I Had A "Lost Highway" Moment Today (W116) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Squiggle Dog · #1 05-25-2012, 12:04 AM

Today I was driving my W116 to PickNPull with my roommate. I was driving at 35 MPH in a 30 MPH zone with a van behind me. The mailman was stopped ahead in my lane and I couldn't go around him because a car was approaching in the oncoming lane. So, I slowed down in order to not run into the mail vehicle and waited for the oncoming car to pass by.

The van behind me got right up on my bumper and as soon as the oncoming car passed by I signaled and passed the mailman (even though it was a double yellow line). I then accelerated and got back up to 35 MPH almost immediately, but that is not good enough for the van behind me. He nearly runs into the back of me, speeds around me, and cuts me off. I honked my horn because this was unacceptable behavior. He proceeds to give me the finger for the next two turns until we part ways.

I was tempted to pull a scene from Lost Highway right there--floor it and run him off the road, just like in the movie. But I am too sensible of a person for that and I wouldn't want to scuff my battering ram bumpers. It cracks me up that today played out just like in the movie and I drive a nearly identical car.

Tailgater scene from Lost Highway: Lost Highway - Don't You Ever Tailgate - YouTube

Screenshot from Lost Highway:

My car:

diametricalbenz · #2 05-25-2012, 12:22 AM

I do enjoy that scene as well! I didn't see the movie until after I left LA. I never got to drive my 6.9 along Mulholland Drive. David Lynch and John Frankenheimer sure love W116's.

rs899 · #3 05-25-2012, 07:03 AM

Priceless. Of course, that won't happen when your wheels are a 300SD and you don't have 3 thugs packing heat to back you up....

EurekaBenz · #4 05-25-2012, 11:53 AM

Dude, lose the whitewalls, they jusy don't look right on that car.......(sorry)
dws

Squiggle Dog · #5 05-25-2012, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EurekaBenz

Dude, lose the whitewalls, they jusy don't look right on that car.......(sorry)
dws

No. I like whitewalls and they are staying. I looked everywhere to find a set that I could afford.

Palolo · #6 05-25-2012, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

No. I like whitewalls and they are staying.

I also like whitewalls on some 116s and even early (basic) 123s, like the 200/240D. I especially like how having them tweaks some people, too. Hahaha.

When I put my brown 108 on bundts, I have a blasphemous/humorous plan for the steelies...

I'm sure some people will get all bent, but they're essentially becoming the "winter/occasional set" (not that I'm expecting snow any time soon, here).

Pooka · #7 05-25-2012, 01:42 PM

I can remember when Mercedes really started catching on in the Midwest (i.e., Dallas) and customers thought it was strange that Mercedes came with blackwall tires.

Salesmen pointed out that the tires were different in another way in that they were some kind of new-fangled 'radial' type of tire and Mercedes had picked the best tire for the job. Mercedes did not feel they should be a fashion slave to whitewalls.

But if you wanted them, and some people did, whitewalls were available.

By the way.... On the 116 in the photo they don't look half bad.

Marrs · #8 05-25-2012, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

No. I like whitewalls and they are staying. I looked everywhere to find a set that I could afford.

Who makes yours, I usually only see the narrow strip ones like my car has on it now or the extra wide 50's style that costs as much as another car. I wouldn't mind these if they are affordable, they look good on white 60's cars like mine too.

Squiggle Dog · #9 05-26-2012, 01:04 AM

My whitewalls came from tire_wheels_depot on eBay. They are 185/70R14 Hankooks that start out as thin white sidewalls, then they take a grinder and grind off the black rubber on the sidewall, exposing more of the white rubber underneath.

They were $350 with free shipping and I paid an extra $90 for a 5th tire. It sure beats the $800-$2,000 you'll have to pay for any other set. The whitewall is rough from the grinder and it collects brake dust quickly, so I have to sand them to make them smooth.

