Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3

[granadaassi]

in the us-magazine car&driver, they tested the 6.3 when it was launched. they took it to the track-and won the most of theyr quarter-mile-races. in an absolute not tuned or otherwise changed car. when it was new, it was faster than all porsches you could buy, the fastest was the 911 S which did 220 kp/h, the merc did 224 kph.the merc did 0-100 kp/h in 6,7 sec, the porsche in 7.1 sec.

the only way to beat a 6.3 on the road was buy an lambo or ferrari.

[steven19640]

A good different film of the 6.3, hope you find mine interesting. All the best Steve B

[SupraStringing11b]

robertfulton, i have a 1970 300sel 6.3.. but i cant get it to burn out like that and it doesnt have the power i see other 300sels with.. is there anything i can do?? I had the engine checked out by a skilled classic mercedes mechanic and he said all is good but some of my injectors are clogged. I baught the injector cleanind fluid but its still the same

[RobertFulton]

@SupraStringing11b do a google search for the International M-100 club forum and talk to the people there.

They are the best people to give advice, and I recommend joining the International M-100 club.

[SupraStringing11b]

@RobertFulton Thanks a lot man

[kpapaioa]

@SupraStringing11b, if you haven't found a solution yet, feel free to contact me.

[benz560sec]

14,2 sec for 1/4 mile is a impressive performance for only 300 hp and 2 tone car. It is stock?

[RobertFulton]

@benz560sec Except for the tyres, yes.

[desmonds22]

Old-school mercs are the daddy

[ABXPONCE]

my dad had one. was impressive

[hasnfefer]

It pulls better than 70 % of new cars! Fantastic

[Tinsmith8591]

Awfull rear wheels, but I guess the their purpose.

Front up, back down @ 0:30 - astonishing.

I love the W108, W109 series - excellent proportions and elegance + power.

[bartoszkra]

emeryt,a potrafi ;)

[jasonlee1979RT]

Looks like even back in the days MBZ was already way up there. I mean, How many cars could do low 14's in 60's? :))

[McLarenMercedes]

How many could cruise in 125mph without any problem on the freeway?

That's what the roadtesters back then particularly liked about this car. Sure there were others as fast, but none felt nearly as safe and stable doing high speeds.

This Mercedes is widely seen as the first Q-car

[dontbelieve100]

I dont believe. This is impossible for a car that size in the 1960s. The Video is a fake.

[gcmc2]

Why just log in to talk crap when you obviously have no idea. The 6.3 and its performance is thoroughly documented. You are obviously not a knowledgeable car guy because most enthusiasts know the 6.3. It is a semi-classic car. A euro spec car would do the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds stock standard. Check that against late 60s supercars. Do 100 kph on the freeway and floor the pedal the car wheelspins. I've had 3 of them and a friend still owns one. You're looking pretty silly from here.

[xenonbachaim]

i own a 6.3 and this video does no justice. mine is much faster.

[vonfred54]

dude its a 6.3L german engine... what dont u understand ?

[GermanyHessen]

Its no fake, trust me ;)

[starfishg]

its all real

[mjhaan]

You have obviously no idea what a Mercedes 6.3 liter was capable of.

[Ruelpsgruetze]

Haha there also was an AMG VERSION of that 6,3 with 420 HP going the same distance in 12 seconds!

[culcun]

@dontbelieve100 you have internet--look up this car and the later mercedes 6.9 of the mid to late 70's early 80's. Plus, this video was a modern one, so with all the engine technology, it could have been a more modern engine thrown into an old car. But it wasn't, mercedes took American hot-rodding know how and dropped their big limo engine at the time into this chassis to create a 4-door hot rod, and later bored out to 6.9 for the 450 SEL chassis in the later 70's. Use your brain!!

[410063]

Greg J 55: worth and sales prices are the question. Attempt to judge every system. Attempt to quess the rebuild cost of systems in need. The better the auto, the more you pay.

[GregoryJones55]

like how much is one of these 300 6.3 worth?

[williamsmith707]

There's a nice one on Hemmings right now for $10.5k. Parts are available, but regular maintainance is required, and expensive.

[Bilaltq]

Wait this car had a 4 speed? Didn't these engines have 3 speed autos?

[RobertFulton]

Yes, they came standard with a four speed auto. The 6.9 had a three speed.

[catbearlol]

Deutsche technik über alles. amen to that.

