You are correct.

vin:

10704312001489

So I take it the car wasn't insured? If it was, buy another and move on.

If it wasn't, then you're in for a whole lot of expense and time.

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I see you are on my wife's side. Men fix things, I am on that side. I like the challenge of doing this myself, so it is less about time and a little about money.

With paint included you could be looking at a $$$ total that is 3x-4x the value of the car, MINIMUM, even if you do all the labor yourself. W107 parts are not cheap. All new wiring in the engine bay is going to cost a few grand alone. If the harness was damaged/shorted farther down the chassis into the cabin/rear, you are literally screwed. There's too many variables that can add thousands in parts.

It's going to be a lot of your time and a LOT of your money to get this car back on the road. Unless it has huge sentimental value, I would pull the parts off that are still good, sell them and add that to the huge stack of cash you would've thrown down the toilet fixing it. Then put some of your time/$ into the new car to make it perfect.

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

You need to get EPC access so you can check out some parts prices. There are two harnesses in the engine compartment - the engine harness and the main harness. If you're in the U.S. salvage yard parts for a 107 043 are going to be scarce.

New 107 part prices would probably give me a heart attack. Used part prices are ridiculous enough! Used side mirror for any other Benz - $25-50....used side mirror for a 107 $150!

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

We're all here because we fix things. Question is how technical are you on the car?

Its sounds like the engine fire was quite extensive. I'd be very skeptical if the wiring harness was burnt right up to the firewall. That means everything under the dash is also probably toast.

Everything can be fixed with the proper effort, knowledge, experience, endurance, and of course lots of money.

Read post 19, he 100% dead on.

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Again, I am looking for advice on the fix , not opinions on the cost or sanity of my efforts.

The fire was quite quick I believe. I have looked and cleaned under the hood. It appears that the main bundle coming out of the fire wall is in fine shape. there is a smaller bundle that is burned up. But that seems to be the most damage. Otherwise all the other wires out of the bundle appear to be in undamaged state. vacuum hoses and hoses are hosed. easy to replace those.

So, again, I am looking for more than an opinion on doing it, I have the time and the skills to do this. I just have not done this particular thing before. I hoped to get help on here versus re-reading post number 19. I read it the first time. Geeze.

Every fire is different, the way it starts, the way it spreads, and how long until it's put out.

At the very least post a hi-res image of the engine bay, so other members may help assess the potential damage. It's very hard to give any repair help with only an outside picture of the hood.

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

I will post some tomorrow. thanks.

okay,,,here are some photos of the melt down. IN the second picture from the bottom I am pointing to the bundle that comes into the engine. I am trying to point out that the bundle is not damaged at this point.
In the picture just above that one, I am holding the real concern I have, which is this particular bundle that circles around the top of the engine and is really burned up.This is really the major damage. The plug wires are easy, the distributor cap is easy, the hoses are easy and the vacuum tubes are easy.

comments??

But easy doesn't always equate to inexpensive. That main harness is $3900, the engine harness around $800, plus lots of little parts are going to be quite expensive if you have to get them from the dealer.

I will in all candor not be buying parts from the dealership unless that is the only option. I fully understand the expense part, that is why I am not asking those questions. I am asking for practical, useful comments regarding the fix. Options to consider. methods to splice or replace.

Unless I misread your original post, you asked:

You didn't ask for repair advice. You recieved the answers/opinions you requested.

Good luck with your fix.

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