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450SE_Melbourne picks up his 450SE

Started by 450SE_melbourne, 29 April 2009, 09:20 PM

450SE_melbourne

For the past five weeks, I've been patiently waiting to take delivery of a 1976 450SE. No delay caused by the seller – I had to stall pickup due to an impending property settlement. That was all taken care of last week, so the path was clear.
In the meantime, the seller kindly kept very good care of the car for me in quite an impressive garage.

I am now the proud third owner of this car with history & supporting paperwork, since delivered new by Lanes Motors (now Mercedes Benz of Melbourne).

Originally owned by a retiring banker, the car was kept by him in Cheltenham (inner bayside Melbourne), until hip problems forced the sale in 2000, with a mere 60,000km travelled.
The next owner purchased the vehicle through Shannons, mainly using it for longer drives between Melbourne & Sydney.
No accidents, no damage (expcept for one minor dent – which was removed today), not even so much as gutter rash on a hub cap. Tuesday night, I ticked over 162,000km.  :o

A few little details need to be attended to in the next few weeks to lift the car, which otherwise, is in beautiful condition.
The following is a list of all work that needs to be done to get the car to the standard that I want (it will also act as incentive for me if it is listed on a public forum to get the work done!).

Today:
Dent removed & odd stone chip touch up.

Next Tuesday:
- Central locking. The front door with which you lock the key with will lock, but the remaining doors (& boot) remain unlocked - which won't be good when it's raining & I'm running around the car locking each door manually like a madman.
However, when it comes time to unlock the car, only one door will unlock – but all knobs pop up when the car starts...
- Drivers door does not hold at 30, 60 & 90 degree open points.
- Steering wheel points to the right when driving in a straight line. Suggest steering alignment is a good start point, with a balance thrown in for good measure.
- Original electric radio antenna locked 1/3 up. As it is the original aerial, I would prefer it to be repaired than replaced.
- Front passenger seatbelt does not recoil properly.
- Heater / Air conditioner thermostat appears to be stuck on the 'warm' setting – which works a treat at the moment, but won't be too good in summertime.
- Timing chain replacement. Just in case...

Sundry items (next two-three weeks)
- Fit original issue registration plates. Have to wait for seller to fill in some paperwork & return to me, before going to VicRoads.
- Replace housing for internal door handle, rear passenger. Part on order from Germany. One week eta.
- Rear override bumperbarette has been tapped at some point & requires realignment.
- New carpet floor mats. Sourced & on order. About one week eta also.
- Replace speakers & wiring. I'll only do this if I can still use the existing speaker covers. There's nothing wrong with current system, but would prefer clearer audio.
- Full interior & exterior detail. Although it's not dirty by any stretch of the imagination, it is a 33 year old car, so a good, professional clean will strip off any residue grime & give the paint an extra sparkle.
- Replace rear windscreen sticker with a replica "Lanes" dealership sticker. I used to have an original in a box that went AWOL at some point. A friend, by chance, has one. I'll borrow his original, take it to a sign writer, who will copy it exactly & cut it onto a vinyl sticker for me.

End of June:
- Custom made full sheepskin seat covers. Front & rear - including headrests, fold down armrest & squab.

No real fixed date, but would like to complete asap:
- The hubcaps have never touched a kerb, but I'd like to track down a set of the 15" Bundts... like everybody else with a 116. I've found a few sets in the USA & am looking into freight charges & duties etc. The problem that I'm facing with the American wheels is that they almost always appear to be the tripled dipped chrome version, which just isn't me. I need to find out if there is a company in Aust that can strip the chrome down in order to paint the wheels the factory alloy colour.
- Replace radio with the Becker Mexico Sat/Nav system with CD & iPod capability. Again, nothing wrong with current system, but would prefer clearer audio.

I'll try to post some photos online this evening or next. 

zedster

Congrats! and Wow!

A little pricey.
4 Mercedes-Benz Classic "BUNDT" Alloy Wheels 15 X 7

Could you give me more info on the Becker Mexico Sat/Nav system with CD & iPod capability?

