Euro 1982 380SL

I’ve been offered a straight swap for my Mitsubishi Shogun against a 1982 Euro 380SL mechanically it’s excellent with 105,000 miles and MB history up to 96,000. Strangely it’s got all its old MOTs and bills but has had 10 owners .
Excellent leather interior and mint hard top with a recently fitted original new hood.
However the body work could do with some work. Generally it’s very good with very solid underside and sills but one of the rear arches is badly rusted and the other is starting to bubble. Also has bubbling on the trunk and a small rust crack along the inside of the rear boot valance. Also has an AMG badge on it (why do people do that?).
Do you think it’s worth the swap?
How big an issue is this single timing chain I keep reading about? How much would this cost to change to a duplex and how can you tell if it’s already been done?
Main dealer wants £1200 for the body panels, does anyone know of anywhere cheaper in the UK?
What MPG should I expect? I’m guessing around 18mpg, a little more on the run.
I'm having it tomorrow for the morning so I can take it to my bodyshop and general running around. Anything else I should be thinking about?

Anything else I should be thinking about?

[GermanMarque]

Hi,
If your not running yet,,,,,start running now as fast as you can! The fact this vehicle has had 10 previous owners should raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Rust is the death knoll with these vehicles. The normal formula for rust is quadruple what you can see to realise what's there and thats being optomistic. I think I read on a post here your looking at $3,500.00+ US$ for a double row conversion on the timing chain. I wouldn't even look down the oil filler cap with a small mirror to see which type of cam chain lives in there. You won't get any sleep if you go ahead with the swap, you'll be lying in bed listening to that odd noise in the garage, it will be the subtle noise of rust eating your car as you sleep. Swap a 1997 Turbo for it? I personally wouldn't swap the rear diff out of your 64 Landie for it (and it's the worst part of a landie!). Paint and mechanicals/trim can be fixed, rust can't. Joggers/sandshoes/flip flops/slippers, what ever you call them, put them and run away. My opinion, someone back me up and save this man!

[Walrus]

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I recall the single-row timing chain only made it to America, and the Euros had doubles all the time (all 107 Euro V8...).

Rust can be very bad to deal with... What you described alone is enough to make me run, unless the Shogun is such a dog that the SL is actually a better car?

According to the Mercedes Benz technical centre, Milton Keynes, The Euro engines are different. It's still single but apparently the US engines had to be made lighter so the timing chain, tensioners, sprockets etc. were some of the items to be 'lightened'. They said alot of people change them every 100,000 but Mercedes themselves don't recomend this.

Didn't get it in the end, but their's another I've got my eye on although it's the 500 and with fuel prices in the UK?

[ch7ckc]

The various mechanical issues can be fixed given enough time and money...but the rust will break your heart.When you get it under control here,it will show up there.If you really want any 107,take your time and look around as there are always good ones out there.These cars are unique with a timeless look but they are not rare.

Euro engines,the 380(116)included,were stronger and had the double chain.You can always pull the RH valve cover(the easy one)for a look see.

The rust would still make me look elsewhere.

Good luck,ch7ckc

I bought the 500SL in the end, slightly more expensive but a far better nick.
History and a folder full of receipts. I've a few teething problems to sort out , indicator bulb and starter occasionly doesn't engage. For some reason it hasn't got the rear spoiler and has 17" AMG replicas which I hate. Wilkinsons body shop told me around £1,000 to do all the bits and repaint were neaded. It needs attension to one of the rear arches and there's a scuff on the front N/S wing which is starting to rust. Hard top has a few scabs and it needs a good vallet but for a 1983 car It's the best I've seen for the money.