[AKJeeper]

*drool*

I'd love to have one of these... Or even the 280SE 4.5.

Nice to see an old timer stretch its legs!

[aldaloo3]

How About The 450 SEL 6.9?

[Bilaltq]

OH! AMAZING CAR!!

[aldaloo3]

So Does The C43.

[chinny4290]

I am naturally more biased to the W116 6.9 because I own a lesser version of the W116 and can still fully appreciate the model.

I will kill a man however for a W108 convertible. The vertical headlights are just as memorable

[aldaloo3]

The W108 looks great too and btw i love your 280 S ; )

[keabot]

you lot all talk about fucking ricers and that yeh you tell me 1 fast japanese car from the same era as a 6.3 that goes like a 6.3........none there all shit...mercedes evented the car end of story.............

[gundigoogoo]

omg fuck jap cars man stupid gay fuckin pin dick ricers omg get a real car. cock eyed pieces of shit

[jogga123]

Nobody here wants to hear that.

[gundigoogoo]

u dont know what ppl want

[jogga123]

You are the lowest form of human,racists are small ignorant people.

[gundigoogoo]

you stupid fuck mid your own biz. u think im baggin out the merc?? was talking about sum1 elses comment on a ricer beating that car. good luck beating the merc it will kill it. now think before u open ur mouth YOU RACIST FUCK

[jogga123]

Whats wrong with you?

[mynameisnothingnow]

Dumbass, It's a German car. now go cry to mommy, you racist fuck. you're wrong go shut up, no one wants to see or hear you.

[keabot]

these bad boys go like fuck easily wipe the floor with many moden cars with sporting intensions.....

[tommysbrowncaddy]

Why own a Mercedes, when you can have a luxurius Cadilliac? Mercedes get really bad milage...

[5OOAMG]

Looks like you cant pick on this old guy.

[firstmusic00]

Man...I love these old 6.3's!

[lbm323]

This motor sounds very modern. it sounds different than an american V8

[410063]

Agree about the sound. The 6.3 and the M-100 engine was almost twenty years ahead of other Mercedes engines, weight to horse ratio. The 6.3 crank looks like a Detroit truck diesel crank. It's massive. OHC, cold air intake, long plennums, cross-overs at the exhaust, and lastly, the mechanical fuel injection system. Every system added real horsepower but even more impressive torque.

[chinny4290]

Don't forget dry-sump lubrication. Or was that only the 6.9...I need to refresh my knowledge.

[moultriemanicmechani]

I love the old mercedes too, but not all japanese cars are ricers. I like the old accords myself, the 2.0 was a hell of an engine if you get rid of the vaccume tube spaghetti. As far as civics, unless you go back to the really old ones, nothing but a rolling soda cans. My old accord could bury them all day and still out handle a lot of cars. The accord and the prelude were built to compete with high end cars of the day, the civic was transportation( barely)

[bucktheusa]

Unless you're 6ft tall and expect to sit in one without ripping out the seat tracks. I enjoy having my knees rubbing my chin while I corner.

And don't expect to get up a hill if you have two or more adults in the car, which about half an adult can fit in the back of an accord 2dr if you slice them correctly.

My favorite is holding ricers back with one hand when I need to cross the street. They can't get traction on that front wheel so it just spins. "Yo man, I'ma NOS you next time!"

[cjs1776]

Steely Dan's "Deacon Blues" playing in the background. Thanks for posting!

[gcmc2]

Had one of these. If you plant it at 100kph on the freeway they wheelspin ! The cars started out as a practical joke on the engineering manager . The guys in the workshop put a grosser engine in a 280se and put it in the carpark. They just assigned it to him as usual as a spare car " there - just use that one " But he liked it then made about 2000 of them. I loved it but - $3000 for a water pump ? 20 years ago ! jeeeez

[Johanniscool]

Not correct. It started out as a private venture by a Mercedes Benz engineer Erich Waxenberger, and after seeing the prototype, the Mercedes management decided to put it into production. It helped them justify the tooling costs for the engine, which at the time was only being used in the 600 Grosser. They made just over 6500.

[gcmc2]

I am constantly amazed at young guys who chime in to tell us old guys how things really were. ( before they were born ) The cars came about exactly as I said. There was no element of justification for the 6.3 engine - it was developed 8 years before and was near to the end of its production life anyway. You said "They made 6500" Wrong again - they made around 2000 of them as I said. I've owned many of the cars and I know them. You need to brush up on your Merc facts.

