Inherited 1978 450SL
12-08-2015, 12:23 PM
#1
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1978 Mercedes 450sl
Inherited 1978 450SL
Hello:
I just received my grandmother's 1978 Mercedes 450SL. I'm very excited about it as it brings back many fond memories. I've attached pictures. I have it in the shop now getting an oil change and checking on fluids etc. New tires going on tonight (the existing are 5 years old or so). I hope Michelin Defenders are a good choice... Getting it cleaned tomorrow. The car only has 30800 miles on it and has not been driven much in the past five years. I have driven it about 35 miles since receiving it.
I have a couple of questions:
1) My mechanic does not work on cars this old. Does anyone know a good mechanic in the Atlanta area for this car?
2) When it is time for paint work where do you suggest I take it? I've noticed that the paint is starting to crack just under the point where the hard top sits on the trunk. Also, there are some scratches on the left Front (see attached photo for that).
3) Should I replace weather stripping on my own? I can see that it is getting old, and also I was told that it may leak into the trunk (although I can find no evidence).
Thanks for any suggestions! My goal for this car is to drive it on nice days.
Sincerely,
Rusty
I just received my grandmother's 1978 Mercedes 450SL. I'm very excited about it as it brings back many fond memories. I've attached pictures. I have it in the shop now getting an oil change and checking on fluids etc. New tires going on tonight (the existing are 5 years old or so). I hope Michelin Defenders are a good choice... Getting it cleaned tomorrow. The car only has 30800 miles on it and has not been driven much in the past five years. I have driven it about 35 miles since receiving it.
I have a couple of questions:
1) My mechanic does not work on cars this old. Does anyone know a good mechanic in the Atlanta area for this car?
2) When it is time for paint work where do you suggest I take it? I've noticed that the paint is starting to crack just under the point where the hard top sits on the trunk. Also, there are some scratches on the left Front (see attached photo for that).
3) Should I replace weather stripping on my own? I can see that it is getting old, and also I was told that it may leak into the trunk (although I can find no evidence).
Thanks for any suggestions! My goal for this car is to drive it on nice days.
Sincerely,
Rusty
12-08-2015, 12:53 PM
#2
SPONSOR/MBworld Guru
Welcome to MBWorld. She is absolutely gorgeous. I love vintage MBs.
1. Check the regional subforum to see if anyone in the area can recommend, but otherwise, check Yelp
2. Depends on budget really. Not all paint is created equal. For a beauty like that, I'd go with Glasurit, but again, depends on budget. Check around your local body shops and ask what paint they use.
3. Yes. Weather strip replacement should not be a hard process depending on how bad the stripping is. If it all flakes apart and you find yourself chipping away at stuck loose pieces, it can be a pain, but if it all comes off as one piece intact, then it should be fairly easy to replace.
1. Check the regional subforum to see if anyone in the area can recommend, but otherwise, check Yelp
2. Depends on budget really. Not all paint is created equal. For a beauty like that, I'd go with Glasurit, but again, depends on budget. Check around your local body shops and ask what paint they use.
3. Yes. Weather strip replacement should not be a hard process depending on how bad the stripping is. If it all flakes apart and you find yourself chipping away at stuck loose pieces, it can be a pain, but if it all comes off as one piece intact, then it should be fairly easy to replace.
12-09-2015, 04:53 PM
#3
SPONSOR
Welcome to MBWorld, Rusty! Wow! Those are some seriously low miles! Try using this site here to help you locate an Indy MB specialist. We have parts for your R107 here if needed. We also have some great DIY tech articles for your SL that may be useful to you if you plan to work on it yourself. If you need anything please let me know. 
