Mercedes-Benz SLC C107 280, 350 and 450 models

[Rolf]

The C107 SLC was introduced in Oct 1971 and was intended to be a coupe version of the W116 S-class that was introduced 1 year later in Sep 1972, but was based on a lengthened R107 SL chassis.

It was much rarer than the SL with 62,888 units sold over a 10 year period compared to 237,287 units for the SL.

In my opinion it was a very stylish coupe and more practical genuine 4 seater, but maybe was not considered in the same breath of the SL and was later replaced by the C126 in 1981.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

It was a magnificent coupe @Rolf
Interesting is that it was quite a bit more expensive than the SL-roadster.
500 SL DM 61.924
500 SLC DM 67.122
To put it in perspective, 500 SE W126 had a base price of DM 52.680.
(All according to pricelist of 1980)

 

[Rolf]

It was a magnificent coupe @Rolf
Interesting is that it was quite a bit more expensive than the SL-roadster.
500 SL DM 61.924
500 SLC DM 67.122
To put it in perspective, 500 SE W126 had a base price of DM 52.680.
(All according to pricelist of 1980)

The 500SLC is very rare apparently they only made 1133 of them so it's values now must be increasing. Great car @Mick Briesgau i was always in love with these cars when I was a kid.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

The 500SLC is very rare apparently they only made 1133 of them so it's values now must be increasing. Great car @Mick Briesgau i was always in love with these cars when I was a kid.

Indeed it was rare. In total, 2769 SLC were built with the then new light weight 4.973 cm3 240 ps V8 of which 1615 under the moniker 450 SLC 5.0. MB sold a lot more 450 SLC (31.739).

 

[Rolf]

That 450 SLC 5.0 and 500 SLC were both interesting models. They made a rally version, which looked quite hot in my opinion and the road car used some aluminium body panels to reduce weight as well as some spoilers front and rear to improve aerodynamics.

Exterior and interior differences in dimensions between SL and SLC. The SLC had the same front and rear but 360mm added to length and wheelbase.

The SLC with its successor, the 1981 C126 SEC

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Nice input, Rolf.
There was something about those little blinds in the rear side windows, but I can't remember exact what it was. I'll check this in my "Big SL/SLC-Book" and get back to you.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Nice input, Rolf.
There was something about those little blinds in the rear side windows, but I can't remember exact what it was. I'll check this in my "Big SL/SLC-Book" and get back to you.

Similar to the "pegged rear side glass" M-B C207 and C238 E-Class coupes, C107 engineers were confronted with the problem of not being able to retract the entire span of the rear side-glass due to its' length. They divided the glazing, the short area ahead of the blinds retractable, the blinded area fixed. Or at least I recall that being the story back then.

 

[Rolf]

The chocolate metallic brown 500 SLC looks fantastic in this shot.

@Jimmy I think you are right, as can be seen in this shot the rear windows are fully open and lowered full into the bodywork. If they didn't have that segment with the blinds then the larger window wouldn't be able to retract down fully into the bodywork.

Interesting difference between 450 SLC 5.0 and 500 SLC is that the 500 model has a 4 speed automatic instead of the older 3 speed unit in the 450. The claimed 0-100km/h time for the 500 SLC is 7.8sec, while the 450 SLC 5.0 does it in 8.5sec, due to the shorter ratios of the 4 speed allowing a better take off. The 450 SLC 5.0 did 104km/h in 1st gear, while the 500 SLC did 65km/h in 1st gear and 100km/h in 2nd gear!!!

 

[fortuner]

@Rolf lovely thread

When I was in my teens this was the car that made me fall in love with Mercedes together with the w123 and w126 but this was the magical car I loved it we had a Red one and my neighbour a Gold. 450SLC what beauties.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Yep @Jimmy, that was it. Thanks for filling in the blank.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

This picture shows, how the blinds look from inside

 

[Deleted member 1071]

@Rolf lovely thread

When I was in my teens this was the car that made me fall in love with Mercedes together with the w123 and w126 but this was the magical car I loved it we had a Red one and my neighbour a Gold. 450SLC what beauties.

The C107 evokes late-teenaged memories for me as well, @Fortuner.

Former FC Bayern/German national team football star Gerd Müller and his wife Uschi had (among other cars) a pale yellow 450SLC. They were neighbors to the family of a teenaged mate of mine who then lived in München-Solln. 1972-73.

The C107 SLC remains one of my very favorite M-B cars of all time.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

The chocolate metallic brown 500 SLC looks fantastic in this shot.

@Jimmy I think you are right, as can be seen in this shot the rear windows are fully open and lowered full into the bodywork. If they didn't have that segment with the blinds then the larger window wouldn't be able to retract down fully into...

The metallic brown example is simply immaculate.

 

[Rolf]

This picture shows, how the blinds look from inside

Are those blinds made from steel or fabric?

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Are those blinds made from steel or fabric?

The blinds are made of synthetic material or plastic.