Hi, I'm a new poster to the board and have become increasingly into buying a mid/late 70s mercedes convertible, or even something from the early-mid 80s. I've been looking at a lot of 380SLs and some 560s (I think the 450SL is also in this same class of convertible / hard top?)

I'm hoping to receive some conventional wisdom about these models and what people here would suggest. I quite like the styling of the late 70s models, and the option for the hard top seems ideal for the SF bay area where I live.

Can anyone on here offer some wisdom as to what I should avoid / look for when looking at these models? Are there major issues plaguing these cars that I should know about, e.g., the 380SLs from around 81-85 had some timing chain issues that may or may not have been retrofitted, etc.

Beyond any general issues that are endemic to older cars, are there problems unique to these models that might steer me towards something else?

Thanks a million in advance for any insights.