Bill
1979 450 SEL "Spinne Blaue"

wbrian63

The Becker radio is a thing of beauty. But as we all know, beauty comes with a price - approximating that of the 4 15" Bundts. If I remember - $1500 or so. I'll try to dig up the link.
W. Brian Fogarty

'12 S550 (W221)
'76 450SEL 6.9 Euro #521
'02 S55 AMG (W220) - sold
'76 450SEL 6.9 Euro #1164 - parted out

"Bond reflected that good Americans were fine people, and most of them seemed to come from Texas..." Casino Royale, Chapter V

450SE_melbourne

Hey Bill.
Thanks for the link to the wheels. The price could work for me as I wouldn't have to worry about having the chrome (which y'all Americans seem to be so keen on) removed.  :)
I have a link at work for the radio. I'll post it on here for you in the morning. There are a few different versions, so you should be able to find the correct style system for your car, regardless of year of production.
Mercedes Benz of Melbourne were quoting me roughly $3k (Australian), so if you can find one on ebay for less, grab it!

wbrian63

Here's a link to an "International Seller" listing on eBay US -

http://cgi.ebay.com/Becker-MEXICO-7942-SAT-NAV-TMC-DESIGN-RETRO-Oldtimer_W0QQitemZ200337170114QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_GPSSystems_GPSSystems?hash=item200337170114&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

I have yet to see that Becker has made a US-version of this radio. All of the mapping functionality is non-functional here in the US. It would be nice if they made a de-optioned version for the US market, sans-mapping. The pics I've seen make the mapping stuff seem rather unusable. I'd like the Satellite Radio and iPod connectivity.
W. Brian Fogarty

'12 S550 (W221)
'76 450SEL 6.9 Euro #521
'02 S55 AMG (W220) - sold
'76 450SEL 6.9 Euro #1164 - parted out

"Bond reflected that good Americans were fine people, and most of them seemed to come from Texas..." Casino Royale, Chapter V

450SE_melbourne

Try contacting your local MB dealer with part number:
B6 605 0459

MB_Mike

Congrats on the 450SE, it sounds like a great car. I was curious about the Becker radio and did a quick search. Does it have the capabilty to plug in a nav system or does one pop out somehow?
1987 Home market 560 SEL

oscar

Congrats on the car, sounds like an awsome low mileage find. Looking forward to seeing some pics.

Ditto on the Retro Becker, I'd love one but I thought they were supposed to bring out a no frills version with just decent sound and a much lower price tag.  No sign of it yet.

Are you doing some of the work yourself?  I just saw some items in your list that you could probably attend to yourself to save some time and $ if needed.  Like the seat belt for example.  Early versions of the retraction mechanism can be unscrewed and the spring cleaned and lubed to make it return like new.  Other's are riveted and whilst they can be drilled out, I personally haven't put one of those back together again but the principle of cleaning and re-lubing the spring applies.  Anyway, good luck with it. 8)
1973 350SE, my first & fave

450SE_melbourne

Quote from: MB_Mike on 01 May 2009, 06:49 AM
Congrats on the 450SE, it sounds like a great car. I was curious about the Becker radio and did a quick search. Does it have the capabilty to plug in a nav system or does one pop out somehow?

It uses a small pixilated screen in the face of the radio unit to display arrows of directions & distance until the next turn.
When I say small, I mean about 1" high.
I have a PDF version of the catalogue from the local Mercedes dealer which shows how it looks. If you'd like me to email it to you, private email me your email address.

450SE_melbourne

Quote from: oscar on 02 May 2009, 09:25 PM
Congrats on the car, sounds like an awsome low mileage find. Looking forward to seeing some pics.

Ditto on the Retro Becker, I'd love one but I thought they were supposed to bring out a no frills version with just decent sound and a much lower price tag.  No sign of it yet.

