280" Concourse; Diary of a layman

[floyd111]

That looks very good!
I will try and work that one where I can, today

[floyd111]

Did we already reach the point of having found/listed all the available W116 stickers? No additions?

[floyd111]

Very, very quiet out there the last week.
This was the only thing out there that popped up.

[floyd111]

The sticker section will continue as a new thread "W116 sticker quest" in de "interiors/exteriors section

[nathan]

Floyd, following from your previous comment, why dont you start putting up individual posts with each segment?
the trouble is that although currently people will know you might have mentioned something a couple of months ago in this post, future users wont.  it will be easier in the future for people to search individual subjects/post titles rather than wonder if its in this 20 page monster on 500 different subjects with no specific subject matter.

[floyd111]

After all these reports on preparation, here' a few pics of what I have in mind..
First, the auction piece..

[floyd111]

..and this, should be the daily driver

[beagle2022]

I have your daily driver ready for you in Sydney.  You'll be horrified to learn that she cost me $4000 with about another $3000 in repairs over the last five years.

[revilla]

You'll be horrified to learn that she cost me $4000 with about another $3000 in repairs over the last five years.

yes, also that the W116 market today would pay the same $4000 she costed 5 years ago.  OK maybe $5000 with her enhanced condition after repairs.  exact same situation with both my 280's.  it doesn't matter.  precisely the point made before many times in other threads here: our W116 beauties are not exactly the best ROI examples.  for now they are not about money but about passion 

[floyd111]

That is not news to any of us, I would think
Still, despite all of that, the one thing I would not want is re-occuring repair bills, stuff breaking down.
I want to change every breakable part brand new, left with only the risk of NOS parts, even new, breaking down.
It's not perfect, but better, I would say.
IF one is committed to driving a car like this, better to go in just once, and do it proper.
So much of the yearly repair bills goes into overpriced replacement parts and inflated labor charges.
There are big savings in the end, if one can avoid such sporadic bills.

[floyd111]

Today the multi-parcel arrived from my collector/forwarder in Holland, my mam.
Lots of goodies inside!
For one, the phone..

[floyd111]

Also, had a talk with the workshop owner. My first W116 is now next up in queue in the bodyshop.
Maybe 2 weeks before they start. That sounds good!
This Monday, 2 of the euro-mechanics will seclude themselves from the world for 2 weeks to do a stock-take and have them come up with a near-final list of parts that need to be bought from MB Germany, all the regular stuff. Still, a massive task..
If all goes well, I may be looking at having 99% of all my parts in the warehouse, 10 weeks from now.
Right now, I have pallets awaiting shipment in Australia, Ornbau Germany and Julich Germany.
Ornbau will also be supplying all the regular MB stuff, so that should allow me to do 3 shipments from Germany, in 1 ocean container
I'd be pretty amaed if such an elaborate plan would actually work, for once..
We'll find out soon enough.
In the meantime, it is good to see that there is movement up ahead!

[rumb]

Stan,  here is the reply I received from my friend Wolfram regarding all your questions.

Dear Robert,
The fair Retro Classics 2016 came last sunday to an end and I got no trustworthy answers to your questions.
The VDO people were young, elegant, eloquent but not helpful.
But they allowed me to hand them over a copy of your questions and promised to read them with attention once back at their head-quarter.
The same thing happened to me with the Becker staff.
At the kiosk of the VDH - Verband der Heckflosse - the German tail-wing Club, they told me that they will answer questions only from members of the club.

[floyd111]

I AM a member.
Tell Wolf Bonitz it's Stan in Taiwan asking, the one who just bought their W116  warehouse.

[UTn_boy]

That's very crappy and conceited thing for a club to do/say.  That alone would make me NOT want to join and/or cancel my membership.  Very rude.