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70 300SEL 6.3 Restoration

Started by jbrasile, 07 June 2011, 10:06 PM

s class

Quote from: 1980sdga on 08 June 2011, 05:44 PM
Fuel injected V8 with a straight rear axle!  I love the horn ring!

Its not a straight rear axle.  It is a low-pivot unit, providing independent rear suspension. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

s class

Quote from: 1980sdga on 09 June 2011, 12:02 AM
The plating is really what makes the restoration.  The Germans seemed to love cadnium plating, I've noticed lots of what appears to be cad plated components all over my car.

It is not cadmium plating.  MB havent used cad in the post WW2 era.  All plating is zinc, usually yellow passivate (which gives the gold colour you see). 

In most parts of the world cad plating is outlawed for everything except the aerospace industry due to its negative environmental and health impacts. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

Big_Richard

real cad plating is still available in perth australia, its what i had done on all of my gold colored parts.

CraigS

It is also extremely expensive for Cadmium plating these days - at least equal to the cost of chrome plating, if not more. By contrast, zinc plating is very cheap, with a bucket of bolts/nuts/washers likely to cost $50.
[url="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/"]http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/[/url]

1980sdga

Thanks for that info Joe and s-class!  I had always associated zinc plating with a dull silver finish like galvanized hardware.  I'll have to look at that rear end again as I thought it strange for the car to have a straight axle.


carl888

I love the period colour, and the attention to detail looks amazing.  Car looked pretty corrosion free apart from the area beside the spring/damper perches.  Looking forward to more pics!

jbrasile

Tks Carl,

Here are some more pics from today, left side door handles, hood spring a a few more details installed. I have discovered we are going to need new tail light chrome bezels ( purchased today NOS on e-bay) and reflectors (still searching).

The Classic Center is running low on a lot of these detail parts for 108/109's, they only have LH tail lights, no more seals, etc...

Headlight rings are ok, but I am trying to source som NOS as well.

Tks,

Joe










carl888

Lovely Joe, thanks for the pics.  A few questions if I may,

1.  What the story with the supply of parts.  Surely there are enough W108/9 models to justify a run of indicator lens seals?  I notice with a lot of the parts from the the dealer (So official MB parts) they are often made in the Czech republic or Hungary, where labour costs are minimised I suppose.  My last batch of OM617 and M110 oil filters were from the Czech republic for example.  At least with the W116, I've not had any issues with parts, but perhaps in the future this may not be the case.

2. With the W108/9, what is the story about cracks appearing in the chassis rails by the steering box and also lower front wishbone failures?  Is that a common problem? 

Regards,

Carl.


jbrasile

Carl,

1) We buy everything directly from the Mercedes Classic Center in Irvine and the parts come either from their stk, the local MB depot, the US parts warehouse or in a lot of cases directly from Germany. Unfortunately a LOT of items are not longer made in "der fatherland"  as you point out and that can be a problem. On my own 450 I've had to use the old rear fixed window seals because the new ones were very poor quality. This is something we have to learn to deal with and use our best judgment comparing old original vs new.

Don't get me wrong, we can still get a LOT of spares for 108/109, 116, 107, etc.... from MB, it is those specific items with  low sales volume that once their run out we are in trouble.

The seals I need are actually the tail light seals, which should be even more common but they don't have them anymore, same case with the rear fixed window seals!!! Those two are really baffling to me.... they should be considered compulsory replacement items on any restoration.

I have also noticed that when a certain series starts to become really valuable MB will start a new run of NLS parts, 300SL gear boxes for example or ZF 5 speeds for the Pagoda. They are making the front vent seals for the 108/109 too, but the old stk is $200.00 and the new part is $900.00 !!!

The biggest issue is with interior, almost nothing available for 116's and 108/109's, 107's fare a little better but colors are limited. Exterior trim is running out fast too, but again they will start making the 107 rear moldings above the tail lights that had been out of stk for a few years.

2) 108/109's do have the issue of frame cracks near/under the steering box, that has been happening for years and MB has a repair kit available to fix it. Our 6.3 has had it done already. Some 107's also suffer from this and  the problem with the front subframe cracks at the control arm mounts, again a kit is available. I am not aware of issues with 108/109 lower wishbone failures, but will check it out.

Tks,

Joe






CraigS

MB will generally not re-make parts unless the vehicle is 50 years old and only then, if it is a collectible. With a 300SL now worth upwards of $750,000, it is not a problem to pay $900 for a window seal, but it makes no logical sense to reproduce a part that sells in very limited numbers (6.3 for example). The vent window seal is under test by MB for the 300 Adenauer coupes and cabriolets and once approved, is going to cost an anticipated $1600 per side ! But, they are, for now, not going to make them for the sedans as the design is slightly different. Of course, I need them for mine, but they have been NLA for years. I do have a complete NOS frame and glass for one side, but that doesn't really help much for the other side, and it is not viable to have a mould made to reproduce a mirror image.

The cracking on the steering box mounting area is mostly limited to the 6.3, due to the tremendous torque, and as Joe points out, a factory modification was available to repair this. It is not a complicated repair and most, if not all 6.3 have had this done - although I can't verify if mine has as I haven't looked at it for 4 years.

If you go to any of the swap meets in Germany, you will often see reproduction parts that MB are no longer making, such as the 109 tail light seals. Unfortunately, these people selling them do not advertise them, or have web sites, so unless you go there, you are unlikely to find them.
[url="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/"]http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/[/url]

carl888

Thanks Joe and Craig,

Most interesting!

CJ

WiSeGuYY

What an excelant restoration , the best i saw by far( i raise my hat) and very stimulating and encouraging to go this path.
Thank you Joe for sharing and posting.

REGARDS.

TAREK

jbrasile

Hi Guys,

6.3 restoration moving at a pretty nice pace. We have decided that since the front and rear suspensions are going to look like new, why not clean and detail the floor pan as well... the danger here is to loose focus and go too far turning the car into a trailer queen, hehehe....

6.3's are not black underneath, they had a light brown under body protection applied at the factory and when the car was painted any over spray would be left alone. The goal here is to clean the floor, touch up  any of the protection that is cracked or has fallen off and that's it. The final result should be a pretty original yet good looking floor pan.

We are ready to start re-assembly of the rear suspension. Rear calipers have been rebuilt and plated along with all hardware, suspension arms painted.

15in bundt wheels are in the LA warehouse waiting for the right time to come down to Sao Paulo.

Here are some more pics, enjoy!

Tks,

Joe
















jbrasile

#28
Hello everyone,

6.3 project moving along.

The underside of the body has been completely cleaned and detailed  without being over restored. All the suspension and brake lines were removed, degreased and cleaned as best as possible.

We have door seals installed in 3 doors (4th one will be done next week when I deliver the last window molding to the shop), trunk seal also in place.

Trunk is now completed, the plastic cap for the fuel tank float still needs to be replaced.

Rear suspension is almost complete and should be installed next week.

Headlight rims on the pictures are going to be replaced by a pair of NOS units I was able to purchase today at the dealer who is doing the restoration and they also have a pair of brand new NLA tail lights.

Here are some pictures of where we stand, enjoy!

Tks,

Joe


























jjb-w116-hu

Lovely Joe ! a master at work  8)