Another Casualty

[joshhol]

I had the unpleasant experience of seeing a W108 rolling down the freeway today on the back of one of those flatbed trucks, crushed into a pancake and piled on top of and under a bunch of other dead cars.
I joked with my friend who sometimes gives me a hard time about having three old Benzs, (even though he has 3 cars and a motorcycle)
about getting that truck to pull over so I could see if I could by it.
But all kidding aside, there ain't but a few of them left.

Here's to keeping the ones we have on the road where they belong.

[MikeTangas]

Amen, Brother.

[hill]

Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
If it weren't
For freaks like us
They all would rust.

[psfred]

W108's are getting crushed at an amazing rate suddenly -- I know of three in this area in the last couple months. Very irritating, as I was going to get a pile of parts off them, but the dim-bulbs at the U-pullits were in crusher mode......

Sadly, they usually only need some restoration. Some are rusted beyond repair, but the ones I've seen were just "too expensive" to repair -- bodies mostly intact, interiors good, one had a frozen and busted block (this is matainence failure -- didn't replace the leaking water pump and put water in it.....) Sign. American's never have managed to appreciate quality on a regular basis.
Peter

[suginami]

Very very sad!

As you all know, I've posted many, many times before that the 108 / 109 chassis is one of my favorites.

So few were sold in the U.S., especially the '71-'72 280 SE(L) 4.5's.

As Aaron, the moderator, posted, the 108's are probably the best vintage Mercedes to use as a competent, reliable daily driver.

Oh Sweet Jesus, where is the humanity???

Mercedes or not, I hate to see older, collectable (or not) cars go off to the crusher.

Federally funded state-run scrappage programs for vehicles over 15 years old crops up from time to time. The last bill,

"Section 822 of S. 517) would have created a new U.S. Department of Energy bureaucracy to federally fund state-run scrappage programs for vehicles over 15 years old. Under the program, owners who turned in vehicles for crushing would have received a cash payment and a credit toward purchasing a newer vehicle."

More info here:
"SCRAPPAGE IS DEFEATED ON U.S. SENATE FLOOR!"

[joshhol]

Yeah, it didn't look like it was decrepid beyong repair, (I guess that's hard to tell in the state it's in now). Maybe someone would have been able to reincarnate it. The thing is they made so few in the first place it's almost a crime to let what little left there are dwindle any further.
I bought my '73 SEL for $500 bucks in driveable condition. It has some rust and a leak in the radiator and some cosmetic issues but it's better than I thought. It's fate may have hung in the balance and a perfectly good car could have been ended up in the heap.
Praise to a site like this that's helps people keep these things away from the junkyards' event horizon.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

I still see a few 108/109 sedans here in Northern Virginia but it's been a long time since I've seen a Fintail around here. I did see one in Frederick MD and another in Exeter NH last summer, also a very rusty Fintail WAGON at the recent German Marque show here.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[LuckyF8]

OK guys, I have a dig cam now, I will get the old 108 out of the garage, blow off the dust and post some pictures.

1973 280SL 4.5, 117,000 miles.

I keep forgeting this car turned 30 last September.

[250SE]

I think that I would almost cry if I saw that! I love my 108, its my baby(even though its older than me!). I really wish that I had the money to restore my car. All I can do is keep her running and keep her covered. Oh well. Maybe one day she'll be worth something!
-Kim

[LuckyF8]

Please don't crush my 4.5.

I just got done washing the dust off her.

Hope picture turns out.....(I'am new at this dig cam stuff)

[LuckyF8]

One more try

Nice! I like the contrast of old vs new.

[LuckyF8]

Thanks Ted,

I think I may have figured this digital stuff out a little bit.