280" Concourse; Diary of a layman

[floyd111]

It still feels as if the back end was ripped off!
Every time I walk past the car I catch that horror in the corner of my eyes, thinking it is a first, a new dent. Guess that's the PTSD talking, haha!
It just kills me that this could happen after all that came before.
I also found some other spots, while carefully washing the chassis. Luckily, most of it inside the cabin, invisible after the interior goes back in....one day.
I wonder if the scratched boot floor is an easy fix, with the protective undercoating, AND the spray paint scraped off in 2 spots.
How does one fix that?

The local panel beater would be able to tell me if that car even received a proper clear coat, or whether it should have a second clear coat, or just a proper polish. One fender doesn't feel as smooth as the other. Good thing is that the doors, fenders, all that metal is maybe even more perfectly straight than it was when it came out of the factory, bar the big dent.

Right now only one display cabinet is left to arrange, and that would be the vintage accessories and apparel displays sorted.
After the weekend the NOS W116 engine will receive a toothbrush cleaning, before being moved to it's designated spot in the showroom.
Would there be any risk using brake cleaner, you think?

Monday I'll check out the options available to have all the XXL original 70's MB dealership posters framed, to stop them from aging. They all are exceptionally pretty. R107's, W116's, W123's and some related posters. I would imagine they could be set in glass with aluminum framing.
They will be hung in all the right places, just like they were, 50 years ago in Germany
May as well check if there is a similar-ish way of preserving the costly pile of dealer brochures and catalogs.
Normally, brochures should be visible to clients at a dealership. Hiding/storing them is missing the point. But, Taiwan sunshine and humidity is gonna kill them quick, if I don't watch out.

I still need to find 70's(-looking) spotlights as well. I couldn't find anything affordable 2 years ago. Maybe better luck this time around. Fixing them onto massive I-beams and/or thick corrugated steel plates is yet another challenge.
The present tubular lights are an eyesore.

After all that is done, we'll have a quiet think about how and where to install a car lift, and how to obtain a basic, affordable tool and garage equipment outfit.
We may build an extension/work-garage outside, a lean-on, or we'd have to dig down into the museum tile flooring, since the ceiling is pretty low, just under 9ft.

On top of all that action, I have also returned to eBay! I can't help myself. I am back to browsing 5000 ads a day again, looking for vintage additions. Must say it is a little bit better than 2 years ago, but still only very few, and very moderately interesting items there.

I did see this thing, which I will not be buying, due to it's condition and price:

[floyd111]

Stan,
What a journey!  At least your car is in your possesion now and can finally move forward with assembly. Also sounds like a good world tour with your family. Glad your daughter is better now.

Thanks, Rumb!
Yes, it is a step forward.
Now I know why Steve had 100 excuses for years, why not to ship the chassis before! It was these dents.
Let's hope that the local shop can make all the booboo ok again

[floyd111]

This how small that set is...

[floyd111]

It took a while, but I have some videos to show for.
This week I received my framed dealer posters, hung them, and now it finally looks the way I visualized it.

The actual museum artefacts are still i storage, so this is merely the 1979 MB showroom rebuild, the environment created for those customer gift display cabinets.

Enjoy!
Part 1. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kVlXpAYT2UE
Part 2.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4ibXAC0wgfY

And yes, I still need to install the right lighting, and connect the 3 multimedia spots. An LCD screen in the 1979 TV, and 2 projector with screens, that all will be playing MB commercials from the 70', Schlager music and some powerpoint presentations of all the historic MB advertising posters and campaigns that were issued between 1900 and 1990.
It is a work in progress still.

[rumb]

Looks fantastic!  Those tiny books were the rage back in the 60's or 70's.  I have a tiny book about Abe Lincoln.

