My 420SEL

[SEL_69L]

The alloy air cleaner cover fits quite nicely on a 6.9 engine.

I replaced the standard black painted steel air cleaner cover on my car with the alloy 126 version of the same thing; it considerably brightenes up the engine bay! Cost? Got mine for free from a junkyard!

Just buffed it with cutting compound, water blasted it dried, and sprayed it with acryllic laquer from a spray can. Came up a treat!

A standard 6.9 engine bay is a rather dingy place.

 

[SEL_69L]

Had quite drive of Stryia's 420. The suspansion feels nicely 'together'.
Quite an unfussed car, if you let it do it's own thing. Very relaxing.
Styria has remarked that it likes to sit on 70 km/hr, but I drove it on a trailing throttle at 60 km/hr, and it seemed to be quite happy.

Tried to accelerate it with the pedal to the metal from 20 km/hr, to 60 km/hr, and from 40 km/hr to 60 km/hr. as you would in normal driving suiuations, when power is required.

Not much there.

My manual 3 litre Camry in 2nd gear, will accelerate noticeably harder than the 420.

 

[260ebenz]

Styria what is the latest in regards to the 420SEL?

Cheers.

 

[Styria]

It is performing sterling service, and is a beautifully relaxing car to drive. If you want to get somewhere by sitting in a nicely moving lounge chair, this is it. It has absolutely no oil leaks, does not use any oil although a self imposed change is due now. Under every day driving conditions, fuel consumption works out to about 10.5 liters per 100 kilometers. That's driving to Maroubra Beach along the M4 to Strathfield, Parramatta Road, turn right at City Road and left into Cleveland Street, and right into....I have forgotten the name, but the road passes the new Audi Dealership, the Australian Golf Course on the left.....I am sure Sydneysiders are familiar with the territory. There are any number of traffic lights, speed cameras and the average speed works out to about 50 kms. an hour. Regards Styria

 

[Michel]

and right into....I have forgotten the name, but the road passes the new Audi Dealership, the Australian Golf Course on the left..... Regards Styria

South Dowling Street up to the Lakes and then it becomes Southern Cross Drive

 

[260ebenz]

It is performing sterling service, and is a beautifully relaxing car to drive. If you want to get somewhere by sitting in a nicely moving lounge chair, this is it. It has absolutely no oil leaks, does not use any oil although a self imposed change is due now. Under every day driving conditions, fuel consumption works out to about 10.5 liters per 100 kilometers. That's driving to Maroubra Beach along the M4 to Strathfield, Parramatta Road, turn right at City Road and left into Cleveland Street, and right into....I have forgotten the name, but the road passes the new Audi Dealership, the Australian Golf Course on the left.....I am sure Sydneysiders are familiar with the territory. There are any number of traffic lights, speed cameras and the average speed works out to about 50 kms. an hour. Regards Styria

Have to agree Styria driving a W126 is very relaxing just like a moving lounge chair.

Fuel consumption sounds good so enjoy the 420 Styria.

Will the 420 be making a cameo appearance at the Concours Styria?

Cheers.

 

[Styria]

It's a well known fact now that the 420SEL did not make a cameo appearance at the concopurs d'elegance - that was reserved for Gleaming Beauty. Just as an aside, there were a number of people very impressed not only with the quality of the paint so well applied by Jerry, but also most liked the two tone colour arrangement. It was deemed to be subtle, and classic. Anyway, that's to respond to Tim, and also get back to the 420SEL

I have made mention of the fact that the car would not pull the skin off a rice pudding. I mentioned this to Helmet on Friday night, and he sort of felt that 420s do have a better than average turn of speed, and offered to take the car for a drive. On his return, the verdict ? "I think the car performs quite well, but I tend to think that it is running an extremely tall differential ratio. So, I thought I'd investigate this further and what better way than to look at the speedo markings in Tim's 300. So this is how it works out:

1st gear 50km/h 2nd gear 90 km/h 3rd gear 150 km/h
Maximum rev counter range 6200-7000

The 420 SEL ? Examine the accompanying photo - very interesting.



