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I'm restoring my 450SEL

Started by James R, 29 November 2006, 11:57 AM

alabbasi

Still looks like there are issues posting these pictures. Try uploading them to photobucket or email them to me, i can then upload them to my website and send you the urls.

All the best

Al
With best regards

Al
Dallas, TX USA.

alabbasi

The photos showed up. Those doors look completely eaten up. Did you repair or replace them? They also look like they've been modified to to install aftermarket regulators.

The interior is also seriously modified. Do you know the history of this car?  It definitely is not factory.
With best regards

Al
Dallas, TX USA.

James R

Just got my 450SEL back. New sills ! Much bigger job than they thought though. Front wings had to come off and a fair bit of welding in the passenger footwell and the bulkhead.

£7,200. Yes. No one tell the wife. Might be the last time I go to a recognised Mercedes specialist. Might get it done by someone local next time for remainder of project. It still needs new doors, new chromework, respray and the mechanicals to be checked and replaced where necessary.

Despite the money spent, I am loving having it back. Floats along beatifully.

All the best and Happy Christmas to one and all.

James
1978 450SEL 6.9 - GONE!

1979 450SEL - GONE!

oscar

James

I'm glad you got it back before Xmas.  I don't know what one would expect to pay for this kind of work even though it does sound expensive, I do hope you're happy with the workmanship.  As good as new and in good hands, that's one job you'll never have to worry about again :)
Regarding the chrome, can you still get "new" chrome or are you after better replacements?  I know doors in Aus can be purchased as new old stock, there's still some around but I've always wondered whether chrome bumpers and trim around windows can be purchased new.

Vad

I love black 116's.  It looks like a lot of work went into your car.  Nice job!
I was wondering what did Pavesi previously do to the car?  I also notice you've got the new retro Becker Mexico.  Excellent  8)  8) I'm jealous!

1973 350SE, my first & fave

s class

Wow Vad, that looks like some very skillful workmanship on the bodywork.  Although your car is not factory standard, I think an armoured W116 must be just the coolest most meanest wiseguy car around.  And black?  Oh man your paint looks so good.  Your car seems to be very special and I am so happy you are doing a proper job to return it back to what it should be. 

Styria, I presume the unusual window regulators may have been necessary to allow space for the armouring.

James, eeesh that does sound expensive for your rust repairs.  Perhaps that's one advantage to South Africa - labour is dirt cheap, though the quality usually matches. 

Ryan


[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

Vad El

Quote from: alabbasi on 22 December 2006, 09:10 AM
The photos showed up. Those doors look completely eaten up. Did you repair or replace them? They also look like they've been modified to to install aftermarket regulators.

The interior is also seriously modified. Do you know the history of this car?  It definitely is not factory.


Sure. not factory...
Italians have got an empty body plus motor 450SEL for the American market and have created the car practically independently.
Certainly I have ALL original confirming historical documents.The car has been altered and armoured by Ernesto Pavesi S.p.a http://www.pavesimilano.it/pav1.htm under the order, specially for VIP-client. Also the fire-prevention system by CI-O-DUE http://www.sopranciodue.it/it/ciodue-estin-home.html has been additional established to this car. The customer was the italian big press concern (International Press S.r.l. Italia) belonging Silvio Berlusconi in 1979.
Doors.....ohhhh......have been altered very strongly. It was necessary to contain very thick glasses, system of counterbalances for the glass weight reduction, strengthened glass regulators, additional bolts, additional locks, and many many kevlar. Therefore we could not establish simply new doors, and it was necessary to restore old doors. We used old doors as bases, cut off all that is spoiled and welded new pieces.
Mercedes-Benz W116 450SEL '1979, armoured by Ernesto Pavesi S.p.a Milan Italia
Chrysler Crossfire "Limited" 3.2 Roadster '2006

Vad El

#21
Quote from: oscar on 23 December 2006, 12:12 PM
Regarding the chrome, can you still get "new" chrome or are you after better replacements?  I know doors in Aus can be purchased as new old stock, there's still some around but I've always wondered whether chrome bumpers and trim around windows can be purchased new.

