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Raptelan's 1974 450SE

Started by Casey, 19 September 2011, 10:20 PM

Casey

Picked up my second W116 this weekend, and drove it over a thousand miles already (I don't want to admit how much gas money that cost).  Sorry for the lack of pictures - I hope to get my lack of camera situation resolved shortly...

Only problem I had was low transmission fluid due to leaks, which I've topped off, and at one point after gassing up the car wouldn't even try to start when I turned the key, but fired up instantly when I got a jump.  I saw a new OEM Mercedes battery that's of the appropriate rating for this car on my local Craigslist for $100, so I went and picked that up today.  A great deal considering they're about $260 list:




The bamboo interior is a thing of beauty - only thing bad was that the headrests were completely dissolved inside.  I picked up new replacements from the junkyard, now how do I take the dadgum skins off?  I see a zipper on the bottom, but no pull.  Also the driver carpet has a little damage to the rubber part under the pedals - can this still be bought and replaced?

jbrasile

Casey,

Congratulations on the 450! These are great cars but they are not exactly frugal on gas... especially D-Jet US spec ones like yours

As for the headrests, there is a pull, it is tucked at one of the ends, look fr it, it is there. Once you get it unzipped, carefully remove the cover from the assembly. Fitting is reverse but it is not an easy process and with old leather you run the risk of tearing things up so be gentle.

That's too bad abut the damaged heel pad, they are not available separately from MB nor is the drivers carpet. GAHH does not supply an equivalent but World Upholstery does, they might sell just the pad, let me know if you want me to call them for you.

Tks,

Joe


Casey

Quote from: jbrasile on 19 September 2011, 10:50 PM
Congratulations on the 450! These are great cars but they are not exactly frugal on gas... especially D-Jet US spec ones like yours

Are there things that can be done to improve it?  Conversion to K-Jets?  I'm getting 10 or 12 mpg now. :'(

QuoteGAHH does not supply an equivalent but World Upholstery does, they might sell just the pad, let me know if you want me to call them for you.

That would be great - my carpet is otherwise in great condition.  If they're available, I might want a tobacco one too (have to check).

jbrasile

Casey,

10-12 around town is normal, you should get 15 on the highway at 60-65 but that's about it...

Let me know regarding the heel pads.

Tks,

Joe

Casey

Quote from: jbrasile on 20 September 2011, 09:09 AM
Let me know regarding the heel pads.

Just went and checked the 300SD.  Instead of a rubber heel pad it has a thicker portion of carpeting there with "Mercedes-Benz" on it.  So I'd just need a bamboo one for the 450SE.

Casey

Quote from: jbrasile on 20 September 2011, 09:09 AM
10-12 around town is normal, you should get 15 on the highway at 60-65 but that's about it...

10-12 is what I got driving back from Florida.  Granted my average speed was probably 85.  So what sort of mileage does a 6.9 get?

1980sdga

Wow, 12 mpg is insane!  I'll bet it is a sweet ride  8)

Does it feel pretty powerful?

Casey

#7
Quote from: 1980sdga on 20 September 2011, 12:23 PM
Wow, 12 mpg is insane!  I'll bet it is a sweet ride  8)

Does it feel pretty powerful?

Yeah, it's got power.  The kickdown switch is apparently broken but I can shift it into S and pass really quickly on the freeway.  I had it running at 120mph in South Carolina, but that was as fast as she'd go (I was a bit surprised by this).  The gas pedal is also sticky and I think something needs lubricated.  The suspension/handling are not in as good of shape as the 300SD, and the steering is loose, but it's a fun car.

My purpose of getting this car was for the manual climate control and other part exchange for the 300SD, which will remain my primary vehicle.  It was a good buy, because the stuff I care about is all in great shape, while the stuff that's not just makes me appreciate the condition of my 300SD more.  The 300SD cost me 2.65x the cost...  I'll be attempting to get the ACC working in the 450SE, and make it better as I go along by donating it parts from the 300SD that I replace with new ones, stuff from the junkyard, etc.  So it should be a good car for somebody else in the future.

That said, if I were to go on a date with somebody new, I think I'd take the 450. ;)

Casey

Quote from: jbrasile on 19 September 2011, 10:50 PM
As for the headrests, there is a pull, it is tucked at one of the ends, look fr it, it is there. Once you get it unzipped, carefully remove the cover from the assembly. Fitting is reverse but it is not an easy process and with old leather you run the risk of tearing things up so be gentle.

