These things are infectious. Last night the lovely wife pointed out a cheap W116 advertised locally that may have been suitable as a parts car. So I called he guy this morning and went to have a look.
When I arrived, there she was sitting out the front and she didn't look too bad. In the driveway was a W107, W126 and a W201. This guy was obviously another Merc nut.
She started up straight away, ran smoothly and ran at temp. She was a bit slow to drop into reverse but better to drop into drive. The interior was a bit tired but still some salvageable parts. Panels are all straight, chrome looks reasonable, SLS was working fine, and looks pretty well rust free other than a little in the sill under he rear passenger door. Electrically seem to work, all mother dash was functioning and it still has the original Becker Mexico installed. I didn't try it so don't know if it is operational.
She has been a daily drive until recently and is roadworthy, but she had to go to make room for the W107 restoration. So for the sum of $200 she is on her way to my place. Don't quite know how a four car garage is going to work with five cars but that's something to sort out over the weekend :-\
I will post a couple of pics when photo bucket is working for me. She is a W116.024 9/79 280SE and will make a nice stable mate for my 9/76 450SE. She is most likely going to be a parts car...probably, possibly as long as I don't get attached to it. She arrives on Monday so will have more pics then :)
It'd probably help if you called the car 'it'!!! LOL! ;)
Photobucket is back up. Here she is.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1952.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1954.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1951.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1953.jpg)
Quote from: Kjhall65 on 28 December 2012, 01:23 AM
Photobucket is back up. Here she is.
I think you guys down-under need to change your definition of "parts car", because this looks to me like a perfect restoration candidate 8)
It might be yet ptashek. I'll have a really good look at it when it arrives on Monday and I can clean all the junk out of it. At first glance I was expecting a lot worse and was presently surprised with what I saw.
Basically, I could see a lot more than $200 worth of parts that I could use in the 115 and 116 so it was an easy decision. Convincing the lovely wife that it is anything but a temp parts car if it turns out to be a restoration goer will be much more difficult :)
Quote from: Kjhall65 on 28 December 2012, 06:02 AM
It might be yet ptashek. I'll have a really good look at it when it arrives on Monday and I can clean all the junk out of it. At first glance I was expecting a lot worse and was presently surprised with what I saw.
Basically, I could see a lot more than $200 worth of parts that I could use in the 115 and 116 so it was an easy decision. Convincing the lovely wife that it is anything but a temp parts car if it turns out to be a restoration goer will be much more difficult :)
I'm not sure what used parts go for in Australia, but in Europe those bumpers alone would pay for the car 4 to 5 times over if in good nick.
What colour is the interior? It looks like olive or moss green on the pics.
That's one of my favourite colors in the W116, KJhall. Upholstery and carpets should be olive or moos green, I suppose: I like this matching color tone (like Milan brown paint with tobacco inside, too).
It seems really a good piece, with no big problems; I have no idea about the amount of money you paid (I have not in mydo memory the ratio AUS/EUR), but it seems a cheap shot, so you got a lucky business, IMHO.
Very nice looking car kjhall65 I see the car was in Kambah . Geoff :)
love that thistle green
Thistle or Silver Green?
Nice find!
The interior was olive I think and the seats were fabric rather than mb-tex. I'm not sure of the official colour. I'll post the plate with the codes when the car arrives on Monday.
I picked this one up from Banks Motec. Not sure which one was in Kambah.
that is a nice one! as pointed out, nice straight bumpers too. 200 seems like a good investment for parts.
as an aside, never turn up to buy an old merc in your newest merc. it leaves you no haggle room!! rock up in your best 116 then theres looks shabbier. only after a deal is made do you turn up in the expensive towing merc ha ha!!
Hi Kjhall65 i knew the picture was in Tuggeranong . I used to own a Taxi in Canberra now live out west . Geoff ;D
Valid point Nathan :) Unfortunately I don't have a car seat in the 450 and had kid-let no. 3 with me which made looking at the car more challenging than is ideal....realistically I was prepared to pay close to his asking price of $300 if necessary as they rarely come on the market locally especially ones that have little rust, still go and are in a registrable condition.
He was prepared to throw in a spare M110 and gearbox (150k on them) just to get them out of his shed as part of the deal. I have no use for them and no place to keep them so I didn't take them. If someone here is interested in them I'm happy to pick them up for you.
Ah so your an ex local Geoff :)
Ken
Hi Kjhall65 yes i am from Capitown i have contemplated returning in the last year or so.We will see what the future brings. Geoff :)
Canberra can certainly do with more w116 owners Geoff :) ...and help balance the east / west W116 balance (ever so slightly). Perth seems to be the place to be in terms of the W116 clan.
Hi Kjhall65 if you ever need engine work done i can highly recomend Greg Tarlington at Pro Engines 18 Stephens rd Queanbeyan . Geoff :)
The car arrived this morning :) Straight off the truck and into the garage for a close inspection to see what we really got. It is borderline as to parting the car or restoring it. At the end of the morning I decided that parting the car made more sense for us and the W115 and W116 will get a good spread of parts from it.
