S-exy E-uropean C-hick

[Sixty8panther]

The "Banana Boat" '77 Cadillac Coupe deVille is SOLD as of less than 24 hours ago.

A moment of silence please.

a picture of the Banana from 2 weeks ago:

to be continued in a few min...

Edited July 28, 2008 by Sixty8panther

[balthazar]

Silence observed.

How much?

[Sixty8panther]

$1455.

Which is $1454 MORE than most people are willing to

pay for an obnoxious yellow Cadillac that gets 13-ish

miles to the gallon when we're paying $4.09 up here.

Sad to say the car could NOT function as my daily

driver any more with the mileage I drive these days.

I bought it back from XP when gas was right around

$3.07 which was already pretty much like getting

violated in jail every time the needle would dip past

1/4 tank on the fuel gauge.

Now heres the good news:

The Road-mOnster is going to become my new daily

driver while the money from the Banana went towards

a kick ass bargain on a Big Body Benz.

Check it:

more 411 to come soon... I need to go to sleep though *yawn!*

Edited July 21, 2008 by Sixty8panther

[bobo]

Great looking Benz. That and the oversized next generation of S-Class probably had the best German engineering ever. Too bad MB didn't have a diesel version in the States.

[balthazar]

Sorry to see that - I was hoping you had gotten a job with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lookit that rainbowed taillight billboard (with the plate sliding greasily off of it). Does it scroll 'Backen Offenhaus' in an Old World script?? Gruesome.

One thing's good- even after the interum decades, that exact grille --with it's oversized, bling-bling-lookitme emblem-- is back on the new ones! It's... sort of, back in style! Keep all them windows rolled down all the time - it's its (partially) saving grace!

Edited July 21, 2008 by balthazar

[Sixty8panther]

BOBO sees where this is going.

The SEC should function just fine for Julie as a daily driver

for now, but when and if that 303-cubic inch SOHC V8 has

outlived its usefulness a 300TD motor swap would not be

unrealistic... add to that a veggie conversion & you're

talking T.W.C.C. wet dream.

[vonVeezelsnider]

That Merc is God.

[Nick]

Nice Benz!

[Sixty8panther]

Thanks guys.... yeah considering this was THE most expensive

Mercedes model of 1984 and it's a gray-market European

model: no accommodation for US shaped plates (Balthazar) I

think we got a damn good value this time around. It DOES

need a bnch of work, both minor & considerable but for now

it will function as Julie's new daily driver.

She loves it. It took all of 20 minutes for her to fall in love with

the hardtop body style after years of being unimpressed at my

obsession with it.

She named the car "Shiela"

...all I can thik of is Cartman's mom

[Intrepidation]

Not a bad looking benz.

Too bad about the Banana, and too bad it sold for like half the original price.

[ocnblu]

That Benz is a tanker. Great car, 68!

[Sixty8panther]

Balthazar:

I have nothing but respect for your opinion, insanely extensive

automotive knowledge and taste in American cars, but I guess

this is one of those times I have to agree to disagree with you.

Respectfully

What in 1984, made in the USA by ANY manufacturer had even

close to the presence, durability & sex factor that this MB does?

The 1980s Daimler Benz products are not their BEST looking,

waht esp. with the modern CLK & CL hardtops' elegant swooping

roof lines & curvaceous greenhouses, but this is IMHO one of

the most elegant German made cars of all time.

For Mercedes Benz the 1980s was all about unprecedented

durability, quality control and even VALUE. These cars show up

used with 300,000 miles more often than any other.

Now granted the rear tail light treatment with it's euro-esque

center section that emulates Buicks & Pontiacs of the era is

neither gorgeous or unique. But the ribbed tail lights on Benz

products of this era ARE quite cool in terms of their ergonomic

design: they're self cleaning as they channel air-flow through

the ribs and flush out debris, salt, mud, ice & such.

Now who else sold a (pillar-less fixed roof) hardtop in 1984 in

the USA? For ANY price?

-crickets chirping-

Like I told Julie, just think of this as a Coach-built 5.0 Mustang

for the types of Rodney Dangerfield, George Burns & Billy Joel.

Billy Joel probably rolled an SEC or two at high speed at some

point in the 1980s... perhaps even without spilling his martini.

The license plates look awkward front AND rear because they

are supposed to be 5" x 22" or whatever the European standard

size comes out to... not 7" x 12" I will at some point buy or

make a custom brackets front & rear that will look less awkward

on the car.