There were definitely no pulls, either on the '74 version headrests, or the later model ones from the junkyard.  I ended up just pulling the zipper apart manually (or in one case, the zipper material disintegrated instead).  I did get them all off, and then determined one of the '74 ones had a cut in it, and one of the junkyard ones was actually quite nice once cleaned off, so I didn't need to remove it at all.  Oh well, at the end of the day I have two good skins.  I guess now I need to buy some new zippers and sew them in.  Getting them back on isn't going to be fun.

I have another dilemma - I can't get the headrests back into the seats.  As I discovered the old and new internals to be radically different, and the old ones having two notched bottoms rather than just one, I thought I'd have a go putting the new style ones in the old seats.  They wouldn't go in, but neither could I get the original ones back in.  I suspect there may be corrosion inside the seat (the old headrests were rusty inside)?  Not sure what to do.  For the record the newer style have much better designed internals, as well.

Casey

#9
Quote from: Raptelan on 20 September 2011, 10:03 AM
Quote from: jbrasile on 20 September 2011, 09:09 AM
Let me know regarding the heel pads.

Just went and checked the 300SD.  Instead of a rubber heel pad it has a thicker portion of carpeting there with "Mercedes-Benz" on it.  So I'd just need a bamboo one for the 450SE.

Actually I'd prefer a tobacco one if it's available - I'm planning to tear up the interiors of both my W116's and make both cars have opposite two-tone interiors.  The 300SD will end up with bamboo floormats, pleated seat portions, MB-Tex portions on the door panels, headrests (the rear headrests I'm planning to buy are bamboo, so this will work out well), under-dash pieces, visors, and hat rack carpet, with the rest in tobacco - thus a tobacco heel mat would look quite fitting.  The 450SE will be the opposite.

Casey

Fixed the power steering and changed the oil with Mobil 1 0W-30 today.  Filled it up with premium gas too.  Boy does it run better with this oil.

It's still far less powerful than the fuel economy would suggest, so I'm curious about ways I might tune it up for better performance.  It has nice overtaking ability on the freeway, but from a stop or slow speed, the pickup isn't really much if any better than the turbodiesels.  I wonder if EFI conversion could boost the fuel economy.

I *really* enjoy driving a W116 again, even with shot shocks and various rattles and shakes, this chassis is just so much nicer than any other I've driven.  I reckon I might get the chassis rust issues seen to, repaint, and work on making this into my primary pleasure vehicle if I don't get the SEL...a LWB would be ideal but eh...

Nutz

#11
If you're cryin' about SE feedings, why would you get a longer, heavier SEL? If you want to shed some weight, bolt your SD alloy bonnet and boot to the SE and put some lightweight Euro bumpers on it. If you have steelies, bolt on some ugly bundts for more weight loss.

Mforcer

If I had access to the alu bonnet and trunk I'd be putting them on my SE. There should never be junked as they should all be moved to the non-diesel models.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

Casey

#13
Quote from: Nutz on 31 October 2011, 10:19 PM
If you're cryin' about SE feedings, why would you get a longer, heavier SEL? If you want to shed some weight, bolt your SD alloy bonnet and boot to the SE and put some lightweight Euro bumpers on it. If you have steelies, bolt on some ugly bundts for more weight loss.

If I had an SEL, I'd likely put an OM617 in it.  I just find it odd that a lot of people here claim that the OM617 performance is crappy, whereas I'm not getting much/any better from the M117 while burning three times the fuel.  I'm guessing something is wrong with my system.  Don't need to use ugly Bundts - I've got aluminum steel-look rims, just waiting for me to buy new tires one of these days.

There's a 300SD with good bonnet and trunk lid in my local junk yard, perhaps it will still be there when I've got more money.  But that means having to repaint them too, which will make the rest of the car look much worse. :P

jbrasile

Casey,

US 450's have only 180hp vs 225 for euro cars + if your car is in need of major service, plugs, points, ignition wires, cap, rotor, injectors, etc.... it will not perform up to par and use even more fuel  than they usually do... on top of that you would need to make sure your D-Jet is adjusted correctly and that there are no vacuum leaks or fuel pressure issues of any kind. Remember also that most likely you have a cat, air injection, EGR and all of the smog parafernalia that affect performance.


Tks,

Joe