[Johanniscool]

Hey thanks for the compliment, but I'm afraid being old doesn't make you right. Perhaps you are being confused with the total number of 600s (2700) or the total number of 300SEL 6.3s sold in the US (1839). Either way, despite your vehement insistence, Mercedes built a total of 6526. If you are wrong about that, then it stands to reason you are also incorrect about your other claims, although they do make a nice story. Don't worry, there's no harm in being wrong, even if you're old.

[chinny4290]

Dont get carried away with your generalizations. I'm 19 and own a W124.5 Coupe and a W116 and can safely say I'm a Benz whore :D

[lekocaj23]

thats pretty fukin fast for a 70 something mercedes

[flurry]

Very nice set of wheels.

The classic 6.3 is very comfortable along with the power to grind to death those rice burners that only make noise and have an impossible harsh ride.

That dude must cherish that car, in order to press the pedal full-on, being an M-B over 30 years old.

[rollzon20z]

not knocking on MB's as i love them and own one a w124 e500 on airbag suspension(shown in my videos)i also own a mitsubishi evo3, before i modified the hell out my evo it ran a 13.4 stock and for a "ricer" 2litre engine thats impressive for a small engine it now runs a 10.54 at 18psi and is currently having a 3 bar map sensor to run more boost. i'm hoping for mid 9's in a daily driven ricer....not all ricers are slow i call my e500 slow but the airbags make it smooth as a flying carpet

[flurry]

Ricer: adj. Pejorative meaning for an automobile that has been modified to give impression of high performance, but does not have any high-performance capabilities.

This MB is the desirable opposite: A "sleeper car". No noise, no loud muffler, huge spoilers or "bling-bling": just pure demolishing wolf power in sheep's clothes.

If your particular car can do those numbers is not a ricer. But please don't defend the ricers/posers out there that way outnumber you. I think you took it personal.

[rollzon20z]

Ahhh i see what your getting a "Ricer" is equivalent to what we call a "boy racer" eg, a stupid little granny spec civic with a unpainted bodykit, a tinny noisy exaust and a set of 18" rims that cost about 4 times the price of the car.these ignorant little shits hang round city centers trying to race people that will crush them!

my apologys.

i brought my MB for the elegant look they always carry...i have also a 1960 220s fintail that i have been restoring for 2 years, i love that car!

[W123W116]

Everyone interested in these cars, hello!

I have this video on my computer for some years now showing it to everybody I know. It's noce to see it on youtube now.

I would love to speak to Dan about his car, or anyone who ownes a 6.3. I a driving mercs since I was 14, own 4 right now, but still not a M100. ( I bought a 450SE last year though). i would like some contact with Mb enthousiasts abroad, maybe we can help eachother!

[shinri1]

Try the message board at the International M-100 Group website. Dan posts there regularly.

[410063]

This 6.3 is in top shape at all times. Every drive, it runs at least one hard 1/4 mile. Every 6.3 should be ran hard but put up dry. Care for and about it. It's all in the details. Care for a 6.3 and it runs great. Ignore any issue no matter how small and the neglect builds up. That 6.3 ends up a parts car. The Garage is the killer of this model. "Garages Kill"

[RetroSociety]

he's flying :D!

[ieatfords4breakfast]

Great!!

[whitetailhunta]

for sale..1971 benz 300 sel sliver with black top. very clean needs some tlc and fuel pump. $3500.00 firm or trade.

[finnimore1]

Bunch of idiots. Why oh why does anyone do that? Don't get me wrong i love all motor sports. But that!!! Mmm lets stand still and burn shit out of some tyres! Doh clever....not! Then add insult to injury you use a beautiful car like that too!

[RobertFulton]

You aren't very bright. This was done to clear rocks out of the tyres, which impacts on time. Also, you clearly have never owned a 6.3 so I'll leave it at that.

[comradrami88]

finnimore1, you have to do that to drag tires. As you probably noticed his rear wheels do not match his front wheels and are a lot wider. That fact leads me to assume he has tires made specially for drag racing (300 SEL are rear wheel drive, that's where the traction is) and you MUST do that to them (they were made specificly for it). Look up "drag racing" on wikipedia.

[shinri1]

The purpose of a burnout is to get heat into the rear tires so that they'll grip better off the line. It's a normal drag race proceedure. Trust me, Dan cherishes this car. After leaving the strip, he'll put on the standard rear wheels, and then the car could win at a concours.

