Adelaide 6.9...

[AMG69]

.....went to Adelaide, SA for the weekend. Highlights: awesome weather - sunny both days; Lunch at Norton Summit Hotel - "cheap and cheerful", log fire, fine SA reds - ahhhh!; the drive there - TVR Chimera; 5litre V8 (worked over Rover block - 340HP); 1100 kg, 5 speed manual; 0-100 in 4.2 seconds.  QUICK!! This is a mates car and its extraordinary.  He gets asked evry day "what sort of car is that mate"? Whats under the bonnet??
Other highlights - driving down Portrush Rd Kensington and seeing a fellow members red 6.9 parked there (cant recall which one of you owns it - the one with the Penta's fitted); then driving the TVR up to Stirling thru the tunnel (exhaust boom was heaven!!) we were passed by only 1 car - cant belive this - a silver 450SEL going FLAT OUT up that long uphill section; let me just say we were doing 110 and he went past VERY quickly! I could hear the old girl straining!!! Not a 6.9.
cheers
Chris

[Bandolero]

Hey there!!!!!
The red 6.9 is mine.
I was visiting Andreas who has the blue 6.9.
You should have stopped to say "Hello". ... oh well, guess you needed to get to where you were going.
It's great going up that hill through the tunnel. I floor mine in second just to hear the exhaust note...
You wouldn't believe I'm 55yo....Bloody old hoon..I am!!! 
Bandolero....aka Russell.

[robertd]

Well, I think I'm with the right crowd here at W116, I might be wrong but sounds like
some of us are reliving our youth I will be 52 next birthday but when I'm driving the 6.9 I feel 18 again. Long live the middle aged hoon. Now out to the shed to check
out the second 6.9 #5884 It definitely will be re-registered and given a second chance.
But I still feel guilty having two.

[Bandolero]

Lucky "Bugga!"
Don't feel guilty. Wish I had two!!

[robertd]

I have just uploaded pictures of my two 6.9s on the Gallery section, if any one is interested in
a quick look. In the showroom section.
Regards, Robert.

[OzBenzHead]

But I still feel guilty having two.

Robert: Take a hint from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Their main motto is "No More Guilt!"   

A few lifestyles ago I trained for the evangelical ministry, and we were told, straight out, that guilt was a most effective tool for (a) winning converts, and (b) separating them from their cash.  Cynical b*st*rds!

Guilt is the most effective form of social control ever devised. There is no hell to be afraid of!

Okay - I'm climbing down from my atheistic soapbox now and going to bed.   

[oscar]

 

No! Please feel guilty. 

Checked out your pics robertd, nice cars!!  There's some interesting differences.  Firstly, you're unreg 6.9 shows the original stone guard or valance under the front air dam which is absent from the gold one and just about every other 116 out there.  Never knew they existed until I saw it on Styria's Gleaming Beauty in the Spoiler thread.  Is it plastic?

Secondly, the gold one's interior.  What are the two zebrano "ashtray" looking bits on the lower dash?  Were they factory installed?  Never seen them before.

Lastly, the switch between the hazard light switch and the gear selector, was das ist??

the drive there - TVR Chimera; 5litre V8 (worked over Rover block - 340HP); 1100 kg, 5 speed manual; 0-100 in 4.2 seconds.  QUICK!! This is a mates car and its extraordinary.

You mean you drove from Perth to Adelaide in that thing?  Can I ask how long it took or any PB's recorded?  Your secrets are safe.

[nathan]

i will jump the gun!
the switch between the window winders is a side mirror adjustment switch from later cars to move passenger mirror...never thought about that, would have to come from late model w123...
as for those zebrano bits, my bet is cup holders!

regards
nathan
PS RD, i like the man who can take on the 13.8L of fury and still have a roof over his head!

[AMG69]

i like your philosophy Nathan - buy 1st 6.9 BEFORE you get married and second one immediately after you get married - sets the tone for the marriage i think : I MUST have my toys and I WILL be buying them!!!

[AMG69]

hey, re the LHS mirror adjustment - r u saying the LHS is electric??? Never knew that was available on W116 cars.

[nathan]

heh Chris,
it wasnt available on 116s, but was so on late 123s and they also had the chrome exterior mirrors so it is a possible transfer if not a little pain in the ass, be interesting to here what Robert has to say on this...
as for wife arrangements, funny story that...on the weekend i drove her down (in the silver 6.9) to margaret river a few years back for surprise proposal, she was 'nagging' (for want of a better word) when we would get married...she said she was so eager, she would buy me a new set of michelin xwx's for the 6.9 if we got married!!  funnily enough, im still waiting after she heard the price of $877 each!  so i had some diplomatic leverage for the second 6.9 as she hadnt yet got my tyres!
all the best
nathan

[AMG69]

HA! Love it - by the way I'm keen to see "Goldy"; I should have time this weekend if you are around! cheers Chris

[robertd]

The story with the Gold car, is that a wealthy Queenslander ordered the Euro spec RHD
car and collected new ex factory. He then drove it extensively around the continent before bringing it home, he must have service it in Switzerland as per the "Zurich" garage sticker under the bonnet. When I acquired this car it had no centre ashtray, in its place there were " twin " cigar lighters set in a neat flat plate matching the rest of the dash. The two ashtrays under each side of the dash also look factory fitted. I replaced the centre ashtray from a donor car. The only timber is the strip across the dash, the centre and transmission consols are standard black finish. There is an oil cooler beside the radiator and no sign of any anti pollution add ons. This car looks to have been very well looked after be the first owner.