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Garage => Test Drive => Topic started by: Type17 on 17 June 2011, 05:10 AM

Title: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 17 June 2011, 05:10 AM
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.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0985-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0001-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0027-Version21.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0025-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0023-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0017-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0013-Version21.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0005-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0983-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0033-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0006-Version2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/_MG_0011-Version21.jpg)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: oscar on 17 June 2011, 07:12 AM
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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 17 June 2011, 07:26 AM
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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: WiSeGuYY on 17 June 2011, 08:11 AM
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

Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: samuli on 17 June 2011, 08:43 AM
That is a beauty!! I like those plates. Are they some sort of old-timer plates?
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: jbrasile on 17 June 2011, 09:28 AM
Type 17,

Absolutely STUNNING!!!!

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

Tks,

Joe
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 17 June 2011, 11:03 AM
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.

Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 17 June 2011, 11:06 AM
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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 17 June 2011, 12:19 PM
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

(http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/mgbgt1eri/Picnic%20in%20the%20Park%202011/DSC_8751.jpg)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: robertd on 18 June 2011, 06:52 AM
Hey T17,
I just love that car.
congratulations to you
Cheers
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: oscar on 18 June 2011, 10:18 AM
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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 18 June 2011, 11:09 AM
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 (http://www.bsieducation.org/Education/about/what-kitemark.shtml)") 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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: 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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 19 June 2011, 12:34 PM
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.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: gavin116 on 22 July 2011, 02:34 AM
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
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 22 July 2011, 05:28 AM
Quote from: gavin116 on 22 July 2011, 02:34 AM
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

Man, I really like that older-style fade dial a lot more than the newer one that mounts up on the side.  I need a new window switch too.  If you find one of these in Zebrano, let me know.  Most especially cool would be if it also had seat heater buttons so I didn't have to drill them (would be a nice upgrade to add at some point).
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 25 July 2011, 09:29 AM
Quote from: gavin116 on 22 July 2011, 02:34 AM
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

Looks good. I'll keep an eye on it, but I'm also waiting on one from a fellow 116.org user who is kindly shipping me some spare MB rear seat belts, and he threw a good-looking console into the box when wrapping them (thanks Oscar!).
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 08 August 2011, 07:30 AM
Oscar indeed came up trumps with a good console and MB rear seat belts, which I have now fitted - I just need to get two of the "A126 692 00 59 Escutcheon" (small black trims for the new holes in the C-pillar trim panel) to finish the job off.

Details below:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/_MG_0113.jpg)
Console from factory (with dealer-fitted antenna switch hole, fully automatic antenna now fitted, so switch no longer required)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0287.jpg)
Oscar's console - perfect except for a small dent halfway up the left hand side

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0286.jpg)
The foam on the rear covers everything, but the hard plastic base has the holes for the window switches and the fader knob, so you just need to be handy with a scalpel.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0288.jpg)
Almost finished cutting

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/IMG_0291-Version2.jpg)
Finished - no extra holes!

Fitting the belts was fairly easy:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0320.jpg)
Scope of delivery ;)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0322.jpg)
Reel location under the top of the rear seat-back

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0323.jpg)
Threaded holes are under tape. I also had to trim some sealant with a blade to allow the bolt to thread in straight.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0321.jpg)
More careful cutting with a scalpel.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0326.jpg)
Reel in place.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/2011/IMG_0330.jpg)
Ready for passengers!

A huge thank you to Oscar, who took the time to root out the parts and package them up, and for providing them for a very good price plus postage and some "beer money" - A top bloke if ever there was one. PS: Mia, my 9-year-old niece says thanks too, she loves riding in the 'big car' but her mum was worried about the lack of seat belts, so it wasn't happening often enough for Mia's liking.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 08 August 2011, 09:07 AM
Very nice, clean-looking work!  Did your car not have rear seat belts originally??
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 08 August 2011, 01:40 PM
No, most 70's cars in Europe didn't have rear seat belts, and it only became compulsory for manufacturers to fit them, and for passengers to wear them where fitted, in the mid-80's(!) - seems crazy now, but there you go.

In fact, if you check out the first page of this thread, you'll see that most UK-market cars, including mine, came from the factory with no seat belts at all, as per option code 436 "Elimination of front left and right automatic (self-reeling) safety belts", and only the fronts were subsequently fitted locally.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 08 August 2011, 03:19 PM
Quote from: Type17 on 08 August 2011, 01:40 PM
No, most 70's cars in Europe didn't have rear seat belts, and it only became compulsory for manufacturers to fit them, and for passengers to wear them where fitted, in the mid-80's(!) - seems crazy now, but there you go.

