1979 MB 450sel 6.9

just wondering how many would buy this car and how many knew of this car and the history without the wonderful google button

i made a offer and if its not sold this weekend i own it

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/3629232372.html

there was a very nice one at the challenge in '04 or thereabouts. iirc it seemed to like nitrous oxide.

I would love to buy one, probably not that example though.

AngryCorvair wrote: there was a very nice one at the challenge in '04 or thereabouts. iirc it seemed to like nitrous oxide.

a 6.9 not just a 450sel but the 6.9 model someone ran at the challenge

Love a W116; missed a nice local example last week. Have been leery of the 6.9 because of the hydraulic suspension. That part seems pretty scary, but damn they are a ton of car.

Looks like it needs a 7.3 turbo powerstroke and some air ride...

conesare2seconds wrote: Love a W116; missed a nice local example last week. Have been leery of the 6.9 because of the hydraulic suspension. That part seems pretty scary, but damn they are a ton of car.

that is the down fall of the 6.9 the hydraulic suspension but it can be overcome but it is so cool when it works. in europe they offered a control knob below the headlight switch that gave you some control of it. it let you raise the car a additional 2"s but there was ways to convert the US market car. i had a grey market one and even the headlight washers adjusted with the suspension. these cars were the fastest production sedans built at the time.

there was less than 600 imported in 79 and the total worldwide production run for all years was around 7000 units.

the value will never be as great as the 300sel 6.3 but most top people put the 6.9 in the top ten of best MB's ever built.

i have a big soft spot for these cars and i know a lot of people that love them also......the fact that you could run down the interstate at 150mph had something to do with it

My W116:

I would like another to swap a LSx into.

Anybody catch the "6.9l 500 cu inch" comment. 6.9l is 421 cu in. Just sayin'.

I've always wondered if you could swap that engine into a W123. I haven't wondered enough to Google it though...

cutter67 wrote:

AngryCorvair wrote: there was a very nice one at the challenge in '04 or thereabouts. iirc it seemed to like nitrous oxide.

a 6.9 not just a 450sel but the 6.9 model someone ran at the challenge

yes, a 6.9. i think the back story was that it was a funeral home car since new. i'm pretty sure the challenger is a board member, but i can't remember his name. perhaps he'll chime in.

Having worked at a Mercedes Benz dealer back in the 70s, I can offer some cautious advice. My dad also owned a 6.3, but I think the 6.9 was a better overall car.

The bad: The hydraulic suspension will probably need extensive refurbishing, and will easily cost more in parts alone than the purchase price. Working on the motor is one tight task, but not as nightmarish as the 6.3. For a supposed solid car, I see a lot of tell-tale rust areas in the pics that could be a big deal.

The good: Small but fanatic 6.3/6.9 forums out there with very knowledgeable members who want to see these cars live on. Better interior, climate control, handling, and brakes than the 6.3.

The trick here is not to fall into the money pit trap. I would go rat-rod in terms of cosmetics. The amount of money you would spend to bring it up to cosmetic standards would exceed what you could buy a already presentable running car. Start by pulling the fuel tank and having it boiled out (or replaced), as it is probably full of a crap load of rust and gunk. Research the 6.9 forums for how to properly flush the entire fuel system prior to trying to start it. Also soak the cylinders in Marvel Mystery Oil for a couple of weeks or more and prelube the motor with the plugs out before starting it. Once that is done, you can take a shot at trying to start it. If it has some terminal fault (low compression, crappy tranny, etc), you can easily get your money back by parting it out. Just don't fall for the money pit routine- these cars can suck your wallet dry. It is a cool ride, but next thing you know, you have an expensive pile of parts when you could have purchased a late 90's Lexus GS400 that would kick it's ass (I own one of those). Research the 6.9 forums in depth first!

No, that motor won't fit in a W123- hell, it barely fits in a W116!

Marc

Ah, the 6.9. I thought they were sweet even before I watched Ronin.

Ronin is Mad Max in the 90s in Europe. There's some plot involving a corrupt gang and corrupt cops and other stuff, but in the end, those of us in the US just watch it for the awesome cars.

BTW, the 6.9 VIN must read: 116 036 120 ......4.5 VIN is: 116 033 120...... A lot of CL 450 SEL sellers will list their 4.5 cars as 6.9 because they are worth more, having no clue what 6.9 means. The flat suspension looks like a 6.9, but look at the VIN to be sure. The 6.9 is dry sumped with a big oil tank in the engine compartment. It's been 25 years since I worked on one.

Marc

128racecar wrote: The flat suspension looks like a 6.9

( )

I do know what they are and I'd consider owning one someday, probably not that one though lol.

bravenrace wrote: Anybody catch the "6.9l 500 cu inch" comment. 6.9l is 421 cu in. Just sayin'.

Yes, I was scrolling through responses to see if anyone beat me to that point.....

Cutter, what's the point of having the headlight washers adjust with the suspension? Don't the washers stay fixed relative to the headlights regardless of what the suspension is set for? What am I missing here?

German ingenuity = rest world overly complicated

The owner excepted my offer. This is a one owner car and have all service records up to when it was park in 93 its only surface rust nothing major and the interior is really nice

Dude, you are all over the board with your car dealings. Good luck!

Will that thing fit in your garage?

Rob this one is going into storage. I figure by the time i get to it either it will be worth a lot or by then if scrap prices keep going up it will be worth a couple grand scrapped

Awesome!

Do you own anything that is not a FR car?

When I grow up I want to be like you