1985 Mercedes 500SL

Brake repairs on our 1985 Mercedes 500SL

Jon fitted a new rotor arm and distributor cap to our 1985 Mercedes 500 SL. He measured out the HT leads, fitted them to the corresponding cylinders, secured them neatly in the clips and started the engine, which then ran smoothly on all eight cylinders. The air filter was refitted and secured before he carried […]

Ignition system on our 1985 Mercedes 500 SL

Jon, has been working on our 1985 Mercedes 500 SL here at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop, began by stripping and removing the old distributor cap and rotor after the correct replacement parts arrived. He marked the number one position for accurate reassembly, then removed the old black plastic cover from the distributor cap […]

Mercedes R107 SL500 rebuild work

Jon refitted the distributor cap and rotor arm on our 1985 Mercedes 500SL, using the existing components as the replacement parts had not yet arrived. He reconnected the HT leads to their corresponding cylinders and started the engine, which continued to misfire. The air filter was then refitted.

Assessing and repairing

Jon assessed the customer’s list of reported concerns on our 1985 Mercedes 500SL, starting with an engine misfire. After confirming that the engine was indeed misfiring, he carried out a visual inspection of the ignition leads and related components. He noted that Pete had previously fitted new spark plugs during an earlier visit. Upon investigation, […]

More Repairs on our Mercedes

Jon began repair work on our 1985 Mercedes 500SL following the arrival of the required parts, starting with the replacement of both rocker cover gaskets. He first stripped down the nearside cover, then removed, cleaned, and prepared the mating surfaces. As the new gaskets had been folded in their packaging and were misshapen, he carefully […]

Switzerland Road Trip

The owner of our 1985 Mercedes 500SL very kindly sent us some photos and footage of them enjoying the beautiful classic on the roads in Switzerland. Even with the roof down in the snow, it looks very much at home and as stunning as ever.

In the Right Direction – Alignment on the 1985 Mercedes 500SL

This beautiful 1985 Mercedes 500SL has been at our Suffolk HQ for some light recommissioning work, the latest of which is making sure everything underneath is all pointed in the right direction. Our technician Jon has carried out an alignment on the front end of the classic GT roadster. Jon reset the camber to within […]

Electrical Issues

John inspected our 1985 Mercedes 500SL, addressing the issues reported by the customer. The cruise control motor was checked to ensure it was operating freely and functioning correctly. The driver’s heated seat was not working, so the switches and wiring were examined. While the switches were in good condition, there was no power reaching them. […]

500SL Front Suspension

The next task for Pete on our 1985 Mercedes 500SL was the front lower arms. Due to the design of the Mercedes, suspension standard coil spring compressors don’t fit with room to adjust, so he had to fabricate a coil compressor from a few bits we had around the shop. With that done, Pete marked […]

500SL Service And Steering

Pete has been continuing his work on our 1985 Mercedes 500SL, beginning with an oil change. The engine’s large drain plug released a significant volume of old oil, nearly overwhelming the oil drainer. Once drained, the filter housing and old filter were removed, thoroughly cleaned of residue, and refitted with fresh copper washers and O-rings. […]

500SL Repairs

Our 1985 Mercedes 500SL has been undergoing some pretty extensive electrical work to address various issues and improve functionality:

Mercedes Work Begins

The first steps in breathing new life into our 1985 Mercedes 500SL have been successfully completed. The work done so far has been addressing a variety of mechanical, electrical, and general maintenance concerns. Heater Blower Maintenance One of the initial issues tackled by Pete was the squeaky heater blower. The blower was removed from the […]

Mercedes 500SL Basic Appraisal

The customer reported a few issues with our 1985 Mercedes 500SL, and Pete confirmed most of them during a test drive: Lighting Issues While the external lights are fully operational, there were a few concerns with internal and auxiliary lighting: Heated Seats The heated seat switches are non-functional. They’ve completely collapsed in their housing, rendering […]