W126 Clear turn signals
 

Here are some pics of my car after I have completed fitting all the clear turn signals. The fronts and rears are aftermarket and the side lenses are off a 210. You can see in the side shot the original rear lenses before I replaced them. If anyone is interested I got the rear lenses from www.hova.com

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mat...ar%20front.jpg

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mat...car%20side.jpg

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mat...car%20rear.jpg

Nice!

Thanks for the pics, will help me make a decision for my similar coloured 190E


later,

Russ

Mattman, car looks great. Pleeease could you post a pic of how your trailer hitch is attached to the "unibody" underneath. Inquiring minds want to know. TIA

Towbar mounting
 

Hope this shows enough.

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mat...ide%20boot.jpg

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mat...th%20part1.jpg

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mat...th%20part2.jpg

WOW!! Now that's grabbing available steel. Thanks much. Nice focus with your dig. cam.

No probs, the camera I use is a Fuji Finepix 2600 which is 2.2 mega pixel, 4x optical zoom, and does 1600x1200.

Matt.

It just dawned on me, looking at your pics, your car is RHD?? You're in NZ, correct?? Are the cars in NZ RHD, or was your's "imported"?

Correct on all counts Mike, yes I am in New Zealand, yes all our cars here are RHD and yes mine was imported second hand into NZ.

Matt.

There I go showing my ignorance. I didn't realize NZ was RHD too. I sat here and thought, but could only come up with a few countries I knew were. Thanks for the continuing education.

No probs, people seem to think that RHD is the minority but there are a lot of countries that are RHD

Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Britain, South Africa to name a few.

How is the 560 rebuild going Mike? Actually quick question for you, I need to glue the trim on the centre pillar around the adjustable seatbelt mount, how does this come off?

Matt.

Easy job Matt.

Where the seatbelt bolts to the floor, you have to push off the plastic cover to access the bolt. I found a smooth nose pair of pliers works good for pushing it off. 17mm socket or box wrench to remove that bolt. Then remove the two phillips head screws that hold the plastic "foot" on. That piece will then pop off the bottom of the "B" pillar.

Now with those items removed you pull down on the "B" pillar trim and tread it off the seatbelt (you'll have to cant the bolt through the wider portion of the opening). Thr trim can now be taken out of the car. The sliding ajustment piece will pop out of the channel it rides in and you can access the loose area you want to tack down.

I used laquer thinner to clean off the old adhesive and leave the aluminum panel clean. Then I used 3M trim adhesive to reattach. I put a thin even film of adhesive on both the aluminum and the back side of the leather, let air dry until just tacky to the touch (about 15-20 minutes). Starting on one side, I pulled the leather out taut and wrapped it around the aluminum, then did the opposing side before doing the top/bottom. Turned out nicely.

I also took time to reattach some of the longer runs along the back of the pillar.

The 560 is coming along nicely. Have had the chance to take her out for a couple small spins. Still have to do the T-chain rails and tensioner, tires, and pull/reinstalled the new center console (while cleaning the back seat carpet, found I got the console in crooked, something is out of place). Once I get the next bit of work done, than I can get the safety inspection, smog check and get her duely registered.

Thanks Mike, that makes it sound very easy. If you don't mind can you quickly write up how the centre console comes out - mine is creaking when I brake so I need to take it out and have a look at whats underneath it. I may also do the shifter bushings at this time.

Cheers
Matt.

Remove two screws on the separate plastic trim piece at floor. Remove that piece. Push down firmly on centre pillar trim and release slightly away from the actual pillar. When reassembling pay particular attention to lining up the plastic button for seatbelt height adjustment with the metal depression underneath. (Align the pimple with the dimple).

Edit:
Drat, I was too late!

Center console
 

Here ya go Matt, as quick as I could make it ;).

Starting at the back of the console with the rear fresh air vent. Pop off the slider knob, then pry out the vent. Under the vent will be two phillips head screws, you might have to pull them, but what you are looking for is the cable housing clamp which should be to the lower left of the slider mechanism. Pop off the clamp, then work the cable end off the post. I can't recall ever seeing this step listed when people talk about the center console. The cable can be separated forward of the shifter, but it's a pain to get the console out of the way without disconnecting.

With the parking brake set, place the shift lever in "N" or lower. Next pull the ashtray out and remove the recepticle. Under there you will find two more screws, remove them and the entire ashtray assembly will come out, be sure to disconnect the electrical connections for the lighter and light. Now the coin tray will slip forward and you can lift up to disconnect the seat heater switches. With that out of the way try sliding the console wood forward about 10-15mm to disengage the slip locks. Once the tines are free the back edge of the wood will lift enough to disconnect all the switches (windows, mirror, fader). Now the wood should come up and off. The carpeted recess is next, pull the carpet up and you will find a deep screw hole, one phillips holds the back of the console down.

Now the book says you only have to remove the stereo face plate, but I find it easier (read more room to work) to slide the entire unit from the dash. Once the stereo plate or unit is out, carefully remove the ACC unit. You can try lifting the lower edge out a few mm's and pulling down, or carefully, very carefully pry it down from the top. Once the two dogs are free at the top, the unit will lean out toward you. Disconnect the 5 or 6 switches, be extra careful as the back lighting to the switches is via optic fiber. The ends of the fiber cables (blue) have brass ferrules and fit snugly into the switches, the ferrules also have a rim which is trapped between the switch and the plug, holding everything in place. Once the switches are removed you can disconnect the two multipin connector to the ACC, there is one on each side of the unit. I found these to be a very tight fit which required gentle persuasion via a small flat tip driver.

Now with all that removed, you will find two screws securing the top of the console to the dash and two screws still securing the console to the shift gate (I saved these till the end to help hold everything in place). Once these four screws are out you should be able to lift the console from the rear and dislodge it from the dash.

Piece of cake.

Underneath you will find the plenum for the fresh air vent, it is sort of "Y" shaped to go around the shifter It is a PITA to reconnect, but not undoable. Might as well replace the bulb for the shifter backlighting while you are in it this far. At leading edge of the shifter you'll find the socket, should be on the same side the side the letters are on, the bulb slips into the socket, might even be a string attached for retrieval, you'll find it. Just replace it because sure as shooting, you'll get it all back together and the bulb will burn out.

Reassembly is basically the reverse of above. I found that it was much easier, when installing the ACC unit, to fish all the plug ends and optic fibers through the openings, then attach the switches once the panel was in place. This gave much more room to work the panel in place and gave a stable location for the connections.

Hope this helps.

Excellent, thanks very much Mike.

Regards
Matt.