I am acquiring a 1971 350SL that appears to have a factory 450 engine.
I have located the VIN on the door which is 107.04412-001061.
Can someone help with the meaning of the VIN numbers and if Mercedes ever put the 450 in the 350SL
Thanks
Last edited by Tage : 11-10-2007 at 01:31 PM.
Reason: incorrect staement
The engine in every 350SL is a 450 V8. Go to the 107 section here and do search on vin numbers. There is a russian website that decaodes the vin. There is also a vintage MB center that can decose this for you. Search the 107 site- you'll vind lots of info on your car.
Chief,
You are incorrect. I have a '71 350 SL with all the ppwk and the engine is a 116-982 which is a high compression 3.5 liter V-8. Its marked on the block too. This car was not made for export to the USA but was exported in August of '71 to the USA, so there are a few of them out there. This was the standard european engine for the 350's.
Tage,
What I noticed was the vin# Now I thought 350SL's were 107.043.... 450SL is a 107.044... Does anyone know if Mercedes tagged the 350's with the 4.5 liter engine 107.044...??
The early 350SL's that MB sent to the USA had the 4.5 engine instead of the 3.5. Later, the badging was changed to 450SL.
IIRC, MBNA even offered to "re-badge" the early 350SLs to a 450SL free of charge. Most owners declined the offer, as the 350SL with its smaller, European style bumpers, etc., was a more visually appealing car than the '74 and up 450SLs, with their bulky Federally mandated "amusement park" bumpers, that followed.
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