Plastic pieces for headlight aiming?

[Tomguy]

Alright, I've tried some ways to get around this - glue, tape, etc... but I can't seem to.

The plastic pieces for aiming my headlights (the pieces that hold the aiming screws in the headlamp surround) are cracked (fortunatley, not all of them, but enough of them).

Where (if anywhere?) can I pick up more of these? Would the dealership have any (or order them)?

[280SE Guy]

Tom, are these the plastic parts you talking about? The dealers part book doesn't show it as an individual part number. It is included with the whole lighting unit part number 108 820 44 61. The plastic part is one of those items that needs to be put on your quest list if you have one. Try a few of the used parts dealers in your area or on the web for the complete lighting unit.

[Tom Drew]

I was successful in making my own replacement pieces from some nylon scrap I got from a local plastics dealer. Mine don't look that pretty, but as long as they fit snugly into the metal retainers and are tapped to match the screw threads of the adjusting screws, they'll work just fine.
There are always odd little plastic pieces like this that if you can't get new, it's better to fabricate your own because the ones that you'll find off of 30+ year old cars are usually ready to crack or disintegrate anyway from age. Just my 2 cents.

[Tomguy]

Originally posted by 280SE Guy
Tom, are these the plastic parts you talking about?

Yup those are them! I honestly don't know of a used parts dealer around here who would have ANYTHING for older Benzes, nevermind something like this!

[280SE Guy]

Maybe this guy on eBay can help you: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34227&item=7902431922&rd=1

[Tomguy]

Hadn't thought about that, thanks... fired off an email to the seller.

Can you think of anyone in NE PA who would sell that kind of stuff? MAYBE if I went somewhere in Allentown and got really lucky, or Philly...

try coating the bracket with some wax as a parting agent and then building up a glob of JBWeld, which you can then drill and tap for the screw. I did that on our Department secretary's BMW when she couldn't afford a similar part.

[Benzcrusher]

http://cgi.aol.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2479578308&category=33710

[280SE Guy]

Here is another on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33710&item=2479679597&rd=1

I always get a kick out of the descriptions for some of these parts, "1972 MERCEDES BENZ 280 SE 4.5L headlight", I wonder if it will fit on a 3.5? :-)

[Tomguy]

It's just kinda overkill to buy the whole assembly...

Besides, I wanted to drop by and see if Frank had a spare dizzy cover he could sell me