General Car Talk Discussion Thread
03-14-2014 | 07:05 PM
#7761
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This... also depends on what the garage find is. Do I really want to drive it or build it? Or is it more trouble than its worth, or does it even interest me to begin with?
03-17-2014 | 10:45 AM
#7769
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One Of Eleven AMG-Modded Mercedes-Benz 300SLs For Sale
From here: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...ls-up-for-sale
Mercedes-Benz’s in-house tuner AMG was only established in 1967 but the company has built a handful of original 300SLs in the past, including this 1954 gullwing. As the story goes, Brunei’s car crazy Sultan asked AMG if it could it take an original 300SL gullwing coupe and 300SL roadster and fit them both with modern internals.
As drastic as it sounds, there was apparently enough demand that nine other examples were built (other buyers are believed to be from the Brunei royal family). So between 1996 and 2009, AMG took 11 original 300SLs--eight coupes and three roadsters--and did a restomod on them. They were then sold for a price of more than a million euros ($1.39 million at current exchange rates) each.
Now, one of the cars is up for sale. It’s a 1954 example with chassis number 198040. It will be going under the hammer at an RM Auctions event in Monaco in early May.
The chassis and body are original but most of the rest of the car is new. Instead of the original straight-six, it’s powered by a 6.0-liter V-8 rated at 380 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque. The 300SL’s original swing-arm rear suspension has also made way for a modern five-link setup, and also added to the mix were Bilstein shocks and AMG light alloys. Power steering, disc brakes and a four-speed automatic transmission have also been added.
The interior is almost completely new and features a mixture of Nappa leather and Alcantara trim. As the shots reveal, the car also gets a HWA steering wheel, a Sony CD changer and carbon fiber protective panels. Other subtle interior touches include a steering-column lock for heightened security, as well as a complete set of original 300SL instruments which were adapted to modern comfort and electronic operation.
No estimate has been given but another of the AMG-modified 300SLs went up for auction in 2009 and sold for £462,000 ($767,460). That’s comparable with the price of an unmolested example so it will be interesting to see what this one will go for given the current mania in rare classics.
Other special cars to look out for during the RM Auction in Monaco, which gets underway May 10, include a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE, 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S, 1985 Porsche 959 prototype, and Ferrari and Brabham Formula One cars from 1989 and 1966, respectively.
As drastic as it sounds, there was apparently enough demand that nine other examples were built (other buyers are believed to be from the Brunei royal family). So between 1996 and 2009, AMG took 11 original 300SLs--eight coupes and three roadsters--and did a restomod on them. They were then sold for a price of more than a million euros ($1.39 million at current exchange rates) each.
Now, one of the cars is up for sale. It’s a 1954 example with chassis number 198040. It will be going under the hammer at an RM Auctions event in Monaco in early May.
The chassis and body are original but most of the rest of the car is new. Instead of the original straight-six, it’s powered by a 6.0-liter V-8 rated at 380 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque. The 300SL’s original swing-arm rear suspension has also made way for a modern five-link setup, and also added to the mix were Bilstein shocks and AMG light alloys. Power steering, disc brakes and a four-speed automatic transmission have also been added.
The interior is almost completely new and features a mixture of Nappa leather and Alcantara trim. As the shots reveal, the car also gets a HWA steering wheel, a Sony CD changer and carbon fiber protective panels. Other subtle interior touches include a steering-column lock for heightened security, as well as a complete set of original 300SL instruments which were adapted to modern comfort and electronic operation.
No estimate has been given but another of the AMG-modified 300SLs went up for auction in 2009 and sold for £462,000 ($767,460). That’s comparable with the price of an unmolested example so it will be interesting to see what this one will go for given the current mania in rare classics.
Other special cars to look out for during the RM Auction in Monaco, which gets underway May 10, include a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE, 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S, 1985 Porsche 959 prototype, and Ferrari and Brabham Formula One cars from 1989 and 1966, respectively.
