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#1
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560sl daily driver & Floor heater vents
This is not brand new car - has 152k on it, but runs great. In Buffalo, NY , and I'm thinking of starting to drive it on days when there's no snow - but there might be salt on the roads. My thinking is that I'm past the point of getting top dollar for this car, and i may as well enjoy it a drive it. Am I risking a rust deluge at this state of it's life?
Also, I had the under dash panels off, and it looks like there was an un-puncehed cut-out for floor air vents - was this an option? Can I punch it out, or will it ruin something in the air delivery system?
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1986 560SL 145k |
#2
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I used my 560SL in Colorado during the late winter/early spring...plenty of salt and gravel on the roads and still do in DC, although winter is very mild here. I found that the shielding on the exhaust got chewed up a bit, one of my calipers rusted, the paint on the rims deteriorated, and you'll get some pitting on your windshield from gravel and rock salt. The undercairage and suspension parts did not experience any rust. I still use it as my daily driver. Be very careful when you change your air filter...I found that little bits of gravel and rock salt would accumulated outside the filter.
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#3
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I posted the same question a few months ago about the unpunched floor vent cutouts, but I don't think anyone could figure out what I was talking about. I was getting no air out the bottom or through the doors. I cut mine out with a hole saw and now they work great. I never could figure out why they weren't punched out.
If you cut yours out, start with an undersized hole saw--maybe a 2-incher. There's a flange behind where you're cutting that you won't see till you cut a piece out. |
#4
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floor vent - daily drive
I wondered if they used the same venting setup in the 560 slc, and just didn't cut it out in the sl because it's not a "winter" car. Sure could use some heat on the feet, though.
thanks. To richard1 - I ave some of those aging symptoms already - the pitted windowshield, the rims starting to show their age - that's why I'm think of driving it a bit more and enjoying it -- the thought of reselling at a profit is fading. My only hope for reaping any thing out of the car might be to trade it up to a 300sl - but i'm not planning on having the money to do that anytime soon.
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1986 560SL 145k |
#5
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Drive it like you stole it!
I have seen the “unpunched” vents under the dash in my Euro SL. Are these to ones you are referring to? I still seem to get heat to the door panels but not to the floor. The 107 CD show that there is a servo vent there and I thought that was my problem. Maybe it’s not? This may work but is it correct? Please advise! I do know that the defrost servo is stuck open (default) and I would like to fix that as well. I don’t feel like removing all the interior panels to get to them, but I will when I am ready. Now, since there is no heat to the floor, my wife won’t ride in it when it is very cold.
I drive my SL all year. I put a set of Hakka Qs on 14” stock rims and have no trouble in the snow. I think there is minor ill effect but the car isn’t mint and I maintain it very well so why not? I went through some mortality fear and don’t want to save it until it’s too late. A friend said if I died, someone else would be enjoying my car. Forget that! Drive and enjoy...
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Steve 1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market) 1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market) 1992 BMW 525it Wagon 1994 Honda Del Sol Si |
#6
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Being that I'm in Florida I don't have the snow to contend with, but it does get a bit chilly. I don't get heat out of my doors nor the floor either. Don't recall seeing these cutouts you all describe, but I'll do a check this weekend to see if I have them in mine. Would like some more specific guidance on where to look if folks don't mind. Thanks.
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Don '85 500SL (Euro) - 186,000 w/a complete restoration and engine rebuild at 154,000 '95 C280 - 174,000 |
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