1972 250C Restoration Project

[Ritchie]

Hello All,

I am going to start the restoration once i get my '60 Ranchero on it's new chassis, there will be more room in my shop and the lift will be freed up.
Now I am buying up Mercedes Service Manuals. (the teal ones) and some parts. My goal is to have a solid driver. The fog lights are missing and may use a nice set of 6" or 5" Unity's. I love vintage Unity lights.
This is my first Mercedes, I think it is very cool. As are all the vintage Mercs.
After I gave it the once over. i found some minor issues. #1 Rusty rockers, floor perimeter is a little rusted, toe boards, small spot on the firewall, C pillars near vent, and some in the trunk. Seems to be the common locations for rust. I have experience with rust and I have tried everything. Best thing is cut it out and make a metal patch. Rust never sleeps.
Interior is ok, needs little work. The horn ring flops around. I hope there is a retainer available. We become the engineer when parts are not available. Been there, still there.
All the rubber weather-strips are Toast!! Body mounts too. A/C hose is uber toast, it just crumbled in my hand. All rubber appears to be suffering from the Andromeda Strain.
I am finding the windshields seals are tough to find for the coupes.
The engine runs ok. The Zenith cars need a R&R. Call me crazy. But I like the Zenith carbs. Want to get a spare set to R&R also.
The vacuum and electrical systems have been modified and must be corrected. Thank goodness for factory service manuals and beer.

[alabbasi]

Well done, I just got my 72 CE driving and will probably start on the body very soon.

[bla8310]

Good Luck,

I like your attitude. I have the same car also with lots of work to do. Keep us
posted on your progress.

Bla8310
72 250c
67 230

[JiveTurkey]

Glad to have you on the forums!! Post a couple pics of the Ranchero too if you don't mind, I think those are pretty boss. The w114 coupes are really great cars (as Alabbasi will tell you.) For windscreen seals just buy the best ones you possibly can, expect to spend over 100 bucks (each!) and take care when installing them as the glass can get pricey too. The rubber pieces that go with the trim spears down the side are no longer available unless you want to shell out almost 1000 dollars to the classic center, which I'm guessing you don't (I sure as hell don't!)


Do your heat / ac blowers work? If not they're a pain in the ass to replace, but they can sometimes be freed up with a drop of Dextron III Automatic Trans fluid. The subframe mounts aren't too bad to replace and you could probably do it over a weekend. Search the forums for a great DIY article on subframe mounts. The engine mounts aren't bad either, but be aware that the engine has little shock absorbers on it.

Welding on these cars is pretty straightforward. If I can manage to do it a three year old with no arms could probably master it as well. Parts are pretty easy to get, be sure to call Phil on fastlane / allparts express (on this forum) because he can find ANYTHING for you. Once you've checked with the forum sponsers www.adsitco.com is a pretty good resource as well.

Finally, the Haynes shop manual for the w114/115 series is a pretty good resource as well. I've got a few out of print manuals for these /8 so let me know if you would like me to look something up for you.

[Ritchie]

Cool Jive.
The blower does work. It could spin a lil freeer. Thats is cause for a beer right there alone.
As far as mauals. I have a set of Mercedes volumes on the way. The teal colored ones.
I am no purist. I do not mind replacing the side moulding rubber with 2 part tin cured silicone in a mould if that s what it takes (Reynolds rubber in Dallas. I some times make me own rubber bits) prehaps there is a rubber gasket material long enough???
I did contact adsitco about windcreen seals. The price is fine with me.
The Ranchero looks like poo right now. Only thing left to cutt off it is the front clip and floor. Then onto the ranger chassis.

[JiveTurkey]

Cool. Let me know how much those rubber trim parts end up costing you because I might see if I could have a set made too if that would be ok. 40 years in the Saudi Desert took a hell of a toll on all parts rubber in Wilma. I'll take a picture of my extra service books (they date from the early / mid 70's) next time I'm in the shop. They're a wealth of information on these cars that can be hard to come by unless you've been working on them since they're new (I sure as hell havent )

All the /8, fintail, ponton and 108 owners (and 116 and 123 owners, and all the various SL's too) should have a get together at some point somewhere in the country. Even have a little rally or something. It would be a blast.

[daw_two]

I am watching with anticipation.

[Ritchie]

The service manual came in today. It is awesome. Impressed with the detail. Elect., and body manuals are in the mail. Cant beat the factory paper manuals.