Regards Styria

 

[260ebenz]

Styria would there be any difference between the 6cyl speedo markings compared to a 8cyl speedo markings or would they be the same?

Hope you are happy with the R/H tail light?

Good to speak to you yesterday Styria.

Cheers Tim.

 

[Oversize]

Wow that's a HUGE difference! Changes into 3rd at 200kmh; OMG!

 

[Helmet]

Wow that's a HUGE difference! Changes into 3rd at 200kmh; OMG!

No it changes out of third at 200

 

[SEL_69L]

What were the various diff. ratios for the 420?

Obviously, and especially in the case of this type of car, the diff. ratio can have a deep influence in it's character, and on road performance. Styria informs me that this example had the tallest diff. ratio of them all.

Seems to me to be a bit strange for an Australian delivered car, but much better siuted to German autobahn conditions.

 

[Styria]

Styria would there be any difference between the 6cyl speedo markings compared to a 8cyl speedo markings or would they be the same?

Hope you are happy with the R/H tail light?

Good to speak to you yesterday Styria.

Cheers Tim.

Tim, if you have a look at my photograph of the 420 speedometer, you will see that the markings for the individual gears are quite different. Have a look at the photo and then compare with the speedo on your car. Regards Styria

 

[260ebenz]

See the difference is speedo markings speedo from the 300SE.

 

[abl567]

My Australian delivered 420SEL has the marks at 70, 120 & 200.
And the panel isn't covered in little white dots, which I read on another forum was mould that only appears on private import cars, could it be due to some sort of fumigation process when the car is imported into Australia?

 

[Oversize]

No it changes out of third at 200

Hahahaha!! I've become too accustomed to only 3 speeds!! Not helped by the fact the shift points are marked I, II, III !!

 

[260ebenz]

Godfather how is the 420SEL going?

 

[Styria]

Tim, the car has performed faultlessly in every respect. There are a couple of worn front end bushes that incite a rumble over certain surfaces, but other than that fine. Even on the occasion of some hot days (35 degrees) and with Air Con operatingunder traffic and some stop/start conditions, the temperature has barely moved past the 85 degree mark.

To illustrate the quality of the engine, I am attaching a photo of the instrument panel.



Take note of the time, temperature and oil pressure reading. The readings were taken after arriving home from the Goulburn trip - a distance of some two hundred kilometers. Unfortunately, the trip and kilometer recorders are inoperative, but those readings would confirm a mileage reading of round about the one hundred thousand kilometer mark that the car has travelled in total. On the Goulburn return trip, the consumption of fuel was about 10.5 liters per 100. Honestly, I am stoked with this car - ever so slow on acceleration, but quite brilliant in the reliability stakes. Regards Styria

 

[Styria]

Tim, the car has performed faultlessly in every respect. There are a couple of worn front end bushes that incite a rumble over certain surfaces, but other than that fine. Even on the occasion of some hot days (35 degrees) and with Air Con operating under traffic and some stop/start conditions, the temperature has barely moved past the 85 degree mark.

To illustrate the quality of the engine, I am attaching a photo of the instrument panel.



Take note of the time, temperature and oil pressure reading. The readings were taken after arriving home from the Goulburn trip - a distance of some two hundred kilometers. Unfortunately, the trip and kilometer recorders are inoperative, but those readings would confirm a mileage reading of round about the one hundred thousand kilometer mark that the car has travelled in total. On the Goulburn return trip, the consumption of fuel was about 10.5 liters per 100. Honestly, I am stoked with this car - ever so slow on acceleration, but quite brilliant in the reliability stakes. Regards Styria

N.B........and the readings were taken with "Drive" engaged - not in neutral.

 

[260ebenz]

Excellent Styria.

Look forward to seeing the 420 at a Club event in 2013.

The more Battleships on show at the events the better!

I have got that spare tail light if you ever need it Styria?

 

[Styria]

Yes Tim, please keep it aside for me. I would like to purchase it in due course. Regards Styria