F1 Safety Cars

[londoner2001]

I've noticed recently that SL safety car spec mercs are being sold a lot in Britain. I think it's cool to have one of these I imagine they are quite harsh being set up for track but they are something different, does anyone know are they all left hand drive and what other safety cars have there been over the past 5 or 6 years? Were there any W202 C class and if so any right hand drive that ended up over here? What about E55 W210 or SLK32 AMG?

Just read that there was a special order right hand drive C32 AMG Sports Coupe, is this a joke?! If there was that would be one hell of a car for living in a city, easy to park yet big power and four seats.

 

[miro]

I've noticed recently that SL safety car spec mercs are being sold a lot in Britain. I think it's cool to have one of these I imagine they are quite harsh being set up for track but they are something different, does anyone know are they all left hand drive and what other safety cars have there been over the past 5 or 6 years? Were there any W202 C class and if so any right hand drive that ended up over here? What about E55 W210 or SLK32 AMG?

Just read that there was a special order right hand drive C32 AMG Sports Coupe, is this a joke?! If there was that would be one hell of a car for living in a city, easy to park yet big power and four seats.

I think you need to consider the top end speed of a pace-car. A lot of C-Class versions dont make the grade .....

C32 coupe ...... or SL65 ..... hard choice.

 

[McGreggor]

Were there any W202 C class and if so any right hand drive that ended up over here?

Yes, The C43 was used as a pace car in it's day. I think most of the models mercedes make have been used once or twice as a pace car. I have seen a page listing them all but can't seem to track it down at the mo.... As far as road going versions of the saftey car w202s, I'm told only 6 were ever made like mine, which is 390bhp as apposed to the standard 302bhp. Being tuned by McLaren probably means most were for UK sale/special order, mine is certainly RHD, and 3 of the others are too, but good luck trying to find one!

 

[Richard W]

IIRC F1 Safety cars are hand built by AMG to race spec i.e. welded shell, cage, slicks, etc, etc, and aren't road legal. There are some road registered clones which have appeared as publicity cars, is that what you mean?

 

[McGreggor]

All pre '96 AMGs are hand built and I belive all AMG engines are hand built to this day still. As for welded shell and roll cage, are you sure you've seen these? I always though the safety cars were road going mercedes made suitable for the track. i.e slicks and tunning it up to get a bit more grunt. I don't recall ever seeing a roll cage in one, and I can't see any here:

http://www.germancarfans.com/news.c...view/photo/photo/Mini2/page/1/mercedes/1.html

Road registered clones is probably an accurate phrase, my car is supposed to be the same spec as what went round as a safety car, obviously without the slicks, stickers and flashing yellow lights!

 

[glojo]

IIRC F1 Safety cars are hand built by AMG to race spec i.e. welded shell, cage, slicks, etc, etc, and aren't road legal. There are some road registered clones which have appeared as publicity cars, is that what you mean?

I must confess with going along with Richard on this one. McGreggor has very kindly posted a most informative link, and here's an extract:

****Keeping the vario-roof closed at all times made it possible to dispense with its mechanical and hydraulic systems, saving another 17 kilograms. The front and rear valences are made of an extremely lightweight, high-strength carbon-fibre laminate material. Carbon-fibre laminate is a high-tech solution known for its applications in Formula 1 and the DTM. The valences weigh ten kilograms less than those used in the series-production SLK. Additional weight reductions were realized with the headlamps (4 kg), seats (25 kg), the car’s entire wiring (4 kg), its interior (40 kg) and numerous other measures, giving the safety car a curb weight of 1,370 kg. In comparison, the curb weight of the SLK 55 AMG series-production vehicle is 1,465 kg (not including the fuel and driver).******

I am sure I watched a very informative documentary on the making of these pace cars and they are built and prepared solely for the designed task. Making them completely unsuitable for general public use. I was of the opinion that they welded the roof shut to give it extra strength to support the lights and as a further satety measure.

(I hear Professor Watkins has now stood down)

I also recall Mcgreggor purchasing his excellent Mercedes-Benz the C43 with the Mclaren name behind some of the engine preparation (nice car, and lots of envy)

Morning everyone,
John

 

[londoner2001]

Thats good points, with road tyres it would be all over the place. These SL Safety car spec must be replicas without slicks. Check in back of sunday times motoring supplement mentions suspension mods, new 19 inch wheels and some other tuning.