03-17-2014 | 12:04 PM
#7776
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Same thing, except what really threw me off were those switches and the shifter. It looks like those were pulled from my dad's old 380SEL.
I've never been one to fuss over a car being "all-original". As long as it's tastefully and well-done. I'd much rather have a restomodded SL than a numbers-matching one.
I've never been one to fuss over a car being "all-original". As long as it's tastefully and well-done. I'd much rather have a restomodded SL than a numbers-matching one.
03-17-2014 | 12:31 PM
#7777
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From: Spring, TX
That Gullwing just seems wrong to me 
Probably in my top 5 favorite cars of all time, especially after getting a ride in one.
I've got nothing against restomods, but just seems wrong on a 300SL.
Probably in my top 5 favorite cars of all time, especially after getting a ride in one.
I've got nothing against restomods, but just seems wrong on a 300SL.
03-17-2014 | 01:30 PM
#7779
Your Friendly Canadian
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Toronto, Ontario
I agree it seems kind of off for a 300SL restomod. Maybe if the parts were bespoke, but it looks like they just slapped on stuff from the 90s parts bin. 
Last edited by Aman; 03-17-2014 at 01:34 PM.
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srika (03-17-2014)
03-17-2014 | 02:23 PM
#7781
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Not likely.
Neat idea, but they should have placed some wheels on it closer to the original.
No estimate has been given but another of the AMG-modified 300SLs went up for auction in 2009 and sold for £462,000 ($767,460). That’s comparable with the price of an unmolested example so it will be interesting to see what this one will go for given the current mania in rare classics.
03-17-2014 | 02:27 PM
#7782
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From: Waffles, BU
It was originally sold for a million euros and the starting price is comparable to an original, so no shame here. Plenty of 300's to jack off to in car museums. Restomod like this will likely be driven and that's the glory of it. It looks fucking great and you can spooge your pants if you see it in the wild instead of under a glass jar.
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Costco (03-17-2014)
03-17-2014 | 03:22 PM
#7783
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From: Spring, TX
It was originally sold for a million euros and the starting price is comparable to an original, so no shame here. Plenty of 300's to jack off to in car museums. Restomod like this will likely be driven and that's the glory of it. It looks fucking great and you can spooge your pants if you see it in the wild instead of under a glass jar.
Getting a ride in it was amazing. Much quicker than I was expecting it to be.
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VR1 (03-17-2014)
03-17-2014 | 05:36 PM
#7785
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It was originally sold for a million euros and the starting price is comparable to an original, so no shame here. Plenty of 300's to jack off to in car museums. Restomod like this will likely be driven and that's the glory of it. It looks fucking great and you can spooge your pants if you see it in the wild instead of under a glass jar.
Y'all sum hataz.
03-17-2014 | 07:04 PM
#7788
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Majofo (03-17-2014)
03-17-2014 | 07:54 PM
#7791
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From: Phoenix, AZ
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Majofo (03-17-2014)
03-17-2014 | 07:55 PM
#7792
It looked really good in the pictures.
It was my first time checking it out in person up close. It was just meh.
On the other hand, I saw this at the Starbucks.... Drooled for like 5 minutes.
I saw this before checking out that ELR or whatever. Maybe that's why it looked so meh?
Just being honest.
It was my first time checking it out in person up close. It was just meh.
On the other hand, I saw this at the Starbucks.... Drooled for like 5 minutes.
I saw this before checking out that ELR or whatever. Maybe that's why it looked so meh?
Just being honest.
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00TL-P3.2 (03-18-2014)
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Yumcha (03-17-2014)
03-17-2014 | 08:31 PM
#7795
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From: Phoenix, AZ
03-17-2014 | 08:33 PM
#7796
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But, to call every car that is not to one's taste to look like a sea creature? A bit weird...I mean, seriously...where does that Cadillac look like a sea creature?
03-17-2014 | 08:36 PM
#7798
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Quick - someone P-shop a
riding on the back of a whale!