[poetlorryit]

Watchya dont breakya driveshaft, a known weakspot in dat car. Had to scrap my w108 (i know thats a 109) because it the body was heavily corroded in all the bad places to get tin worm. mine had a 3.5 v8 so not nealry as quick.

[shinri1]

I've watched Dan run this car full bore dozens of times,and he's never broken anything. Then again, his cars are impeccably maintained. I've also 1/4 miled my own 6.3 without any problems. The real weak point is actually the sliding shaft in the right rear axle, but this is only really stressed if you try and make a left turn under full power.

[alexandermaclennan]

hmmm.. thats what I did to my Dad's 6.3 and the drivetrain didn't sound the same afterwards.. Wasn't full power.. but it was enough :(

[Howie262]

haha jesus christ!!

dam that was quik!!

[Nart1865]

araca bak

[dismith]

Can someone explain the display?

6.61, 14.28 and 95.36

Ta!

[shinri1]

Not sure about the first number, but 14.28 is the 1/4 mile ET, and 95.36 is the MPH speed at a 1/4 mile.

[acalthu]

First number might be 0-60 time?

[70camaro406]

The first number displayed is usually the reaction time.

[comradrami88]

It is probably a 1/8 mile not a quarter mile. And first time is his time for 1/8. They do 1/8 in Scandinavian countries and in Iceland as a standard drag distance as opposed to 1/4 in the rest of the world

[RobertFulton]

This was done in America. You are right though, the first time is of course not the 1/4 mile time.

[hokman1]

stock?

[TheDoggfather86]

hell yeah!

[m77arcopf]

try 240 volvo and tell-me something

[bentleyv8t]

how much did you pay, and by the way, are you an australian?

[RobertFulton]

I own one, and am an Australian, but this video isn't of mine. 6.3s can cost $20,000 and up for reasonable ones.

[shinri1]

This car is Dan Smith's, who owns more 6.3s than most people own socks. Other than the rear wheels and tires, this car is totally stock. The run was filmed in New Jersey, and he drove the car there from his home in Oregon.

I have owned four 6.3s, and currently have a 1970 Euro verson.

[punkasscracka]

See thats cool !! and its a 4 door to!! and an old ass benz!! what do you say when you get spanked by that..??lol

[tpvalley]

probably schnell schnell!! (german for fast!)

[shinri1]

Mercedes didn't make a faster accelerating car until the mid '80s.

[acalthu]

Hammer FTW

[LesGreek]

Didnt they make the 450 SEL 6.9? 1976 to 1980 i think ........how fast was that?

[shinri1]

The 6.9 had a slightly higher top speed, but was a bit slower off the line due to its three speed gearbox and higher rear end ratio.

[whitetailhunta]

man, i have a 72 300 sel and was going sell itsince i have not drove it yet due to a ful pump. i might not now!

[drugaria]

kicks ass!!!

[ocsfinest]

For a car that's over 30 years old (heck, almost 35) to run low 14s in the 1/4 mile is amazing.

[shinri1]

Actually, this summer marks the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the 6.3

[W123W116]

and its a standard factory made with an engine to last!!!!

[espee1728]

wow!!! quite fast 4 a car dat weighs abt 2 tons... i thnk itz d fastest 4 door luxury sedan of itz class of itz tym... (",)

[kingbenzai]

That's what I'm talking about, baby!!! ;)

[wsmith68]

Hell fucking YES!!

[ivorocker]

buuu una paja

[Croucer2]

good

[74Andre]

Gotta Love the German Tech. Have they ever built a car that doesnt last?

[arbi711]

yes....opel

[Dog328]

No, Vw golf with an granpa behind the steeringwheel.

[camilo06]

Mercedes Benz 109 is without doubt ,Mercedes at it´s best

One of the most beautiful cars ever made...

P.S. It so beautiful that I would update technicaly and stetically

and make it an New classic again.

[capridrifter]

I'm with you man! imagine one with better handling and even more power! And more features:)....(personally could care less about radios and stuff I just love the sound of the engine)

[shinri1]

What features would you want to add? They're pretty well equipped as is, and with the air suspension the handling is quite impressive too.

[capridrifter]

It sounds as though this one is pretty perfect right now;) I do know that the next 300E we get is going to get an engine swap...But purists would get mad if I said what engine;) the only difference in the seats I would use memory foam and softer leather in the 300E...Those seat's were hard!