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1976 350SE in Silver Green

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

Casey

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).

Type17

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!).
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Type17

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:


Console from factory (with dealer-fitted antenna switch hole, fully automatic antenna now fitted, so switch no longer required)


Oscar's console - perfect except for a small dent halfway up the left hand side


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.


Almost finished cutting


Finished - no extra holes!

Fitting the belts was fairly easy:


Scope of delivery ;)


Reel location under the top of the rear seat-back


Threaded holes are under tape. I also had to trim some sealant with a blade to allow the bolt to thread in straight.


More careful cutting with a scalpel.


Reel in place.


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.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Casey

Very nice, clean-looking work!  Did your car not have rear seat belts originally??

Type17

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.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Casey

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. ;)

oscar

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. ::)
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Type17

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.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

samuli

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.

Gerard

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!!

oscar

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.   ::)
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Type17

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...
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Gerard

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.

Casey

Also don't forget to check with jbrasile. :)

samuli

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.