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450SEL progress after a long sleep

Started by WGB, 03 June 2012, 06:28 AM

WGB

on a fine Saturday in May 2004 I drove past one of the less salubrious pre-owned motor re-allocation consultants and staring out of the heavily used cheap specials was a green 116.

I took it for a drive - decided that the lack of power, directional control and retardation along with non working A-C  and a constantly heating heater was as good a reason as ever to buy a car with no known history that didn't want to idle anyway.

My real reason for buying it was that I wanted a mule to practice my first attempt at a 117 timing chain change at a time where there was no network of internet co-conspirators, limited technical information and most parts were purchased from either the local M-B agent or M-B Spares.

Later in the year I discovered the W116 site on Yahoo.com and met Nathan - a lot of water has gone under the bridge in the past 8 years.



After a busy year in the shed the car became a paragon of good behaviour and was quite a joy to drive, stop and throw around. I also had the a-c system re-built for the summer heat and found out that it was  UK delivered from May 1979 production and imported into Australia in the 1980's.

You will note that it came fitted with chrome wheel arch trims and removal of the first showed this rot.



And this



These were a couple of areas that had suffered previous accident damage but other than this and the driver's door there was very little significant rust so I started with some other preloved rust free panels and a milan brown driver's door and Migged and Oxied my way into winter 2005.



I then had to teach myself to paint so later in the year the car looked like this



And then like this with a guide coat



It was then largely sanded down and parked in the shed while first a Porsche and them my 6.9 took my attention.

It has now come to the fore with my daughter's new fella and tomorrow the colour coat will be applied.

Here are some photos from today after application of the StoneKote to the nether regions and wheel wells.













A quick coat of colour was applied to the rear to see the colour which looked surprisingly green compared to the original colour but does actually match the original more than what was on the car.



Unfortunately my compressor was found to be wanting so a new one was purchased this afternoon



And here is the culprit with the smallest piece of a car ever to be seen on my hoist



I am looking forward to tomorrow

Bill




nathan

geez,
i didnt realise that thing was so rusty. i only ever saw the car with primer and assumed it was always a nice car, but you just wanted to WGB it (ie no flaws).
i sense your attention being diverted back to the 450 for the next year. i cant imagine when you get the paint slick that you will settle for niggling mechanical issues!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

WGB

I can feel the spring compressors squirming in their container.

Actually for an ex-UK car the rust was quite mild and was really only in two areas that had sustained minor accident damage in the past.

Nothing like Goldie's major surgery.

The mechanicals don't worry me much but the thought of a new interior from the US fills me with some trepidation.

Bill

s class

Very cool.  Hope you use a moisture trap on the air supply. 


[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

#4
.

WGB

Quote from: s class on 03 June 2012, 11:18 AM
Very cool.  Hope you use a moisture trap on the air supply.

Of course.

Bill

WGB

A few photos from today.

Colour is on and one coat (of 4) has been applied below the window line.

We ran out of day before we cou;ld finish completely.









I hope for a pleasant surprise when I come home from work tomorrow.

Bill

ponton

looking good! i love paint progress. its really one of those things that make me feel quite content looking at the finished product.

ian

nathan

looks thistley good! if only i wsant preparing for final exams id be very keen to see this process in action
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

Type17

Was it Thistle Green to start, or Silver Green?


Are you changing it from one to the other?


Looks great, by the way!
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

WGB

No definitely Silver Green - code 861.

Thistle green didn't start until 1980 year.

Bill

Type17

Good stuff, I presumed that it had started life as a Silver Green car, but sometimes people change things before you get there.


Silver Green is definitely my favourite of the two (I'm biased, obviously), but it's sometimes hard to tell the difference in photos, and when there's no lacquer topcoat yet.


Keep up the great work, can't wait to see it complete again...
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

TJ 450

Looking excellent there Bill. It's amazing the difference the colour makes.

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

Tony66_au

Thumbs up Bill, Cant wait to see the end result

s class

Quote from: WGB on 03 June 2012, 06:28 AM
...........

I took it for a drive - decided that the lack of power, directional control and retardation along with non working A-C  and a constantly heating heater was as good a reason as ever to buy a car with no known history that didn't want to idle anyway.

..........


This is one of my favourite excerpts in the entire history of the ORG   ;D


[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