Mercedes R107: The Essential Guide to Buying, Owning, and Restoring the Classic SL (350SL 450SL 380SL 560SL)

The R107 SL is not a used car. It is a financial IQ test. To the uninitiated, a $15,000 Mercedes-Benz SL looks like a bargain. To the expert, it looks like a grenade with the pin pulled. The Mercedes-Benz R107 (1971–1989) is the last of the "Cost-No-Object Artifacts"—vehicles engineered by geniuses and built like bank vaults. But after 40 years, the line between a rising investment and a Financial Abyss is razor-thin. Whether you are hunting for your first 560SL or trying to save the 450SL in your garage, this book is not a brochure. It is a forensic survival guide designed to save you thousands of dollars in "tuition." Inside, you will learn to navigate "The Trap" and master the machine: The "Walk-Away" Inspection: How to spot the Plenum Chamber Rot and Subframe Cracks that turn a classic car into scrap metal. The "Time Bombs": Identify the Single-Row Timing Chain (380SL) and the "Evil Servo" (Climate Control) before they detonate your bank account. The NLA Terror: How to survive the "No Longer Available" parts crisis and source the specific rubber, switches, and relays that keep these cars alive. Artifact vs. Appliance: Why a "Pool Noodle" repair ruins value, and how to restore your interior, roof, and fuel system to factory integrity. For the Buyer: Do not sign the check until you pass the "Water Torture Test." For the Owner: Stop throwing money at "Appliance" repairs. Learn to curate the Artifact. The R107 is a legend. But it demands tribute. Read this book. Buy the right car. Save the Artifact.