W116 Euro manual trans - am I crazy to look?

[billhard]

So I have a line on a gray market 1979 450SEL with a manual trans imported in early 80's. The original owner, and he is claiming 81K miles asking $2500. I have only owned w123 diesels so I know very little about this 116. Does anyone want to tell me I am crazy? Any advice before I go look? Thanks Bill

[alabbasi]

If it's a manual v8 then it's a 350SEL which is probably the rarest W116 out there. I'd do it.

[daw_two]

I would at least go look. That is very low mileage.

[Squiggle Dog]

There's a fairly nice W116 280SE with a manual transmission and blue plaid interior for $1,800 that pops up on the Seattle craigslist every now and then.

[billhard]

Is there any resource for VIN decoding on the W116? The Russians only go as early as 1980.

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by billhard

Is there any resource for VIN decoding on the W116? The Russians only go as early as 1980.

The Russian site has worked on the W116s I have looked up from the late 1970s.

[diametricalbenz]

A 350SE Euro would be a rare bird. I wonder if it was a converted 450SEL with a R107 4sp manual transmission? I have considered the craziness myself should the funds ever be available.

[wolf_walker]

ANY older MB manual trans car is worth consideration, in my opinion. The lack of them has driven me to BMW several times over the years.

[alabbasi]

Originally Posted by wolf_walker

ANY older MB manual trans car is worth consideration, in my opinion. The lack of them has driven me to BMW several times over the years.

If you want manual transmissions, stick with BMW's, they make fantastic manual transmissions. MB's on the other hand, make the worlds best automatics.

[diametricalbenz]

Originally Posted by alabbasi

If you want manual transmissions, stick with BMW's, they make fantastic manual transmissions. MB's on the other hand, make the worlds best automatics.

I thought BMW manuals were Getrag built? I will second that on the MB automatics after just shelling out a few grand to replace my Dodge truck transmission with only 158K on it...

[GGR]

BMW trasmissions (at least in the 70s and 80s) are built by Getrag and they are excellent.

The manual transmission fitted on the W116 3.5 is the G76/27-A, and also hapens to be built by Getrag, like all the transmissions of the same family fitted on MBs of these years. But they are very different from the ones found on BMWs (240 245 260 and 265).

[alabbasi]

Originally Posted by diametricalbenz

I thought BMW manuals were Getrag built?.

Maybe, but the BMW transmission has a beautiful short and precise throw. It makes you want to drive these cars fast.

[diametricalbenz]

Originally Posted by alabbasi

Maybe, but the BMW transmission has a beautiful short and precise throw. It makes you want to drive these cars fast.

I have only driven newer BMW's and I would definitely agree there. Z3, 330xi, and 540i but I can't remember what were Getrags and or ZF's. Either way they were all excellent powertrains in a great chassis to boot but unfortunately way out of my price range

[wolf_walker]

I miss my E30 dearly, 90 325i sedan. I had an E39 540i 6spd for about 6 months before I came to my senses. It was lacking something the older cars had, but was very good at what it did.

[GGR]

I share a 3.0 CSI with a friend. What a car! The only one I'm driving window opened in winter, just to listen to the exhaust: