SL/R129: Manual Transmission R129 How Rare
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,447
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From: UK
SL55 AMG
I think they only did a manual transmission on the very first R129s and then only on the 6 cylinder models, not the V8s and the V12 which would cook the clutch. MB manual shift quality is pretty dismal and I doubt that a manual shift R129 is very desirable.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 924
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From: Socal
1991 300sl 5 speed manual
Coastline: in fact manual R129's are common in Europe, even on Germany wich has a large percentage of automatic's!
W124 E36's are rare, but about 6 months ago there were at least to W124 E36 T for sale, for a good couple of months! and cheap too, about $10~12.000!!!
jjay911: if your car was a SL 320 there was an easy way to gain 10~20 hp!
replace the original ECU with another from a W140 S320.
also the C36 was automatic only, could give some headaches with the transplant!
W124 E36's are rare, but about 6 months ago there were at least to W124 E36 T for sale, for a good couple of months! and cheap too, about $10~12.000!!!
jjay911: if your car was a SL 320 there was an easy way to gain 10~20 hp!
replace the original ECU with another from a W140 S320.
also the C36 was automatic only, could give some headaches with the transplant!
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1
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From: shropshire
1997 sl 500
cool wheels
jj
great wheels on the sl500 (i've just joined the forum, but was delighted to see an image of the sl on here - I've saved the other pictures that were previously posted on oursl.com)
What manufacturer are the wheels and what size?
Regards
great wheels on the sl500 (i've just joined the forum, but was delighted to see an image of the sl on here - I've saved the other pictures that were previously posted on oursl.com)
What manufacturer are the wheels and what size?
Regards
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,057
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From: NJ
2009 SL63 AMG
If you choose to do serious engine work, then why not just swap the motor for an LS1/LS2? Lighter, more powerful, and pretty much bullet-proof. Plus, you could upgrade your transmission with the manual from the Vette. From a purist perspective, this is terrible. But, from an enthusiast perspective, it will be a cool project.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Portugal
´91 300E 24 - M104.980
jjay911: I was reading another forum, and someone found out a a couple of biturbo kits for the 300 /300 24V engines! (M103/104) for sale at an UK dealership! the guy bought one. about £1000.
on the 12V it gives about 310hp!
on the 12V it gives about 310hp!
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Joined: Dec 2007
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1994 Mercedes-Benz SL300, Silver
Manual transmission R129 SL
I am writing from New Zealand. I own a 1994 SL300 that I purschased about two years ago.
The manual transmission is rare in the R129 SL. I believe there are manual transmission SL's in US & Canada as they are left hand drive, produced for the US market and directly imported from Germany.
NZ being right hand drive, some are new direct from Germany made for the right hand drive market and some of the SL's are imported from Japan and with many SL's I have seen in New Zealand and Australia, I have never ever seen a manual transmission SL in the right hand drive production.
Manual transmission performance margin is much greater, specially in 0-60 than automatic and SL with its great performance, its dissapointing that the production of manual is so rare.
The manual transmission is rare in the R129 SL. I believe there are manual transmission SL's in US & Canada as they are left hand drive, produced for the US market and directly imported from Germany.
NZ being right hand drive, some are new direct from Germany made for the right hand drive market and some of the SL's are imported from Japan and with many SL's I have seen in New Zealand and Australia, I have never ever seen a manual transmission SL in the right hand drive production.
Manual transmission performance margin is much greater, specially in 0-60 than automatic and SL with its great performance, its dissapointing that the production of manual is so rare.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,447
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From: UK
SL55 AMG
TBH, I don't know if the manual transmission versions - only available in any case in the very earliest 129s - were ever made in right-hand drive.
Mercedes manual shift quality is legendary - for being terrible - and reminds me of Greek taxi-drivers in Athens.
The R129 is not a sports car by any stretch of the imagination. It's instead a highly refined GT with amazing build quality. 5 years on from getting my SL55, and 3 years on from selling my R129 SL600, I do miss it. The SL55 and I have never really clicked like the SL600 did, though the 996TT is probably more to blame.
Mercedes manual shift quality is legendary - for being terrible - and reminds me of Greek taxi-drivers in Athens.
The R129 is not a sports car by any stretch of the imagination. It's instead a highly refined GT with amazing build quality. 5 years on from getting my SL55, and 3 years on from selling my R129 SL600, I do miss it. The SL55 and I have never really clicked like the SL600 did, though the 996TT is probably more to blame.
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jjay911: thanks for the reply! I found out just yesterday that US spec 300's were all 24V rated at 228hp!
I was suspicious about the Getrag, because someone told me it was a dogleg, and I knew that the W124's Sportline had a Getrag dogleg, so I assumed the two tranys were the same! didn't know about the LSD, though!!! can it drift, or not really?!
I've read somewhere that AMG built some SL36's but officially denies it!!!
