Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic

[waqas]

Hopefully in 20yrs, people will be well-acquanted with the search function on our website  

WAQAS in Austin, Texas