Vad

I love black 116's.  It looks like a lot of work went into your car.  Nice job!
I was wondering what did Pavesi previously do to the car?  I also notice you've got the new retro Becker Mexico.  Excellent  8)  8) I'm jealous!

Yeah...I love black 116's too  ;)
It is original color of this concrete car. It is specified on the tablet near engine. As the Mercedes any more does not let out precisely same black varnish we used its exact copy of other manufacturer "Glasurit". Many layers of the high-top Glasurit 55-line paint http://www.glasurit.com/Products/PassengerCars/55Line.html specified in the catalogue as an exact copy of a black paint "MERCEDES-BENZ SCHWARZ 040" of 1979 year.
The new (original, i buy it now from official german MB-dealer) chromeplated details, bumpers and a grille have necessarily been established.
Mercedes-Benz W116 450SEL '1979, armoured by Ernesto Pavesi S.p.a Milan Italia
Chrysler Crossfire "Limited" 3.2 Roadster '2006

Vad El

Quote from: James R on 23 December 2006, 08:41 AM
£7,200. Yes. No one tell the wife.

James

Ohhh yeaaahh.... If my wife...oh no..... 3000 euros only for new w116 bampers...
Mercedes-Benz W116 450SEL '1979, armoured by Ernesto Pavesi S.p.a Milan Italia
Chrysler Crossfire "Limited" 3.2 Roadster '2006

adamb

Quote from: James R on 23 December 2006, 08:41 AM
Just got my 450SEL back. New sills ! Much bigger job than they thought though. Front wings had to come off and a fair bit of welding in the passenger footwell and the bulkhead.

£7,200. Yes. No one tell the wife. ...

Wow, James. That's a big proce tag. I'm sure that they did do a good job and there must have been a lot of work. Ensure that you get your car ensured accordingly.

Adam

James R

Thanks Adam. Its great to see a fellow Brit in here at last. Any recommendations on who to use for restoration work in UK ? I'd be grateful for any agents that are good value and do a good job. Not sure I'll go back to where I went as they were so expensive although there was much work to be done. So I'm looking for someone who can do a thorough job without completely breaking the bank (again).

Many thanks,

James
1978 450SEL 6.9 - GONE!

1979 450SEL - GONE!

adamb

Quote from: James R on 27 December 2006, 04:35 PM
Thanks Adam. Its great to see a fellow Brit in here at last. Any recommendations on who to use for restoration work in UK ? I'd be grateful for any agents that are good value and do a good job. Not sure I'll go back to where I went as they were so expensive although there was much work to be done. So I'm looking for someone who can do a thorough job without completely breaking the bank (again).

Many thanks,

James

Hi James,

Well, it all depends where you are in the country. I used to have a good mechanic/welder friend when I lived in Bath but that was 2 years ago now. If you still have a lot of body restoration work to do, have you considered getting the work done abroad where labour is cheaper? Looks like Ukraine might be a good place to take the 450 given the quality of work done on that black armoured 450. Luckily my 6.9 hasn't required any expensive work yet but a respray is coming up.

Adam

michaeld

Quote from: adamb on 30 November 2006, 12:45 PM
Congrats on your purchase and best of luck with your project. Incidentally, why did you decide to do this on a 450SEL and not a 6.9?

Isn't it just like one of them 6.9 guys to ask such a question?

I've kind of come to an epiphany on our cars: either they are all valuable (at least those in running shape w/o too much rust) or they are pretty much all worthless.  I would argue that anybody who pours a ton of money into any of the w116s as an investment needs to find a better investment.

As 1970s cars, none of the w116s are fetching top dollar in the USA.  I notice that the people who are entering huge reserves are listing them again, and again.  And, as far as 6.9s, the last couple times I checked, the w116 diesels were actually selling for more (the most of any w116, in fact).  I won't speak for other parts of the world, but that's the way it is here.

I think all of these older Benzes are awesome.  Since I got mine, I've noticed every single old Benz on the road.  I could frankly care less about most of the new models.  They don't impress me as much, and I couldn't afford them if they did.