Palolo · #10 05-26-2012, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

The whitewall is rough from the grinder and it collects brake dust quickly, so I have to sand them to make them smooth.

Have you seen this thread on HAMB, and the bit about sanding then swipe with thinner? Maybe that's only for the black walls. Also, sanding grit counts; finest is not necessarily smoothest finish.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=378955

FWIW, I plan to do this (grind sidewalls with da sander) to all my tires. I don't need a big tire name (let alone all the brand, size and tech jargon) on the side of my tires. If people cared what kind of tires I have, they'll either know by the tread (car geeks) or ask me (unlikely, since the non-car-geeks I know just go with whatever's on sale at Samstco Mart).

I swear tires are named by the same people who name allergy or E.D. medications. My current 195/75-14 tires say "Good Year - ALLEGRA" on the side in huge letters. Who cares?

/rant
/peeve

Squiggle Dog · #11 05-26-2012, 03:12 AM

Palolo,

Thanks for the link. I want to get a set of real whitewalls some day, but these will get me by for now. I will try sanding the whitewalls to make them smoother and see how it goes.

JimFreeh · #12 05-26-2012, 07:48 AM

In the late sixties, back before the bundt alloy became de riguer, it was not uncommon to see MBs with factory installed white walls.

There were two distinct features about the tires:

1: The white wall was thin, not a pencil thin, but maybe 1/2 - 3/4". The white band was also located closer to the wheel than was typical on the concurrent US cars.

2: Whitewall tires had a noticeable rub strip between the tire tread shoulder and the white part of the sidewall. This was to prevent the marring of the whitewall if brushing up on a curb.

The original whitewall tires on Mom's 69 6.3 were Dunlops, SP somethings, had an interlocking dog bone tread, not unlike a BFG Radial All Terrain tire pattern.
I've also seen Continental tires with the same features as 1,2 above installed on MBs as OE.

Jim

Squiggle Dog · #13 05-26-2012, 01:18 PM

I really wish they still made tires with the curb guards. I just picked up a set of 14" dog dish steelies for my roommate's car and one of the tires is a Dunlop thin whitewall with the curb guard on it.

Palolo · #14 05-26-2012, 02:00 PM

Choose your whitewall width: Tire Catalog | Diamond Back Classic White Wall Tires - Vintage Tires - Redline & Redline Radial Tires for Antique and Classic Cars

Their tires aren't cheap (both in quality and price senses), but when someone is particular about wanting a certain look, it is nice to know that there is still someone providing a service/option.

I found them when looking in to the "smooth sidewall" look, which they offer, but I think I will just do the D/A sander thing on a set of locally sourced tires.

Marrs · #15 05-26-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

In the late sixties, back before the bundt alloy became de riguer, it was not uncommon to see MBs with factory installed white walls.

There were two distinct features about the tires:

1: The white wall was thin, not a pencil thin, but maybe 1/2 - 3/4". The white band was also located closer to the wheel than was typical on the concurrent US cars.

2: Whitewall tires had a noticeable rub strip between the tire tread shoulder and the white part of the sidewall. This was to prevent the marring of the whitewall if brushing up on a curb.

The original whitewall tires on Mom's 69 6.3 were Dunlops, SP somethings, had an interlocking dog bone tread, not unlike a BFG Radial All Terrain tire pattern.
I've also seen Continental tires with the same features as 1,2 above installed on MBs as OE.

Jim

This is coming from someone who "didn't exist" in the 1960's so forgive me, but is the whitewall width on my tires (picture should show in signature) the width you remember? I have been torn on this since I got the car, mine is an early coupe, and I have sales literature that shows the wider whitewall and I like that look, but I'm just not sure if it will look too 1950's rather than 60's, or if I fall into that transition period. I know, buy what I like, but some idea of historical accuracy is useful.

BTW on my former W202 I bought tires with curb protectors, so they are still made, but those weren't whitewalls of course.

Found the brochure, it's from 1961. Any idea when the transition was from these mid-wide to narrow?:

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