280SLC to 280SL-LONG BODY CONVERTIBLE

[mespe]

Hey all, well, I got bored, so I decided to create yet another project to occupy my spare time. (Other projects include Aquaponics, Solar powered Water well, Gardening,,,)

So, I have this 1980 280SLC that I was going to restore, but turns out it's kinda rotted all over and shouldn't ever be in the rain again. So Off with the top.

I want to end up with a "Parade car" parked in my garage except for parades.

1980 280SLC with 76K miles.

Here's some pictures,,,

[mach4]

It's generally a bad idea to chop the top off a sedan/coup to create a convertible, the reason being that convertibles are designed with extra bracing and support to make up for the roof being gone. Non-convertibles use the roof as part of the support structure. Cars have been known to simply fold with the roof being removed.

It's possible that the fundamental structure of the SL was maintained with the SLC which would make your modification acceptable. If not, you would need to add some additional structural support to make the car safe.

These are general comments, perhaps someone on here will be familiar with the exact nature of the SL/SLC construction and be able to comment more definitively.

These cars aren't like the old cars where the body sat on a frame which provided all the support - the body IS the frame.

Just one example from a quick Google search:

I did it! But with a 89 ford tempo. I baught it for 12 bucks at the end of the year in my shop class, my senior year of high school. It was so much fun! but it only lasted about 2 weeks, i just kept bending in. We opened the back doors at the same time, and that was all it needed. It crumpled like a can. But man, for those 2 weeks, it was the greatest thing. We spray painted it orange! it was so much fun. But when it died, it cost me and my buddies almost $100 to get it taken to the junk yard. The $112 was the best we spent that summer!

I certainly wouldn't do it without either structural mods or an understanding of the cars construction.

[zakkkk]

Wow, cool stuff. A nice 4 seater.
Pls post more pix to show the entire car.
I'll bet the lines and proportions are pleasing.
Yes, I agree, underbody reinforcement should be looked at.
It would be simple to weld on some small angle or sq tube steel pieces to the underside to stiffen things up.
Good luck.

[rowdie]

Fonzi has a 450SLC 5.0 convertible that is one of two conversions by a company in Alabama? back in the day. SLC convertible? - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum

[mespe]

Originally Posted by mach4

It's generally a bad idea to chop the top off a sedan/coup to create a convertible, the reason being that convertibles are designed with extra bracing and support to make up for the roof being gone.

That is understood. A good friend of mine is a fabricator who builds race cars. He does it all, interior cage (to NHRA Specs) steering and suspension, exhaust, parachutes, I've seen 600+HP at his shop, motorcycles, cuts axles (to fit wider tires) really neat stuff. I helped him by designing an automatic headlight opener/closer using benz parts - vacuum elements, a vacuum pump, purge solenoid, here's a video ->Camaro SS Headlight door opener/closer using pre-owned Mercedes Parts - YouTube

He's giving me pointers on where to cut, and how to get it together. I'm gonna have him beef up the bottom.

My intentions are to build a parade car for politicians to parade around in, however, the more I think about it, how cool would it be to put a seat up high on the rear deck (with seat belts and a panic button) and cruise around town.

It's going to be a long project, as I need to build a greenhouse too.

[presscot]

Hey guy, Mr.mespe

I'm really interested this project.

PLEASE up date this project periodically, PLEASE.

[presscot]

I'm looking for R107 but unfortunately the R107 is hard to find and too much expensive. So, I think the second way is find out C107 instead and then convert it to R107. That's why I'm really interested this project. Thank you.

[presscot]

Hi, how about a progress ?

[nobby]

Originally Posted by presscot

Hi, how about a progress ?

Where are you that a R107 is hard to find?

[presscot]

Originally Posted by nobby

Where are you that a R107 is hard to find?

I live in Bangkok, Thailand.

[fonzi]

Let me know if you want any details on how everything was done with my car. It has an SL windshield and the guts of an SL top frame extended with one extra bow. The torsion rod was removed from the trunk so it has a pump to prop it up, and the rockers are reinforced with 2x2" beams, which are perfect for jacking the car up :-)
I've currently got the car up on jack stands, so I can get detailed underbody pics if your like. The conversion was done in 1984-5 and seems really strong and stable. The car supposedly had 40,000 miles on it then, and shows not quite 120,000 now. So it has been good for 80,000 miles. While it is up in the air, I plan to florins off any surface rust along the beam welds and cover with POR-15... Maybe when the temps break freezing anyway.

I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that the SLC gas tank must sit up a little higher than the SL and the parcel shelf can't get as deep as the SL top well, not to mention the longer top requiring more surface area when closed. So the soft top sits up a lot higher than the near-flat SL hard boot.