280" Concourse; Diary of a layman

[ptashek]

It must be sweet to be rich and politically correct at the same time..

Can't tell. I'm neither
And I'm also hoping you will stick to your promise of releasing some of that stash back to the market at fair prices!

[revilla]

My mechanic has offered a Plan B and plan C, if things don't change rapidly.
Plan B.. he goes back to the UK
Plan C.. We start our own restoration company together.

Stan,

You started up, or were going to, your interiors wood restoration business a while back I seem to remember. 

Plan C is just a slight stretch to that baseline

[floyd111]

I kind of figured that as well, in the end, but I am kind of worried about the investments despite what my mechanic says.
He says it can be done without a "lift-bridge", but I think the tool- and rental costs may still be quite painful.

On the wood-front there's a little update. I did buy the vacuum pump, all the best veneers, best glues, lacquers and oils, but have not found the time for a proper start.
In the meantime I did bump into an old friend of mine who has been an ex-pat here for 20 years. He's an old-fashioned carpenter, cabinet maker and also builds guitars. He's got a fully furnished workshop.
I suggested this job to him, explaining long-term possibilities in regards to doing such classic car panels for others, abroad, as well.
He very much likes the idea, and the work involved.
Done deal for me. I mean.. who's got the time? (and skill)

I am waiting for my mechanics to harvest all wood from the 3 cars and together with all the surplus wood (ashtrays and stuff) I bought, I will bring this lot to my carpenter for him to play with, and hone his skills.
Considering the insane costs involved with having this done at Eris Design, or Madeira, I think I can accept losing a few pieces of veneer in the learning process.
The W116 panels are all veneer on top of regular, strong wood, and that allows for endless re-veneering. The same can not always be said about panels in other classic cars, so this should be a forgiving project.

[floyd111]

It looks as if the tides have turned a bit and peace may be upon the valley. It took some pushing to improve communication at the workshop but I am carefully optimistic. It seems my mechanic will not be leaving the workshop, now several obstacles have been cleared. Good for my peace of mind.
I am even optimistic about being able to produce a picture worth taking of the chassis in the bodyshop, within a week or 3.

VDH in Germany have been so kind as to extend the welcome of my pallets there, allowing me more time to come up with yet another parts order. Whatever I can ship from there, and can add to these pallets, virtually will ship for free. At this point I really need every saving I can make.

It's been a long hunt, but I managed to get a couple of the original accessories that were offered to W123/R107W116 clients at the time. These were in cupboards at the MB dealers between 72-80. Some were MB-brand, some were MB-sold aftermarkets.
The Hella emergency lamp (see older posts)would be a good example. It didn't have an MB number but was on offer at the dealers as a MB-supplied product.
Kissling Boxes belong in that category as well, be it they often carried the letters MB (see older posts)
These are a few items that I found these months. I will list more of them in a few days.

The Einhell 6A battery charger, model late 70's, as supplied by MB dealers to customers between 72-80

[floyd111]

MB-brand caravan mirrors, NOS, for W116/R107/W123 (bigger photo will follow!)

[floyd111]

While I wait for the other items to arrive, I was happy to find this set: NOS W116 top dash loudspeakers! Original packing..
Yes, my Focals will sound better, but what restored car can boast installation photos of a NOS set of original speakers?

[floyd111]

btw.. these are not the speakers I bought.. Need to make actual photos.

Bumped into this on eBay. The last official price list from MB with a W116 on the cover. Autumn 1979.
The next 1979 edition, even though still not W126 era, already has the W126 on the cover.

[floyd111]

..and then there were 2.
Couldn't resist this one for 25 bucks. After having driven the 116 through Taiwan traffic, I was a bit freaked out about the tiny size of the internal and external mirrors.
I wouldn't install them in the museum car, but for my daily driver? Sure!

[ptashek]

Bumped into this on eBay. The last official price list from MB with a W116 on the cover. Autumn 1979.
The next 1979 edition, even though still not W126 era, already has the W126 on the cover.

That's prices list 24 in your image, valid from February 1979.
There were a good few more after it, with a W116 on the cover.

The last one was 27, valid from mid-July 1979.
The first to feature a W126 on the cover was 28, valid from mid-September 1979.

[floyd111]

I stand corrected. Still pretty happy, but corrected.

[midnitesunmerc]

..and then there were 2.
Couldn't resist this one for 25 bucks. After having driven the 116 through Taiwan traffic, I was a bit freaked out about the tiny size of the internal and external mirrors.
I wouldn't install them in the museum car, but for my daily driver? Sure!

"Tiny" interior mirror?? Ironic for me to hear this after finally getting so pissed off at mine that I removed it last week - I sit tall in the  car having a long upper torso and the 11" mirror that came with my car was driving me nuts, constantly blocking my vision around town - not so bad on the highway. I notice that the mirror on my '79 Euro parts car is only 9" long, maybe other customers shared my concerns. I drove utility trucks for over 30 years so I really don't need an interior mirror and on every other vehicle I own save for my 2005 VW Golf, I either remove them or fold them up out of the way. I will admit that the external mirrors are a little on the small side but they are still adequate for where I live and drive.

[floyd111]

It's no doubt a personal thing. I am not that tall, so that helps.
But, if I'd be living in the Yukon, I'd be ripping out mirrors as well, as to better enjoy the view.
Alas, I am navigating in an ocean of scooters, between high rises and through jam-packed alleys.
Left AND right overtaking is often equally popular, at high speeds, both city and on the highway.
The moment you are on wheels here you'll be seeing accident-aftermath  every 15-30 minutes. Every week I literally SEE them happen at least once.

[midnitesunmerc]

I understand completely, Floyd - I'm a regular visitor to Thailand and other SE Asian countries and I've seen it all too - I won't even drive over there, and you need eyes in the back of your head even to be a pedestrian in places like Bangkok and Pattaya!

It's just the way I'm built - I have barely enough headroom in my 280SE and if it had a sunroof I wouldn't even have that much. When I was driving my car back from California I found the big mirror useful on the 4-lane freeways but around town I can't see around corners, keep having to duck my head under the mirror so I can see where I am going. I had the same problem with my cousin's newer Mini in England last year, and most other vehicles I've driven. My 2005 Golf is an exception, they mounted the mirror high enough that I  can see under it easily. 

[Peter]

Did you guys know that the man who designed the rear view mirror has never looked back...........

[floyd111]

Like it is with so many things in life, some things are more important to one, than to others.
This is no doubt such an item. Been looking for almost a year in the most obscure places but I finally found it.
The MB-dealer supplied car vacuum cleaner for W123/116/107
In the box, stored for near 40 years, never used.
I had to search deep and long, just to find out what model, color and brand was in the showrooms at the time/
After that, finding one was even more tricky. But there it is. Another one crossed off my list.