Here are some pics of he interior, engine etc. The car is filthy but much is actually in working order and can be cleaned up for the other two cars.
I think Tony was right, the colour is Silver Green
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1994.jpg)
The seats are filthy but other than the base of the driver seat all is in tact.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1988.jpg)
The centre console is very second hand but the original Becker Mexico still works fine
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1986.jpg)
The dash has a few cracks but all the instruments and switchgear is working as intended
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1985.jpg)
The two front jack points are like this. Other than that the car seems pretty rust free.(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1976.jpg)
The interior is filthy(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c232/mercken/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1991.jpg)
Yeah, that's moss green, known as olive green until, afair, 1975ish. I'd love to have one of those in MB-Tex instead of velours, but it's a quite rare colour option.
Paint and interior seem to be the same as mine - 861, Silver Green and option 006, green fabric. I've never seen any other names like olive for that colour, just 'green', but it does look olive, rather than any other shade.
Seems a shame to part it out, but the interior is very faded, and the mileage (kilometre-age?) is fairly high...
Quote from: Type17 on 31 December 2012, 05:58 PM
Paint and interior seem to be the same as mine - 861, Silver Green and option 006, green fabric. I've never seen any other names like olive for that colour, just 'green', but it does look olive, rather than any other shade.
Seems a shame to part it out, but the interior is very faded, and the mileage (kilometre-age?) is fairly high...
Type17, it also has a cracked exhaust manifold, the radiator needs replacing and the bushes in the suspension all need replacing as do all the door and windscreen seals. Basically not economic to salvage the car for a 280SE. If it were a 6.9, it would have been a different decision....
That upholstery kinda grows on you, its the same type as my 280S but olive green and for its age looks pretty good when compared to my Olive Leather.
Quote from: Kjhall65 on 31 December 2012, 07:04 PM
... it also has a cracked exhaust manifold, the radiator needs replacing and the bushes in the suspension all need replacing as do all the door and windscreen seals. Basically not economic to salvage the car for a 280SE. If it were a 6.9, it would have been a different decision....
Fair enough, it's pretty far gone overall (although the shell is fairly good by northern European standards ;)).
The irony is that 116's in general are not being preserved because they are worth less than the more iconic (mostly two-door) MB models and, within 116 models, the 6.9 is being preserved more diligently (with good cause). If anyone has an above-average 280, they should mind it carefully, as they will be even rarer in the future.
The same thing has happened in Mk1 Golf (USA: VW Rabbit) circles around the world - no one preserved the non-GTI models, and if you go to a car show now, you'd think that GTIs outsold other models 10:1, when in fact the reverse was true.
You make a really valid point Type17. If I found a 280 SE or especially an SEL in the same condition as my 450SE I would certainly pick it up and hang onto it. I think they will be worth more than the V8 at the end of the day. If my current 280SE was in better condition, I would have spent the time and money doing it up over the next few years.
Ken
Quote from: Type17 on 31 December 2012, 05:58 PM
Paint and interior seem to be the same as mine - 861, Silver Green and option 006, green fabric. I've never seen any other names like olive for that colour, just 'green', but it does look olive, rather than any other shade.
The **6 color was known as olive green / moss green according to http://www.meinbenz.de/polster/116/polster116.htm
Cabrio.de, which were the only folks able to still supply that colour in velour call it "moss green" as well.
Some leather dye products reference it as "pebble green" (maybe because of the original leather grain?)
She is a beaut mate!
My Beaut (girl) is Aussie and we are going to return to her homeland. I can't wait. It seems there is a plethora of W116's on your continent. I don't get it.
I hail from the Great White North (Canada) and have been on this forum off and on since 2008 when I got my first 450 SEL. Must be the climate. There seem to be so many great examples in Australia. I am sure I will fit right in there. Can't wait to get there where I don't have to worry about snow, salted streets, and the wear and tear of starting a vintage V8 in minus 30 degrees Celsius.
Melbourne's the best; forget the rest!!! ;) ;D
Quote from: Tony66_au on 31 December 2012, 08:04 PM
That upholstery kinda grows on you, its the same type as my 280S but olive green and for its age looks pretty good when compared to my Olive Leather.
Leather.
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/tony66_au/Merc/SAM_0083.jpg)
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/tony66_au/Merc/SAM_0084.jpg)
Love or hate MB Tex you cant beat it for durability!
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/tony66_au/Merc/IMG_20121009_111933_zps4305a805.jpg)
I'm a big fan of MB Tex. I have it in my 115 and even after 43 years it hardly has a mark on it. The leather in the 450 is ok especially in the back but the drivers seat has suffered from cracks similar to the pics Tony posted.
The fabric / MB Tex in the 280 has faded but it isn't torn or damaged. It's good stuff.
