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My First W116 - My 280SEL

Started by Beastie, 29 July 2012, 09:44 PM

TJ 450

I've been looking for some of that paint myself... I need to refinish a few wheels and would rather do it that way in the meantime. That will look good.

Regarding the wheels, have you got a matching spare? Often when the bundts were fitted after sale, they only fitted four and left the steel spare. It all goes pear shaped when you realise you need the short wheel bolts for the steelies though, so the spare is effectively useless without them. 8)

The bundts also have the date marked around the hub area, on the inside.

Tim

1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

Beastie

Yup, I'm pretty pleased with the paint so far. One other good thing about it is how quick it dries. I had the wheels back on the car 20 or 30 minutes after painting them. Granted, the paint wouldn't be 100% cured in that time but I was careful as I put them on so no harm, no foul there. I got the paint at supercheap auto btw. Thirteen bucks, not bad. I think that one can should do all four wheels at the rate I'm going. I think I'll leave the spare as-is. I didn't know the wheels had a date stamp on them too! That's cool. I'll have a look tomorrow.

Thankfully the spare wheel is an alloy as well. I think it might even have the original tire on it! The data card says it was originally fitted with Michelin's and that's what the spare is. It looks ancient and it says on it that it was made in "West Germany" so it must be at least as old as that. I tried looking for the date stamp on the tire but the format of the date is weird so I can't be sure. But I think it was made in either '76 or '79. I think.

I learned about the different lengths of bolts when I picked up a set of old bundts for my W108. I cheaped out and only bought a set of four, so now I have to keep five of the shorter bolts in the car, just in case I get a flat and have to use my old steel spare. Actually, now that I think about it... Did I do that? I should check that tomorrow. I mean, I know the longer ones still work, kinda. They'd stick out a bit, that seems dodgey and to be avoided... But good thing you mentioned that - Now I can check and make sure those shorter ones are in the glove compartment... I have a feeling they're not in there anymore... ???
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."

Type17

Quote from: Beastie on 13 August 2012, 11:17 AM
... Thankfully the spare wheel is an alloy as well. I think it might even have the original tire on it! The data card says it was originally fitted with Michelin's and that's what the spare is. It looks ancient and it says on it that it was made in "West Germany" so it must be at least as old as that. I tried looking for the date stamp on the tire but the format of the date is weird so I can't be sure. But I think it was made in either '76 or '79. I think.


The date stamp on tyres that old will be three digits for the 1980's (eg: "306" = week 30, 1986). If there is a triangle in front of the digits, it was made during the 1990's (eg: "∆306" would be week 30, 1996).


More info here (and there's another pic of my car there, too  :o ): http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Beastie

Quote from: Type17 on 13 August 2012, 11:28 AMThe date stamp on tyres that old will be three digits for the 1980's (eg: "306" = week 30, 1986). If there is a triangle in front of the digits, it was made during the 1990's (eg: "∆306" would be week 30, 1996).
Oh, awesome! Thanks again are in order. I'd looked around the internet a few weeks ago for info on finding the date of manufacture of older tires but I didn't come up with much for a tire this old. I'll have a look at my old spare very soon and see what's what. :)


Quote from: Type17 on 13 August 2012, 11:28 AMMore info here (and there's another pic of my car there, too  :o ): http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
Oh, jeez. That looks like a pretty bad blow out and delamination. That must have been very scary at 70mph. :o
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."

Beastie

#19
I've had a look at my old spare but I'm still not sure what to make of these codes.


It reads: DOT FTJ5 A6F X 322. Could this mean the tire was made in the 32nd week of 1982?





Then theres this one: E2 0177523. Could this mean it was made in 1977 or something?




I'm guessing the first one is the one I'm looking for and that it was made in '82. Either way, the tire is older than I am.  :o






Also today I painted the last wheel. Here's the after photos. 8)


I polished the bolts with a rotary polishy buffy thing. They came up pretty well. Not perfect, but way better than before.





Close-up of the finished wheel with a few bolts sitting in there for an impression:





The wheel all done, before I put it back onto the car:





And here's the final result with the before shot below it for a comparison:









8)


I'm pretty pleased with the end result. The centre caps were a bit tricky because the paint was reacting with the surface a bit. I removed the caps and painted them separately which is something I'd strongly recommend doing if you're considering this. I primed the centre caps with a light coat of primer before spraying them with the silver. Most of them came up ok in the end.

Somehow when I take photos of the car I keep lucking out with the lighting which shines on it in a way that hides the dent in the front-left fender. ;D
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."

