Its amazing what being parked up for 5 years will do to a car.

Hifive

Drove up to the chokey to see this yesterday.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=676179

Oh dear, Rustier than a fairly rusty thing that had been left out rusting for a long time.
"This SL now requires bodywork"
Fair enough but you can delete the word "work" as, unless you are very, very nifty with a mig, really a new body is required.
Hard to find a panel that I couldn't put my finger through.
The owner is sound as a pound and is restoring an MG TF and has a nice MG B roadster in the drive.
The Merc suffered a break in 5 years ago and hasn't turned a wheel since, but the owner said it was fine when it was parked up.
What really surprised me was the level of deterioration in the 5 years
I had brought my overalls and a bottlejack but didn't even get these out of the stag as one look was enough to tell me it was too far gone for me. Can five years really do this to a well made car like a Merc SL? What do you think?

junkyard

I remember that car when it was around Cork, I think it belonged to the lady who owned Vienna Woods hotel in Glanmire. It's a shame it was left go to this condition it was a lovely car.:(

Hifive

Yeah copped the ZK Cork reg. Oddly it was badged as a 500 SL ,maybe to match the reg, but it's actually a 350. I don't think the 500 came out till the 80's (open to correction here Mercmad) Shame to see it go.
P.S. Price was dramatically reduced during negotiations.

junkyard

I've rebuilt worse tbh, how low did he go on the price? That said, the 350 V8 isn't the greatest engine tbh. Was it running? It was imported in 1986 and fitted with upgrade alloys, the 500 badge was put on by a dealer in Cork who imported it and registered it with the 500 on the reg. plate to give the impression it was a 500 which was current in 1986.

mike65

Saw that ad a while back, it stood out for the low price! I guessed it was a heap as no recent pix were included.

Mike.

Hifive

The owner put up some new (current) pics on Tuesday but they don't tell the full story.
In fairness to the seller I'll keep the price negotiations between us for the moment. I told him straight that I wasn't interested so he was probably more open with me than if there was a possibility of a sale.
There was one of these cars for sale in Galway for a very good price recently but I dithered for too long and missed it.
The vendor sent me some pics of the bodywork that needed repair (4 Jacking points and one wheel arch) which I passed on to the excellent Benjamin at Lichberg classics, for an estimate and with the cost of the car (€7000.00) and the cost of putting it right, it probably makes more sense to just go and buy a good one. However most of them are silly money or sheds. There is however a nice 72 one in Wicklow for the right money €10500.00) which the owner says is sound. ROAD TRIP!!

Hifive

junkyard wrote:

Was it running? .

Sorry Junkyard, No it wasn't running or even crawling. The steering column and half the dashboard were in the boot! It looked like the owner had made some attempt to repair the steering lock damage caused by the break in, but hadn't got around to putting it back together.

8~)

There is mention it was imported... I guess it was imported from the UK and that's probably part of the reason it's so bad. I've seen enough UK and Irish cars to agree with the thinking that it really is true the salt used on the roads over there in wintertime can wreck bodywork.

I have an SLC that I understand was left sitting, mainly outside, outside for about 6 years. It's not too bad; need an arch repair and a patch or two but not a lot really.

Saying that, the metalwork on any car, including Mercedes, will rust quite quickly once the paint, underseal or protective wax is compromised. Parking up a 70s car with its rust traps left full of mud is asking for trouble.

MercMad

Yes there were no 500SL's in 1980 over here.

That car is gone, finished, scrap !

Apart from the rust you CAN see its the rust you cant that will send it to the scrap yars. Panels can be got, they are expensive, but getting folk to do the work properly will suck up the cash !

The main worry is, as mentioned it would probably have been left with mud cacked onto its undersides, the seals will have gone brittle and let water into the soft top compartment and eventually down into the inner sills which are structural.

The most important thing is that the front scuttle will have picked up debris and the drains will block, so you end up with a completely rotten bulkhead area, once there is rust here the cars is a gonner !

You can fix the areas you can see, under the front arches, but up behind the dash will be rotten, and you need to cut the car apart to repair this !

The price is also out the window, I have seen cars that look perfect at that price, sure they need work but not that much !

I suggest buying a structurally sound car, the mechanicals are robust, available and not hard to do !

MercMad

Where is the car anyway............roughly ? BTW I have no interest at all just curious !

BrianD3

8~) wrote:

There is mention it was imported... I guess it was imported from the UK and that's probably part of the reason it's so bad. I've seen enough UK and Irish cars to agree with the thinking that it really is true the salt used on the roads over there in wintertime can wreck bodywork.