I most definitely envy the M100 6.9, as it is a tremendous engine.  But I definitely DON'T envy the hydropneumatic suspension, particularly given all the well-paved roads I drive in California.  And again, if I really wanted an upgradable musclecar engine for the sake of having "omigod" high-performance, there are just too many other engines that most motorheads would prefer.

Truth is, I'm pretty happy with my 450SEL, apart from the same niggling details that probably "niggle" with everyone on this forum!  I don't have all the perks of the 6.9, true; but I don't have all the pitfalls either.  Every morning, for instance, I walk into my garage fully confident that my car will not have sagged into something resembling an automotive fetal position during the night!

Please don't get me wrong, here; I'm not trying to dump on 6.9s (other than that last crack, which just came to me and I frankly could not resist).  They were deservedly the flagship Benz of the late 1970s.  And I'm glad you 6.9rs love your cars.  But don't you think the other 116s deserve a little love and appreciation, too?  C'mon!  Stand up for the little guys!

I'm glad someone decided to really go to work on a regular, ordinary little old 450SEL - even if you plan to modify it.  It sounds like whatever you do will be intended to make the car better, rather than simply to butcher it for the sake of some dumb fad.

BTW, Vad El, that is one interesting looking interior you've got.  Someone really "pimped out" that ride (that's American slang for "modified it in a flashy manner").  I rather like most of it, though.  Especially the woodwork.  It has a classy, but "gangster car" look about it.  I wonder if someone saw a 600, and tried to emulate its lavish interior and woodwork?  Again, I like it.  And I'm glad the forum has at least one Russian representative.

And just so you know, John, three out of every four of my grandparents were pure-blooded English.  And, as an American, I am oh-so-danged-glad we've had you Brits backing us up.  (I can say the same thing about you Aussies, too, BTW).  I'm not trying to be overly political here; just expressing some gratitude for good friends among too many enemies.

Thanks for the pics of the restoration project.  When you see how "ugly" they were before they became beautiful, it just makes the cars look all the more amazing.


James R

I would have liked a 6.9 but they come up for sale so rarely over here in UK and we're only talking about another 60 or so horses for a considerably more moolah. My theory is to restore the 450SEL and then consider a better engine when everything else is done - there's no need to be a complete purist, I think. I'll probably never get round to this part though as I think its plenty fast enough and to put a newer engine in (E55 engine...oooof) would likely cost the earth.

Each to their own. Hey ho.
1978 450SEL 6.9 - GONE!

1979 450SEL - GONE!

adamb

Quote from: michaeld on 03 January 2007, 02:56 AM
Quote from: adamb on 30 November 2006, 12:45 PM
Congrats on your purchase and best of luck with your project. Incidentally, why did you decide to do this on a 450SEL and not a 6.9?

Isn't it just like one of them 6.9 guys to ask such a question?

<stuff deleted>

And just so you know, John, three out of every four of my grandparents were pure-blooded English.  And, as an American, I am oh-so-danged-glad we've had you Brits backing us up.  (I can say the same thing about you Aussies, too, BTW).  I'm not trying to be overly political here; just expressing some gratitude for good friends among too many enemies.



Oooo, that was below the belt.  :P Actually I'd have a 450 as well if I could keep more cars but I live in a place where garages for 1 car sell for up to 300,000 US dollars. And I earn a lot less than that. A restoration of a 450 is a wonderful thing and I am highly supportive of anybody out there trying to preserve our beloved model.

BTW, many of us are mongrels on this list: despite proudly being "a Brit" by nationality, I was born in the USSR and was a Soviet/Russian citizen until 1993 or so. Fortunately I find that the world is full of people who are eager to be friends but that's all I'll say on politics. :)

Best wishes,
Adam


WGB

As an owner of an "ordinary" 450SEL rather than a 6.9 - I actually purchased it because it didn't have the complication of the latter. A simple start is that you can buy a genuine washer bottle over the counter at an M-B agent for a fraction of the price of the specialised 6.9 item.

The downside is that there will never be a real appreciation in value in the 450 vs 6.9 so don't spend too much money as it is only a labour of love and not a future investment unless all the unloved ones rust away.

But it's still an exceptional drive so long as you don't expect ABS.

Bill Babe