How quick does your McClaren AMG feel? Have you put it on a rolling road yet to find out how much power there is?

 

[McGreggor]

Yes I can understand the mods they've done to the SLK, as they hardly need the drop top option for a safety car! I expect the same goes for the SL too. I wonder if they went to town in the same way with the W202 when they were used. I'm sure valances etc may have been changed, and perhaps lightened a bit, but I can't see what they might do to make a saloon illegal on the road...

 

[Richard W]

Excellent link there, very informative. I had remembered cages at some stage, no more it seems!

I still lust after an AMG V8.......

 

[smartbrabus]

Sid Watkins the F1 race doctor has a C55 Estate as the medical car

 

[glojo]

Sid Watkins the F1 race doctor has a C55 Estate as the medical car

Doctors necessarily carry an assortment of equipment and the estate is an excellent choice of transportation.

Incidentally Professor Watkins has now retired from his post. He is still very much involved in Formula One, but not on the front line.

Regards,
John

 

[Flash]

Sid Watkins the F1 race doctor has a C55 Estate as the medical car

Those alloys look exactly the sam as my new ones

 

[nickmann]

Those alloys look exactly the sam as my new ones

I now have a mental image of a fire-suited F1 doctor rushing into his car in the pitlane, slamming the dorr, revving the engine, and gaping helplessly as it falls off a pile of housebricks...

 

[Flash]

I now have a mental image of a fire-suited F1 doctor rushing into his car in the pitlane, slamming the dorr, revving the engine, and gaping helplessly as it falls off a pile of housebricks...

LOL

Even though this has been discussed before under theft (modern MBs being equipped with alarm systems that trigger when the vehilce is raised/lifted of the ground) giving half the chance to an opportunisist thief (s) could make off with the entire set of wheels/alloys within minutes.

Flash

 

[Shude]

Even though this has been discussed before under theft (modern MBs being equipped with alarm systems that trigger when the vehilce is raised/lifted of the ground) giving half the chance to an opportunisist thief (s) could make off with the entire set of wheels/alloys within minutes.

Esp with the assistance of this handy kit: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30928&item=7948974756&rd=1

 

[Flash]

Esp with the assistance of this handy kit: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30928&item=7948974756&rd=1

Approx. how many key combination are there for MB? Guss that if that set on ebay is genuine then it must have got into thw wrong hands after being taken from a Stealer possibly?

A mate of mine was saying that thieves can just drill straight through the lock bolts/nuts without damaging the alloy quite easily as well (which I guess would save time rather then trying all the multiple possible key nut combinations via trial and error?)

Flash

 

[Shude]

Approx. how many key combination are there for MB?

30!

Guss that if that set on ebay is genuine then it must have got into thw wrong hands after being taken from a Stealer possibly?

A mate of mine was saying that thieves can just drill straight through the lock bolts/nuts without damaging the alloy quite easily as well (which I guess would save time rather then trying all the multiple possible key nut combinations via trial and error?)

I had my locking bolts drilled out by an engineering company.

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=3029

I think I could have had it done for a fiver if I asked the local kids

 

[glojo]

I notice on the second picture it shows a sticker with something like a part number, but I am stuck on my bed with the monitor a fair distance away. It looks like 06-6-4DW159, but I am just too far away to be sure.

I also wondered how this got into the public domain.

Hmmm there was that nice Armoured S600 stolen in Germany with really nice wheels. Now if I bought this kit and nipped over to Germany.......

John

 

[Flash]

I notice on the second picture it shows a sticker with something like a part number, but I am stuck on my bed with the monitor a fair distance away. It looks like 06-6-4DW159, but I am just too far away to be sure.

I also wondered how this got into the public domain.

Hmmm there was that nice Armoured S600 stolen in Germany with really nice wheels. Now if I bought this kit and nipped over to Germany.......

John

I dare you John to phonr up your local Stealership quoting the possible part number for the full set of lock nut key combinations and see their reaction...

Flash

 

[glojo]

I dare you John to phonr up your local Stealership quoting the possible part number for the full set of lock nut key combinations and see their reaction...

Tempting,

No doubt everyone and their dog has better eye sight than me.

Are there any other different opinions on the number, and is it a Mercedes-Benz part number?

Regards,
John