Are you doing some of the work yourself?  I just saw some items in your list that you could probably attend to yourself to save some time and $ if needed.  Like the seat belt for example.  Early versions of the retraction mechanism can be unscrewed and the spring cleaned and lubed to make it return like new.  Other's are riveted and whilst they can be drilled out, I personally haven't put one of those back together again but the principle of cleaning and re-lubing the spring applies.  Anyway, good luck with it. 8)


Thanks Oscar,
I think Becker will delay releasing the no frills version until they've been able to screw every sucker who really really wants the old style radio & is happy to pay the premium. Given that many people have tom-tom style sat-navs for their cars now (at a far cheaper price), the nav capability of the Becker is quite redundant.
I'm most likely going to give the car to somebody else to look after as I don't have the available time to do it myself due to work travel commitments. As I type this, I'm waiting for my next flight... Besides, I'd prefer to know that the job was done correctly, by a professional, rather than a hack like me! Baby steps...  :D

450SE_melbourne

Time for a bit of an update...

The original black & white numberplates have been refitted. It's amazing what three digits & three numbers in the correct colour does for an older car!


My mechanic has had the car for the past few weeks, toiling away whenever time permitted. I was pleased to get the car back last Friday (in time for concours). The account came through yesterday.

Complaints & remedies:
- Check & report condition of timing chain & guides
+ Timing chain & guides fine. Will replace next service anyway.
New rocker cover gaskets fitted.

- Replace broken front door straps
+ New door straps fitted. Bliss. The doors do not automatically close onto my ankle anymore.  ::)

- Repair central locking
+ This one took some time to sort out. I was a little shocked to drop by the mechanic one day to pick up a set of keys that had been left in the car, only to see all door trims off, boot & bonnet raised, with three guys pouring over various elements of the vacuum system.  :o
Several parts replaced with this repair:
Vacuum element, boot
Vacuum element, fuel flap
Diaphragm, front pass door
One way valve (lock), under bonnet

- Repair / replace passenger seatbelt
+ Simple. It had doubled over on itself inside the spool.

- Heater not turning off
+ Heater element replaced. I now have cool air & air conditioning! Yippee!!

- Antenna mast stuck 1/3 up
+ Replaced mast. Also set motor to only go as high as roof of the car. Otherwise, I'd be running the risk of ripping it off every time I enter a parking building or car park stacker.


$1600.00 - which I was very happy to pay.


Further report - to be completed at next service
- Hole in exhaust, near rear muffler (1x3mm)
- Replace engine mounts (probably not essential, but I would like it as smooth as possible at idle)
- Diff bushes & rear stabiliser bushes wearing low
- Minor crack, rear tailshaft coupling
- Minor oil leak from front of auto transmission seal
- Replace front two tyres, front end alignment & balance.
How the front tyres ever passed roadworthy has got us stumped. Without putting too fine a point on it, they are stuffed - scrubbed to buggery on the inside line.
I've been quoted $207 each by my tyre supplier for replacement 205/70/R14 98H Michelin Energy XM1. Problem is that I'll be wearing tyres unevenly between front & back, so am hunting around for some decent second hand examples as I'm still researching the 15" Bundts.

So, a little bit more work to be done yet, but will be well & truly worth it.
It's funny (& quite amazing) how little I drive the 380SL & even the CLS350 now!!

oscar

That's so true about the door straps.  Unfortunatley the wind caught the driver's door on my 350 not long after I got it and opened it wide enough and fast enough to put a very slight buckle in the outer skin of the door.  Noone else notices it but I do.  I was none the wiser at the time that these straps or rather the cast part inside the door tend to fracture.  Must be good to get the vacuum system sorted out too.

1973 350SE, my first & fave

Big_Richard

I'd be having a nosey at the upper control arm bushings in regards to those unevenly worn front tyres ;)



450SE_melbourne

I've managed to track down two second hand (70%) replacement 205/70/R14 98H Michelin Energy XM1's.
$50 each. Bargain.
Also been quoted between $40-$75 (inc GST) for a full balance & alignment. Double bargain.
Saturday morning 10:00am. I'll also get them to take a look & comment on the upper control arm bushings while the wheels are off.

Then - the afternoon in the Yarra Valley vineyards.  ;)

Desert fox

Where did you source the carpets from. Regards N.