Mercedes SLC V8 rally car - the unlikely '70s race weapon
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Without this 1975 450 SLC rally car (you've probably never heard of) Mercedes would not be in motorsport today. Why? Because although it is such an unlikely rally car, this ex-press office car ended up persuading Mercedes to return to international motor racing after a tragic 1955 Le Mans accident. Therefore, this luxurious 1970s V8 coupe could be most famous motorsport Mercedes you've probably never heard of!
In the previous film Jonny was invited for a tour of a stunning private museum entirely populated by classic Mercedes. The man behind this beautiful obsession is Danny Lucas who, as you can imagine, is nothing short of Mercedes mad.
In these special Car Cave collection episodes Jonny tries to find time to take one of the cars for a quick spin, and in this episode he and owner Danny head out in the 1975 450SLC rally car. For more info on the Danz Benz collection head to www.danzbenz.com/
Thanks for stopping by The Late Brake Show.
Starting its life as a specially selected press car in 1975 for the SLC launch, this car later became the daily driver of Jonathan Ashman of Mercedes Benz Great Britain. In his custody, it was entered into the 1976 Tour of Britain Rally, with rally ace Tony Fowkes driving, placing first in its class. The car competed in various rallies following this and continued to cause a stir in the world of motorsport.
Most notably, in 1977, the car excelled in the notoriously treacherous Epynt Rally. With Tony Fowkes and Bryan Harris driving, they placed first in class and fifth overall - also winning the ‘Man of the Rally’ award. During this era the car had been repainted black and signwritten (in gold leaf!) in order to satisfy Johnson's car wax as a sponsor.
The car was then sold to Nicky Porter, a leading light in the Durham Automobile Club and the owner of an independent Mercedes Benz dealership.
Under Nicky’s ownership the car continued to compete in rallying on a hobbyist basis before eventually being restored back to its standard spec - with a higher differential ratio and lower ride height - apart from the BBS monoblock period alloys similar to the works SLC cars that came thereafter. Nicky campaigned the car in various sponsorship liveries, but the Johnson's and Goodyear signage is what it was best known for.
Meanwhile, building upon the path that this particular UK car paved, Mercedes went on to enter the more powerful 500SLC into rallies. This was the first official Mercedes team car to compete since the 1955 Le Mans disaster.
Everything that Mercedes has done in motorsport since arguably stands on the shoulders of this unlikely rally car.... LLC 432P
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Tech Spec
1975 Mercedes SLC 450 Group One
4520cc V8 with Bosch fuel injection
225bhp @ 5,000rpm, 265lbft @ 3,250rpm
Magard sump shield and front cross member protection
Safety Devices FIA approved safety roll cage
2 x 2.5kg fire extinguishers
Quick release bonnet pins
Glovebox removed for analogue timing equipment and map light
Quad Hella spot lamps with custom bumper mount
Modified 3-speed auto gearbox, with 3:46 final drive ratio and factory LSD
Factory 278mm / 229mm disc brakes
Front wishbone suspension feature check straps
Filmed and edited by: Phil Vaughan - www.philvfilms... Insta: @philvfilms
Thumbnail by: Matt Tarrant - www.matttarran...
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
#mercedesrallycar #privatecarcollection #mercedesmotorsporthistory #unknownmercedesracecar #thelatebrakeshow #4k
Wonderful. I remember reading about this car at the time. It also featured in a book written by LJK Setright about the SL and SLC. He was a huge fan too. I still have a copy. This sort of history is exactly why I love Mercs and particularly from this car's era. Give me 450SEL6.9 over any modern car and I'll be a very happy boy.
Me too!
Roll cage and Velour seats 😂 To have the Press car turn into a rally car is brilliant. And that gear box sitting in a drawer ready for 'the day'. Great video Johnny, thank you 👍
The gearbox was original, but a few mods were made to the internals. I suspect a manual valve body. Strange juxtaposition, to have a full weight luxury coupe as a rally car, but it certainly caught my attention.
I love these sort of oddball rally cars there was a guy who did the Paris to Dakar rally in a 70s Rolls Royce. Not sure if that's still about
Back in the day when the brand Mercedes meant quality and reliability. Love the cars history and the stories that defined the cars past. You would never get away with just taking the press car our rallying today. A new firm favourite along with the Red Pig.