---

I sold the Banana with a trunk full of extra parts. Emblems,

interior pieces, small mechanical components, tons of stainless

steel trim and other parts, some that the car needs but most just

spare parts.

I got the Mercedes with several extra parts/optional equipment in

the trunk. It has a good CD player in dash but I have the original

tape deck, as well as an MB car cover, many many odds and ends

and the US spec. headlights: which will NEVER muck up the nose

of our slick 500-SEC.

[balthazar]

>>"What in 1984, made in the USA by ANY manufacturer had even

close to the presence, durability & sex factor that this MB does?"<<

Why must we stick with 1984, here in 2008? Are you somehow restricted to buying only MY84s?

>>"this is IMHO one of the most elegant German made cars of all time."<<

Bah; there's no flow, no fluidity, no grace. IMO. There's no sheetmetal in the quarters below the top of the rim- all plastic & rubber. Cheap. Front is no better. Rims are supremely cheap-looking. And.... it has GASP!!! cladding !!!!!! OMG-NO!! Why it's lousy with cladding !!!!! Who's going to take any car seriously with.... pantpant.... CLADDING ?!?! (Ribbed for your pleasure). Gonna strip it off??

>>"the ribbed tail lights on Benz... self cleaning...."<<

Horse-puckey. Why are there almost zero (or is it actually zero) ribbing today? Is the atmosphere that much cleaner today?

Ahh- just ribbin' you. Hopefully it won't be a money-sucking vortex for you and the lil miss enjoys it.

[Sixty8panther]

Ahh- just ribbin' you. Hopefully it won't be a money-sucking vortex for you and the lil miss enjoys it.

Agreed.

This was the ultimate compromise. She specifically said 4-door only

as one of her three criteria, the other two being no bigger than a

modern midsize car and automatic.

So I managed to miss two of the three "must haves" and yet she's

in love with it.... that's what I call a win/win.

I had to get her a "modern" car and so I sought oue ot worthy of my

budget & wrench turning time. As you can imagine with 195,000 miles

and some lifter noise I'll be popping the hood sooner rather than later

to do minor-to-majort work, but its a car worthy of my time and she

is smitten with it.

She says I have succesfully "brainwashed" her into a big hardtop fan.

[Sixty8panther]

Oh, and here's Sofia sittin' pretty in the B.B.B.

She's been on a "beetle cars are my FAAAA-vorite cars ever"

kick for about a year and a half, although she pretty much

likes any rounded, and or fat fender pre-war car with round

headlights & a sloping rear...

She gets SOOO excited when she sees an old school VW Bug,

and she keeps saying we should buy one. I'm tempted since a

KdF from the 1960s gets like 32 mpg in the real world!

Anyway after witnessing all four power windows drop and the

open greenhouse that reminds of a panoramic post card she

said, completely unprompted:

"Hardtop cars are even cooler than Beetle cars!"

I was so proud.

[Camino LS6]

>>"What in 1984, made in the USA by ANY manufacturer had even

close to the presence, durability & sex factor that this MB does?"<<

Why must we stick with 1984, here in 2008? Are you somehow restricted to buying only MY84s?

>>"this is IMHO one of the most elegant German made cars of all time."<<

Bah; there's no flow, no fluidity, no grace. IMO. There's no sheetmetal in the quarters below the top of the rim- all plastic & rubber. Cheap. Front is no better. Rims are supremely cheap-looking. And.... it has GASP!!! cladding !!!!!! OMG-NO!! Why it's lousy with cladding !!!!! Who's going to take any car seriously with.... pantpant.... CLADDING ?!?! (Ribbed for your pleasure). Gonna strip it off??

>>"the ribbed tail lights on Benz... self cleaning...."<<

Horse-puckey. Why are there almost zero (or is it actually zero) ribbing today? Is the atmosphere that much cleaner today?

Ahh- just ribbin' you. Hopefully it won't be a money-sucking vortex for you and the lil miss enjoys it.

Yeah, but a US-spec 84 Benz is even worse on all fronts.

That thing looks pretty clean,68.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Yeah, I'm blown away about how damn perfect that Benz is.

[Sixty8panther]

Perfect it's not but I'm pretty skilled at taking flattering photos.

It needs a good cleaning, a few small rust issues need to be

addressed in the rear 1/4s before they get serious and as we

speak the driver's door panel is off and I have a big project

ahead of me with the window regulator. Once that is fixed, an

oil change is in order as well as a general safety inspection...