In fact, if you check out the first page of this thread, you'll see that most UK-market cars, including mine, came from the factory with no seat belts at all, as per option code 436 "Elimination of front left and right automatic (self-reeling) safety belts", and only the fronts were subsequently fitted locally.

I'd happily eliminate my seat belts if it meant I wouldn't get a ticket for not wearing one ("sorry officer, the car just doesn't have them, *smile*")...

Check out http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/info/seatbelts.html&date=2009-10-25+22:27:55 for some very interesting statistics (in Ireland, even!)...

The driver seat belt latch is broken and inoperable in my W123 coupe at the moment. ;)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: oscar on 09 August 2011, 07:30 PM
Wow, I'm surprised how good those belts came up or how well they complete the rear seat.  I think I'm just taken by the interior of this car, period.  Shame about that dent in the console.  Looks more evident now that the part's cleaned and installed.  Otherwise you've done an exceptional job and it's slotted in there nicely. 

I've never seen a blanked area on the c-pillar trim before, for where the belt comes through.  Interesting.  I need new "Escutcheons" for the b-pillars and I've seen some new ones installed, they look fantastic.  Hopefully you wont have any trouble getting new c-pillar ones.  Used ones are usually in good nic too for lack of use though I'm not sure whether I kept any c-pillar trim :-[

Glad to hear Mia gets to be chauffered now in the big car 8)  My 9yo daughter doesn't like the merc.  Partly because I like listening to the engine rather than let her listen to and sing Adele on the stereo on her way to school.  Nothing against Adele, it's just Lucy's singing's very loud and dramatic. ::)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 10 August 2011, 01:44 PM
Don't worry about the dent in the console, the light catches it in photos, but it's almost invisible in normal viewing with the naked eye.

I'll try and get a shot of a blank C-pillar trim for you - almost every other local 116 I've seen has no rear belts. The escutcheons should be easy to get new, as they are are a W126 item (superseding an earlier 116 part, according to the EPC).

Mia doesn't want the radio - she prefers the sound of the V8, and counting the gears changing in the automatic gearbox (her mum's car is a manual shift, so an auto is a great novelty). I'm sure she'll be "too cool for all that" in a few years time, but it's fun at the moment.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: samuli on 10 August 2011, 03:41 PM
Great work Type17! I did the same exercises with the rear belts few years back. If you want to fine tune your setup you can get the original metal rings for the belt feed through. Check out my gallery:

http://gallery.w116.org/v/garage/Mersu/

These were available at Mercedes-Benz of Poole.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Gerard on 11 August 2011, 05:32 AM
the escutcheon is
126 692 0059

Nice work Type17, neat and tidy as always.

Oscar.... I used to be the same with the 450, switch off the radio and listen to the engine, or else switch it to AM or LW to hear the spark .......... :P

I do it with my 300CE and I prefer the 6 cylinder rhythm over the V8!!
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: oscar on 11 August 2011, 07:46 AM
haha, yeah I still get AM interference too.  Never really nutted that one out but never listen to AM anymore I suppose.

Quote from: Type17 on 10 August 2011, 01:44 PM
I'll try and get a shot of a blank C-pillar trim for you -
Looking at samuli's gallery link above, it was indeed his posts where I first saw someone make mention of buying these escutcheons new for the c-pillars.  But I also see in there a photo of an unadulterated blanked c-pillar moulding which I realise now I must have seen before in samuli's posts from a few years ago.  My memory's fading faster than my 350's duco.   ::)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 12 August 2011, 05:00 AM
Just checked the price of the escutcheons from a local MB dealer - about €22 (US$32) each!

No one said they would be cheap, but wow...
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Gerard on 12 August 2011, 05:27 AM
try Robert Dundas at Isaac Agnew Mercedes Portadown.  048 3833 7373, and ask for Parts, (or Robert).  Polite, professional and knowledgeable.

MSL recently quoted me 220Euro + Vat for a rear silencer,
Agnew Portadown quoted me £140 STG +UK Vat for the same part.  (However the silencer fell off in the meantime and I had to go to OTTO Dublin!!)

