Alloy Bonnet and Boot lid 300sd

[motec6.9]

Hi does anybody know where it might be possible to buy a bonnet and boot lid in decent condition from a  w116 300sd as they were made of alloy in australia im a bit wary of buying from ebay in the states as i tried 2 years ago and when they arrived were un-salavagable took them to scap yard once bitten i guess but if there is any available in oz might give it another go

[Big_Richard]

you could always get custom made carbon firbre boot and bonnet lids - wouldnt that be cheaper than postage from the states anyway ?

[motec6.9]

More than likely i was more than a little upset after my last atempt to buy the alloy parts from a 300sd one of the reasons my 6.9 has sat around untouched for 4 years now i have been informed that i fix it or get rid off it i have the incentive to get it back on the road

[Squiggle Dog]

Do the W116 300SDs really have alloy boot lids? I have owned 3, seen several in person, and though they have all had alloy bonnets, all of them have had steel boot lids.

[motec6.9]

Hi i was off the belief that they all had alloy boot lids even though we never saw them in oz the one i bought from ebay was alloy but it was flattened in transit in shipping container 

[Nutz]

Yes, the bonnet and boot are both alloy on 300SD's unless they have been changed out during the past 30 years. Be sure to get the 300SD hood springs too, as they are not as 'stiff' as the ones equipped on regular gas model W116's.

[Squiggle Dog]

I've seen about 5 W116 300SDs in person and all of them have had steel boot lids while having steel bonnets. Strange. Very strange indeed.

[wbrian63]

I've had a pair of alloy lids, one bonnet (hood) and one boot (trunk). On my 6.9, the hood issue was easily handled with relocating the spring to a different hole to reduce the tension. The trunk does require different springs. Failing to fit the softer springs will result in "a face full of boot" should you release the trunk lid with your head in the lid opening arc path.
I recently sold the hood to a fellow in Yucatan, Mexico along with a lot of other parts for his 6.9 restoration. I'm keeping the boot lid, as my 6.9 is beginning to show rust under the edges of the steel boot lid.
Far as I know, alloy bonnet and boot lids were standard equipment on all 300SD's. If SD's are found lacking these parts, it was because they were replaced some time during their life. The SD's were fitted with these alloy parts as part of a weight-saving campaign to increase fuel economy. Frankly, the weight difference isn't as much as one would assume. Having lifted both versions, I'll suggest the total difference in weight was less than 25# for the pair.

[Squiggle Dog]

I've had a pair of alloy lids, one bonnet (hood) and one boot (trunk). On my 6.9, the hood issue was easily handled with relocating the spring to a different hole to reduce the tension. The trunk does require different springs. Failing to fit the softer springs will result in "a face full of boot" should you release the trunk lid with your head in the lid opening arc path.
I recently sold the hood to a fellow in Yucatan, Mexico along with a lot of other parts for his 6.9 restoration. I'm keeping the boot lid, as my 6.9 is beginning to show rust under the edges of the steel boot lid.
Far as I know, alloy bonnet and boot lids were standard equipment on all 300SD's. If SD's are found lacking these parts, it was because they were replaced some time during their life. The SD's were fitted with these alloy parts as part of a weight-saving campaign to increase fuel economy. Frankly, the weight difference isn't as much as one would assume. Having lifted both versions, I'll suggest the total difference in weight was less than 25# for the pair.

Speaking of saving weight, I picked up a 14" alloy bundt wheel with one arm and a 14" steel wheel with the other, and the alloy wheel doesn't seem to be any lighter! It's funny that people think that the bundt wheels save so much weight over steel wheels. However, I do agree that the bundts do a good job at making the ride smoother since they are a softer metal.

The 300SDs having aluminum boot lids is still tripping me out! I hear everywhere that they are supposed to be aluminum, and it makes sense, but the five or so I have seen and used the magnet test, etc. on have all been steel, and the paint matches. Some of them even had rust bubbles. It would be a weird coincidence that all of them would have had the boot lids swapped out at some point. When I buy my next 300SD I will check the boot lid to see what material it is made of. I wonder if they were aluminum in 1978, but went to steel in 1979 and 1980. I'm not disagreeing with you guys, but every 300SD I have seen so far has definitely had a steel boot lid (all have had aluminum bonnets).

Wbrian63 , you may remember me--I sold you the door check strap and vacuum headlight assembly on eBay not long ago. Good to see you on the forum.

[johnnyw116]

here in holland i saw a few times 300SD alloy bonnets and hoods for sale too
and there also must be for the W107 alloy softtop lids but that one i never saw

greetings : johnny                                   

[SELfor50]

I'll put the word out to a few people who may have alloy parts in their obscure part stash.

However mr motec, you'd probably get a mould and productiin of a carbon fibre bonnet for maybe under 2k.. Work out good price for a better weight saving.
AND.... They'd need to make 2 or 3 of them, maybe more if other .org-ers were keen besides us. Price would be good if they were guaranteed an order of say 10 repro's.

Cam

[TJ 450]

The 107 chassis cars had alloy bonnets. I'm not sure if it applies to all, but I know 380SLs had them. No good for a 116 though.

I reckon carbon fibre would be great. You wouldn't have to worry about rust then.

Tim