I smell gas fumes from time to time emminating from the rear

of the car, was told by seller the gas tank does NOT leak but

that does not mean a fuel line or evap. emmissions line is not

leaking. Aside from that and the lifter noise which does not

seem to affect performance, the car is an awesome driver.

For those that have never taken a 2-ton german V8 car down

the highway at high speed (obviously with good tires etc.) I

assure you it's a fun experience... add to that a pillarless

greenhouse with all four windows down and it's ectacy.

[Intrepidation]

Perfect it's not but I'm pretty skilled at taking flattering photos.

It needs a good cleaning, a few small rust issues need to be

addressed in the rear 1/4s before they get serious and as we

speak the driver's door panel is off and I have a big project

ahead of me with the window regulator. Once that is fixed, an

oil change is in order as well as a general safety inspection...

I smell gas fumes from time to time emminating from the rear

of the car, was told by seller the gas tank does NOT leak but

that does not mean a fuel line or evap. emmissions line is not

leaking. Aside from that and the lifter noise which does not

seem to affect performance, the car is an awesome driver.

For those that have never taken a 2-ton german V8 car down

the highway at high speed (obviously with good tires etc.) I

assure you it's a fun experience... add to that a pillarless

greenhouse with all four windows down and it's ectacy.

You should come by and actually show it to me Sixty8

[Sixty8panther]

You spend the gas to come hang out with me sometime we

both have a 45min. window in our busy schedules, & I'll

spend the gas to show you what 90mph feels like in a 4200

lbs. gvwr Mercedes with just a windshield & rear glass

between you & the breeze, we'll even keep the moonroof

open while the SOHC, 5.0L V8's "economy gauge" is deep

in the RED zone.... and blasting a ZZ Top CD too!

[gm4life]

That is a neat car. I would lower it and tint the windows and finish fixing her up and you'd have yourself a grand touring 2 door Benz. How many ponies does she put out and is it a 4spd. autobox?

[Sixty8panther]

yes indeed it's a 4-auto. Pretty smooth for a non-GM trans.

Definitely WAY better than the Ansin(sp?) in the '97 Q45

And yes, if I could I'd drop her down a bit, Julie would

probably approve if it was not a waste of money. Also, a

cheap set of 18-20" rims would look wicked BOSS on this

8-cylinder pillar-less hardtop.

Now it's time for MORE photos:

I think this car has proportions like Jessica Rabbit. Esp. from profile.

I'm thinking about putting a hood ornament on it...

probably not the MB star, people do it but it's redundant,

there's a Benz running around here with the '55 SL300

size emblem in the grille like mine, a hood ornament & a

chrome plated license plate with a chrome emblem on it.

I was thinking about something elegant & minimalist,

perhaps a modern take on the Dusenberg arrow.

Here's one more for now... I need to take some better

pictures in more interesting surroundings.

I personally like the one piece panel, plus I've only seen

like three 126s total in my lifetime with it. All in Europe,

and all sedans. (126 is my generation S-class)

HEhehehHe hard to beleive I OWN an S-class M.B.

And another one of Sofia, man she was as excited as I

was once she saw all the windows drop.

[Sixty8panther]

That is a neat car. I would lower it and tint the windows and finish fixing her up and you'd have yourself a grand touring 2 door Benz.

tint the windows on a hardtop!? NO THANKS!

How many ponies does she put ...?

USA spec. cars were rated at 184 hp @ 4500 rpm

and 247 lbs./ft. at 2000 rpm.

However this car left the factory in Germany bound

for the Autobahn with 44bhp more! (228 bph total)

however our car was fitted with the catalitic

converter from a local dealership as a part of the

mandatory importation process...

But you know N.E. roads being what they are I just

might hit a pothole and damage the cat. bad enough

to have to replace it with.... ummm, I've said too

much already...!

[Robert Hall]

Interesting..that's a gray market car, with the small Euro bumpers... a buddy in high school had a dark red AMG one back in the day...didn't care for the monochromatic AMG look then, but like the regular ones...esp. the dark blue 560SECs..

[Intrepidation]

I'm suprised you put allow Sofia in the car, what with it being a hardtop and all. You do know that if a wadded-up paper ball were to hit the roof it would completely collapse under the extreme forces because of the lack of a B-pillar, killing all inside.

And yeah, tinting the windows of a hardtop

Edited July 23, 2008 by Dodgefan

[Robert Hall]

And yeah, tinting the windows of a hardtop

Black out windows on white AMG Merc hts....I saw alot of those back in the day in S. Florida. Ugh.

