I'm in need new rubber gaskets for my door handles. The dealership had one of the two gaskets needed. The other one is unavailble.
When something is unavailble and not common in function or shape what do you do?

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Britton McIntyre

68 280 SE coupe 'Hairball'
70 280 SL
71 280 SEL - RIP May 2010

Get some sheet rubber and make new ones.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Which one is no longer available?

Contact the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center. 1-866-MB-CLASSIC (1-866-622-5277).

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Regards,

Mathieu J. Cama
Old World Automotive
Lawrenceville, GA
service@oldworldauto.com

Specializing in high caliber repair and mechanical restoration of vintage Mecedes-Benz.

www.oldworldauto.com

Excellent reply! I recently helped a neighbor with a ALPHA GSS and in one hour made $ 60 or gaskets, and all I goy was a burger.

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Happy Benzing
Darryl, Hill
2005 SL55 AMG Kleemanized
1984 500 SEC
1967 W113 California Coupe
[SIGPIC]
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos

The exact part is the rubber gasket for the front (smaller) part of the door handle. I'm not really interested in putting anything on the car that does not look up to spec. In other areas of the car were it is not seen, no problem.
The question I'm really asking is what do you do when something is not available from anywhere. Also it needs to be new not used. Where do the auto restorers get parts for 80 year old cars?

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Britton McIntyre

68 280 SE coupe 'Hairball'
70 280 SL
71 280 SEL - RIP May 2010

http://www.automotix.net/about_us.html

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

If the part you seek can not be purchased through a supplier or found in someone's NOS collection, the only solution left is to find good used, manufacture it yourself, or contract someone to manufacture it.

WRT to your seal, have you contacted MB Classic? They have access to a good number of parts not normally available through the dealer network. Most dealers no longer want to deal with our older cars. Also, they have manufacturing capabilities for a variety of items. Granted it may be very expensive, however, the quality is there. About 80% of the parts I use at this point come from MB Classic. Their service has been top notch and they have been able to source for me a good number of items that were listed as NLA through the traditional sources. And yes, they have or will make parts for the pre-war cars.

__________________
Regards,

Mathieu J. Cama
Old World Automotive
Lawrenceville, GA
service@oldworldauto.com

Specializing in high caliber repair and mechanical restoration of vintage Mecedes-Benz.

www.oldworldauto.com

Have you called the MB Classic Center yet? Don't believe a dealership's parts counter, even if you have a great working relationship with them. Call the Classic Center and find out the real scoop. If THEY say it's not available anywhere in the world, then your options are to find a good used part, cross your fingers and hope one pops up on Ebay as new old stock, or make it yourself. From a restoration shop's perspective, that last option can be as simple or as complicated as the situation dictates.

MB classic center!

Interestingly enough, some of the things they've found for me, which are correct for the car, use an updated parts numbering system.

In other words, some of the original part numbers I was asking for at the dealership have been superseded with other numbers. Everything is all genuine Mercedes, no concern about that.

Ann

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1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Henrietta" - The Learning Experience
1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Brunhilda" - Pretty Sponge for $100.00 Bills