1972 350 SL (3.5L V8)

Season 5 Episode 13
A LOOK AT THE R107 MERCEDES BENZ – 350SL vs 560SL

What an opportunity to have an early SL R107 chassis and late model. The white car is a 1972 350 SL (3.5L V8) and the blue car is an 1988 560 SL (5.6L V8).

Both cars very similar, but also very different. Both cars are also for sale, so please see link below for listings.

Info below provided by Wikipedia:

The Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107 are sports cars which were produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1971 through 1989, being the second longest single series ever produced by the automaker, after the G-Class. They were sold under the SL (R107) and SLC (C107) model names as the 280 SL, 280 SLC, 300 SL, 350SL, 350SLC, 380SL, 380SLC, 420SL, 450SL, 450SLC, 450SLC 5.0, 500SL, 500SLC and 560 SL.

The R107/SL was a two-seat car with a detachable roof. It replaced the W113 SL-Class in 1971 and was replaced by the R129 SL-Class in 1989. Predecessor W113 was notably successful in North America, with 19,440 units (40%) of 48,912 total units sold in the US.[2]

R107 and C107 were even more focused on the American market, with specialized engines, bumper designs, headlights, and emissions management designs. R107 and C107 sold US units of 204,373 units (68%) of 300,175 total units sold (excluding grey market sales into the US) The R107 and C107 took the chassis components of the midsize 1968 Mercedes-Benz W114 model and mated them initially to the M116 and M117 V8 engines used in the W108, W109 and W111 series. The body styles for both R107 and C107 did not change materially from introduction in 1971 to end of production in 1989.

The SL variant was a 2-seat convertible/roadster with standard soft top and optional hardtop and optional folding seats for the rear bench.

Volume production of the first R107 car, the 350 SL, started in April 1971 alongside the last of the W113 cars; the 350 SLC followed in October. The early 1971 350SL are very rare and were available with an optional 4 speed fluid coupling automatic gearbox. The 1971 4sp auto were quick cars for the day with 0-60 mph in 8 seconds. In addition, the rare 1971 cars were fitted with Bosch electronic fuel injection.If you enjoyed this video, please like, share and subscribe! We look forward to bringing you more reviews on exclusive cars. North America was the key market for this Personal luxury car, and 2/3 of R107 and C107 production was sold there.

The R107/C107 for the North American market sported four round low-output sealed beam headlights, due to unique U.S. regulations.

Sales in North America began in 1972, and cars wore the badge 350 SL, but actually had a larger 4.5L V8 with 3 speed auto (and were renamed 450 SL for model year 1973); the big V8 became available on other markets with the official introduction of the 450 SL/SLC on non-North American markets in March 1973. US cars sold from 1972 through 1975 used the Bosch D Jetronic fuel injection system, an early electronic engine management system.

From 1974, the front and rear bumpers were dramatically lengthened, by 8 inches (203 mm) on each end, to comply with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations, that mandated no damage at an impact of 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h). [5]

R107 and C107 cars were exported to the US with low compression 4.5 liter V8 engines to meet stringent US emissions requirements, yet still provide adequate power.

US models sold from 1976 through 1979 used the Bosch K Jetronic system, an entirely mechanical fuel injection system. The 450 SL was produced until 1980. Starting in 1980, US cars were equipped with lambda control, which varied the air/fuel mixture based on feedback from an oxygen sensor. The smaller engined 380 SL replaced the 450SL from 1981 to 1985. The 380 SL was the least powerful of the US imported R107 roadsters. North American market SL and SLC models retained the “protruding”[6] 5mph bumpers, even after the wisdom of the law was reconsidered in 1981. You can

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#mercedesbenz#r107#560sl#350sl

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