MB Shop/Mt. Vernon, TX. GTG pics

[JimmyL]

Subtitle: How China got Chickenpox......

What a great weekend!! I can't tell you how enjoyable Saturday and Sunday were. An MB Dork's Heaven on Earth......

So, I'll do this part from my perspective, and let the others add on.
Started out with Little China girl all packed and ready to head out on this crisp morning.



Went to Bass Pro to meet up with whoever else was coming. Uhm, China and I would be flying solo.....



I was just fixing to drive through Sulfur Springs, when I saw a backdrop that I literally backed up a 1/4 mile down the one-way service road to take advantage of. No explanation necessary.....



Enough self promotion, let's get to the GTG already!
Our Super hosts for this event were Sunny and her husband John. For some reason I didn't get a picture of them together. Doh!
Sunny:


{with an assist from the forum's own Roy, aka Whunter}

John:


John is in the light blue shirt, also being assisted by Roy.

The finest hosts we could possibly have hoped for. They picked a great spot to get all this stuff done, they bought us a barbecue dinner Saturday night (a lot of us!), they kept us in Cinnamon rolls this morning and provided about 6 cars of their own for us to learn from. They even helped one forum member not have to sleep in their Orient-titled auto....
So, the next big Thank You's go to Roy, our own little Whunter. Little? Well, maybe not so much....





Not only was it great to get to meet one of our very helpful forum members (and staff), but he and Larry showed us things all weekend. {We'll get to Larry in a minute}

[JimmyL]

The event was well attended, and there was an opportunity to see old faces and meet some new folks also.



I guess the next introduction is Mr. Larry Bible. I absorbed as much from him as I could, any time he would open his mouth. Then, as an added bonus, he is just as interesting to talk to about non-MB related items as well!

Here, Larry was showing us the relationship with the vacuum pump and how the engine mating surface is shaped. {pump drive portion}





There was a videographer there also, and Larry demonstrated injection pump timing and a valve adjustment procedure. What a great thing to see.











Roy also demonstrated the rebuilding of a vacuum pump on a W123. As with many projects, I believe it required a rebuild kit and 2 different vac pumps to make a good one. His experienced eyes recognized a flaw in the one being rebuilt, so a backup plan was necessary.



Armando {Rashakor} helped with the demonstration, and we all cycled in and out for a good view of the process.

[JimmyL]

Look, it's as simple as this: When it comes to making your MB look as good as is possible, and maybe better, you want Shell {Bodyart27} providing this information. He used a beautiful black '93 W124 for the demonstration. {I'm so sorry that I can't think of your forum name at this late hour}
Shell taped off half the hood to show us a good before/after from this work.
Shell started out with clay bar, then I believe used a 3M compound to cut some of the imperfections, then on to a nice wax. {I may be missing a step in here}





He also gave us very detailed information and explanations on the different buffing pads, clay bar tips, good Mequires products for a 3 step process, buffing techniques, and loads of other info. He also ran us in in-between steps to feel and see the effect of his work. Great info, but you see the work that goes into why his cars look like they do. It ain't an accident.....

We also had a very amateur paint and body man, and somewhat of a prankster. Young Dan {WhiskeyDan} got a hold of some cleaner wax, and decided to turn China into a Dalmation.



Now the pressure is on to get the rest of the car polished up..... No worries. It was very funny, and it was just nice to see that him and Tab made it to the GTG. Same with Rich and Mrs. Rich.

Today started out with another beautiful crisp morning, and the China coffee shop was open for business.


I think I might have almost burned Larry's face off with the temp of the coffee. And most important, it was NOT weak!

Sunday was spent mostly putting folks cars up on the scissor lift and having Roy crawl under it and tell us things that needed addressing. If you were missing exhaust hangers, you probably heard about it.







I really enjoyed this whole weekend! It was good to meet Roy and Larry and Dave Morrison and so many other new faces. It was also nice to see some old faces from some of the "regulars".
I always enjoy seeing the cars that folks bring. We had a 560SL, a Pagoda, a 300E W124 5sp, a dropped 300SD, a couple W124's, several SDL's and of course SD's and D's. {and a Honda }
We swapped stories, we swapped food, we swapped info, we swapped parts and it was just a great time.
Finally had to turn China into the sun and head back towards home.



Can't wait for the next one.......

Dave {Chasingthesun} took a lot better pictures than I, and hopefully he will add his at some point. I would forget to take pics for long stretches of time. Whoops......

[rfdillon]

With all those cameras there, is there some way to put any video that was taped up on You Tube? Those of us who couldn't go would love to hear and see some of those sessions!

[Rashakor]

Twas a blast!

As a moron; i forgot my camera!

[bodyart27]

After the drip method for IP timing and the Valve Adjustment, could you tell any performance difference driving back to Dallas?

[bodyart27]

Did you get your front end work completed?

[JimmyL]

Originally Posted by bodyart27

After the drip method for IP timing and the Valve Adjustment, could you tell any performance difference driving back to Dallas?

It seems to run the same, but it now has trouble starting. Great.......
I'm sorry I didn't do your detailing demo justice. It was great info!

[Rashakor]

Originally Posted by bodyart27

Did you get your front end work completed?

Nope, but the car was the poster child of a car that need new upper control arms urgently (to the point of dangerous drivring says Roy!)

[chasinthesun]

WOW ,Jimmy l ,your pictures are great ,youve pointed out I think everyones feeling about the meet ,GREAT times !!! If their was a vacation package offered for any enthusiast of the 123 ,I would call this event the deluxe package.Thanks to all who made it happen .Sunny ,John ,W Hunter ,IT WAS FUN IN THE SUN ,from beginning to end.I didnt realize this at the time ,but Roy was describing a problem with the differential that Ive come to own on my 84 300d on the way back to Houston.I had been driving south on I-45 and just out of Centerville I was getting a rolling vibration noise from the rear of the car,pulled over and checked the wheel and sure enough something will be coming off the car with help from that nifty differential tool that Ill need to order now . I do realize now ,after it has soaked in , I have learned more about my car than ever before , not to mention from Roy ,a master tech , and wish I could learn more,all ways next year!!!

[JimmyL]

Originally Posted by chasinthesun

.......I was getting a rolling vibration noise from the rear of the car,pulled over and checked the wheel and sure enough something will be coming off the car with help from that nifty differential tool that Ill need to order now .

Wheel bearing??? While you're ordering, better make sure you have the proper # of exhaust hangers!

[chasinthesun]

I wonder what sunny is looking at with Roy in picture 4 rashakor? It aint perty.I cant bragg on my car though ,underneath was an oily zebart special.

[Rashakor]

Originally Posted by chasinthesun

I wonder what sunny is looking at with Roy in picture 4 rashakor? It aint perty.I cant bragg on my car though ,underneath was an oily zebart special.

Roy is pointing at ball joint pornography! The ball joint are clearly oozing a rusty mess on the picture.

[bodyart27]

If Saturday weather permits, you guys want to tackle Rashakor's front end rebuild at my place? Saturday would be better only because the parts department at Park Place Mercedes is open until 5pm incase we need something last minute and we can get the car on the road in a day. With three of us tackling it I think we can get it done in a day.

I've got the tools etc.... Rashakor just needs to bring the car and parts

If so, Private Message me if this weekend works, or, we will schedule something for the future.

[R Leo]

That was a fantastic GTG!!! Tech sessions are a great way to find out more about these cars.

Thanks again to Sunny and John for getting Roy down here from the Rustoleum Belt and herding all the cats on Saturday (and Sunday too, I guess, but I wasn't there).

Putting a face with notables such as Larry Bible was cool too!