Showing posts with label SL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SL. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Thursday, 9 June 2016
Friday, 20 May 2016
Friday, 5 February 2016
Monday, 4 January 2016
Monday, 7 December 2015
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Direct Injection Of Kudos - Mercedes Benz 300 SL
In 1952 the underpowered 115 hp carburettor 3 litre / 183cui Sport Leicht Mercedes Benz W194 demonstrated remarkable versatility by winning the Le Mans 24 hours, the Eifelrennen sports car race at the Nurburgring and the Carrera Panamerica in Mexico racing against more powerful opposition from Ferrari and Jaguar.
These successes lay in the lightweight tubular steel chassis and a low drag body which was facilitated by canting the straight six cylinder motor at a 50 degree angle.
New York Mercedes distributor Max Hoffman suggested a road going version of the W194 would make a viable commercial impact in the United States and so the 300 SL was launched in 1954 with a the worlds first mechanical direct injection petrol engine which produced 175 hp.
In order to accommodate the high sided tubular steel chassis, designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, distinctive aluminium gull wings were used in conjunction with a tilt away steering column to facilitate access.
The spare tyre fills the boot / trunk space entirely meaning one had to travel light in the 300SL as demonstrated by the suitcase on the parcel shelf.
The 300SL was not without problems derived from it's racing heritage the large volume oil system rarely got up to proper operating temperature on shorter journeys and in turn the oil would get diluted by the mechanical fuel injection by unburned petrol that remained in the cylinders when the engine was switched off. This meant that the 300 SL needed an oil change every 1000 miles.
But for all of it's problems the aerodynamic shape of the 300 SL meant that with a 160 mph capability it was easily the fastest road car of it's day when it was launched. 80% of the nearly 1400 units built went to the USA changing the image of Mercedes Benz from staid to sporty overnight forever.
For a look at a contemporary interpretation of the 300 SL checkout Dave Wolin's wild Chevrolet powered 300 SL I blogged about a couple of weeks ago.
If your interested in the pre war silver arrows racing vehicles I strongly recommend a visit to Paul Chenard's Automobiliart website and check out his 'Silver Clouds' illustrated book of the 1934 Grand Prix season.
Thanks for joining me on this Direct Injection edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' I hope you'll join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
These successes lay in the lightweight tubular steel chassis and a low drag body which was facilitated by canting the straight six cylinder motor at a 50 degree angle.
New York Mercedes distributor Max Hoffman suggested a road going version of the W194 would make a viable commercial impact in the United States and so the 300 SL was launched in 1954 with a the worlds first mechanical direct injection petrol engine which produced 175 hp.
In order to accommodate the high sided tubular steel chassis, designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, distinctive aluminium gull wings were used in conjunction with a tilt away steering column to facilitate access.
The spare tyre fills the boot / trunk space entirely meaning one had to travel light in the 300SL as demonstrated by the suitcase on the parcel shelf.
The 300SL was not without problems derived from it's racing heritage the large volume oil system rarely got up to proper operating temperature on shorter journeys and in turn the oil would get diluted by the mechanical fuel injection by unburned petrol that remained in the cylinders when the engine was switched off. This meant that the 300 SL needed an oil change every 1000 miles.
But for all of it's problems the aerodynamic shape of the 300 SL meant that with a 160 mph capability it was easily the fastest road car of it's day when it was launched. 80% of the nearly 1400 units built went to the USA changing the image of Mercedes Benz from staid to sporty overnight forever.
For a look at a contemporary interpretation of the 300 SL checkout Dave Wolin's wild Chevrolet powered 300 SL I blogged about a couple of weeks ago.
If your interested in the pre war silver arrows racing vehicles I strongly recommend a visit to Paul Chenard's Automobiliart website and check out his 'Silver Clouds' illustrated book of the 1934 Grand Prix season.
Thanks for joining me on this Direct Injection edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' I hope you'll join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
Sunday, 3 July 2011
50 Foot Special - Mercedes Chevy 300SL
Back in the 1950's US Mercedes Benz importer Max Hoffman is credited with encouraging Daimler Benz AG to build the Mercedes 300 SL (W198) based on the successful 1952 Le Mans Winning 300 SL (W194).
Chuck Porter amongst a few other US racing drivers took wrecked 300 SLs and turned them into full blown race cars giving them the 'SLS' moniker.
The body of today's car owned by multi championship winning driver and owner Dave Wolin is thought to have possibly started as such a project. The body is said to have been abandoned in a San Gabriel Valley back yard for 50 years after incurring the legal wrath of Daimer Benz AG for being too close a copy of the original.
When Dave found the body it had a tree growing in it ! After the body was rejuvenated it was fitted to a modern chassis powered by a Chevrolet small block crate motor. The power is transmitted through a four speed Richmond T 10 gearbox and Speedway Engineering Quick Change rear axle.
Dave successfully competes with this cool car in races, hill climbs and surprisingly, given that he modestly calls his Merc a 50 Footer*, also enters his Mercedes into Concours events such as the Sacramento State Capital Concours as seen here.
* Looks good from 50 feet but it's a racing car not a show car.
My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for the photos, for introducing me to Dave Wolin and to Dave for the additional photos and information about this ultra cool 300 SL.
I hope you have enjoyed todays Gull Wing edition of 'Gettin a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you will join me again tomorrow for a trip to the Donnington Park Museum. Don't forget to come back now !
PS Recommend aficionados of the 1930's era Silver Arrow's visit my friend Paul Chenard's blog about his limited edition book 'Silver Clouds' on the 1934 season.
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