they must have been a daily driver.

and if he racked them up his wife maybe owns an oil company!

(you know, cheap gas?)

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Funny you should mention it...he swears the 6.9's aren't any worse on gas than a normal 450SEL. 15ish in normal driving.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

quite possible. they probably carry a much higer rear ratio, and the 6.9 is prob fairly effecient with the fi.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

This guy has a pretty good little gig going...has some private customers who call him when their Mbz cars act up, he takes the car to the shop, leans on the shop to limit the cost so he can make a little mark-up on the deal, and knows so much about these cars that the shop won't screw him on unnecessary repairs. We all make a buck or two and get to see interesting cars...he brought a 113 by several months ago that needed a fender straightened.

__________________
2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

interesting

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I was looking at the 450SE today, pondering what to attack this weekend. How do I go about draining the fuel tank? How do I get to the strainer to inspect/replace it? If I'm going to get dirty I think I'm going to roll the 280SE and 450SE next to each other on the lot and just make a mess and get it over with. Both seem to have fuel delivery issues so I might as well get started on this endeavor. One thing I noticed...the flap in the throttle body? on the 280 moves freely, the flap on the 450 moves, but not as freely and it doesn't seem to rebound all the way up when released. Any suggestions?

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

Hmm,

I am from St. Louis as well, and have a feeling it is maybe someone I know that you are talking about. It would be quite some coincidence if there were two retired old crusty german STL Mercedes only mechanics that speak with a thick accent, but wierder things have happened

The mechanic's name wouldn't be Horst Heil would it? We took our cars to him for years, then he retired from car work in the early 90's to concentrate on repairing and reselling machine tools. Sold his building on Gravois in South City and moved his tool repair shop to the suburbs or countryside or something like that.

Horst had absolutely rabidly loyal customers. That some would still hound him into helping 10-15+ years post retirement does not surprise me. It also does not surprise me that he would come up with an arrangement as you describe, he was very shrewd and practical like that.

He was trained as an airplane engine mechanic by Mercedes Benz in germany, at least that is how I remember it. I think he had some airplane parts here and there at his shop.

I always used to love going there as a kid, he had wierd old cars, most cabriolets or coupes littering the shop waiting for restoration. It was usually the same cars for a long time, many were his I think. We liked the parts cars out back as we could play with/in those all we wanted. His tools were all organized in old safes due to the marginal neighborhood he set up shop in. He took care of our two heckflosse's and the SE and two diesels.

take care,

Steve

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Current MBZ:
1970 280s - no rust california car
1966 230s - Dad's merc. big honkin sunroof, in family since early 80's

Departed MBZ:
1986 300sd - Mom's killed by a wreck @ 200k or so
1976 W123 300d - Slow, sold due to rust @ 275k mi
1970 280SE - Bought new, my first car in 1986. died from rust @ 300k, ran like a top.
196? 230 - My brother's college car. Rusted to pieces & egnine put in 230s we still have.