Hi Pat,
My first car at 16 was a 190SL. They have excellent build quality, prone to serious chassis rust, and can be drivable and fun to drive when put right. They are seldom sorted out correctly and good running and driving examples are rare these days. They are a full generation older than the W113 cars, so the heating, ventilation and wipers are barely adequate. They have complicated self adjusting drum brakes on a single system. The charging system uses a 20 amp generator. The 105 hp engine uses complicated dual side draft Solex carbs which are seldom mounted correctly or adjusted correctly. They will perform but you have to "flog" them, but the engine is strong and will take the beating if it is healthy. The handling is pretty good, and will oversteer when pushed. I used to autocross mine back in the day and it was always the car to beat in the MB Club autocross. They soon gain there owner's loyalty with their solid and dependable nature. Back in the day I would jump in it and do a 3,000 mile trip without concern. It never left me stranded along side the road in all the years I owned it. Take a tour of the 190SL Club website for more information than you can imagine. The early cars (first 700) are my favorites. The gearing in the transmission and the differential is much sportier and more fun to drive. They also have the gullwing style bucket seats that are also more desirable to most. My car was #556 and was good for 89 mph in third gear! I also owned #239 also. These early cars were a bit lighter than the later versions also. The voluptuous lines and proportions of the 190SL attract much attention from far and wide. Many believe the body style is even more pleasing than that of the 300SL. It is probably a worthwhile project, call me to chat on it if you like.