This channel is a great antidote to multimillionaires from the home counties who have never known a days struggle in their lives trying to show a false sense of humility.
Great to see Danny's passion with his Mercs. Would be great to see another video later in the year with more rides in his classic Mercs.
Stunning collection, very enjoyable to see an owner with such passion
That's such a beautiful car. That flat profile gives it really good symmetry all around. Like the Volvo P1800.
Reminds me a lot of my best mates Volvo 240 former race car. His uncle (who worked on the winning 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship for the Volvo Dealer Team) gave it to him when he got a licence.
It also had velour seats, but the roll cage had been removed by the time we got our grubby teen hands on it.
It was the biggest two door car I've ever seen, but could comfortable seat five big blokes, with more legroom then first class.
Built like a brick sh!thouse, but faster then pretty much everything, it was the perfect sleeper. It looked stock from the outside, the only hint it was once a race car were the bonnet locking pins, to stop it flipping up at high speeds.
My god we had some fun rallying "the beast" along country roads in Australia.
The acceleration/deceleration for such a heavy car was phenomenal, and when you did crash it, nothing was damaged (on the car at least, whatever you hit was totaled).
It still had a 4 speed H-pattern racing gearbox, which required pulling an extra knob on the gearstick to engage reverse, I believe to prevent it be accidentally engaged while racing and shredding the clutch/gears.
The downsides:
- It only took premium fuel and you had to buy a bunch of additives (leaded, octane boost, etc) with every tank $$$, otherwise the valves and seals would wear out, leak and cause it to overheat and blow the head gasket.
- No air conditioning or even rear windows, in the Australian summer this was brutal, it was like sitting in a fan forced oven.
I’m blessed to own a Black 72 mercedes 350SL. I bought it for $9K in 2015 from an old rich guy who took immaculate care of it. I feel like I’m in another world when I drive it. Amazing car.
I'm not a Merc fan but well done to the chap for having the success in life to indulge his passion. One of the things that irks me about car museums is you can't hop in and take the cars for a spin, but all his motors are road legal. I'd be out in one of them at least every day!
Thank you for this additional footage.
I have a 1983 SLC 380 and great to hear about the history of the SLC's.
Think it's time to get mine back on the road.
this car had it and did it all back in the day and these SLC models were so over engineered is why they lasted so long, given the nickname Panzers, Jonnie your one very fortunate man to be able to drive this car, awesome video ❤
As a young boy I think ten or eleven I bought a corgi model of this car in dark blue
It was my dream car and actually I would still like one
To me this was the era when Mercedes made real good cars
You are very lucky to drive it
Just amazing 👍👍👍👍
Actually... velour seats, a sunroof, frameless doors AND a roll cage! 😎
Absolutely. What a combo!
...and the 3-speed auto transmission
...and the 8-track!
3 speeds, 8 tracks. Class.
I owned a 1971 350 SL for several years. This was the first year of manufacture, and here in the USA it came with the 4.5 liter V8. The body shell was very sturdy for a drop head. No doubt the SLC variant featured was even better with a roof. Acceleration was good but not great: many contemporary American muscle cars were much faster and more powerful. The 3 speed Mercedes built automatic transmission was strong but set up for smooth shifts. This was the weak link for fast road work. A 5 speed manual box was never offered here in the USA but would of really improved performance and control. The SL/ SLC was known for high build quality and longevity. The motors were under-stressed would run 250-300 thousand miles with only minimal care. Top speed for my US spec car was just over 130 mph, a bit disappointing for me coming from a Series 1 E Type Jaguar. But then again the Jaguar was a far more demanding mistress.
Are you sure the US didn't get the 350 SLC back in 1973? I know we had the 350 SL and the 380 SLC eventually replaced the 450 SLC in 1981.
@@aamirqz The SLC was introduced in Europe first in 1972. It wasn’t officially imported until 1976, and by then it had the big US spec crash bumpers and the low compression 4.5 V8. Many European spec SL/SLC cars were imported through the grey market as they had more powerful higher compression motors and the more attractive slim bumpers. The 500 SLC featured in this video was the fastest of the lot. All the 350/450 motors had the heavier but more durable cast iron block.
