Owning an old Merc as a cruiser? Other options?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by anobserver

Here is an example of what ten large can get you...

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/kedr...dan/1235876982

Neat and practical with four doors. Low mileage, but cannot imagine how to get parts for it.

Parts are readily available for older Benz's if you know where to look.

And a whole lot cheaper than parts for 70's falcons

[kcodezd]

What about this https://www.tradeuniquecars.com.au/d...nz-280e-768170 w123 with nearly 3 million built in this model, there is still parts to be found. At 3k it’s a good entry point.

Then add a set of these https://www.macarbon.com/mercedes-84...3-piece-detail to it to really make it stand out.

[Fourgearsticks]

What's wrong NC series Fairlane? Plastic bumpers but what a great cruiser. Fuel injected Windsor, 4 speed auto. THE best V8 sound with a proper dual system. Five seats, your long legged friends can sit in the back without being doubled up. Slippery diff standard. Cruise at 100 kph at 1750 revs while sipping 8 L/100 k's. They have great aircon.
You can have a cruiser for under 3k.................if your not a snob.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Fourgearsticks

What's wrong NC series Fairlane? Plastic bumpers but what a great cruiser. Fuel injected Windsor, 4 speed auto. THE best V8 sound with a proper dual system. Five seats, your long legged friends can sit in the back without being doubled up. Slippery diff standard. Cruise at 100 kph at 1750 revs while sipping 8 L/100 k's. They have great aircon.
You can have a cruiser for under 3k.................if your not a snob.

E7 heads nd the BTR's first gear with a 3.08 diff is the problem with an NC Fairlane

[Fourgearsticks]

As a cruiser is the title of the thread not what would make a good drag car ��

[jstanovic]

I do like the NC fair lanes, not sure about 8L/100km, lucky to get that downhill with a tailwind! Fuel use is of no concern anyway. Kept my eye on them, $4.5k is the cheapest “good” one I’ve seen, still cheap for a cruiser. Not really what I’m after

[Fourgearsticks]

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/dand...ual/1241502951

A Barra powered cruiser.............bloody cheap. Compared to 30 or 40 years ago (I'm an old fart) decent cars are very cheap.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Fourgearsticks

As a cruiser is the title of the thread not what would make a good drag car ��

Cruiser doesn't equal 'slow' either, especially when it gets chopped by Grandma in her Corolla on the way to Bingo

[Fourgearsticks]

Franco, depends what you define as slow. I have an LS1 Adventra, mafless tune, it's not a supercar but with all wheel drive and traction control goes pretty hard. At just under 14 second quarter which is similar to an old GTHO the Adventra is no slug. The Fairlane will eat it off the line, when the LS1 gets to over 4000 it pulls away but the 302 Ford has more low down than the 350 Chev. We also do quite a bit of towing, the Fairlane makes a better tow car than the Holden because of the lowdown torque. I'll add I've always had Fords in nearly 50 years of driving. Fairlane has 600,000 k's on it and will still towel up the Adventra off the line

[Swordie]

1998 E55 $13,500
345hp and 500+nm
0-100 around 5 seconds
WA
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...-6480103/?Cr=9


See how negotiable it is.

[DTFRMONT]

Originally Posted by Swordie

1998 E55 $13,500
345hp and 500+nm
0-100 around 5 seconds
WA
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...-6480103/?Cr=9


See how negotiable it is.

And an old school 'real' AMG to boot. A bargain compared to a HSV of the same vintage....

[jstanovic]

A bit too new for me!


With that coin I would rather go for something like these 2:
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...6507470/?Cr=26
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...6292861/?Cr=12

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by jstanovic

Jags are out, missus really doesn't like them, I'm 50/50. Benz mid 70s 450SLC is also ticking boxes for me and the missus!
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...5792957/?Cr=10

I'm also keen on an XE/XF S-pak manual, straight and un-molested.

Does your missus have a Guide Dog? (jokes. Each to their own)

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by DTFRMONT

And an old school 'real' AMG to boot. A bargain compared to a HSV of the same vintage....

Yep I find old Mercs boring as but see a tidy AMG (real not just the badge like every 3 series crapbox with big wheels is a M3 )........it's cool.

Korn "Got the Life" has an E55 from memory......sweet ride

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Fourgearsticks

What's wrong NC series Fairlane?

Everything?

[Fourgearsticks]

Some of yoo blokes are car snobs. Going slightly off topic, that's one of the reasons why we have major car manufactures pulling out from Australia. For the last 30 years Australia has produced very good cars, yet Australians avoided buying them in droves. The last Holdens built in Adelaide were great vehicles.
It appears you have to have a particular type of car, capable of doing 300 kph in 200 metres then you have to lower it so it can't be driven over speed bumps and then put on ridiculous drug dealer bling wheels. I'm sure a metre wide speakers are involved as well.Then it's considered a "Cruiser"
The "grass is always greener" is only in your minds. A 70's Cortina, 80's X Falcons, even Commodores, they are all good vehicles. You don't have to have the latest Amerrycarn Mustang or a 60's Pontiac to enjoy cruising. Yo a buncho snobs.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Fourgearsticks

Some of yoo blokes are car snobs. Going slightly off topic, that's one of the reasons why we have major car manufactures pulling out from Australia. For the last 30 years Australia has produced very good cars, yet Australians avoided buying them in droves. The last Holdens built in Adelaide were great vehicles.
It appears you have to have a particular type of car, capable of doing 300 kph in 200 metres then you have to lower it so it can't be driven over speed bumps and then put on ridiculous drug dealer bling wheels. I'm sure a metre wide speakers are involved as well.Then it's considered a "Cruiser"
The "grass is always greener" is only in your minds. A 70's Cortina, 80's X Falcons, even Commodores, they are all good vehicles. You don't have to have the latest Amerrycarn Mustang or a 60's Pontiac to enjoy cruising. Yo a buncho snobs.

