All the MB V8's from the 60's and 70's are essentially bullet-proof -- sleeved cast iron, usualy run 500,000 miles before lower end work necessary unless severely overheated or run out of oil. No sleeve problems, no head problems (MB has been using aluminum heads since the 50's).

The aluminum block/silicon liner engines probably live even longer with proper maintenance, I've never heard of a systematic problem OTHER than severe damage from overheating and the disasterous timing chain problems on the 3.8 and 4.2L versions since fixed. (HINT: don't overheat a Benz engine, even briefly, it causes damage!). The early ones have problems with head bolts stripping the threads when removed, later ones (85 or so one, I believe) have steel threaded inserts to fix this problem. Else very troublefree -- valve jobs at 250,000, very little else.

There are lots of PanzerWagons on the road in California with the odometers reaching past 500,000 miles. They stay in "circulation" at pretty good prices unless totally rusted out or wrecked.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Buy a cheap 107 and the two happiest days are are when you buy it and the day you sell it. That 230hp 3.5 combined with worn out rubber mounts, the heavy front end, and weak brakes would make it a handfull in a emergency. Would be a cool beater though.

Just to clarify a few things. A 107043 is a 350SL, ie. a 107 with the M116 iron block 3.5 V8 as has pretty much already been established. This was the only V8 that MB offered with manual transmission (4-speed only) and here in Australia the rare manuals are sought after. Unfortunately, as has already been mentioned, when they break the gearboxes are expensive to repair. The M116 3.5 was the engine that the M117 4.5 was derived from simply by stroking and the two are virtually identical in appearance and shared ignition and injection systems (D-Jet on early versions and K-Jet on later versions). The 3.5 shares the bore of the 4.5 and is therefore very oversquare with its short stroke. As such it offers little low down torque but from 4000 to 6500 RPM it really comes alive. It was rated at 200hp DIN or 230hp SAE offering more power than any 4.5 (or 450) that you got in the US.

As an owner of one in a 350SLC (107023), I can assure you it is a very sweet revvy engine that lasts a long time, possibly longer than the 4.5 if the experience here in Australia is anything to go by. We not only got the 3.5 in the 111 coupe as in the US, but in the 108 and 109 sedans (280SE3.5, 280SEL3.5, 300SEL3.5), the 116 sedans (350SE, 350SEL) and the 107 (350SL, 350SLC). In addition to these we also got the 107 and 116 with both the 2.8 M110 and of course the 4.5 M117. The 3.5 with auto transmission in the 108, 109, 111 and early 107 got the fluid coupled 4-speed whereas from about 1973 onwards they had the torque convertor 3-speed.

My '73 350SLC has the 3-speed auto and with the 3.5 without any emission controls strangling it has no problem giving respectable performance, despite its hefty weight. By 1973 standards it was fast with 0 to 60mph coming up in under 9 seconds (all in 1st gear!) and a top speed of over 130mph. In addition to this it offers comfort, safety and superb braking and handling. Among the best in the world in the '70s and still good today.

For a pic of my 350SLC in action see http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/attachments/tech-help/9849-lets-all-post-pic-our-benz-s-350slc_60k.jpg

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107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.

Hello,
OK, Greg got it right first time round, being a 350SLC owner, BTW, nice car, I love the chintzy gold colour.
ALL 350s(W107/108/111/116) had 3.46 final drive, which means about 22mph/1000rpm in top gear on the standard 205/70x14 tyres, so a 350SL pulling 5500-5800rpm tops out around 127-131mph, the magic 210kmh that Mercedes and BMW loved to quote in their sales blurb.
From what I have seen, the 4 speed manual used behind the M116 is a design unique to the V-8s, even the bearings are difficult to come by from specialist bearing suppliers.
No other Mercedes V-8 has ever had a manual gearbox.
500SL: Began production in 1980 with 501 units(IIRC),with all alloy 240bhp engine/4 speed automatic transmissions and 2.72 final drive, in 1981 changed over to *energy concept* 2.42 final drive, both types can exceed 140mph given the right conditions. Not sold in USA.
Have a good week.

