The good, the bad and the lack of time... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Fulcrum525 · #1 10-13-2011, 08:45 PM

Ok I need a bit of advice. I'm in a position where I have too many projects to handle and very little time to do them all in. I typically work 48 hours a week and winter is fast approaching so the days are getting shorter and shorter. I'm hesitant to take any days off as i'm still fairly new with the company. I spend most weekends and the odd weekday with my girlfriend so that also cuts into what little free time I have to work on projects. Currently I have 4 going on outside of the normal day to day stuff.

1st problem (The easy one)
I'm an officer in my local MBCA club and i've been tasked with planning an event that's coming up on the 22nd. All the planning has been done so I just need to call the restaurant and our stops tomorrow to finalize the plans (I also need to polish up the scavenger hunt but thankfully the aforementioned darling girlfriend is going to help me with that)

2nd problem (Also easy but every little bit cuts into my time)
I'm still helping my friend with the sale of the 280CE. Thus far we've had some interest but no one has yet come to see the car.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-cars-sale/304023-fs-1980-280ce-euro-central-ct.html

3rd Problem (Much more time consuming)
The 300GD repairs are coming along but it's a process like any other. The bigger mechanical issues have been resolved. However some of the wiring is giving me quite the headache but i'm hoping that cleaning all the grounds will solve most of the issues. From there it's a matter of replacing the transmission fluid, fixing the soft top and registering it. I only have time to work on it when I get home from work which leaves precious few daylight hours. THANKFULLY my father has been helping me fix things on it.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/open-discussion/305584-search-has-finally-ended.html

4th Issue (The nightmare of "Now when am I going to get this done?")
I bought a 300SEL in August as a parts car. The idea was to slowly pull it all apart over a matter of weeks and haul the frame to the scrap dealer. I meant to have the 300SEL stripped a long time ago but my father thought it could be fixed so we hauled it to my indy who found out that a piston was screwed up. It's still there and we need to get it back here but space is now very limited. I could still fix it for $1,500 but then there would be little if any ROI. I also still want it as a parts car but my hands are already full with everything else. Storage space for all the stripped parts is also a MAJOR concern as all of our sheds are nearly full to the brim. I could park it way in the backyard and gradually take it apart but i'd rather not have it sit for the winter even if it is just for parts.
W126 Gas VS Diesel-Greatest Part Commonality?

I need some advice on what I should do. I figure that in order to do everything i'd need a good 100 hours.

Hatterasguy · #2 10-13-2011, 08:55 PM

Prioritize what's important, fix the G, dump the E on your friend and say you don't have time to deal with it anymore, and bring the SEL home in the now free space the E once occupied.

Fulcrum525 · #3 10-13-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Prioritize what's important, fix the G, dump the E on your friend and say you don't have time to deal with it anymore, and bring the SEL home in the now free space the E once occupied.

The E is sitting at her sisters house (Conveniently two doors down) The winter street parking ban is fast approaching and they need the space as well.

TylerH860 · #4 10-13-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

The E is sitting at her sisters house (Conveniently two doors down) The winter street parking ban is fast approaching and they need the space as well.

Let it fly on ebay for whatever it goes for. Whether it brings $800 or $1800 who cares.

All your stuff seems manageable. Rather than a few big things to keep track of I seem to have hundreds of little things, a few always slip through.

The most recent one is I forgot to pay my quarterly HOA dues and they promptly sent it to a collection agency. Its not a bill I thought about and I thought I had opted for paperless billing. Checked my junk mail pile and there it was.

Hatterasguy · #5 10-13-2011, 09:03 PM

Than ebay add, no reserve, its gone in 10 days or less. Worked like a charm on my SD.

Fulcrum525 · #6 10-13-2011, 09:05 PM

The 280CE is the least of my worries really.

Getting the 300SEL stripped and the parts stored however....that's a worry.

Hatterasguy · #7 10-13-2011, 09:12 PM

Pull it into your backyard, throw a cover over it, and deal with it in spring.

tbomachines · #8 10-13-2011, 10:35 PM

I'll be back near Thanksgiving, if you want/need a hand lemme know...I missed you at the gtg (granted I could only stay for 10-15 min) but I should have some time around then to get stuff done. Unfortunately most of my time has been remotely troubleshooting the O2 sensor on my 300E...meaning hours on the phone interpreting DMM readings with my father haha. Really though, I'd be happy to help around that time if you're available.

Fulcrum525 · #9 10-13-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

I'll be back near Thanksgiving, if you want/need a hand lemme know...I missed you at the gtg (granted I could only stay for 10-15 min) but I should have some time around then to get stuff done. Unfortunately most of my time has been remotely troubleshooting the O2 sensor on my 300E...meaning hours on the phone interpreting DMM readings with my father haha. Really though, I'd be happy to help around that time if you're available.

Any help will be most welcome. I'll give you as many compatible parts we can pull. (Your's has an M103 correct?)

Hatterasguy · #10 10-13-2011, 10:47 PM

I could probably come over on a Sunday and mess around, let me know.

Fulcrum525 · #11 10-13-2011, 11:04 PM

Good to know. I actually will be free this Sunday afternoon and will be making a big push on cleaning all the grounds on the G.

Just talked with Teresa and since the biggest factor is the storage space I'm going to go with the original plan which was to park the 300SEL in the backyard and take it apart over time. (If I had the storage space I would have stripped the whole thing down to the frame without hesitation.) Still need to talk to my father about it. Hopefully it will go over well....

BobK · #12 10-14-2011, 07:27 AM

Seems to me you need to find a way to interest the gf in working on cars! Buy her some pink overalls or something and tell her how cute she looks in them working on the car. Maybe sew a MB badge on it. Cleaning grounds should be something she could do. And since she has WAY better fine motor skills than a big lump like you and can get her hands into smaller places, why she is just perfect for this kind of work. That's what you tell her anyway.

I knew a young lady that owned a 240D and wanted to learn to work on it. Not GF, wife would have objected. She more or less became an apprentice to me and we spent a lot of time working on her car. She did well and eventually had the car in good enough shape for her to drive it all the way across the country on her own.
Yeah the shrinking daylight thing is an issue. I have to get the new motor in the SDL so I can have the bay back to work on other cars.

Solid Snake · #13 10-14-2011, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Any help will be most welcome. I'll give you as many compatible parts we can pull. (Your's has an M103 correct?)

I'm around all the time, and have become VERY handy with electrical issues now that I can read the electronic circuit diagrams I have for the 560. Just finished up my ortho seats attached to the correct circuit

If you have the diagrams and a multi meter, I'm sure we could bang it out. I can also help strip parts off that 300SEL!

Fulcrum525 · #14 10-14-2011, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

I'm around all the time, and have become VERY handy with electrical issues now that I can read the electronic circuit diagrams I have for the 560. Just finished up my ortho seats attached to the correct circuit

If you have the diagrams and a multi meter, I'm sure we could bang it out. I can also help strip parts off that 300SEL!

Hmm, perhaps a mini GTG is in order. If anyone is up for it this Sunday starting around one is the best chance and the weather is looking OK. I'll definitely provide lunch and dinner (plus parts

)

Pm me later today.

The Clk Man · #15 10-14-2011, 03:50 PM

Bring all of your old Benz's to my printing and sign shop. I have plenty of space.