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The "Goldilocks" restoration thread

Started by ptashek, 28 March 2014, 07:56 AM

ptashek

Well, bad news. The "ninja" upholsterer told me to go .... myself after two years of having done absolutely nothing. He's got a queue of clients several years ahead, and can randomly boot people out of it when they make demands that don't suit him. He doesn't care, because he doesn't have to. But anyway... there's no such things as a problem free project. So, upwards and onwards.

Meanwhile, the underside and wheel arches all got sealed with what's known here as "Sikaflex", and the entire chassis is getting painted tomorrow.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

slfan


Car is looking great!  Congratulations and please maintain us informed of the progress.

Good Luck,

Slfan
1978 - 450SEL 6.9 - 3170
1978 - 450SEL 6.9 "Parts Car" - 2973

ptashek

On the bad-news front: I'm still looking for an automotive upholsterer who's not a raging megalomaniac.
On the good-news front: The chassis has been re-sprayed back to its original colour! Will post pics as soon as I get them.
The car is expected to be ready for collection within three months, if no delays happen.

Meanwhile, here's a couple pics from the underside sealing process. Seams got manually sealed (I rather prefer it over machine sealing) and than a layer of undercoat was sprayed on top of it all.
It's a much thinner layer than what the factory applied back in 1979, and I think it's better this way. Time will tell.


1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

ptashek

#108
Time for an update! Here's Goldie in here brand new, factory correct Icon Gold.

Pics are from a smartphone, hence rather blurry and with a bit washed out colours due to fluorescent light - hoping to get better ones from the restorer soon. Also, for some reason they appear upside down on the site. Follow the link below each pic for full-res version that might show right.

She's becoming a car again.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rinpe7lt2opwjqi/ZV9485_00741.jpg?dl=0


https://www.dropbox.com/s/9agy6xobnp5x0ag/ZV9485_00729.jpg?dl=0

Blurry or not... that shine!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yj8j8iugkadgh8z/ZV9485_00746.jpg?dl=0

Like-new front axle (well, most of it actually is brand new)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8j94aohodsitxcz/ZV9485_00740.jpg?dl=0

New sound deadening (StP Silver). The original floor mats are terrible, even when new. They're also massive long-term moisture reservoirs.
These are water and fungus resistant by design, and adhere tight to the covered surface. The firewall reuses its old mat, laid tight over the new one.
I expect a much quieter interior as a result. That's stuff you don't see when the car is complete, so veering off from originality is not an issue.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/bamn9h9eoh81r8e/ZV9485_00737.jpg?dl=0
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

floyd111

just a little help here..

floyd111


floyd111


floyd111

fourth

Making sure these pics are there to stay, even after Dropbox falls apart

ptashek

Quotejust a little help here..

Looks like the EXIF data, and with it the orientation tag is getting lost in transit Dropbox -> Org -> Viewer device, hence the weird upside down pics.
Probably some re-compression happening in the process, which drops the metadata. Oh well, technology. The links should work fine. They do in all of my browsers.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

ptashek

Quote from: floyd111 on 18 November 2015, 08:55 PM
Making sure these pics are there to stay, even after Dropbox falls apart

Quick, someone call the copyright police!
(just kidding :))
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

floyd111

Besides the obvious comments of glory.. I notice you did not spray the inner boot, and it looks as if the cabin firewall is also not done in gold. Are they not the same color as per factory? Do they get an extra black coat, or just a black primer?

And what do you use for insulation? is it sticky on one side, or do you use some form of glue?
Have you studied alternative brands offering similar products?
Do you have the chemical make-up of this foil? is it closed-cell?

ptashek

#116
Quote from: floyd111 on 18 November 2015, 08:59 PM
Besides the obvious comments of glory.. I notice you did not spray the inner boot, and it looks as if the cabin firewall is also not done in gold. Are they not the same color as per factory? Do they get an extra black coat, or just a black primer?

From factory, boot floor is black, internal fender and wheel well surfaces are body colour. But it's a thin overspray, rather than a proper coat, except for the floors. It looks like a half-hearted job.
Mine's done with several layers of primer, just like the body, and a proper semi-matt black coat. Way better than what left the factory + not fully finished just yet.
The firewall is already covered with sound proofing, hence the black.

QuoteAnd what do you use for insulation? is it sticky on one side, or do you use some form of glue?
StP sound deadening mats. I think they've used Silver on the floor, or Black. Will need to ask.
It's self-adhesive, quite flexible and sticks like there's no tomorrow.

QuoteHave you studied alternative brands offering similar products?
Not studied, but briefly looked at what's available. It all looks the same, just goes by different brand names and prices.

QuoteDo you have the chemical make-up of this foil? is it closed-cell?
It's a butyl rubber (Polyisobutylene) based compound, with a top layer of aluminium foil. Closed cell for certain - it's gas impermeable.
Search for "StP Atlantic", they're the folks that make it.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

beagle2022

It has been a privilege to watch this journey so far.  It looks magnificent! Congratulations on a job well done.  I look forward to the next exciting episode.  Thankyou so much for sharing this adventure.
Sydney, Australia

gavin116

Well done Lucas!  Can't wait to see the car completely re-assembled.  I hope you will have it professionally photographed when finished, both inside-and-out.
1979 450SE "Mrs White"
2022 Touareg-R 3.0TSi Hybrid
[url="http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/my-first-w116-here-at-last/"]http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/my-first-w116-here-at-last/[/url]
[url="http://forum.w116.org/the-org/british-near-london-meet/msg97613/#msg97613"]http://forum.w116.org/the-org/british-near-london-meet/msg97613/#msg97613[/url]

floyd111

Also wondering, once assembled, what buy-offers will look like, considering this is a Concourse job, not? (even though you're not selling)
Even though yours is a 450, unlike my 280, it should still be a good indication.

I take it you have seen this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-450-SEL-6-9-/281850001903?ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:GB:1123

For a not-concourse 6.9, that's not too shabby!