I was talking with a guy about older model Mercedes (I have an '89 420 SEL with 160k) and he remarked that his neighbor is going to sell a 76 (or 77?) 230 sl that is currently in parts in his garage. He is supposed to have about 9k in new parts and was going to restore the vehicle before his recent illness. My knowledge of the sl's in general is very limited. I will probably get over this week to take a look at everything but my initial questions are:

1. Are their any reliability issues with these cars (anything that has been prone to fail or wear excessively)?

2. I believe it has a 4 cylinder - how well does this run (power, gas mileage, etc.)?

Even general thoughts would be appreciated. It sounds like a fun project if the price is right.