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gold 6.9 resto

Started by nathan, 04 July 2009, 08:07 AM

nathan

#30
howdy all,
well after ~ 2 years, goldie is back! who ever would have thought it could take so long to get the cars bodywork done.
it looks pretty slick now, and i have been going through several 116'th worth of parts to choose the best chrome and so on.
i imagine it will take a long time to put back together and only tentatively started with some basic stuff today.
the wheels are getting refurbished, the steelies in the pics are off the 114 i bought and scrapped.
if you see some of the earlier pics, you will appreciate the degree of work that went into the jacking points, sills, rear boot sills, and just about everything.
considering the significant cost my dad paid for the paint (i only paid 1k for the car), i almost felt bad he spent this sum of money. then i turned the key on this car which had not been driven in ~ 1year. started first time within a few seconds! goldie certainly did deserve the resurrection after all the abuse it has sustained!
(now all i need is for the builders to finish the new garage to house the cars!)
regards from WA








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

SELfor50

Very nice result dude.  After the abuse the car went through and to see that as a result, it's pretty much un-believable that the ol' girl was salvaged.

Them there Panelbeater dudes have done a pretty tidy job.  I'm not sure what the final bill would've been, but I can hazard a guess after seing the finished product!   :-X

How's the engine?  Did it suffer anywhere near the same abuse?? 

nathan

heh Cam,
the bill for poor old goldie is eye watering. even my dad blinked when he got the bill, and he just spent 5 k on one of his dogs leg operations (just imaging that goldie had 4+legs!!! ;))
the engine is reasonable, not great - which is kindof a waste as the body and interior will be very slick. we do have the red 6.9 now though which has only 190k's and is in pretty solid shape - so mayeb a transplant is in order.
still, i have to admit that a restored car can not match the quality of a well maintained original example - although it will be a very nice car when ultimately done.
best regards
nathan
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

Looks effing great Nathan,

Commiserations for your Dad's retirement fund.

I'll send him a few more patients to help pay for your addiction ;D

Bill

TJ 450

It's a top quality job and when it's back together it will look "a million dollars"!

Indeed it is amazing that such a transformation occurred to what was seemingly a rusted out parts car. The work involved with this sort of project is so extensive, it really is a remarkable achievement. 8)

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

SELfor50

Quote from: nathan on 15 November 2009, 08:28 AM
heh Cam,
the bill for poor old goldie is eye watering. even my dad blinked when he got the bill, and he just spent 5 k on one of his dogs leg operations (just imaging that goldie had 4+legs!!! ;))
the engine is reasonable, not great - which is kindof a waste as the body and interior will be very slick. we do have the red 6.9 now though which has only 190k's and is in pretty solid shape - so mayeb a transplant is in order.
still, i have to admit that a restored car can not match the quality of a well maintained original example - although it will be a very nice car when ultimately done.
best regards
nathan

Hahah.. Yep, Goldie's got 4 legs, and long ones. ;)

Do the transplant for sure.  I'm a bit surprised that you didn't pick up that other 6.9 engine off Axel & Helmut.

When finished, i'm sure it'll be unreal.  I'm guessing Silver is the final colour then??  You didn't wanna keep it Iconic Gold?.

CAm.

Big_Richard

slick.

I pitty the fool who has to put that jigsaw puzzle back together...

Oh wait, It'll probably be me and TJ  8)

kolin

Quote from: Patrick Bateman on 16 November 2009, 05:05 AM
slick.

I pitty the fool who has to put that jigsaw puzzle back together...

Oh wait, It'll probably be me and TJ  8)

exactly why i am almost too scared to start working on my 350. sometimes i think if i am going to spend the money and get someone to work on the car, might as well pay somoeone to stick some mother of an american v8 and make this thing a rip snorting tyre squealing tarmac burning  merc

SELfor50

Any updates on this Nathan???  Has the jigsaw puzzle re-assembly began?

Or should I ask PB and TJ? :)



nathan

progress is modestly constant, with a few hrs here and there on goldie.  putting these cars back together can be painful, particularly when parts get mixed up with the wrecked parts of several other cars!
the doors and their locks and now done, window mechanisms, half the sunroof and the boot (new chrome handle/star) with indicators are now done.  unfortunately whilst doing the rear lenses, i had a mishap. the bloody new seals seemed to push the plastic covers out to far. so i tried to push them in and put the bolts on.  subsequently i snapped two very good plastic lenses.  this is marginally annoying and was followed by some f-bombs. anyhow, some poor quality pics

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

Big_Richard


TJ 450

It's certainly looking good. The snapping of the lens studs is infuriating to say the least. They are extremely fragile those things, once they have a few years behind them.

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

oscar

White trim clips!  Outrageous :o I thought they only came in red. 

So whilst on the subject of such wild mods ::) and the broken lenses, time to make moulds of those lenses and cast some water clear replacements Nathan.  Do the front indicators as well and you can chalk me up for a set too.  ;D  The car's looking fantastic and I reckon that silber duco would look uber cool with clear lenses.  FWIW I was doing research last week and am still to find a supplier that can guarantee a clear casting resin that's not going to yellow or cloud after UV exposure.

1973 350SE, my first & fave

TJ 450

Clear lenses would look pretty cool, particularly with the clean appearance of the minimal badgework.

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

Big_Richard

theres no way in hell clear lenses will pass the Vujcich family board of directors. Originality is paramount in that establishment  ;)