I know this is a dumb question, but every time I clean the carpets and mat on the driver's side it sparks curiousity... What is the reasoning behind attaching the accelerator to the floor? It's a real pain to get the vacuum/shampooer around to the right side of the pedal where "stuff" tends to build up.

Looking back, I remember the Milennia, LS400 and some BMW cars are the same way. Also, we had an old Buick or Oldsmobile back in the day that had the pedal bottom resting on the floor, but it was not actually attached. You could lift it up and clean around.

Trivial, yes, but I'd love to know...Thanks!

__________________
Lance Allison
Lance@LanceAllison.com

Current:
11 MB S550 4Matic, 55k miles, Designo Black/Black
14 Ford F150 XLT Lariat Crew, 73k miles, 5.0
Coyote V8 4x4. Black/tan.
09 GMC Envoy Denali, 5.3 V8, 4x4 SWB. 38k miles,
Jewel Red/Med Gray.

Gone:
87 MB 300SDL, 320k miles, Astral Silver/Blue.
98 VW Jetta TDI, 488k miles, Classic Green/Gray.
85 Olds 98 Brougham FWD, 4.3 DIESEL V6, 80k
miles, 3x Gray.

MBCA Member, Chicago Region

So far as I know, MB has always used a hinged accelerator pedal. Most of the older cars I've seen (1950's and back) did, too -- GM certainly did until the late sixties, so did Ford and Chysler.

The "floating" pedal debued in the mid to late sixties -- Ford starting with the "new" body style in 64 or 65, GM about the same time, supposedly easier to drive.

I guess MB never felt a need to change -- the operating rod on the MB slips in the pedal, so you don't get the "overcenter" action you have on, say, a 1962 Oldsmobile, that caused you to mash down on the gas at takeoff, since the pedal was almost immoble at idle. Took considerable pressure to go "over center" and then down, but very little resistance once it "popped over".

I've always thought that particular design was a result of the need to floor the accelerator on the old Buick Twin Turbine automatic -- to get the car moving before you fried the tranny from excessive slip. Started out in low gear, high slip turbine (two speed and reverse gear set, TWO two speed (high and low slip) fluid couplings. Famous for burned transmission oil.

And a side note to whoever said that MB automatics circa 1967 were "primitive" and "they never made an automatic before" -- MB made the 8 speed auto for the Super Panzer during WWII --long before Hydramatic designed anything for automotive use!

Peter

__________________
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!

Hi Lance,couldn't you just lift the carpets out to shampoo them and then you can get at all the dirt that gets under there around the pedal?

__________________
Democracy dies in darkness, you have to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight

You could always remove the plastic clip that secures the pedal base to the floor, itsprobablt just below the carpet immediately in front of the pedal. Grab it with a pair of serated jawed pliers an pull it straight back, makes getting the carpet pad completely removed easier too!

psfred - Thanks for the interesting piece of history. I was not aware of this.

It's not a big deal to clean around it, just kind of a pain. I do remove the mat and carpet set about once a week.

I was just curious as to why this design exists.

__________________
Lance Allison
Lance@LanceAllison.com

Current:
11 MB S550 4Matic, 55k miles, Designo Black/Black
14 Ford F150 XLT Lariat Crew, 73k miles, 5.0
Coyote V8 4x4. Black/tan.
09 GMC Envoy Denali, 5.3 V8, 4x4 SWB. 38k miles,
Jewel Red/Med Gray.

Gone:
87 MB 300SDL, 320k miles, Astral Silver/Blue.
98 VW Jetta TDI, 488k miles, Classic Green/Gray.
85 Olds 98 Brougham FWD, 4.3 DIESEL V6, 80k
miles, 3x Gray.

MBCA Member, Chicago Region