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Nachi11744

The 350 you're looking at is a much better car than you're giving it credit for. This isn't a typical "Small-Block V8", as many people seem to think it's derrogatory term applied to weak little V8 engines that the big-blocks could beat like they were nothing. This 3.5 has the same HP, and only a little less torque as a 4.5 engine with lower compression.

Be aware, you NEED to run 93 octane in this car if you do buy it, or it WILL ping. However, when properly tuned, you can get it to run a bit over-stock on power, at the cost of a little more fuel and a higher octane. You can get away with 92 octane if you keep the ignition timing not the slightest bit advaned over suggested specs. I advance my 4.5 a few degrees and get a bit more power and better economy on 93.

Stuff like engine mounts, etc aren't really THAT vital in "Emergency situations" - my 4.5's engine mounts and subframe mounts are TRASH but it can still stop on a dime and handle like it's on rails. If it doesn't have any signs of rust or bondo, and idle oil pressure is around 15-20 or so when hot and pegs quickly (before 1200 RPMs), and if there is little to no top-end noise noticable (as in tapping, you will naturally hear some through the valve covers on an OHC engine), then I HIGHLY suggest you buy this car. Even if the transmission seems stiff, it's a VERY rare car that a $2000 purchase can EASILY net over $15000 on eBay of done right. Of course, once you drive it a few times and roast some smartasses in Hondas and the like, blowing by them at 90+ while they have it floored and wonder if you've got a jet engine, you'll probably want to keep it...

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Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k

Thanks for the compliment. Icon gold was a popular colour here back in the '70s. It's actually not too flash up close, needs paint on the roof and rear at the very least. Still, considering I bought it cheap over 22 years ago, it has been a reliable old beast despite high kilometres. Regarding the gearing and the ability of the 3.5 to rev, I once saw about 6500rpm in top gear many years ago. Speedo was showing about 220km/h (137mph). It will happily pull all the way to the rev limiter at almost 7000rpm in the lower gears. As you can see from the picture I had a link to, lack of power is not a problem, but a limited slip diff would have been good. I would like to convert mine to a manual, but manual boxes for the 3.5 are hard to come by. I'm also not sure about replacing the reliable 3-speed auto with an expensive-to-repair 4-speed manual. I am keeping the SLC to maybe get into a bit of classic/historic rallying. As for fuel, my owners manual stipulates 98RON which I use, and even that gives an occasional ping or knock under load. At least 98 unleaded is available here now (which I add a lead replacement to). A few years back as they were phasing out leaded fuel here, RON of super dropped back to about 94. I had to retard the timing to prevent pinging and performance really suffered.

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107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.

Hello,
I had a W116 450SEL in Icon Gold for about a year, it was a real Q-car in the sense that almost all were 280Ss around here, so the 450 was good for scaring off the *riceburners*, I blew off a Mitsubishi Airtrek turbo with ease and the 450 had gotten up to 120-125mph before I had to stand on the brakes to slow for traffic :p
The iron block engine/iron case auto is a bulletproof combination, unfortunately in Malaysia due to crippling annual roadtaxes on bigger engines, most V-8s are/were converted to the M123, M130 or M110 drivetrains and nowadays to M103s, with some even ending up with 2litre or 2.6litre Nissan engines
The 350 is a revvy 200bhp engine, you have to remember the competition was the super smooth BMW 3 Litre, also rated at 200bhp with D-jet, 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds and a 132mph top speed, with the CSi/CSL claiming 137mph.
I love cars from the 70s
Have a good week.
PS You could use the complete rear axle from a 450SLC under the 350, you get the light alloy control arms and the anti-squat watts linkage stabilizer bar+3.07 axle ratio AND lsd in some markets, not sure about Aussie specs.

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Nachi11744