is this a good resto project candidate? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Austin85 · #16 04-16-2006, 06:28 PM

Buy the darn car allready , and post some pic's so we can see it!!!!

Sounds like a sweet ride. I would also go to a u pull it to repair the panels.
A 240 stick is one of my next M-B's Good WVO candidate!

dakh · #17 04-16-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin85

Buy the darn car allready , and post some pic's so we can see it!!!!

Calm down, I'm picking it up tonight!

As I said, it's been sitting out in the rain for a while, so it doesn't look pretty and needs a wash badly. I'll get to that and pictures sometime next week.

t walgamuth · #18 04-16-2006, 09:44 PM

first, the seam is under that little piece of trim at the bottom of the roof corner support.

second, barry, you know where i could get a couple of those rear fender patch jobbers?

tom w

boneheaddoctor · #19 04-16-2006, 09:51 PM

Keep in mind few retored cars are worth the restoration costs....is it worth it to you to have a car that you know is right? Thats the ultimate answer you need.

Personally I would buy the best car you can find and fix that...lot of people say this comment for good reason, and I don't know who coined it. But its a gem.

"A cheap Mercedes may be the most expensive car you will ever own".

Better to buy on condition and maint history than on price alone....many here will tell you the same thing.

dakh · #20 04-17-2006, 02:24 AM

Okay, the car's here. Drove it 60 miles home. Does 80mph allright, but it's definitely not too happy doing that, and too noisy. At 65-70mph it seems a bit happier.

Two things are quite annoying about driving it: no passenger side mirror and the gas pedal is way, way too low relative to brake pedal for heel&toe.

I'm surprised at just how much I'm used to heel&toeing all the time. Not being able to rev-match a downshift while braking was freaking me out for the first 15 minutes - I just didn't know what to do!

Got used to it but I will definitely need to solve this. First step would be a wooden block, but then I'll try to figure out how to modify the pedal position.

I didn't find the car to be unsafely slow. It's slow allright and of course I had to modify my driving style from a bimmer I'm used to. But not nearly as bad as I anticipated. Just rev the heck out of it if you really need to get going fast, that's all.

dakh · #21 04-17-2006, 02:39 AM

http://mercedes-w123.net/buyers_guide.htm

This is what I should have read before going to check out the car. Excellent article.

PatricdeBoer · #22 04-17-2006, 03:31 AM

Cool article!

dakh · #23 04-17-2006, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Keep in mind few retored cars are worth the restoration costs....is it worth it to you to have a car that you know is right? Thats the ultimate answer you need.

W123 is just not nearly rare/unique enough for it to be expensive. Of course only well-known restorers get any money for their work, but even that I suspect is more a funtion of finding a rare restorable car in someone's barn and buying it for pennies from an unsuspecting owner.

I think this car will need $2K tops (unless there are some extraordinarly expensive parts that I'm not aware of)
in parts to make it close to perfect, but I'm not really aiming that high. All I want is a good running and looking car.

Speaking of running and looking.. There's also the "smelling" part to it. Is there a known good way of getting rid of this old car smell? Will shampooing the interior do the trick or it's the seat fillings that are stinky?

dakh · #24 04-17-2006, 03:59 AM

Sig test 123

dakh · #25 04-17-2006, 04:24 AM

Oh yea, another quetion right away: is there a direct bolt-on replacement part from a different trim model that has a passenger side mirror?

dakh · #26 04-17-2006, 04:43 AM

Too many questions but: this is exactly the trim problem I was talking about. Worn trim from getting in and out of the car. Is there a known fix for that?

R Leo · #27 04-17-2006, 08:07 AM

Tear it all out, you'll never know it's gone.

barry123400 · #28 04-17-2006, 11:37 AM

Tom, regarding your inquiry about patch panels. They are aftermarket components made by danish suppliers. I buy them from a company called cross canada auto parts. They are a national distributer here. In the states the aftermarket panels are distributed on a different basis state to state. For the 123 series body they manufacture the edge of the rear fender lip and inner fender lip with about six inches of material extending beyond the edges. Plus a complete panel from inside the rear door post to the seam near the tailight. this panel on the verticle axis extends to the beltline as it is an excellent place to hide the seam. Also a floor pan, fenders, that are not a good ideal as gauge is substandard on the metal I believe, plus the little panel that goes across under the front bumper, both inner and outer. Also just remembered the rocker panel for four doors, plus another rear quarter panel that does not extend to the tailight area but goes from the rear door post to about six inches past the fender well and it too has the upper seam hidden on the beltline. But that vertical seam would require quite an effort to blend in perhaps. Anyways the above descriptions I enclosed just to inform on what I know is available. Check your various auto parts stores in your area for aftermarket panel availability. If you experience difficulty let me know by private message and I will try to help. In fact if you cannot locate try the web under aftermarket parts. You should find them one way or another again but do not hesitate to contact me if you turn up dry as it is about time I helped someone out on this site if required. A member just went out of their way to mail a diesel compression checker to me that I very much appreciate the help given. Try never to buy their replacement front fenders unless in desperation. Profiles are good on the fenders it's just the undergauge metal they are pressed out of. Price is about 70.00 canadian even here so thinking 50-60 american. Was going to pm this information but though perhaps someone else may not realise that they are available and the information might also help them in some way. Also I do not feel this is pirating as the originator of this thread sounds like he needs body parts as well. Come to think of it my own personal body could probably utilise a few replacement parts now as it has been on the road for almost sixty four years. I would be in better overall shape but the women have driven me hard.

barry123400 · #29 04-17-2006, 11:59 AM

I know nothing about the trim other than I use it as a overall milage indicator on these cars. Good used trim from a salvage car is always the cheapest replacement source. Should not be very hard to change. Also any auto upolstery shop can guide you if the changing out disturbs you. It hopefully will prove quite simple to do. The upolstery shop can make it up as well but then you are spending money that could be used in another area of the car. I always have preffered cheap to free repairs when possible. Others opinions will vary of course. I do not know for sure but perhaps that trim is called the windlace. But in any event replacing it is a real tangable upgrade in general appearance plus a lot of salvage cars still have good examples left to get hold of. In my area at least.