If you have a few other small items, they will deliver for £8 STG.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 12 August 2011, 05:49 AM
Also don't forget to check with jbrasile. :)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: samuli on 12 August 2011, 02:09 PM
Check Mervyn Wright from the Mercedes-Benz of Poole. I don't remember precisely how much I paid, but it sure was not tens of euros.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Gerard on 12 August 2011, 02:18 PM
Quote from: Raptelan on 12 August 2011, 05:49 AM
Also don't forget to check with jbrasile. :)

Indeed Raptelan, but here in Ireland we get hit with postage and import duties, so lets say the part cost $30, but US international postage may easily be $50.
Import duties are then 4-10% depending.

Then we get hit by 21% VAT on parts, postage and duty!  so 80 x 1.1= $88  then 88x1.21 = $106.48

So its only economic for larger orders ( I bought from Autohauz AZ recently).  If we buy parts in the EU we dont pay duty or extra VAT.  Otherwise we would prob buy more from you guys stateside for sure!! :)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: samuli on 12 August 2011, 02:45 PM
I checked my old e-mails and the cost was actually £3.30 each, so far from your quote. This was summer 2008. I recommend to keep in touch with Mervyn in any case if you live in Europe, he has been great when I have needed some parts for my car. They say actually that this shop has a good stock of W116 parts.

At the time I was initially looking for a trim panel with a feed through hole ready, but Mervyn told me that Mercedes never delieverd those. They only shipped blank panels and the metal rings for finishing the cut holes, if needed.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 12 August 2011, 03:14 PM
 
Quote from: samuli on 12 August 2011, 02:45 PM...the cost was actually £3.30 each, so far from your quote...

Holy smoke, that's a big difference :o - On Monday, I'll be chatting to Isaac Agnew and MB of Poole to see what they can do...
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: jbrasile on 12 August 2011, 08:36 PM
Casey,

Tks for the referral!

Type 17, the escutcheons are US$24.30 each (27.00 list). You are right on small stuff it is better to get it locally, but I have noticed quite a difference in price for certain higher valued items in the UK so it is always worth checking. You can always e-mail me at joe@mbklassik.net or info@mbclassic.net and I will send you a quote  for comparison sake.

Tks,

Joe
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 05 December 2011, 12:00 PM
Update: In the end, I got the escutcheons from Mervyn in MB of Poole for UK£13.10 each plus VAT, so the total including postage came to £39.84 (about USD$62), so probably not much different, taking distances/postage charges into account.


I'll put up some photos when I get around to fitting them (I'm too busy considering when is the best week for fitting winter tyres to my daily driver right now - the 116 is tucked away these days)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 13 February 2012, 12:46 PM
I fitted the escutcheons recently, and found that they are actually bigger than the cutout-shapes in the C-pillar trim. I had to cut the holes a little bigger, see pics below...


The original 116 part has been superseded by a 126 part, which might be the reason for the difference.


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/W116/80bff201.jpg)


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/W116/929770e9.jpg)


The finished job


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Type17/W116/6ea1f092.jpg)

Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 13 February 2012, 02:39 PM
I just did this same operation to my new C-pillar trims shipped over by mirafioriman:

(http://gallery.w116.org/dl/35591-1/rear_seat_belts.JPG)

I'll be using W116 escutcheons though - if I can't order them new I'll use them out of another vehicle.

This green's an interesting color, eh?  Looks different in every single picture in this thread!
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 13 February 2012, 02:54 PM
Well, while I haven't actually seen a 116 escutcheon, but thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same as the 126 ones I used - the hole that the original mark on the pillar-trim indicates for you to cut is a bit small for actual seat-belt use - if you look at my pic of the reel just fitted, in a previous post, you'll notice that the hole produced by following the mark is a bit tight and the chrome hoop part of the seatbelt isn't able to swivel much at all.
When I had opened the hole up a little, to fit the escutcheons, this was no longer a problem.


Note that I opened the hole up on all sides - the first pic above, with the escutcheon lying on the trim, might imply that I only cut away material on the 'long' side but, after trial-fitting, I found that a little trimmed off all sides suited best.


The green colour: Yes, as a photographer, I can tell you about the nightmare that is colour-balance!
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 18 February 2012, 10:32 PM
It appears you're right - the W126 part seems the same size as the original W116 ones - which are both larger that the cutout:
(http://gallery.w116.org/dl/36024-1/IMG_0032.jpg)
(http://gallery.w116.org/dl/36020-1/IMG_0033.jpg)

So I think I'll order new trim myself, since yours looks a lot nicer than mine.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 27 February 2012, 12:11 PM
Okay I figured it out!