After due consideration the 280SE is off the endangered list. I am going to keep her as a very long term refurb.
I'll have to get in touch with the guy I bought it from and see if the spare motor and gearbox is still available as part of the deal :)
Hahahaha! It's sometimes a quandry with a cheap W116; to scrap or not to scrap.... Been there myself! ???;)
I have found that the best way to store parts from a parts car is to keep them attached to the car. in other words park it behind the shed until needed.
Rob
Quote from: robertd on 05 January 2013, 06:38 PM
I have found that the best way to store parts from a parts car is to keep them attached to the car. in other words park it behind the shed until needed.
Rob
I certainly found that the other day when I needed some seat bolts for the 450SE. Much easier just opening the door and taking them out rather than searching through the workshop.
Ken
Quote from: robertd on 05 January 2013, 06:38 PM
I have found that the best way to store parts from a parts car is to keep them attached to the car. in other words park it behind the shed until needed.
Rob
I agree! Take a car apart and it takes up 10 times more room.... My problem is my parts 450 is outside in the weather. I need two doors and as soon as I take them off the whole interior will be exposed. I guess I could use tarps like I have in the past....
Mine is under tarp outside unfortunately. Luckily I have all four doors from another donor car so it delays that problem for me.
The final chapter for this car will end at the scrap yard. It will prove to be a valuable source of parts as I strip it down over time but it is too far gone for a resto. The more I dig the more rust I find.
The final straw came today when I did the inside inspection with a screwdriver. The floor pan is rusted out in both driver and passenger foot wells, to the extent that I could probably put my foot through the floor without much trouble in more than one place on each side. The drivers door is rusted through the entire bottom of the door, extensive rust in the firewall and both sills right along the length of each.
It will be used for its intended purchase but its still a bit sad to see that it has been neglected to such a state.
Ahhh well, worth a shot!
At least now you know and you'll learn heaps taking off all the good bits!
Hamlet's conflict conclusion, I see... I agree, KJ, such a rust diffusion in the body does not ensure that a worse condition could be found if the car would be deeply examined in a workshop.
A friend of mine has a similar problem: 3 years ago an earthquake in Italy (100-150 km East of Rome) obliged him to park his 450SEL outside and during these 3 years the sun, the wind, the snow (yes, snow: it's a mountain zone), the rain and whatever climatic condition hit on the poor car... now he's in trouble to understand if the car can be saved without a dramatic expense...
Quote from: oversize on 12 January 2013, 02:51 AM
At least now you know and you'll learn heaps taking off all the good bits!
I'm really looking forward to that part of it and learning how it and the systems go together.
I think I will also get a Mig welder and learn how to weld using it as a test bed. BTW is Mig the go for auto repairs and is there any particular features I need to look out for when choosing one? Gas vs gasless??? Amp range? Etc
Gas mig for sure and if you dont want the expense of the $130 ish a year rent on an Argon bottle you can get a nifty little cannister/pressurepak setup.
Gasless uses a flux cored wire which means the welds are dirty and need cleaning similar to a stick/Arc welder welds.
I only go gasless when im welding a gate or similar outside where the argon gets blown away in the wind.
Gas Mig is clean and easier to use once you set it right, and on that note a basic intro to welding course is a great idea.
Thanks Tony, I'll have to look into it all. What does the gas do and how does it work and how is it connected into the Mig system?
Argon is basically a shielding gas that Forms inert atmosphere and allows the mig wire to melt in the plasma stream and meld with what you are welding instead of burning.
This is why it gives clean welds and doesnt blow holes in the job at hand, Gasless mig wire also does this to a degree by burning the flux instead of the wire but it leads to a daggy or dirty weld.
Argon/Argoshield is fed into the welder via a small hose which then feeds it down the welding cable to the gun where it is expelled at the tip where the plasma flame and the wire emerge.
If you use bottled gas you will need to buy a regulator and hose to attach the bottles and its the same setup with the cannister type but with a pinlock style for attaching to disposable cans instead of the POL type fitting for bottles.
Argon is a Noble gas and non flamable and was infact used in fire extinguishing systems in Computer rooms and museums for years as it chokes the fire and leave no residue.
Enough info for you?
Cheers,
Tony
A wealth of information as always Tony, thanks. I prefer to look into these sort of things as an informed customer before I talk to sales types:)
My pleasure ;D
Id invest in a welding course at Tafe before buying a Mig, I plodded away for years before doing the course and even after using one at work for a few years I walked away with some handy tips after the course and the starter units are 3 or 4 hours and well worth the effort.
Quote from: Tony66_au on 12 January 2013, 08:23 AM
My pleasure ;D
Id invest in a welding course at Tafe before buying a Mig, I plodded away for years before doing the course and even after using one at work for a few years I walked away with some handy tips after the course and the starter units are 3 or 4 hours and well worth the effort.
Sounds like a good plan Tony :)