My most recent oops! While changing a vacuum hose under the dash, I tugged a little too hard and broke the other end. It turned into a fiasco because I couldn't find where it broke from but the plastic fitting was still in the hose. Now the car won't shut off unless you turn on the heat. After disecting the whole center console I finally found that it was the vacuum switchover valve and have one coming from parts shop. Arrgh!

Once about 10 years ago I had a 68 230 finback and the distributor kept shorting out. It was really old and tarnished looking so I thought I'd clean all of the contacts. I took out all of the little screws and cleaned up everything real nice. I did not notice, however, that the one screw that goes into the side was shorter than the other two. When I put it all back together I was unaware that the wrong screw was too long and protruded inside the distributor interfering with the inner workings so, when I turned the key....ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!! The whole distributor twisted a few times and broke the cast aluminumn shaft. Fortunately I got one from a junkyard moments before they closed for a holiday weekend for $100 (I think...long time ago) and went about my biz.

__________________
1982 300D Turbo "Helga"
380,000 miles