The smaller holes are from older-model W116's with the old-style seat belts that had the word "Press" in white on the larger red buttons, these were different from the later style, and the rear latches are largely plastic and always seem to be disintegrated/broken when you see them.  The belt goes over a black metal piece that is pretty much stationary, rather than being on a the more freely-movable chrome type.  I have these in my 1974 - here you can see the old-style installed, with me holding up a later-style escutcheon for a size comparison:

(http://gallery.w116.org/dl/36767-1/IMG_0113_001.JPG)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 27 February 2012, 12:40 PM
Ah, so the difference is based on a model-year revision. I doubt there's any way to get new early/small ones though, as the 116 part number has been superseded by the bigger-sized 126 part. It's no big deal for me though, as the seatbelts that I got from Oscar are from a '77 car, so I have the freely-moving chrome C-pillar clips.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Casey on 27 February 2012, 01:23 PM
Quote from: Type17 on 27 February 2012, 12:40 PM
Ah, so the difference is based on a model-year revision. I doubt there's any way to get new early/small ones though, as the 116 part number has been superseded by the bigger-sized 126 part. It's no big deal for me though, as the seatbelts that I got from Oscar are from a '77 car, so I have the freely-moving chrome C-pillar clips.

Trust me as one who has both styles - even if you could find the old-style seatbelts new, you would not want them!  In addition to not working as well and aging faster, they are inherently not nearly as safe.  The latches of the newer-style front seats attach to the sliding bar that will lock the latch in place in the event that the seat mounts break loose in the event of a collision.  This is the long black bar that goes through the latch mechanism and attaches via a 17mm bolt to the raised center hump behind the seats where rust is very unlikely.  The earlier style latches attach to only the seat itself via a 10mm bolt which won't be fun if your rear seat mount points have gotten rusted unbeknownst to you over the years prior to your collision.  In that case the seat will basically force you into the windshield/dash while twisting you a bit sideways whereas with the new style the belt will restrain you and the seat with rusted mount points.  The only downside of the newer latches in the front is that if you have a serious head-on collision with rusty seat mounts, you'll need to replace the black bar if you repair the car. :P  Plus the fact that none of the rear belts are latchable at all due to the plastic portions of the latches wearing out makes me seriously doubt their safety compared to the newer style which still functions even if all the plastic is removed as long as all the metal is still intact.  I think somewhere along the line they started to realize "hey this works alright in a new car for so many years, but it ages terribly as the failure rate increases rapidly the older the car is".

Plus, chrome just looks sexier. :)

However if you decide you'd like green C-pillar trim with uncorroded old-style small escutcheons installed, I'd be happy to arrange a trade, and can give you some old-style rear seat belts too. ;)  I guess it just depends whether you're a stickler about originality or not, some people would probably strongly prefer the earlier style for that reason.  I personally find that with rare exceptions that usually boil down to country regulations more than anything else, Mercedes improves a given chassis over time after it first issues it.
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 27 February 2012, 02:59 PM
Quote from: Raptelan on 27 February 2012, 01:23 PM...if you decide you'd like green C-pillar trim with uncorroded old-style small escutcheons installed, I'd be happy to arrange a trade, and can give you some old-style rear seat belts too. ;)  I guess it just depends whether you're a stickler about originality or not, some people would probably strongly prefer the earlier style for that reason.  I personally find that with rare exceptions that usually boil down to country regulations more than anything else, Mercedes improves a given chassis over time after it first issues it.


Thanks for the offer, but I'll stick with the seatbelts and trim that I have - I only fitted them so I could have friends and family travel in the back (after they've checked their clothing and footwear is clean!), so having reliable seatbelts is more important than absolute originality, although saying that, I waited to get a proper set of MB seatbelts - I could have got generic ones fitted locally, but they would have looked totally wrong.


Local regs are not an issue - in Ireland, cars registered before 1/1/80 are exempt from the NCT (National Car Test), so I could probably get away with having no seatbelts at all (but don't, because I like my face being this shape  ;D ).
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: navigator on 29 March 2012, 06:03 PM
Its guys like you that give guys like me PPA (picture posting anxiety) :-\ :-\ :-\
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: Type17 on 29 March 2012, 06:10 PM
Don't sweat it, even a technically imperfect shot is worth a thousand words!

PS: I'm a photographer by trade, so I have to make an effort  ;)
Title: Re: 1976 350SE in Silver Green
Post by: atatexan on 26 April 2012, 03:35 PM
Absolutely stunning car.