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1976 350SE in Silver Green

Started by Type17, 17 June 2011, 05:10 AM

Type17

Just took some fresh photos of my car when it was clean and the weather was dry and sunny (which has been a rarity around here this summer  :( ). I don't drive it as a daily, but it does get used most weekends.























'76 350SE in Silver-Green

oscar

They're copied brochure photos surely ;D 

That looks absolutely stunning, congratulations! I don't think I'll ever get one up to that standard.  It'll be a case of having to buy one that's already been sorted.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Type17

Quote from: oscar on 17 June 2011, 07:12 AM... It'll be a case of having to buy one that's already been sorted.

That's what I did - this one only has 34,000 miles (31,000 when I got it last year) and is almost totally original.

I was actually looking for a daily driver W116, but when this came up for sale, I knew that it was too good to pass on, even though I also knew that I'd have to forget my plan to use it as a daily driver.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

WiSeGuYY

hey TYPE 17
AMAZING , real beauty and thanks for posting and for keeping it in such shape. i wish i can have one near this upscale quality.
and to OSCAR can by any chance post your Mercedes profile pic in higher resolution ( i want a closer look if you don't mind) and is it a pontoon 180 b ?

REGARDS.

TAREK


samuli

That is a beauty!! I like those plates. Are they some sort of old-timer plates?

jbrasile

Type 17,

Absolutely STUNNING!!!!

This is the kind of time warp car that cannot be duplicated, congratulations!

Tks,

Joe

Type17

Quote from: samuli on 17 June 2011, 08:43 AM
I like those plates. Are they some sort of old-timer plates?

The plates are modern replicas of "ACE" plates, which were common in Ireland in the 60's and 70's - the letters and digits are polished cast-aluminium mounted on a painted metal backing - they are hand-made for old-timers by a guy who bought the old ACE manufacturing equipment when that company was closing down (modern Irish plates are foil-backed acrylic, like most UK ones).

The registration ZV nnnn is a previously-unused sequence from the old 1903-onwards format (which was a subset of the UK one) and is now offered to imported classic and vintage vehicles, to avoid having to issue them with a modern-format registration - I was offered a modern one, 76-D-1037 (76 for the year, D for County Dublin and a serial number) but, like most classic owners, I chose a ZV index to suit the car's age.

'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Casey

This is one amazing-looking car!  I love the greens - my first Mercedes (1976 also) was all green but not this lighter silver color.  This looks really classy and everything a Mercedes should be.

Type17

Thanks for the compliments, it's really getting there now - by the way, I should point out that I have "served my time" on rebuilding many older cars in my youth, so I'm fully aware of how special this one is, and while it is tempting to use it as often as possible, because it runs so well and looks so good, don't worry, I'm committed to keeping it as original and tidy as possible, so most of its miles are to and from car shows.

In terms of work done, since I got it last August, I've only had to change four of the tyres, all fluids, brake discs and pads, a balljoint, one horn, the antenna (was leaking into the boot/trunk) and I've cleaned and polished it, including conditioning all the rubber seals, and I've had it professionally undersealed. The only thing left on the list is rear seat belts (cash waiting for MB ones in good condition ;)).

Regarding the other topics about options, here's the ones my car came with:

286   Luggage nets on front seat backrests
320   Additional plate and rear bench seat stop for Great Britain
401   Separate front seats
420   Auto Transmission with floor selector
436   Elimination of front left and right automatic (self-reeling) safety belts
467   Central Locking and instruments with English lettering
524   Paintcoat Preservation
570   Front folding armrest W202 - housing at front with armrest
584   Electric window lifters (front and rear doors)
592   Green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, laminated safety glass - tinted strip
613   Lamp unit asymmetrical, Left-hand traffic
631   First Aid box
666   10 litres of fuel and mode of packing VE II

I'll update this topic with any further news as it happens.

Here's a shot taken by a fellow classic owner at a car show last Wednesday evening

'76 350SE in Silver-Green

robertd

Hey T17,
I just love that car.
congratulations to you
Cheers
116   1978 450SEL 6.9 #  4848
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 5884
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 6225  SOLD
116   1978 450SEL  6.9 # 5128  SOLD
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 5884  SOLD
116   1974 450SEL  DJet

oscar

Quote from: WiSeGuYY on 17 June 2011, 08:11 AM
and to OSCAR can by any chance post your Mercedes profile pic in higher resolution ( i want a closer look if you don't mind) and is it a pontoon 180 b ?

Hi Tarek, check this next link.  It's just an impression of a project that probably wont happen.  I had fun using my kids' textas to draw that picture but that's as far as I got. So no progress  http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/'red-hog'-my-next-project/

T17, are there no rear belts at all in the car?  I mean were they not required by law back when the car was new so weren't supplied or have they been removed at some stage?

I like the option 401, separate front seats.  Never noticed that one before but it suggests the opposite that front bench seats were available, which I've never seen.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Type17

Quote from: oscar on 18 June 2011, 10:18 AMT17, are there no rear belts at all in the car?  I mean were they not required by law back when the car was new so weren't supplied or have they been removed at some stage?

There are front belts, but they are UK-made "Kangol" brand ones  - the option codes above include "436 -  Elimination of front left and right automatic (self-reeling) safety belts", and most UK & Irish market 1970's Mercedes I've seen have UK-made seatbelts (Kangol or Britax brands) fitted (usually in the front only), presumably by the MB dealer. My theory is that the MB seatbelts didn't have had the British Standards Institute stamp of approval (The "Kitemark") and therefore wouldn't have been legal in the UK in the 1970's (even though the laws of physics are the same everywhere, and the MB seatbelts are fine!). This has been superseded by EU law (the CE mark), and while the Kitemark is still a useful guide to the safety and quality of an item, it is now optional.

I doubt that there were ever bench front seats in a W116, but the code may have been a requirement in the primitive (by modern standards) computerised data card system, because it would have been a genuine option in cars like the W114/5 which were in production when the W116 was launched.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

adamb

I'm constantly surprised by the presence of so many automotive gems in Ireland. Clearly they are all well hidden else they would have turned to rust long ago. I think I would have bought this car on site if it was up for sale down the road.

Type17

Quote from: adamb on 19 June 2011, 07:35 AM
I'm constantly surprised by the presence of so many automotive gems in Ireland. Clearly they are all well hidden else they would have turned to rust long ago. I think I would have bought this car on site if it was up for sale down the road.

A lot of classic cars in Ireland are UK imports, although there are many originals. Mine is an ex-UK car, and was actually for sale down the road from you (relatively speaking) - it lived all its life in Ware, Hertfordshire, from where I bought it.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

gavin116

#14
Hi Type17

I have found the answer to your prayers:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-76-Mercedes-w116-master-console-window-switch-/260817261742?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cb9eb94ae#ht_500wt_956

This should complete the gear surround very nicely.

Regards

Gavin
1979 450SE "Mrs White"
2022 Touareg-R 3.0TSi Hybrid
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