Type17

The date codes that I've seen are in those oval areas, like the "322", but I think that the date stamp is a US DOT (Department of Transport) thing, so tyres made for the Aus market, and never intended for the USA, may not have a date-stamp (or at least not one that means anything to anyone, other than the original manufacturer).


It's just occurred to me that your tyres (not the spare) aren't that old, and certainly can't be from 1982, because they have a URL on them - www.bobjane.com.au  :)
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

Beastie

Quote from: Type17 on 14 August 2012, 03:45 AM
The date codes that I've seen are in those oval areas, like the "322", but I think that the date stamp is a US DOT (Department of Transport) thing, so tyres made for the Aus market, and never intended for the USA, may not have a date-stamp (or at least not one that means anything to anyone, other than the original manufacturer).
Ah well, sounds like it'll be a mystery. Maybe someday if I get curious enough I'll contact Michelin, see how patient their customer service reps are. :D


Quote from: Type17 on 14 August 2012, 03:45 AMIt's just occurred to me that your tyres (not the spare) aren't that old, and certainly can't be from 1982, because they have a URL on them - www.bobjane.com.au  :)
ha ha, nice spot. The tires on the car were made in '09 so they're a few years old now. They have about 95% of their tread though, so I imagine I'll need to replace them before they wear out. I don't mind that because they're not particularly great tires these All Rounders. They're not bad, they're an OK tire, but they're a slightly hard compound rubber, for longevity rather than outright grip, and they're not very good in the wet.
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."

Type17

Quote from: Type17 on 14 August 2012, 03:45 AM
The date codes that I've seen are in those oval areas, like the "322", but I think that the date stamp is a US DOT (Department of Transport) thing, so tyres made for the Aus market, and never intended for the USA, may not have a date-stamp (or at least not one that means anything to anyone, other than the original manufacturer).


Actually, looking again at your shot, and comparing it with a shot of my old spare, it does indeed look like the US DOT system, which means that your spare is from week 32, 1982  :o  - best to treat it as a space-saver if you ever need it (ie: only keep it on for as long as it takes to get the original sorted out, and keep to speeds under 60-80 km/h, etc).
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

oversize

#23
Could they be 1992, or 2002??  When did they start including 4 digits??

Answering my own question:

http://www.bridgestone.com.au/tyres/passenger/care/age.aspx

BTW those wheel studs look nice, but without some protection from the elements, I suspect they'll rust quickly.
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

Beastie

Even without knowing for sure the exact age of the spare, it is obvious from close inspection that it is very old. It doesn't look very dry rotted at all, it must be said. But I still wouldn't trust it. I'll hold onto it and keep it in the boot, because it's one of the nice little original touches left on the car, but I wouldn't use it for anything other than an emergency situation and I would definitely drive very slowly and carefully on it and use it for as short a time as possible.


Quote from: oversize on 14 August 2012, 08:20 PMBTW those wheel studs look nice, but without some protection from the elements, I suspect they'll rust quickly.
I didn't want to paint them with the same paint because they're not aluminium and I think it would look a bit iffy if they blended in perfectly with the rest of the wheel. I was thinking I'd buy some sort of clearcoat to spray them with but I think anything I put on there will get chipped off the next time I remove a wheel. For now I've smeared them with a little bit of WD40 as a token effort and I'll come up with a better solution later.
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."

oversize

#25
I've seen chrome lugs for sale in the USA on Ebay and I think they're the best solution...

I think your tyres are 1982 as if they were 1992 they'd have a triangle symbol after the numbers.  You could try the Michelin Aussie distributor if you really wanted to know
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

Big_Richard

#26
.


John Hubertz

I love the photograph that shows the tire - never heard of a "Bob Jane" tire - and what's it say on the other lobe, "Australian XXXXX"?
John Hubertz
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
(Hunter S. Thompson) 

1977 450SEL (Max Headroom)
[img width=68 height=73][url="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f248/fullhappyfish/max.jpg"]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f248/fullhappyfish/max.jpg[/url][/img]

Bandolero

The tyre (tire) is called " Australian AllRounder".
Bob Jane was a top '60s race car driver.
He started the Bob Jane Tyre stores around Australia in the '70s.  (I think it was the '70s.)
Russell Bond - (Adelaide, South Australia)
1978 450SEL 6.9 .... #5166 .... 12/78 (Sold.) [url="//www.ezycoat.com.au"]www.ezycoat.com.au[/url]

Beastie

A little more on Bob Jane: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Jane

This caught my eye from the article:
QuoteRacing career

In 1961, Jane and co-driver Harry Firth won the Armstrong 500 at Phillip Island, Victoria, driving a Mercedes-Benz 220SE.
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."