I have an SLC that I understand was left sitting, mainly outside, outside for about 6 years. It's not too bad; need an arch repair and a patch or two but not a lot really.

Saying that, the metalwork on any car, including Mercedes, will rust quite quickly once the paint, underseal or protective wax is compromised. Parking up a 70s car with its rust traps left full of mud is asking for trouble.

I think where a car is parked also makes a difference. That Merc seems to be parked up in a relatively sheltered but damp looking area. The car may be sheltered from wind and sun but not from rain in which case once it gets wet it'll stay wet.

Also parking a car near vegetation or even worse, on grass seems to increase rust.

Hifive

MercMad wrote:

Where is the car anyway............roughly ? BTW I have no interest at all just curious !

The Flinstone mobile (no floors) is in the driveway of his fathers house in Rathfarnham, Willowbank drive, just off the ballyroan road and while it is sheltered by trees, this has probably worsened the situation as the area seems dark and damp.

Dades

Why would you leave a car like that sit for 5 years?

I assume he's having a laugh with €5,000?!

MercMad

The Flinstone mobile (no floors) is in the driveway of his fathers house in Rathfarnham, Willowbank drive, just off the ballyroan road and while it is sheltered by trees, this has probably worsened the situation as the area seems dark and damp

..........coincedentally we used to live there !!

Hifive

Oops , well Willowbank road isn't all dark and damp, just yer mans driveway:p

Silvera

would be great to see her saved ....if only because she has an original Irish reg plate!

8~)

I agree with MercMad - it's scrap. Not worth saving.

It'll end up being bought for the reg plate and logbook, then will magically appear on the road again in good condition but maybe with a different colour interior!

Hifive

Sent the guy a friendly e-mail today about another rough SL he might be interested in watching on ebay which is in similar condition to his own.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=190115127475&rd=1&rd=1

And he tells me his sold unseen for €3750.00.
Boy is that guy going to get a shock.

Apparently the buyer has wired a deposit to the sellers bank, so he's committed.

He should have called me for advice.
Run, run fast and don't look back:)

junkyard

That plate will end up on a mid-eighties SL for sure and won't look out of place with an 86 reg. and secretly vintage tax so he's on a winner from the start. He's saving on VRT and on road tax in a big way as a mid-eighties Merc. would still have high road tax for another 6 or 8 years. Damn, why didn't I think of it.:rolleyes:

8~)

How'd you work out it'll get vintage tax, Junkie? Creative details on the application form?

Dades

Junkyard, you reckon someone will import an 80's SL and pass it off as that 350?
Interesting. Save €1,300 p/a in road tax, and pay no VRT as the car won't ever see a VRT office.

I like it.

BrianD3

The Atheist wrote:

Junkyard, you reckon someone will import an 80's SL and pass it off as that 350?
Interesting. Save €1,300 p/a in road tax, and pay no VRT as the car won't ever see a VRT office.

I like it.

Someone posted before that this sort of thing is widespread. I don't see much wrong with it, after all you are just using the newer imported car as "spare parts" to fix up the older Irish car.

(where spare parts = the bodyshell, interior and engine )

junkyard

BrianD3 wrote:

Someone posted before that this sort of thing is widespread. I don't see much wrong with it, after all you are just using the newer imported car as "spare parts" to fix up the older Irish car.

(where spare parts = the bodyshell, interior and engine )

Sounds good to me.:)

8~)

Can I ask again - why do ye say it'll save 1300 p.a. on road tax? It's an '86 car.

junkyard

It's a 75 car (vintage tax) reregistered in 86, do you get it now?

8~)

Just read the ad on carzone - now I get it; I'd taken it was an '86 car.

My original comment about someone buying it to use its identity was based on VRT avoidance... the fact it's vintage tax as well easily makes it worth 4+ grand if someone is prepared to take a chance on ringing it.

I'm not an advocate of ringing because if the vintage tax concession is abused it will be taken away by legislation; also ringers could also be into clocking and cut n shuts and other dodgy practices.

Still, no wonder it was purchased unseen.

unkel

BrianD3 wrote:

I don't see much wrong with it, after all you are just using the newer imported car as "spare parts" to fix up the older Irish car.

(where spare parts = the bodyshell, interior and engine )

LOL. I hope you're not endorsing illegal activities?

junkyard

unkel wrote:

LOL. I hope you're not endorsing illegal activities?

Needless to say I wouldn't dream of it either.;)

Dades

unkel wrote:

LOL. I hope you're not endorsing illegal activities?

It could be said by paying VRT one is endorsing illegal activities such as a restriction on the free movement of goods within the EU... Your Honour...