Fantastic era of Mercedes. Loved the 450 Sl. They had such a solid feel to them.
Yep, hence the 'Panzer' nickname on the production line. The SLC went through a phase of not being valuable at all. I wish i'd bought one then.
@@TheLateBrakeShow we all do
It's great to see how passionate Danny is about those Mercs. Down to all the small details.
There was actually two special A.class made, to celebrate the Mercedes F1 team, one for Mikka Hakkinen and one for David Coulthard. They were special made with luxury cabins, but the big party piece were the two engines, one in front and one in the rear, so they were 4x4's with double the power
Judging by the sticker in the lower driver's side corner of the windscreen, it was dashing in the year 2000 through motorways in Czech rep.! It's a Czech 10-day motorway vignette, wow, it was doing some serious roadtrips.
This car probably has had more punishment put into it than any of the Dukes of hazzard dodge chargers that was sacrificed in that TV series, they all got bent up and ruined but this merc, like all the other mercs, are built literally like a panzer tank, like you say! Thank you for sharing, Jonny!
The last time I saw this car was competing on the 2018 Lombard Bath Rally owned by the man who has sold it to you.Nicky Porter is one of my old hillclimb colleagues back in the early 70,s & we are still in regular touch!
I watched the full episode with Danny's other cars, what a treat!
Another brilliant video. Keep them coming!
Jonny Smith is my favourite car RUclipsr! Eloquent, informed and passionate - what more could you ask! Keep it going :)
Really kind of you Nicholas 👊🏽
Stunning collection and what a nice guy and you of course Johnny 👍
What a classic tape collection! Oh, and nice car as well.
I was a little kid when I watched Hannu Mikkola and Bjorn Waldergaard thrashing the GT luxo-panzers around the gruelling safari rally...competing against the nimbler Fiat 131s and Datsun 160J Violets ❤😅
I want your job. I would be terrible at it. Every video you post just brings joy. Thanks
Still miss that huge wheel from my old W123. Palming excellence was guaranteed 😍
👌🏽
Brings back memories Johnny, I remember this Merc participating in the September 2010 MSA Euroclassic. I was a travelling official on the event that started at the Nürburgring, into Czech Republic, Italy and Switzerland. I also remember it over Epynt on the Avon Tour of Britain! Great piece.
Great memory, thanks Phil. Was it good to watch?
@@TheLateBrakeShow Yes, very entertaining well done...
*Had one [Standard Edition 450 SLC] early 80's and only car did 108 miles in an hour - not saying where as might get the Fuzz after me - but no speed cameras then - also did see 150 mph on speedo. Been a big Mercedes fanboy and now have a sedate (W247) B200CDi Class AMG Line - more interested in mpg than mph at my age, and best 85.6 mpg over 108 miles at average speed of 53 mph. My previous car (W246) B200 AMG CDi did in fact beat this with 113 miles covered between München - Stuttgart on the E8 - but my son was driving, however over 50mpg - amazing !*
The 190e 2.6 that I owned about 15 years ago could be danced ... Such a beautifully balanced car .
I can only imagine what this beauty was like to drive ..
Just bought a 2010 e220 ..
You luck lucky bastard ... 👍😊
My starter motor is broken hopeful to get it fixed tomorrow .
LLC 432p has a ring to it. .
Sometimes it's just doing it, and the rest is history. Another great story Johnny!
If Jonny wants to test drive our electric SLC in Belgium, please let us know and we're happy to make an appointment!
Thank you really enjoyed watching this episode.
I have a photo graph of a green one(in the background) at the 1978 Lombard RAC rally. Fantastic car😀. Just realised it was 432P with a doggarts livery
Awesome Jonny & a great iconic car, brilliant 😉
Knew I recognised this car. 99% sure it was sat in a showroom in west Auckland, county durham for years. Often wondered what it was! Very interesting 👍
Really enjoyed this video following on from the last what knowledge Danny Has and the level of detail known. Imagine what happened to the guy that modified the Gearbox and where he ended up, hopefully proud of being part of this.
Nicky Porter is a gentleman, petrol in his blood always used to see this car in his home town, I suppose one way of reducing his car collection is gifting it to a museum .