If you ever decide to do it, good luck! engine transplants always get far more difficult than they're supposed to be!!!
on the numbers built, 800 for the world seems kind of short! over here my guess is that most of the 6 cilinder car's were manual! something like 70~80%! and most SL's over here were 6 cilinder, because the 500 costed almost twice as much!
also, Spain, France and Italy were markets with very low percentage of automatic car's in the early to mid nineties. and also where the 500 was much more expensive than the 6 cilinder!
I was suspicious about the Getrag, because someone told me it was a dogleg, and I knew that the W124's Sportline had a Getrag dogleg, so I assumed the two tranys were the same! didn't know about the LSD, though!!! can it drift, or not really?!
I've read somewhere that AMG built some SL36's but officially denies it!!!
If you ever decide to do it, good luck! engine transplants always get far more difficult than they're supposed to be!!!
on the numbers built, 800 for the world seems kind of short! over here my guess is that most of the 6 cilinder car's were manual! something like 70~80%! and most SL's over here were 6 cilinder, because the 500 costed almost twice as much!
also, Spain, France and Italy were markets with very low percentage of automatic car's in the early to mid nineties. and also where the 500 was much more expensive than the 6 cilinder!
Yes the sl36 amg does exist, i have seen an article somewhere about it, and i have also seen 1 in beirut lebanon about 4 years ago while i was on holiday there.
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Joined: Jul 2019
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190E 2.3-16
Wow. I believe when someone posts and takes an inappropriately negative tone that it is best to simply ignore them. But I was asked a question, and I'm going to make an exception here.
'Sport, the number of SLs with manual tranny imported to the U.S. was not 166. And it wasn't less than 200. It was about 800. I really don't care if you believe me or not -- I simply have no stake in what you choose to believe or not believe. I can't cite the source of my information, because I just don't remember. But I am confident it is accurate.
Tell you what. At the risk of appearing to be a "moron", I'll make you this offer. If you can cite a reliable source that shows the number of manual SLs imported to the U.S. was less than 790 or more than 810, I'll PayPal you $100. If you reply here with the source contradicting me, the money is yours. That is a standing offer that does not expire.
I expect we won't be hearing from you again on this subject
.
'Sport, the number of SLs with manual tranny imported to the U.S. was not 166. And it wasn't less than 200. It was about 800. I really don't care if you believe me or not -- I simply have no stake in what you choose to believe or not believe. I can't cite the source of my information, because I just don't remember. But I am confident it is accurate.
Tell you what. At the risk of appearing to be a "moron", I'll make you this offer. If you can cite a reliable source that shows the number of manual SLs imported to the U.S. was less than 790 or more than 810, I'll PayPal you $100. If you reply here with the source contradicting me, the money is yours. That is a standing offer that does not expire.
I expect we won't be hearing from you again on this subject
.U.S. sales of Mercedes R129 cars with manual transmissions.
1990 – 130 units
1991 – 242 units
1992 – 25 units
1993 – 0 units
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,665
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From: Bahrain
R129 SL55 AMG & W208 CLK55 AMG
Based on the SL 280 developed AMG in 1995, the SL 36 AMG with 3.6-liter inline six-cylinder engine (M 104 E 36) and 200 kW (272 hp). The vehicle was handed over by Helmut Werner , then CEO of Mercedes-Benz AG, to the winner of the Stuttgart
MercedesCup ( Thomas Muster ). This vehicle is a unique piece.
http://r129.club/blog
Last edited by Ahmed; Jul 30, 2019 at 05:24 AM.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2020
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Mercedes 190e 2.3L 1991 and Mercedes sl320 1997
Wow. I believe when someone posts and takes an inappropriately negative tone that it is best to simply ignore them. But I was asked a question, and I'm going to make an exception here.
'Sport, the number of SLs with manual tranny imported to the U.S. was not 166. And it wasn't less than 200. It was about 800. I really don't care if you believe me or not -- I simply have no stake in what you choose to believe or not believe. I can't cite the source of my information, because I just don't remember. But I am confident it is accurate.
Tell you what. At the risk of appearing to be a "moron", I'll make you this offer. If you can cite a reliable source that shows the number of manual SLs imported to the U.S. was less than 790 or more than 810, I'll PayPal you $100. If you reply here with the source contradicting me, the money is yours. That is a standing offer that does not expire.
I expect we won't be hearing from you again on this subject .
'Sport, the number of SLs with manual tranny imported to the U.S. was not 166. And it wasn't less than 200. It was about 800. I really don't care if you believe me or not -- I simply have no stake in what you choose to believe or not believe. I can't cite the source of my information, because I just don't remember. But I am confident it is accurate.
Tell you what. At the risk of appearing to be a "moron", I'll make you this offer. If you can cite a reliable source that shows the number of manual SLs imported to the U.S. was less than 790 or more than 810, I'll PayPal you $100. If you reply here with the source contradicting me, the money is yours. That is a standing offer that does not expire.
I expect we won't be hearing from you again on this subject
.I have been surfing the web and have found that there have actually been only 397.
The years are as follow:
1990- 130 cars1991- 242 cars1992- 25 cars1993- 0 cars
Here is the link:
https://www.mercedes-market.com/2019...ll-in-the-u-s/
