Jacobs’ Mercedes 450SL makes its impressive racing debut!
In a rather unusual manner, former HSCC 70s Road Sports Champion, Ian Jacobs, has been causing a stir by racing his classic 450SL Mercedes - the first of its kind to find its way onto the racing circuit. Weighing just over 1400 kg, this spritely 450 SL V8 4.5 litre is faring incredibly well, earning 2nd place in both of its races at the Silverstone Classic meetings in July and Oulton Park in August. Jacobs has reported that the car is showing remarkable improvement in performance each time, something he puts down to the constant tweaks the car is receiving between each appearance. The car has a rare manual gearbox and has been stripped, rebuilt and re-sprayed. In his most recent appearance, Jacobs reported that the handling adjustments won him ‘fastest lap’ and propelled him into pole position at Oulton Park.
None of this 450 SL’s success would be possible without the enthusiastic support from Sam Bailey at The SL Shop. The SL Shop, based in Stock Wood, Worcestershire, stocks an impressive range of classic Mercedes SLs built during 1971-1989, together providing comprehensive servicing, hire, accessories and parts support for classic Mercedes enthusiasts.
Sam Bailey at The SL Shop comments:
“This project has been fascinating for me, because no-one has ever attempted to race a 450SL before. It has been particularly challenging because there are no pedigrees with this one, we are starting from scratch, with a limited budget! We’ve been working closely with Ian, supporting the development of his car by supplying engines, parts and labour to really get this project off the ground. I’ve been really impressed with its performance so far, and expecting to see big things in the future.”
| |
|