What a great car and fantastic story. So cool that you got to drive it!
Great piece of Rallying history this SLC Mercedes 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Awesome Jonny 👍🙏😎 What a great throwback , stunning car , just love these older vehicles , these are proper cars ! Love it !
Do the headlights 'rally dip', left light dips left and right dips to the right. Used to be called the Monte carlo dip.
I've raced a 190E 2.6 they're surprisingly capable cars, some of my best results came in one of those.
thank you for this video! Well done!
I miss my 450 slc. What a fantastic car.
After this Mercedes developed the special all alloy engined 450 SLC 5.0 which was more powerful, and they took that rallying.
Good work Jonny. We build rally and performance Mercs of this ilk for customers all over the globe... You're always welcome to come and find out how we do it!
Very cool, thanks Johnny
Awesome Jonny, just awesome !
I had a chance to buy a decent example of this car about 15 years ago for the princely sum of $4000. I passed because it would have needed probably a couple thousand more in repairs to be a daily driver. Regrets, I've had a few...
Love the collection, the missed Mercs., Well doneJohnny , again! Always interesting and odd and new !
The looks and story are what make this such an amazing car
I see these vids come up and I'm like 'yeah, I'll maybe have a look'.
But I'm always pleasantly surprised when I do.
Surprised in a good way, or a bad way?
@@TheLateBrakeShow Pleasantly surprised...
Excellent. 👌
I love my 450 SLC
Marvellous. Those roads look very familiar to me as well. Used to be a well known biking haunt/Café near there. Great car, and still surprised Dan hasn't got a 450 6.3 in the collection. I seriously thought about a late 60's merc for a daily when i was changing my car last year. Would have been Tax/MOT/ULEZ/CC exempt, but chose something totally different in the end.
What a fantastic story, and fantastic video…..I remember the car, and didn’t realise it’s significance in Mercedes motorsport , did it ever do the Manx International Rally back in the day..? 👍🇮🇲
Great video Johnny thanks keep them coming. When is the next one on your allegro sleeper due
Allegro progress will be seen in a few months. Apologies for the dip in updates.
Sun visors ? get a tennis sun visor with the sweat band and it's always in the right place because it moves with the head , dipping and side to side. Keep it in the door pocket for those low sun times of day.
SLC, the sporty 'sonderklasse'. RHD versions can come from South Africa.
How much do I want an old Merc now!!! 🤦 Thanks a bunch Jonny!!
Brilliant vid though.
Don't want to take anything from this nice story, but I do think that the Red Pig has been more influential for Mercedes to return to racing. Nothing the less, this car would certainly have helped to point Mercedes back to racing again.
The Red Pig was influential in AMG, but I'm not sure it did much to rekindle Merc's thirst for motorsport wins.
When Mercedes was still a Mercedes!!
A significant car undoubtedly, but I’m sure AMG and Brabus would have something to say about having an influence in bring Mercedes Benz back to motorsport! 😉 A lovely collection, would be great if it was open to the public.
Isn't there a red SLC rally car that was built by MB from the ground up? From what I recall it had thicker chassis panels / extra welding.
The comfort of this car and its use makes sense for motorsports, as the most fatiguing thing on a long road trip is the moan, and the road noise, it wears you out and makes you less sharp as you drive, so for it to be this quiet and soft and have it be a damn good competitor makes perfect sense as it was able to keep the driver in tip top shape throughout the stages
vs being in a 5 cylinder powered tin can doing a 130 just a few years latter, not that theirs anything wrong with that as it worked out well and damn well for audi, and I still want to own one but its just, comfort, sound deadening and all this really get taken for granted in motorsports when it really shouldnt, as people are always more alert and more capable when their comfortable vs when their not.
Wasn't mentioned but I recall one winning the round South America rally.
They raced out here in New Zealand doing the Heatway Rally, recall seeing one on the evening news coverage passing an Escort on a straight gravel road at high-speed, certainly faster than the Escort driver wanted to go!
Spectacular vehicles in action.
I think that would have been the Merc works SLCs that emerged soon after this car's campaign.
@@TheLateBrakeShow yeah, think the South American cars were the 5.0litre. Still had full interiors!
Have an old period article on them somewhere.
I remember seeing this car and Tony Fowkes in the Welsh forests.
