My 6.9's

[rumb]

Let the fun begin!

Got car on jack stands and started removing rocker panel. As you can see the jack point was completely rotted off the bracket. This seems to be a bit of jigsaw puzzle to figure out where to cut each piece.

As the wise man said, how do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time.

[rumb]

lots of rust 

[rumb]

This week's progress.  got all old panels off, straightened, and rust areas cut out. fitted front section of inner rocker, and make patch panel to fill in front area.

[rumb]

Have 2 complete sets of garnish mouldings, getting ready to send out for replating.

[rumb]

working on possibly reproducing front and rear jack points.

[marku]

I really do admire your commitment to the car.  But that is the only way to know it doing it yourself. When you have put every last nut and bolt on personally you can't beat that knowledge or even the just the pleasure of the achievement. Great work.

[Squiggle Dog]

Wow, this is getting good! Those plans for the jack points are impressive.

[s class]

Well done that some very nice quick progress.

[Ub2693v]

The blue interior on your parts car, is it cloth or leather? If cloth I'd be interested in the rear shelf where the first aid kit is, maybe rear seat back as well.

[rumb]

The blue interior on your parts car, is it cloth or leather? If cloth I'd be interested in the rear shelf where the first aid kit is, maybe rear seat back as well.

Sorry that's all gone now. the rear shelf was worthless and the rear seats had split. I have the 2 front seats still, fairly worn but I can look at them if you want.

PM me.

[rumb]

Got some time to do more work. front corner patch welded in and rear jack point rust cut out and patch welded in.

[rumb]

Finally received my wood back from refinishing
http://www.dieselmercedes.com/Mercedes_Complete_Wood_Trim_Set_Restoration_Servic_p/5210-w16-r.htm

Overall the finish is very nice, but not perfect. perhaps a 98% rating,  There are a few minute spots and the top of the climate control panel the finish is not smooth, though it would be hard to notice when installed.  Other than that I am very pleased with the work. The gloss is very flat and smooth surface, thick coating and very good color.  The cost is about 1/2 of Madera Concepts, so I am quite happy excusing the few minor specs.

The sellers site list 1-2 weeks that I never believed in the first place and it took 3 months instead.  They did let me know about some of the delay due to high humidity where the work was being done.

[s class]

That does look nice indeed.

Version 1 : THe earliest cars had black vinyl shifter surround, and climate control panel. 
Version 2 : The later cars had full burl wood. 

My #1670 has a full complment of zebrano, like yours.  I have always maintained that it is original to the car, call it version 1.5.  The wisdom of the M100 group shouted me down, saying the cars were only eithert version 1 or 2, so I feel a bit vindicated now.

[rumb]

I agree the Zebrano is so much nicer than the black vinyl.  As much of an original purist that I am, I consider this a tasteful upgrade with authentic parts.


So if the early had black and the later burl, then where did all the zebrano center console wood come from?

[s class]

Rumb, what is your VIN?  I don't have exact VIN splits, but all the cars I've seen in the approx #1500 to #3000 range have full zebrano. 

IN short :
My belief is :
early cars (< approx #1500) had the horizontal zebrano strip on the dash, but black console and climate control panel (non-6.9 116's of the same era were similarly equipped)

mid cars (approx #1500 to #3000) had full zebrano (non 6.9 116's got the same upgrade around the same time)

late cars (approx >#3000) had full burl wood.  (this was a 6.9 only feature).