[Sixty8panther]

some cars look fantastic with tinted windows, I think

1990s 7-series BMWs (esp. the Ls) look great in all

black with black-BBS rims and tinted windows, but I

do not think I would ever tint the windows of any

hardtop, esp. not one with this amount of presance,

weather with the windows down or up...

Also a bark blue/maroon/gray 96 Caprice Classic w/

the 9c1 package and spotlights looks awesome with

blackout tint... Mass State trooper style.

--- Moltar:

Your buddy had an AMG SEC? damn.

The 560SEC was a car that, in the late

1980s, was capable of 0-62mph in 5.7

sec, and that was with the same high

geared rear end that carried it to 180+

mph while retaining streetability with

a big trunk & relatively big back seat!

Now as for my car's 228~ horsepower

keep in mind this is 1984. A Mustang

GT w/ a (4.9liter) "5.0" put out 145 hp

while only giving up 1 (one) cubic inch

to our '84 Mercedes.

The just introduced Corvette that took

the world by storm was powered by the

cross-fire 350 that had 47 extra cubic

inches, that's almost a liter, and it put

out a meere 205 hp.

This was a dark era. If you were

shopping for an economy car in 1984

the fact of the matter was you were

looking at 2-digit horsepower #s. Some

of those "peppy" cars had 60, 70, 80

horsepower motors, they keep up with

today's 130hp econoboxes because of

their lower weight.

[Sixty8panther]

ohhh... and as far as the structural rigidity of these

MBs this car is far more confident than an average

2-decade old sedan, including the Banana Boat.

Those long doors do not hang even a fraction of

a millimeter, they close with a solid, blunt strike

like a bank vault & the hood has two strikers,

pins & redundant releases... just in case you leave

it open while driving 150mph.

[Robert Hall]

--- Moltar:

Your buddy had an AMG SEC? damn.

Yeah, his dad was the local major trafficer.... they had a Scarab boat and were in the import business (which was a growth industry in S. Florida in the '80s). He and his dad eventually went to federal prison. He was at my reunion last weekend, was released a couple years ago after 15 years (his dad is still in).

[Robert Hall]

ohhh... and as far as the structural rigidity of these

MBs this car is far more confident than an average

2-decade old sedan, including the Banana Boat.

Those long doors do not hang even a fraction of

a millimeter, they close with a solid, blunt strike

like a bank vault & the hood has two strikers,

pins & redundant releases... just in case you leave

it open while driving 150mph.

That was back when Merc engineered the heck out of everything...even with high mileage, those cars can still be very solid. My sister's '84 500SEL (almost 200k) and '91 300CE (110k) are still solid, smooth driving, quiet inside. I love the old Benzes because they didn't compromise on the engineering.

One interesting factoid--I read that M-B made the steering wheels huge back then so that if the power steering were to fail, the car could still be steered...

Edited July 23, 2008 by moltar

[Sixty8panther]

EXACTLY.

The doors were slammed hard 2 million times

on a test-jig before the car ever went into

production, brakes were overheated, motors

were tested as if they were going to power a

5-ton truck, not a 2-ton sedan, suspension

was tortured, and add to that HAND cut wood

trim, over-the top convenience features and

killer proportions and you have one of the

best cars in the world, even at the price they

demanded, they were said to be overpriced.

I do love these cars' styling but Mercedes

made these cars with 95% of the effort going

towards engineering, 5% to styling.

[Sixty8panther]

I gave Dodgefan a spirited drive in the 500SEC yesterday

afternoon, I think we were doing about 105 or so, definitely

triple digits for a good stretch, & yes... ALL FOUR windows

were down the entire time. I was having a blast, but I think

I remember DF saying something like:

"I hope you have good brakes, ....are we going to die?"

Truth be told I did get a little too excited in showing it off,

but no harm was done, also we hit the junkyard for a few

hours, then the Mercedes' trunk outsmarted me, as I did

not know it opens with the lock cylinder in the door. Crazy

Germans, I know there's usually a method to their

madness but I do need to find me an owner's manual on

eBay or what not... esp. with many of the buttons, labels

& warning stickers on the car being in German only.

Oh, & we also saw a triple blue 1975 Cadillac coupe deVille

at the junkyard that looked so rotted it reminded more of a

1950s car that has sat in a wet, Louisiana junkyard SINCE

1975. Too bad, because the original 500 was still under the

hood and overall the car was very complete.

If/when gas prices settle down and the MB gets past the 1/4

of a million miles mark maybe we'll rip out that SOHC 5.0 &

dropp in a Cadillac 500 to make a 820SEC!

