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British near London meet

Started by adamb, 07 January 2012, 09:29 AM

littlefin

Some might prefer this view...



Good meeting you all today!  8)
110011 1967 230
108057 1972 280SE3.5
116024 1979 280SE
126037 1983 500SEL
124030 1989 300E

KenM

Hey well done fellers, looks like you had a great day for it after all. So who got the fastest lap time?

calvin streeting

#47
Dont know about fast laps but Adam showed us a really interesting technique to get around a rounder bout in a 6.9...  :)

nathan

that is a great effort. look forward to more pics. hope you all had a top day
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

adamb

It was very nice to meet all you.

Gavin - thank you for proposing the great venue and the sweat shirts!

gavin116

#50
London calling...

Our day got off to a somewhat lukewarm start, the weather turning a little miserable: rainy and cold.  Phil managed to beat me to the post, by a car's length as we arrived at Brooklands on Saturday morning.  Having found our spot, we backed into the parking spaces, and headed indoors to warmer climes, and find breakfast.  That done, other members started to trickle in slowly, and our numbers swelled.  Soon, we were a full quorum, with everyone getting on well, some 22 people if my math is to be relied upon.

116 family


And then there were five...


Taking a peek at the business end


Having met each other and our cars, it was time to inspect the displays at Brooklands, there was a fair amount to see and do.  We decided to group together for lunch at 1:30.

What started the ball rolling


The old...


...and the new


A display by the Silver Arrows putting MB's latest AMGs through their paces


There was even time to drive grandpapa


Martin's power-plant transplant overseen by the ruler-of-the-roost, Morgan


By a combination of cajoling and elbowing, we managed to join a couple of tables together, and then ate in relays.  Once fed and watered, we decided to visit the cars again as the weather had bucked up some.  So by introduction:

Phil
By the sounds and looks of things, he really likes classic Benzes.  He owns a range of S-Classes, starting with a fintail which his daughter Annabelle (hope I got your spelling right?) tells me is a 230 model finished in cream.  His youngest daughter also seems to have the bug, and like her elder sister enthuses about daddy's cars.  Then there is this gorgeous W108 280 3.5, forerunner to the 116, finished in metallic red with black upholstery.  The car oozes charm, and is a real head-turner, several passersby (I have to admit) were gawking at this stately lady.  The tidy interior includes factory air-con, a period Becker radio and column shifter auto box, and on the exterior, double bumpers and that 3.5 badge in a larger font.

It will be really nice to have the 116 280 on the scene, and hopefully it'll be ready for a our next meet, where we can meet his wife, and two boys.


For best 116 predecessor at meeting. ;)

Phil's W108.057



Calvin
Calvin and his wife 'dressed up for the day' compared to the rest of us, and were accompanied by his kids, perhaps young adults is more appropriate.  Calvin has been a classic Benz driver for many years, prior to Dr Black, so sorry couldn't resist, or should I say Henrietta, he drove a 123 till it couldn't any more.

Henrietta is an amazing car, she is well used, in a lovely combination of black and parchment.  Calvin tells me this example is a very early K-jet model, and that she is his daily drive, doing at least a 60 mile round trip each day.  Not to be caught out, he revealed a jerry-can in the boot.  Seems like Henrietta's a heavy old girl to push, and once bitten, twice shy.  A look under the bonnet revealed the 350 engine, not dissimilar to Phil's 280.  Calvin showed us his unique pressure gauge that he has permanently installed to help keep the K-Jet in check.  We also saw Adam's replacement rear seat bench pad.

Calvin's wife tells me she has a 280SE in storage, waiting for Calvin's healing hands to restore her.  I gather the car is in quite a few pieces, bought as an abandoned restoration, lets hope she rides again.


Best daily driver at the meeting. ;)

Calvin's W116.028



Adam
Adam made his entrance in the 6.9, both seen and heard.  What more can we tell you about the 6.9?  This example started life in Hong Kong, and by the sounds of things, has lead a life of pomp and luxury.  Adam has  driven the 6.9 for many years, and an unfortunate rear-ender started the process of what we see today.  Originally classic white, the car is now a very subtle shade of metallic black, and when the sun comes out, the purple comes to play.  The car is highly optioned, includes air-con (not one of our air-con's work! >:(), sunroof, orthopaedic seats: an earlier version, very supportive, but without the strap 'thingys' on the rear of the seat, leather and a whole lot besides.  Now that the car is newly painted and 'rust-proofed', Adam tells us he intends to enjoy it as much as he can.


