R129 Mercedes will eventually be unable to continue production due to a shortage of critical parts.

[audrey.wangfz]

While he was out installing plugs on my M113 E430, I had a fascinating conversation with a friend who had retired from shop ownership.

He mentioned that radiator hoses for my SL 500 are hard to come by these days.

Attempts to acquire front upper shock tower mounts are a memory of mine. I received and began to crack after only a year of having the Febi-Bilstein outsourced to China.

I've managed to track down some NOS Cotico (sp?) that have been doing fine for the past few years, but I'm starting to see the signs of trouble.

Some issues, like the accessibility of certain plastic interior components, will likely be handled by third parties.

He was implying that the R129 was the only key with the specific tumblers, even the conventional ones.

That was before Mercedes figured out they could make most of their parts interchangeable.

parts that are crucial to the car's ability to move?

I suppose we'll find out in due course, but things don't seem good right now.

[rafaelmk]

This is only my opinion -

The number of people who are enthusiastic about these cars is excessive. The gullible portions will be swayed. The easily replicable parts can be a goldmine for Mercedes, which the company is well aware of.

With their Classic Center, they have already accomplished this for R107s and other models.

Perhaps I am whimpering as I pass the cemetery.

[rafaelmk]

An supplemental section.

Custom formed radiator hoses are already available. For them to have a pattern, all you have to do is send in the old moulded hose. If that doesn't work, there are aftermarket braided hoses available with a plethora of bends and fittings that can be custom-fit.

If you're patient and have enough cash on hand, you can usually find a way around almost any problem.

[audrey.wangfz]

As you point out, Cuba is a good example of what the future holds.

Using chewing gum and bailing wire, they have maintained these vintage 1950s beaters.

In my opinion, our 129s are following the R107's lead. Lots of junkers floating around (which always baffled me because these were worth about $100,000 new in uninflated dollars), but when these go to the scrapyard, the ones that stay will be nice.

Someone on YouTube (maybe Jason Comissa on Haggerty) said that these cars would have been worth a million dollars today if they hadn't produced 200,000 of them.

I'm crossing my fingers that Daimler sees enough of them to consider making some replacements.

[james_hernandezu]

Just to reiterate, I'm not overly concerned about it. Reproduction is possible. Even though they charge more, there are many top-notch custom fabricators out there who can make parts that are superior to OEM options. At some point, though, I suppose, it becomes pay to play with any automobile.

Still, the R129's renown isn't going anywhere if current trends continue, and MBCC can't turn a blind eye to the demand for specific components in an existing market.