WHAT TO LOOK FOR

RAISE THE ROOF

All R107s came with a matching hard-top, so any car that doesn’t have one should have its price adjusted accordingly. Many R107s are only used occasionally and so rarely – if ever – have their cloth roofs raised; they are stored with the hard-top on, and driven with the top down. When viewing the car, therefore be sure to raise and lower the roof multiple times to check both the operation of the mechanism and that the cloth roof fits properly – they can shrink with lack of use, so check it carefully.

INTERIOR TRIM

R107s were always built to a high standard, so beware cars with tatty interiors. Four different trim options were offered; cloth is the least desirable, MB-Tex the most sought-after. Wet carpets could indicate a compromised windscreen, door seals or hood. Wood lacquer is prone to scratching and peeling. Instrument needles are also notorious for not working. Thanks to a large following, all of these parts are easy to find, but prices reflect the marque’s premium reputation.

VARIABLE RUSTPROOFING

Generally speaking, the later the model, the less likely you are to find major rust. Post-1986 cars are by far the best in this respect and pre-1976 versions by far the worst, mainly because they were built before factory wax injection was introduced. Check the sills, jacking points, bulkhead, floors and box sections, together with the wheel arches. Bumpers are also very rot prone, particularly the corners of the rears – they’re easy to replace, but they’re not exactly cheap to buy.

GEARBOX GRUMBLING

You can buy an R107 with a manual gearbox, but automatics are more common and more popular. The fluid flywheel on early cars can struggle to select first gear, but this was replaced in 1975 by a torque converter. On either gearbox, listen for excessive noise or problems with selecting gears. Vibrations from the transmission are usually the result of worn propshaft couplings, which aren’t very expensive to buy and relatively easy to replace on a DIY basis.

KEEP IT COOL

Check the car’s history and see if it’s had regular coolant changes. It’s important that the proper antifreeze with the correct inhibitors has been used because it helps to combat internal corrosion. Clogged and/or old radiators are by far the most common cause of overheating on R107s, so a recent replacement is a bonus. Evidence of oil changes undertaken at the correct intervals is important – these vary from engine to engine, so check before viewing.

LISTEN OUT FOR ENGINE WEAR

A loud clicking from the engine indicates camshaft wear. If the engine has reached this stage, then it’s likely that the camshaft followers and chain will be affected, too. Engines can last for as long as 300,000 miles if properly maintained, but be sure to see the engine start from cold, where blue smoke indicates worn valve stems – these usually need to be changed every 70,000 miles or so.