Bought a cool 380sl yesterday!
 

Found and purchased a rust free but non running 1981 380sl yesterday. Super excited to dig into it and bring it back to life. Plus, I think it's a grey market car!

Always a good day when you hitch up a trailer on a Friday night.

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Nice find, Gasbeard! Love that color. I got one a few years ago and really enjoy it. Got to get mine out now that better weather is on its way. Love driving it and I know you will enjoy it. It gives a nice heavy ride but is much quicker than my daily 300d. It gives you a nice, krisp ride and like other r107s, has a lot of class!
Tom

Thanks for the reply. I drive a 240d - so I'm sure it will feel like a rocket ship.
Bare minimum - needs plugs, wires, coil, rotor, cap, battery, tires, oil change, coolant flush. Once all that stuff is done - will see if she starts up.

Plan for the summer is to strip down the old paint, prime it, and repaint in db172 anthracite (i know - not a model year color, but i bought the thing to enjoy it, and i want that color!).

Gasbeard,

Be sure to drain the gas and change out the fuel filters. If its been sitting, your fuel filters can degrade, causing problems after starting after a long time. I made that mistake on a 560sel. Love the diesels as well. Looked at 240d last week and strongly considering it. Love to get a standard one. Also, be sure to check the timing chain if you can. They are the the main problem for the 380sl. Otherwise, they are bullet proof. Also, if you like white, the paint on these old cars is pretty tough. My white 300d has bad paint, but with some work, cleaning and waxing the paint can get it looking pretty sharp.

Smart thinking, thanks for the tip. My understanding is that the car has been sitting for about 15 years. I'm sure the gas is skunked.

I'm pretty sure the car is a grey-market car; if that's true, it'll be a double row timing chain car, which would be great. Will know more as I get into it.

On the paint, it was actually repainted white at some point. It was originally astral grey. So i don't feel too bad about changing it again!

It's a Euro. Battery location confirms. If it was a US model the battery would be in the trunk.

Cool! Thanks for the info rowdie. I suspected it from my research but I'm new to the r107's and was hoping the forum could pitch in their knowledge.

My box of tune-up parts just arrived today, so I'll see what I'm dealing with tonight and this weekend.

Doubly make sure your fuel hoses are in tact both inside the engine bay and under the tank.

Nothing ruins a day more than wayward gas smells or an engine fire!

Funny you should say that.
I went for the first start and it acted like It wasn't getting fuel. So I looked at the intake....and immediately saw a distressing amount of gas pouring out of the starboard side fuel pressure damper. Ruh roh.

Interestingly, the same part failed on my 1987 porsche 944. Anyway, other than the major fuel leak, she wanted to turn over! Lol. Next try....this weekend.

Update

Replaced the fuel pressure damper with a used eBay replacement. No more leaking. But still no starting either.

Traced it back to either fuel pump or fuel pump relay. No fuel pump hum with ignition switch on.

Ordered a fuel pump and filter. Figure it needs done anyway after 37 years, even though it could be the relay. Will find out soon enough.

At most the pump is only activated for a second or two when first switched on. On some it does not come on until cranking. You can try connecting 12V directly

In the absence of a functional fuel pump, the fuel pouring out of the damper... came from?

Hmm - ok. Thanks. I'll connect it to a battery directly and see if i can get it to activate.

Hah - that's a great point. Was thinking just gas remaining in the lines? I'd say a total of about 4oz of gas came out. (more than a seep, less than a flood).

I can get it to fire with starter fluid in the intake but it dies immediately, which led me to believe it was fuel pump or relay.

If I wanted to test fuel pressure, what's the best location?