Roadside Repairing a Classic SL’s Convertible Top
Buying a new top would probably clean out the rainy-day fund, and then some.
The classic R107 SL is one of Mercedes-Benz’s most iconic roadsters. They were produced for well over a decade, and at one point were a fairly common sight, assuming you rubbed elbows with VIPs.
Unfortunately, the grim specter of depreciation hangs over even the most desirable of luxury cars. The Mercedes-Benz SL is no different. Once the exclusive domain of sports heroes and movie stars, these cars are now affordable to regular folks.
Some work hard to keep these cars kept up to a very high standard. But maintenance costs, unlike the purchase price, do not go down over time, and it’s easy enough to get in over your head. Oftentimes, the cosmetics of the car are the first to suffer, as keeping the car running properly eats up the entire budget, and then some.
Classic convertibles are even worse. While the ravages of rust on steel are well-known and documented, soft tops are even more prone to wear. The plastic windows can fog and crack, the fabric can tear, and the material can shrink over time, making it nearly impossible to block out the weather and prevent the interior from getting ruined.
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The owner of this R107 must have had a tear in the rear window of his convertible top. More than likely, it happened at an inopportune time, like when it started to rain. Storing folded convertible tops hastens the deterioration of the plastic windows. So when the time comes to erect the top, the stress will often break them.
One can easily sympathize with this owner running back to his car during a surprise rainstorm, folding the top up, and having to use an umbrella to try and keep the rain out. With the exorbitant cost of a replacement top, it appears that duct tape made it a permanent repair.
Via [Jalopnik]