[Ritchie]

A few years ago I got this car from a friend in the car club we are members of . I traded two good 70 Cougar fenders for it. But under one condition.
He told me I had to put it on a short bed, reg cab Ranger chassis. He said it had been done and to just do it. Turns out the two are very close (very close = 1/8") dimensionally (wheel base and wheel flange to wheel flange).
The Rancher belonged to a very close frind of his who passed away and never got to restore it. It spent many many years as a pasture vehicle rounding up cows and such. In the mid 60's his kids made covers for the sun visors with a Tandy Leather kit. One is cowboys theme and the other Indians. They are way cool.
I am just a few day away from setting it on the chassis. Have a 5 day weekend this weekend and hope to have it at that stage by Monday.
Will need "drop spindles" and lower the back some too so it will have a better stance. As you can see from this pics, rust don't scare me. But I would rather have a rust free car from arizona than fix rust. Shipping is actually cheaper that fixing rust. But This is what i was given so... React, adapt and overcome.

The pic of it on the lift was a few weeks ago and has now it no longer has the front & rear suspension, bumpers and stuff.

[Ritchie]

In my flury of buying up service manuals, I wound up with two 1968 - 1976 Passenger Cars Series 114/115 Factory Body and Chassis Service Manuals. # SM1205.
Anyone needing a SM 1205?

[mercmad6.3]

Originally Posted by Ritchie

A few years ago I got this car from a friend in the car club we are members of . I traded two good 70 Cougar fenders for it. But under one condition.
He told me I had to put it on a short bed, reg cab Ranger chassis. He said it had been done and to just do it. Turns out the two are very close (very close = 1/8") dimensionally (wheel base and wheel flange to wheel flange).
The Rancher belonged to a very close frind of his who passed away and never got to restore it. It spent many many years as a pasture vehicle rounding up cows and such. In the mid 60's his kids made covers for the sun visors with a Tandy Leather kit. One is cowboys theme and the other Indians. They are way cool.
I am just a few day away from setting it on the chassis. Have a 5 day weekend this weekend and hope to have it at that stage by Monday.
Will need "drop spindles" and lower the back some too so it will have a better stance. As you can see from this pics, rust don't scare me. But I would rather have a rust free car from arizona than fix rust. Shipping is actually cheaper that fixing rust. But This is what i was given so... React, adapt and overcome.

The pic of it on the lift was a few weeks ago and has now it no longer has the front & rear suspension, bumpers and stuff.

Why put it on a chassis? Down here there are Falcon experts who would call you nuts ( the ranchero is just a Falcon pickup) . Because it's a Falcon All early Mustang stuff is a bolt in fit. To lower the Front,you drill new mount holes 1" above the top control mount position . By raising the top arm you lower the car.
Simple?
Like I said all Mustang stuff prior to the Mustang II is bolt in. Big brakes,bigger diffs,better engines ,better steering including R&P conversions and on it goes. You would still have nice riding car rather than a truck with a ranchero body on top. just a veiw from someone who has been there etc.

[Ritchie]

Im on a mission from God. :-) Thanks anyway. Had two 67 Mustangs. Pretty familiar with that family. My 70 Cougar suspension is Mustang also, 'cept for the longer rear leafs. The Ranchero is just for fun and is only going to used for beer runs.
The botton is fubar on the Ranchero. I am using the floor and firewall from the Ranger. The bed will still be Ranchero though. It will have a 200 I-6 for power, (wish we had the OZ version of the 200 here. They are sweet.
Do you know Leon Brey? he's a friend of mine in Brisbane. He has a fleet of Cougars and a falcon.
I will add more pics as it progresses.

[mercmad6.3]

Don't know too many Ford Guys here,which suburb is he in? . i have mate here who imports cars from the US ,and he has a Cougar XR7. i worked on them decades ago and they are a different car to a Falcon, more like the old Fairlane Compact underneath. A heavy car for the size.
The Aussie Falcon six is a great engine, especially the OHC versions . The later ones (XR6 turbo ) are quicker than the v8 versions . There are dozens here,I even had a 280S with a 250 Falcon Cross flow engine in it.

[Ritchie]

FPV is great stuff too. Very jelous of you guys.
Leon is in Forestdale Qld 4118 Australia. He has or had 70 XR7 (cant remeber) and a convertable 69 w/ a 428.

[mercmad6.3]

He is close to here (actually anywhere is close to Brisbane,it's not that big LOL! ) . Mustangs are huge here with dozens of ex USA cars having come here over the last 40 years, and you guys wonder why you can't find good rust free examples