I think you will find most here like all types of cars, and those that dont are typically of the bogan persuasion.

As for buying a E55 instead of a FPV/FTE/HSV, yes they are at times even cheaper than the local equivalent but be careful. Buying modern muscle is not in the same league as old school. Fail one of those engines and you will be looking at big $$ or dropping a LS in...so you may aswell have a commy.

You can get lucky, but most good examples of EU power are reflected in their price, the cheapies need bulk cash.

Stay pre 1980 and you should be safe(r).

[Citroënbender]

I like to think I’m both a snob and a bogan. :p

There are lots of interesting cars; filtering on Carsales by price, number of doors, year, body type and size, number of cylinders is one way to see what’s on offer for how much without introducing brand bias.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Fourgearsticks

Some of yoo blokes are car snobs.

What's wrong with being a snob?

[jstanovic]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

There are lots of interesting cars; filtering on Carsales by price, number of doors, year, body type and size, number of cylinders is one way to see what’s on offer for how much without introducing brand bias.

That’s basically what I’ve been doing. It’s funny how you set the price at $10k, then see what cool cars are there for only $5k more, then if you’re at $15k you might as well check out the $20k range!!! Then ya gotta stop and reassess why you were looking at the $10k range in the first place! You soon find a couple cars that you are drawn to, then you start zooming in on all the photos looking for rust bubbles, missing trim etc etc.... hoping to find one local but I’m no rush so will be patient.

[eb2fairmont]

Okay old mercs are easy to get parts for and actually pretty easy to work on if you accept the quirks inherent with them

But they rust but for 10k you’d get a good w116 or 123. 126’s are now in that range to

Stick with the six, the v8’s are higher maintenance and almost all will need a chain, chain guides tensioner and head work.

The 3.5-3.8 howl like a banshee and are great fun just not great performers off the line. At highway speed they’re great.

The 4.5-5.6 engines more lazy and cruisy no different in performance

Buy the best one you can with an good interior, you will have to sell crack otherwise. Exterior and mechanicals are cheap.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by jstanovic

That’s basically what I’ve been doing. It’s funny how you set the price at $10k, then see what cool cars are there for only $5k more, then if you’re at $15k you might as well check out the $20k range!!! Then ya gotta stop and reassess why you were looking at the $10k range in the first place! You soon find a couple cars that you are drawn to, then you start zooming in on all the photos looking for rust bubbles, missing trim etc etc.... hoping to find one local but I’m no rush so will be patient.

Forget buying one local. Put that out of your head entirely because when you find the right car it's worth an air ticket. Purely because there's way less cheaper cool cars in WA and what there are cost more and may be in worse condition.
It's worth traveling for the right car. I've considered traveling to SA, ACT and the eastern states all the time when looking for old BMWs. I should have but instead I settled for local where the previous owner did very dumb things with the interior that will cost me a lot of time and money tracking original parts for (which I'll probably have to get from east - listen to the person above about the interior), and Isettled for an auto when I should have traveled for a manual - there was no manuals in WA.

I'm a snobogan, I like my cheap old (recent) ford falcons as a daily, I also love any marque no matter what maybe pre 1973, but also like 80s-90s bmws (i6 is king for an old cheap and reliable daily; fords or BMW). E: I could have gone merc but I had to pick and I went for not merc.

[jstanovic]

Just realised I didn't update this. Reading back through the posts was quite entertaining!

Ended up with a 1975 W116 280S, 2.8L 6cyl with carby. It's in great condition, original with no rust in the usual places, floors/boot all straight, just a spot here and there. Cost me $7.5k in March 2020, basically only spent money on maintenance in the last year/6000km. Tried a few different style of wheels (Merc factory alloys, aftermarket 5 spoke) but have basically gone back to stock everything, tinted windows the only mod. Drives smooth (like sitting in an old couch) and has suited me perfectly, still very happy with my decision. If it was V8 it would be perfect!!!

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Every one,
Like most things there are good cars and bad cars no d doubt there are some good Mercedes Benz around also.

I was a Hire car driver in the 1990s and i used to drive a Ford NF Fairlane. My car went in for a service so they gave me a V8 Mercedes Benz for a few days.
Too look at it, it was a beautiful car but once it got going it used more oil then petrol.

It had done 300,000ks and it needed a motor rebuild but that put me off Mercedes after that ad because its a Mercedes when you go to get it serviced they charge a fortune.

I couldn't wait till my i got my fairlane back!.