Idea # 37,294,556 that will never happen.

It's always fun to dream though.

Edited July 28, 2008 by Sixty8panther

[Intrepidation]

Ya crazy bastid

I did say I hope you had good brakes, because if they failed we would have rear-ended several cars and a semi or 2 going about 40mph or so slower.

And yes, Trunk > Silvester (although he did finally get it open).

German Engineering, yah.

The junkyard trip was a bit of a letdown, partly due to the heat, partly due to the fact that all of the Panthers were under other cars, making it kinda hard to get window motors/regulators, and partly because Ford is an ass.

Edited July 28, 2008 by Dodgefan

[toesuf94]

Take back the Benz, it's defective! Where in the hell is the B-PILLAR??????

Looks clean and those are timeless cars. Congrats!

[Sixty8panther]

Man speaking of which I wish we had more junkyards like the on in Luisiana.

[Intrepidation]

Man speaking of which I wish we had more junkyards like the on in Luisiana.

That would effing rock.

[Sixty8panther]

Speaking of Wendy's, (the Fast food thread) here's the 500SEC

in front of the Wendy's on Middlesex St. in Lowell, by the CP&T

Garage last Sunday... (best place to get sticker BTW!)

[Intrepidation]

Shoulda taken a picture of it with the Intrepid at Wendy's on Sunday!

[Sixty8panther]

Hhahahah, coulda been a T!GH+ WH1P$ signature.

There's always next time.

We should get a pic of the BOF's together, my

Roadm0nster, your Merc G.Mq & XP's Cadillac

'70 deVille 4dr hardtop.

[Intrepidation]

Hhahahah, coulda been a T!GH+ WH1P$ signature.

There's always next time.

We should get a pic of the BOF's together, my

Roadm0nster, your Merc G.Mq & XP's Cadillac

'70 deVille 4dr hardtop.

I'm liking that idea.

However you're not thinking big enough. We should somehow get our entire fleets together for one massive photo op. It would be EPIC!

[Robert Hall]

Truth be told I did get a little too excited in showing it off,

but no harm was done, also we hit the junkyard for a few

hours, then the Mercedes' trunk outsmarted me, as I did

not know it opens with the lock cylinder in the door. Crazy

Germans, I know there's usually a method to their

madness but I do need to find me an owner's manual on

eBay or what not... esp. with many of the buttons, labels

& warning stickers on the car being in German only.

Heh-heh...I've been tricked by the trunk lock on my sister's Benzes myself....as with other European cars, shutting the trunk doesn't lock it. The cool thing is that after 20+ years, the central locking on her 500SEL still works...it seems more mechanical than electrical...lock or unlock the driver's door, and a few seconds later, the other doors lock/unlock with solid thunk.

Another odd factoid--the key for her '91 300CE will unlock (but not start) the '84 500SEL but not the other way around. She's thinking of selling the 300CE, since it's very clean with only 117k miles. Working in Ohio (she rents cars back there, thinking of buying a diesel Jetta), she's only here twice a month or so, so both cars sit alot.

Edited July 28, 2008 by moltar

[Sixty8panther]

Yup... our central locking system works well too, altough its 24 years old!

I'd love to buy the 300CE, what is she asking (just for $hits and giggles)

----

DF:

Kind of like when my fleet contained 3 Buicks?

Edited July 29, 2008 by Sixty8panther

[Intrepidation]

Yup... our central locking system works well too, altough its 24 years old!

I'd love to buy the 300CE, what is she asking (just for $hits and giggles)

----

DF:

Kind of like when my fleet contained 3 Buicks?

I'm thinking the entire operation fleet of yours, mine, and XP's.

[Sixty8panther]

I know... but that's going to take some gas money, a few man hours & planning.

Shedd Park & Fort Hill park, both essentially in my back yard, would do well for this purpose.

[Intrepidation]

I don't know how I would get 4 cars there and back in reasonable time.

[Robert Hall]

Yup... our central locking system works well too, altough its 24 years old!

I'd love to buy the 300CE, what is she asking (just for $hits and giggles)

----

Probably $3000 or so... a similar one on ebay went for $3200 yesterday.

The car is very clean, bright red, black leather interior--no cracks in the leather or the dash, some wear on the wood on rear console, though.

[pow]

Awesome Merc! I've always loved those '80s tanks.

[Sixty8panther]

Awesome Merc! I've always loved those '80s tanks.

Thanks.

Moltar: If geography was not as much of an issue....

Either way good luck with it, she should just keep it IMHO.