Best restored car at the meeting. ;)

Adam's W116.036



Pal
Like so many of the members at our meet, not only does Pal have more than one 116, he also has a stable of MB's, the family arriving in the New and Old.  Pal tells me he bought his 350SEL for beer money, it was going to be a parts car for the 6.9, as it's interior is so good.  Luckily, he was persuaded by his dad (thankfully, his father has now taken the car away from him) and some members on this forum, just what a rare beast the 350SEL is.  It seems the 350 is also highly specked, and one of it's may features includes a self levelling rear suspension.  His car is finished in diamond blue (?) with blue leather.  Pal's youngest son is specially fond of this car, and can be seen in "driving grandpapa".

Work continues at a slow pace on the 6.9, and Pal tells me that he doubts it'll be ready by our next meeting, "it will have to be on ordinary shock absorbers if that's to happen" he says unhappily.  So, I guess lucky for us, we'll be seeing the 350SEL a lot longer. 


Rarest 116 at the meeting. ;)

Pal's W116.029



Martin
Martin made the trip up from Hampshire, a fair drive, in a car with little sound insulation (the car lacks door cards).  You see, Martin's car is a work in progress, and like Rome, it appears not to be built in a day.  Now, that is somewhat unfair, Martin has owned this car since he was 21.  In that time he restored the car, changing it's colour from silver to white.  And, the wheel has come a full circle, the car now sporting a lustrous cloak of blue.  You see Martin is in the automotive painting trade, and the car speaks volumes.  Could that also be because beneath that bonnet lurks a 500 32valve motor?  And my, it looks so stock, MB could't have done it better!  Martin's team included our youngest enthusiast, Morgan at the tender age of two and a half.


The best modified 116 at the meeting. ;)

Martin's W116.Special



Gavin
I bought with me the all important polo shirts; now everyone can say 'been there, done that, got the T-shirt'!  It is always difficult writing about oneself, but I shall relate some of the comments.  It appears that the general consensus is that I have done very well, my car being very tidy.  Clean engine bay was also brandished about.  It was the only one with a povo cloth interior and, being one of the newest, it has a different key to everyone else's.  It also has different door lock knobs and of course a horizontal bar rear window de-mister.  Oh, and did I mention, it appears white does not show the road dirt!

We couldn't help but notice how close Mrs White's number plate is to that of Pal's SEL.  Perhaps they both started life in Yorkshire.


The only 116 still with a "0" to the left of the odometer at the meeting. ;)

Gavin's W116.032


As the sun was beginning to fade, Adam decided it was now or never, and so the 'test' driving began.  It was my first time in a 6.9, and Calvin and I were whooping on the rear seat when Adam was demonstrating his power slide technique for exiting a roundabout.  IT WAS FUN! ;D  Calvin was next off the mark with his 350, giving various members a feel of what the 350 can do, and finally, I took Adam and two of Calvin's for a 'driving Miss Daisy' experience.  Adam continually assured me, you will not park the car on its roof doing a power slide unless you hit the kerb.  Despite the expert tuition, no power slide ensued, and my passengers needed pure caffeine to wake them up upon our return!  It was then time to call it a day.

The 'Great Escape'

                                                                                                                    Hold on a minute, that's my car!

Till September when I plan our next adventure to Beaulieu - hopefully some convoy driving, perhaps spending the weekend together at Beaulieu, visiting the museum, the seaside etcetera.  I'll post details soon, and for those who couldn't make Brooklands, here's another wonderful opportunity to help celebrate the W116's official birthday in September. 

Keep 116ing!

Gavin

P.S. I think this calls for another t-shirt ;D

The 6.9 chauffeur at your service


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]

pal

Thanks all! Had a great day and so did all the family. Going to go back in my tent very soon with renewed enthusiasm :-) Very good to meet you all! Cheers - Pal.

pimpedmerc

Hi All
Made it home in one piece,if a little deaf! Karen had a splitting headache and Morgan just slept all the way!?!
May have to make a slight change to the exhaust set-up I think!
I have returned home with a renewed enthusiasm to get the car finished.
Just a matter of where to start first-sooo much to be done!
Seeing as its sat in the corner of the garage at the moment and i have all the bits i'm going to get cracking on building
my limited slip diff. After all,power is nothing if you can't get traction!! (or properly sideways)
Thanks for the T-shirt Gavin and for arranging a great day out.
Great pictures too.
It was really nice to have met with you all.
Thanks for making us feel welcome.
Martin

verteuil99

Hey- 280 SE owner - Oxford here. On just read the email thread. Any events planned for April ?

littlefin

Quote from: verteuil99 on 03 April 2012, 02:27 PM
Hey- 280 SE owner - Oxford here. On just read the email thread. Any events planned for April ?

hi verteuil,
nothing planned for April as far as I'm aware, but I am trying to rustle up interest in the Mercedes-Benz Club event @ Brooklands on the 17th June.  Is that something you might be interested in? Are you a member of the UK M-B Club?
110011 1967 230
108057 1972 280SE3.5
116024 1979 280SE
126037 1983 500SEL
124030 1989 300E