Hello Guys,

Although I no longer own #1576 "Brunehilde", I still wistfully read this forum and try to keep up with your activities..plus I still have and wistfully read some of my old 026 data at times.

I am really glad to note that "our" forum is still one of the most active and informational forums of our entire club website.. I sometimes add to the R230 and CLK forums -but as we know, those cars are not in the same catagory as the very last rare Mercedes factory designed and built competition machines that became and are CLASSIC MACHINES that SLC5.0s are! Although I suppose the CLK DTM cars will eventually be included into that catagory.

As for numbers... Cars built engine sizes, transmissions, manufactured years and the many other catagories.. I think Steve has done and is doing a most comendable job for the group as the "5.0 SLC Registrar".. Other than the "Gullwing Group", I can find no other select car group that has done so much for the intracommunication of enthusiasts trying to preserve and enjoy these wonderful machines.

I still have some of my earlier data and personal research on the W107 026 series .... The best ones I have used have been the Engelen Books, John Olsens' works, our MBCA STAR issues of Mar/Apr and Sept/Oct 1999 along with notes that Scott and I shared.. In fact before Scotts' untimely death, he was on the trail of a "phantom SLC 5.0 VIN # 2770" that was reputedly sold in Stuttgart to some high official with every known option available installed.

If you will check I think you will find that the 5025cc engine (M117 960) - the "Moose Engine" as John Buckingham calls it- was reduced in May 1979 to 4975cc (M117 960/2) to comform with FIAs (read French) mandate that 5.0 liter engines could NOT exceed 5000cc... There is a conception that 4 speed transmissions only applied to the 500 SLC..However at least in the May 1979 Acropolis Rally all three 450SLC 5.0 cars had four speed transmissions with the smaller 4975cc/320 hp engines..

Further ..and I will pass to Steve ..but my poor notes show VIN #1615 as the VERY LAST 450SLC and VIN#1616 as the FIRST 500SLC badged car.. Somewhere I think I have the data on the first actual rally car VINs which later became "training wheels" as the later and last ones were produced.. and there really were not that many ..As for alloy skined cars I have never read or heard of any.. just extra thin gauge metal used through out the doors and fenders to recduce weight.. In fact the small European street bumper supports were aluminium.. the rest of the alloy parts are well known.

Keep up the great work with this forum .. I miss you guys !

Cheers,

:)

Ron