What's the best color for an SL?

[Dee8go]

I've always heard that Lt Blue and Red are the two colors most susceptible to fading because of UV absorption. Also heard that red is like a cop magnet for speeding tickets.

Aside from that, I agree that it would be hard to find one in a color I couldn't live with! Still, yeloow really appeals to me. It looks very nice on Ferraris and Lambos, too.

[Roncallo]

I like Black, Justines post says it all. My black 560SL is my gentlemens car. Then I have a red one to be modified with a V-12 M120 engine. The red car since it will not be restored to original, will be repainted in red, but not Signal Red. I believe the color is called Corsica Red (Ferrari Red). This will be my toy.

See my gallerys Sadie and SadieInRed

Other colors I like are Navy Blue, White (except for the older off whites or light yellows), Metalic grey (I belive its called Graphite) There are a kind of Metalic Olive and Metalic Coppers colors that I really like but I dont know the names and they appear to be a very rare colors.

John Roncallo

[Dee8go]

John, I agree. There's nothing prettier than a highly-polished, black car. I've always been wary of having a red car. You know, all those stories you here about red cars being a cop magnet. They certainly do stand out. It sounds logical.

[Jim B.]

Black, like Justin's beauty. Damn, that looks beautiful.

But they look good in just about any color. Signal red is just dandy on them, even the pastel colors look real good.

It's hard to go wrong with an SL, any SL. I'd just stay away from the 75 and 76 models because I'm not happy with the cats mounted under the hood, too much heat, possible fire danger. 77 and up were mounted downstream.

[TheV12pwr]

Black is the BEST!!!

[t walgamuth]

silver for me. that is the traditional mercedes racing color. that was the color of the slr that stirling moss won the 55 mille miglia in.... arguably the most famous mb win ever.

tom w

[jjrodger]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

silver for me. that is the traditional mercedes racing color. that was the color of the slr that stirling moss won the 55 mille miglia in.... arguably the most famous mb win ever.

tom w

Of course, white was the traditional Mercedes-Benz racing colour. Silver came about by accident. In 1934 the international governing body of motor sport prescribed a maximum weight limit of 750 kilograms for Grand Prix racing cars, excluding tyres and fuel. When the Mercedes-Benz team placed its new Mercedes-Benz W25 on the scrutineering scales prior to the first race (the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring) in spring 1934, it recorded 751 kg. Racing manager Alfred Neubauer and his driver Manfred von Brauchitsch hit on the idea of scraping all the white paint from the bodywork. The next day, the shining silver aluminium beneath was exposed and the scrutineering was passed. After a successful race of the 320 hp cars, the nickname Silver Arrow was born.

[Dee8go]

JJ, are those two SL's in your sig yours or just stock photos? They're nice-looking.

[jr811]

I like my Yellow 79 SL

Jim

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by jjrodger

Of course, white was the traditional Mercedes-Benz racing colour. Silver came about by accident. In 1934 the international governing body of motor sport prescribed a maximum weight limit of 750 kilograms for Grand Prix racing cars, excluding tyres and fuel. When the Mercedes-Benz team placed its new Mercedes-Benz W25 on the scrutineering scales prior to the first race (the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring) in spring 1934, it recorded 751 kg. Racing manager Alfred Neubauer and his driver Manfred von Brauchitsch hit on the idea of scraping all the white paint from the bodywork. The next day, the shining silver aluminium beneath was exposed and the scrutineering was passed. After a successful race of the 320 hp cars, the nickname Silver Arrow was born.

absolutely correct. white was the color before silver. great story too. and true.

tom w

[Dee8go]

I have just begun reading a history/pictoral book on MB's called Silver Star Century. What would you guys say was the definitive MB history? I'm still pretty new to all of this and would like to get up to speed as quickly as I can.

[jjrodger]

Originally Posted by Dee8go

JJ, are those two SL's in your sig yours or just stock photos? They're nice-looking.

The 129 is mine (and always will be). The 107 belongs to a friend. It is bordeaux red over tobacco leather, an interesting colour combination. I really like the "period" colours for the 107: yellow, green, peach, beige, brown and so on! But in my book, a clean and well-polished car always looks a million dollars, whereas a dirty one always looks poor, whatever the colour.

[t walgamuth]

defining history?

for racing, two periods stand out to me.

in the mid and late thirties hitler subsidized the mb and auto union teams with millions of dollars. he wanted to demonstrate german superiority. they produced some of the most dominant cars ever raced. they built up blocks from sleeves with welded sheet metal cooling jackets to save weight, developed desmodronic valves which mechanically open and close with no springs so they would rev a lot higher without floating the valves and so forth. superchartgers too. and they ran a lethal mix of nitro and other high octane fuel. i understand the exhaust fumes would make your eyes water. the cars were producing 800 hp and running skinney hard tires that put a premium on throttle control for the brave (and scared) drivers. about the only time they were beat was when they raced on a tight course with short straightaways. then they were beaten by smaller more nimble cars.

then after ww2 benz came back with the 300slr sports racing cars and the w196 grand prix cars, raced by fangio and moss and others. they once again were very strong. not quite as dominant as in the thirties but very very strong. moss used to run about one carlength behind fangio at racing speed. he wanted to learn everything that fangio was doing. they both were very very good drivers.

those are the two periods of racing with benzos that stand out in my mind. there were other great racing benzes though. earlier, but i am not as familiar with them.

tom w

[Dee8go]

JJ, I thought your sig picture might be from an add or something. Nice photography and fantastic looking car.

I agree with you on the other comment. A clean, freshly waxed, and well-cared for car of any color looks better than a dirty one.

[Dee8go]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

defining history?

for racing, two periods stand out to me.

in the mid and late thirties hitler subsidized the mb and auto union teams with millions of dollars. he wanted to demonstrate german superiority. they produced some of the most dominant cars ever raced. they built up blocks from sleeves with welded sheet metal cooling jackets to save weight, developed desmodronic valves which mechanically open and close with no springs so they would rev a lot higher without floating the valves and so forth. superchartgers too. and they ran a lethal mix of nitro and other high octane fuel. i understand the exhaust fumes would make your eyes water. the cars were producing 800 hp and running skinney hard tires that put a premium on throttle control for the brave (and scared) drivers. about the only time they were beat was when they raced on a tight course with short straightaways. then they were beaten by smaller more nimble cars.

then after ww2 benz came back with the 300slr sports racing cars and the w196 grand prix cars, raced by fangio and moss and others. they once again were very strong. not quite as dominant as in the thirties but very very strong. moss used to run about one carlength behind fangio at racing speed. he wanted to learn everything that fangio was doing. they both were very very good drivers.

those are the two periods of racing with benzos that stand out in my mind. there were other great racing benzes though. earlier, but i am not as familiar with them.

tom w

Thanks, Tom. Can you recommend a book that covers those events, particularly the 1930's and 40's? When the German's decide to spare no expense to build something mechanical, the results usually are astounding. I wonder what it is about the Teutonic psyche that makes this so?