Imported a 780 Coupe

[jonnyf90]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

I wouldn't compare it to a 6 Series (that is a very fine car and a superb engine), the SL isn't a coupe and the SD1 is a 5 door hatchback !.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merced..._R107_and_C107
4 seat coupé?

I threw in the SD1 as a joke comparison to other tat that was on offer at a similar time.

Cheers

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by jonnyf90

Ranks a lot higher than a BMW 6 series, Merc SL or a Rover SD1.

Should I please you by rephrasing to “best built coupé of the 80s”??

Cheers

The SD1 was NEVER a coupé - hatchback, "Fastback" in "Rover-speak" maybe, but NEVER a Coupé!

They did make an SD1 Estate (2 in fact) by grafting on the rear end of a 245 and i believe that car is now in the Heritage Museum at Gaydon, the other was rumoured to have gone into private ownership (initially Michael Edwardes, the Chairman of BL who commissioned the SD1 estate project) and was built as a prototype by a coachworks company (FLM Panelcraft comes to mind, the people who made the P6 "Estoura") but no saloons or coupés were ever built from an SD1 - Ferrari may have sued for copyright if they had!

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Why would you want to please me (?), whilst I can appreciate the enthusiasm many have for the 780, it would not be my choice.

I would have had one already if it was.

J.

P.S I wouldn't compare it to a 6 Series (that is a very fine car and a superb engine), the SL isn't a coupe and the SD1 is a 5 door hatchback !!! I have a friend in Holland with a 780 so know the car well.

Didn't see this before i posted Jon - one of those cases of clicking the most recently known, rather than double checking for new posts before adding a reply!

[jonnyf90]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

The SD1 was NEVER a coupé - hatchback, "Fastback" in "Rover-speak" maybe, but NEVER a Coupé!

They did make an SD1 Estate (2 in fact) by grafting on the rear end of a 245 and i believe that car is now in the Heritage Museum at Gaydon, the other was rumoured to have gone into private ownership (initially Michael Edwardes, the Chairman of BL who commissioned the SD1 estate project) and was built as a prototype by a coachworks company (FLM Panelcraft comes to mind, the people who made the P6 "Estoura") but no saloons or coupés were ever built from an SD1 - Ferrari may have sued for copyright if they had!

Do I get let off for being born 4 years after the SD1 production ceased?

Cheers

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by jonnyf90

Do I get let off for being born 4 years after the SD1 production ceased?

Cheers

No because your car is only 6 years younger than you lol!

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by jonnyf90

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merced..._R107_and_C107
4 seat coupé?

Cheers

You said SL not SLC ! I could add more but you'd lose interest - and if you take as gospel every thing you read on Wiki more fool you.

J.

N.B the SLCs rear seats are for two if the occupants are garden gnomes - cracking car making good money these says - sorry but no Volvo can touch it for sheer class - my opinion.

[Paul240480]

Now, for the headlamps this guy might be able to sort you out... Can you parlez francais?
http://manauto.fr/

I guess they will be LHD spec if he can sort you tho'.

That said, and I may well be wrong...... I thought LHD headlights just dipped 'down' and it is UK ones that dipped to the kerb? Hence 'us' needing deflectors to drive in mainland Europe and mainland euro drivers not needing deflectors if in UK?

Could be well wrong but that was/is my understanding .

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Paul240480

That said, and I may well be wrong...... I thought LHD headlights just dipped 'down' and it is UK ones that dipped to the kerb? Hence 'us' needing deflectors to drive in mainland Europe and mainland euro drivers not needing deflectors if in UK?

Could be well wrong but that was/is my understanding .

You're confusing European headlights with USA headlights :



Top one is USA headlights and some EU stuff (mainly the older stuff now) and won't dazzle oncoming traffic on dipped beam when used in the "wrong" country/drive side.

Middle one is EU, with the "Kick-up" on the right to illuminate the right hand kerb, street signs etc and dazzle us when EU cars are used on UK roads at night without beam deflectors.

Bottom one is UK, kick-up on the left for kerbs/verges/signs etc.

I'm led to believe the USA spec Right Hand Dip for Left Hand Drive - yes it really is that weird! - lights are acceptable for MoT pass here because they don't have the kick-up. However most USA vehicles are now being supplied with EU spec headlamps so they still dazzle us! I see a lot of it here as there are a lot of USA spec vehicles around.

Because historically they've not needed beam deflectors, similar to the EU countries, they think they still don't.

[AllHailKingVolvo]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

You said SL not SLC ! I could add more but you'd lose interest - and if you take as gospel every thing you read on Wiki more fool you.

J.

N.B the SLCs rear seats are for two if the occupants are garden gnomes - cracking car making good money these says - sorry but no Volvo can touch it for sheer class - my opinion.

Absolutely agree on the SLC seats...Mercs are my other automotive passion, but even the most ardent Merc fan would admit that the “+2” in an SLC only applies to passengers that are available in kit form...

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by AllHailKingVolvo

Absolutely agree on the SLC seats...Mercs are my other automotive passion, but even the most ardent Merc fan would admit that the “+2” in an SLC only applies to passengers that are available in kit form...

........ or pygmies! Anorexic pygmies at that as well!

Mercedes really got things right in the 70s and 80s with their cars, not so much the early ones because of the lack of rust prevention but they weren't that much worse than most others in that respect. As far as the oily side of things went, they were well engineered and put together and from what (little) i know of Mercs of that era, the 450SLC was one of the best - certainly a good looking car and still has "road presence" today.

That said, the back seats are really only for "display purposes only" or for very small children. Beautiful cars though and very nice to drive, even if a bit "ersatz" on the equipment levels.

From the 90s onwards though, Merc lost their way IMHO and lost the rust prevention at the same time. Also the general standard of engineering dropped in favour of adding toys and gizmos to please the average animal in the street.

Shame but at least they gave us the 450SLC!