Brilliant. What was it like?!
@@TheLateBrakeShow it was a surprise, I think it was the summer of 76 as I seem to remember a cloud of dust coming and then it just appeared sideways. It was quiet compared to the normal open Webers of escorts and such or the straight cut gears of a mini. You just all the rocks hitting the body and the it was gone.
Cars like this make me think what is in the head of people who convert classic cars like this one into EVs.
Those cars frm that era will outlive any modern car today, and it’s always someone taking a massive risk that make them better.
Great to watch and hear is passion.
Great programme as usual Jonny the bar is at a very high standard.
Do you mind me asking, are you ever worried about driving a car. Appreciate your an excellent driver. But is there ever a feeling ...what if something happens?. Because I feel one day Mercedes may well want that car back in their museum and will pay whatever it takes and could? It appears history making for Mercedes?
I just ask because I think I may worry too much lol
Kind regards
Paul
My favourite Mercedes, not the rally version though. Silver paint with the early years chrome (no black rubber)with green velour would be my ideal car.
Saw it rallying in the 70s. I am sure there were 2 of them back in the day.
Excuse me, but the picture in the background, in the beginning , is it the Transfagarasan Road in Romania?
I wonder what's Dan's holy grail benz and why, another fantastic vid jonny
300SL gullwing
Stunning, you are going to have a right game bettering that and it's still January 🤣
the purchasing power of £12,000 in 1976 equals £78,184.29 today. The average annual inflation rate has been 4.16%.
just brilliant !!!!
bit puzzled the Mercedes logo on the guys fleece is up side down, but a lot of history with this car, seems to have changed colours 2 or 3 times
Please tell me the sunroof still works, Rj in Oz 3:30am
It does!
Talking about the cost of the SLC, at 12K, my dad sold our house in Manchester in '76 for £11350, for a 3 bed semi, so serious money for '76.
Race or rally car from Mercedes or BMW that just something...
That is when Mercedes built cars to doa specific job, unlike what they turn out today, over priced and huge bodied cars. Cheers Johnny.
Am I the only one to notice that the car, as shown has a very factory looking sun roof and the car shown going full bottle in rally photos doesn't ??
I was trying, from the last video through this one, to think of who Danny reminded me of... A slightly older and heavier Seth MacFarlane.
An unlikely rally car. A long way from the Lancia Delta S4 from just a few years later.
Quality from Mercedes in those days.
Johnny will there be anymore content on the Austin allegro ?
Yes, rest assured I haven't given up on the Agro sleeper.
Motogard Rally of New Zealand 1980
3rd Mikkola Hannu - Hertz Arne Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC
Wow
Does the backseat actually work for regular sized adults?
Yes 2 or 3 adults no problem. You can fold down an arm rest if 2 in the back. My 380 is fantastic 90k miles year 1980 Has First Aid kit unused on the rear shelf. RH cars now very rare. They will appreciate in value from now. Only 29 380's SLC registered in use in UK.
@@andrewsmith-jf6ou There are 5 450SLC listed online in Australia at the moment. There are quite a few survivors considering they were not the best seller for MB here - people seem to prefer the SEC and bought good used ones instead.
Hello Jonathan 👍
Why no 190 Cosworth?
Not strictly true!!! In rallycross you already had the massive orange Heigo-Bugel Mercedes 6.3 in 1973 (Lydden Hill) and a certain Rob James and Brian Tilley rallied a brand new Mercedes 250CE on the 1973 ARHYDRNOS RALLY, in South Wales. I have photos of both. Plus the 450SLC5.0 which was also rallied at the same time.
The 450SLC 5.0s were directly commissioned to race as works vehicles off the back of this car.
I don't really understand why this car persuaded Mercedes.. Throughout the 60s there were so many Mercedes race and rally drivers. Look at Eugen Böhringer.. he won so many important rallies with Mercedes 220, Mercedes 300 etc.
Im not a spoonfed rich kid but own 12 Mercedes Benzes I buy them in non running conditions and use my brain to diagnose and fix each one
I knew about the SLCs in the Safari Rally but not about this.
Yep, those works safari cars were green lit after this car.
I have a Mercedes race car Jonny your welcome to drive it
👍