spotted an '82 amg 500sl w/ 5 speed today
 

this may be an sl thread? but? whilst drinking coffee at my usual morning haunt in silverlake (los angeles), i spied the above, and spoke briefly with the owner. he claims their are only four in existence (in the u.s.? the world?).
anyway, didn't get any pics or more info, but it did look sharp, and was done in the fatherland - "directly from the dealer to amg" per owner .

anyway, just wondering how rare this thing is?

(all black, with amg wheels - also black - and blacked out grill, chrome etc, but not much in the way of cladding, except for rear deck)

There is one guy in Houston who had a very low mileage example in those colors. It may be that one as he recently sold it.

thx.

it's not an obsession or anything, but it was just a surprise to see one out of the blue. the owner obviously realized i was an aficionado when i mentioned my amazement at v-8/ stick combo. the interior is, well cream/tan?(by all black, i meant blacked out. oops) (top was down, as it's been sunny and 70ish lately)

p.s. he did suggest it was (no surprise here) extremely fast and kind of ridiculously overpowered for non-autobahn driving - and then took off quite briskly. :D

I think the houston car has black interior.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/sale-trade-wanted-items/1471854-1983-euro-500sl-amg-5-speed.html

yes, different car. this was definitely tan/ beige whatever it's called, but otherwise all else quite similar.

wonder if the l.a. car went for the $30k that houston seller wanted for his?


anyway, thx again for your responses.

The one in Houston was mine - it was a 1983 500SL AMG with a 5-spd black on black. That was was sold late last year to a really nice guy in NY. From what I know, there is a black on tan one in LA and it's owned by a solid member of BenzWorld ("48hp") and there's another black on tan on in Ohio.

No one knows how many were made; I know of about four of them in the US but who knows how many there are the in the world? Probably 20 is a decent guess, but it's just a guess.

Brian,
How about a few pics of your W111 cabrio. I am also a member of BW and I have always appreciate your wisdom on the SL's. Is the W111 cabrio new? Is that why you sold your beautiful AMG?

well, thx for the info.

its kind of funny? interesting? that in this huge country, the connections (and coincidences? elements of chance?) do occasionally tie us together, however briefly and tenuously.

p.s. i've never been that enthused with the sl (or amg), but together it seemed to really click. too bad i don't have $30k. :(

No, I sold the AMG because I have a family of four (6-yr and 4-yr boys) and I could never drive the AMG because (a) they couldn't go with me and (b) my work is 140 miles round trip with lots of big trucks on it. Not much driving around the city and never driving to work. 1000 miles in two years?

After I sold the AMG, I bought a 43k-mile CJ7 to relive my 80s again and carry the family of four around in the city, and this '66 is kept in Brenham at my father in law's house. A customer of mine's father bought the '66 in '67 and he had to sell it in 2002, so I asked my father-in-law if he wanted it, but he never drives it and it shouldn't sit. So I've adopted it - I keep it at my house a few months of the year and make sure it all runs well and gets new fluids. I haven't had it at my house since May of 2009, but I think I'm going to adopt it back for Jan/Feb while the weather is still cool. One of the first cars I ever drove in 1985 was my dad's 280SE 3.5 coupe; so having the cabrio around is a wonderful blast of the past. It's a great deal, I don't own it, he pays for major repairs, but I'm the only one who drives it.

Apparently, I'm big into driving cars that I owned or had a relationship with during the '80s - a 1985 500SE, the w111 cab, and now the CJ7.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...o/IMG_1935.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...o/IMG_1936.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...o/IMG_1938.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...o/IMG_1951.jpg

Indeed it is a great deal... I would be heaven if I can work out a deal where other splits the bill and I do the driving!!!. Great looking car and great looking interior, by the way. I too, have a W107 and 2 young boys (a bit older than yours, 9 & 13 year old). I added the kinder seat in the back so they can enjoy it too. I just can't get my wife to get in the SL with us since "It's my hair blowing..." kind of thing. My aspiration is to own one of the W111 or W112 cabrio. Then I will part with my SL.
Happy New Year.

Ahh, Hello again!

That was indeed me that morning outside Cafe Tropical. Another small world moment as Brian and I have/had distant cousin 500sl AMG manual variants. See, my SL was listed on his original documentation as a trade-in for his 1983 500SL AMG. The original owner had requested ABS brakes and when the 1982 arrived without that option another was ordered.

I was absolutely surprised and caught off gaurd by your awareness of the manual transmission. The number of people that would have recognized that is probably as rare as the option itself. It was pleasure chatting with you.

See you down at the local.

Cheers,
Henric

And Brian...beautiful!

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...o/IMG_1935.jpg

As found on another site specific to the AMG topic:

Actual photos of said vehicles:

http://mbca.cartama.net/attachment.p...1&d=1262199588

http://mbca.cartama.net/attachment.p...2&d=1262199588

http://mbca.cartama.net/attachment.p...3&d=1262199588

http://mbca.cartama.net/attachment.p...4&d=1262199841

I have since spotted a 450sl with a four speed transmission.

Now that's a surprise - I wonder how they got a 4-spd to the 450?