WGB
New Member
on a fine Saturday in May 2004 I drove past one of the less salubrious pre-owned motor re-allocation consultants and staring out of the heavily used cheap specials was a green 116.
I took it for a drive - decided that the lack of power, directional control and retardation along with non working A-C and a constantly heating heater was as good a reason as ever to buy a car with no known history that didn't want to idle anyway.
My real reason for buying it was that I wanted a mule to practice my first attempt at a 117 timing chain change at a time where there was no network of internet co-conspirators, limited technical information and most parts were purchased from either the local M-B agent or M-B Spares.
Later in the year I discovered the W116 site on Yahoo.com and met Nathan - a lot of water has gone under the bridge in the past 8 years.
After a busy year in the shed the car became a paragon of good behaviour and was quite a joy to drive, stop and throw around. I also had the a-c system re-built for the summer heat and found out that it was UK delivered from May 1979 production and imported into Australia in the 1980's.
You will note that it came fitted with chrome wheel arch trims and removal of the first showed this rot.
And this
These were a couple of areas that had suffered previous accident damage but other than this and the driver's door there was very little significant rust so I started with some other preloved rust free panels and a milan brown driver's door and Migged and Oxied my way into winter 2005.
I then had to teach myself to paint so later in the year the car had five coats of lesonal and guide coat of thin black.
It was then largely sanded down and parked in the shed while first a Porsche and them my 6.9 took my attention.
It has now come to the fore with my daughter's new fella and tomorrow the colour coat will be applied.
Here are some photos from today after application of the StoneKote to the nether regions and wheel wells.
A quick coat of colour was applied to the rear to see the colour which looked surprisingly green compared to the original colour but does actually match the original more than what was on the car.
Unfortunately my compressor was found to be wanting so a new one was purchased this afternoon
And here is the culprit with the smallest piece of a car ever to be seen on my hoist
I am looking forward to tomorrow
Bill
I took it for a drive - decided that the lack of power, directional control and retardation along with non working A-C and a constantly heating heater was as good a reason as ever to buy a car with no known history that didn't want to idle anyway.
My real reason for buying it was that I wanted a mule to practice my first attempt at a 117 timing chain change at a time where there was no network of internet co-conspirators, limited technical information and most parts were purchased from either the local M-B agent or M-B Spares.
Later in the year I discovered the W116 site on Yahoo.com and met Nathan - a lot of water has gone under the bridge in the past 8 years.
After a busy year in the shed the car became a paragon of good behaviour and was quite a joy to drive, stop and throw around. I also had the a-c system re-built for the summer heat and found out that it was UK delivered from May 1979 production and imported into Australia in the 1980's.
You will note that it came fitted with chrome wheel arch trims and removal of the first showed this rot.
And this
These were a couple of areas that had suffered previous accident damage but other than this and the driver's door there was very little significant rust so I started with some other preloved rust free panels and a milan brown driver's door and Migged and Oxied my way into winter 2005.
I then had to teach myself to paint so later in the year the car had five coats of lesonal and guide coat of thin black.
It was then largely sanded down and parked in the shed while first a Porsche and them my 6.9 took my attention.
It has now come to the fore with my daughter's new fella and tomorrow the colour coat will be applied.
Here are some photos from today after application of the StoneKote to the nether regions and wheel wells.
A quick coat of colour was applied to the rear to see the colour which looked surprisingly green compared to the original colour but does actually match the original more than what was on the car.
Unfortunately my compressor was found to be wanting so a new one was purchased this afternoon
And here is the culprit with the smallest piece of a car ever to be seen on my hoist
I am looking forward to tomorrow
Bill
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