[floyd111]

I ll do a detoiled series of vids the coming days, where each item in the museum intrrior  is highlighted. This afternoon I m gonna go to town and see if I can find a company that can make the glass upside down aquariums displays for me. Acrylic is better, no doubt, but the prices are through the roof for that material, especiallly considering I ll need 3 dozen of them, or more. I ll store the airtight aquariums with content in a few open cupboards, and lift them onto trays on wheels when there,s need to exhibit them.
I ll still revisit the idea of suspending them from the ceiling on hoists, whi,e having the displays double up as garage lights when up high, but the weight of these things really require pretty heavy duty rollers, wires, hoists and stuff. Again, it quickly gets very expensive that way, and very bulky as well.

[floyd111]

Detailed videos of the museum interior., parts 1, 2 and 3.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvr2e0n317WHwX8uF_mo_2ZIts5cf__9Z

Still no Gift Collection on display, though. Low on cash, after the big robbery..

[floyd111]

How time has flown...

[floyd111]

Even though I still have no money for my exhibition cabinets, I did finally find the time to create a slideshow series containing 98% of the Customer Gift collection.

Here you go. Hope you enjoy.

Part I, 1900-1950
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1zRUTXWIcY

Part II !950-1972
https://youtu.be/gFAwh5ZX_RA

Part III 1972-1976
https://youtu.be/T6PeIBZSRcM

Part IV 1976-1982
https://youtu.be/R--5DHQK8h8

Part V 1982-1986
https://youtu.be/Y9a8Wysu8-8

Part VI 1986-1990
https://youtu.be/s6ule_CtbXc

Part VII MB Accessories and Apparel 1975-1979
https://youtu.be/s6ule_CtbXc

Next up:
Part VIII MB Dealer Interior 1975-1979
Part IX MB Posters, Calendars, Manuals, Matches

[floyd111]

Even though every possible force of nature seems to have worked against me, I have not yet given up on my dream.
The fully restored chassis is not going anywhere any time soon, nor will the NOS engine, or most of the NOS parts I have gathered over the years.
For sure, I will need to wait for better times with more finances -and a mechanic- before I can hope to assemble the lot.
Finances that may or may not be returned to me, that is to be seen.
At the moment I am a single dad with my 2 little ones, and apparently NOT the co-owner of a massive distribution company.
I found out the hard way that my wife of 18 years did not list me on any of the company registration paperwork -in Chinese-, when she abruptly and silently disappeared to Spain to go live with another man, and HIS kids.
And with her, all the company bank account access, leaving me with my lovely kids and an empty debit card.
When I ignorantly showed up at the office with the kids, we were removed by the police and pushed into the street.
Yeah, that happened.
After getting robbed blind by my MB workshop a few years ago, losing half my parts stock and a clean W116 imported from Holland, now this.
13 years of building, running a multi-million dollar company, just to see it legally disappearing into a cloud of smoke, just like my wife disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

So, in order to ensure we can all eat in 2024 and to make it to the end of a slow divorce with no money for a lawyer, I need to offload some stuff pretty fast.
I was forced to sell my MB gift collection to a friend a few months ago and now I am helping him to sell that stuff to MB Stuttgart , and if they don't, maybe some international auction.

So, if you need any NOS W116 parts, let me know. I also have a big FEBI and Meyle stocklist that is substantially cheaper. In MB, lots and lots of chrome/aluminum trim, bumpers, complete lock sets, rubbers, window lifters and so much more.

[rumb]

Sorry to hear your challenges. Your son looks like a fine young man!

[floyd111]

 

[floyd111]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IWD2hHkbh5w&feature=youtu.be

Here s a video of the NOS aluminum and chrome trim. Pretty much everything is for sale.
There are 3 or 4 used items in between, but they are mint as can be and will not be sold as NOS. Some NOS items have signs of aging and some have tape-glue residue. Most of it is absolutely mint. The wheel caps are 10x mint without a scratch or dent in the metal and 5x with a microscopic scratch or dent. Detailed pics can be supplied of every item. The paint is to be removed. There are no sets of 4, 5, with the same color anyways and the paint is not immaculate. Please consider that this is not a dump sale. I paid market prices for most of it and I expect offers that reflect that. Please check the internet to see about other NOS offers, if any, and then consider what the value is anno 2024. I am OK selling beneath those prices, but within reason.