After a long week of anticipation, my alarm went off again at 4:45am this morning and I set off to Vancouver Island once more. It was time to retrieve this ramshackle, bedraggled E320 wagon from its dormant state, bring it home and reverse a few generations of neglect. I wasn't exactly relishing the early start, but I have time and the trip is pleasant enough (only three ferry rides today), so why not!
The seller was happy to pick me up from my second ferry ride of the morning in his truck. We chucked my bike in the back and we duly set off to complete the registration paperwork, buy a battery, some extra oil (just in case - it has a leak after all!) before I set off home. I'm not getting "proper" insurance for it just yet as I'll get some work done it before it hits the road in actuality. For now, a three day permit is fine. Just before I left the seller miraculously produced a pair of brand new front shocks, as well as the replacement window regulator too. A pretty great parting gift to say the least!
So how did all that go? Firstly, I'd underestimated just how insanely loud this damn thing is with the current exhaust setup - the rear portion of which is utterly shagged, as we'd say back in the UK. It's had the rear muffler deleted, so the car sounds like a dragster. I guess straight-piping is fine if you're 20 and into JDM stuff, but it's definitely not for me. The car also goes like a dragster compared to my W115 240D, which has a 0-60mph time that's comparable with continental drift (although it does do this with grace and class
). The exhaust is definitely one issue to remedy in haste. Time to seek out some yards locally to see what we can find.
The gear change isn't too bad. It goes into reverse without a delay which is a good sign, and it's just the second-into-third change when only lightly on the throttle which is where it's a bit off. It sounds like it would when a car "kicks down" for an overtake before then changing into third. It doesn't really affect the driving experience too much, but I'll look into it more soon.
I think the thing I'm relishing the most is ripping apart the interior and cleaning it up. The only way to drive the car home - on a cloudy January day in the PNW - was with all the windows down, heater on full, wearing my jacket and hat to avoid freezing my nads off. The smell and damp was just that bad plus the interior was just embarrassingly filthy (pictures do not do it justice - I'll do some before/after stuff tomorrow). How people can drive a car in this state I don't know. My window shenanigans just about worked (meaning: I didn't pass out from the smell), although the combination of this and the exhaust made for one heck of a drive. That acceleration though... it's nice. I'll do well to stay out of trouble after a couple of years of slow car driving.
I also had two stops to make on the way home. The first was to visit a guy from the Vancouver MB Facebook group, who - as it transpired - is quite the W124 hound. I pulled up at his house, only 15 minutes up the hill from the sellers place, to find him tinkering with one W124, while another two sat in the driveway and at least two more were being parted out around the back of the garage (as well as the impressive array of well-organized spare parts). He immediately produced the relay for the signals and de-mister (good shout from David there!), I switched them out and the signals immediately lit up! Great start.
I also came away with the missing door panel I needed as well as a front bumper which - although not in wonderful shape - was in far better condition than mine, plus the two trim parts that were missing from underneath the windscreen and also the missing knob covers for the electric seat adjusters on the drivers door.
Another thirty minutes down the road and I stopped by another Benz guy - with a W124 being parted out and a W108 project car (more my type of thing usually..!) in the garage. I came away from there with two front fenders/wings in silver which I'll swap out shortly. One of them needs a minor bit of work before fitting but that's easy enough. As well as that, the guy gifted me the centre console container as the lid on mine was broken, and is also not the original one (wrong colour). I also grabbed another front bumper - in similarly "ok-ish" shape. From the two I got today I can produce one "very ok-ish" bumper that far exceeds the shoddiness of my current one. All in all I'm pretty happy with today's parts haul.
Both lovely chaps, some great car chat was had, but the day was rapidly passing so it was time to get back to the ferry.
Another quick blast down the highway, eardrums gradually being pummeled into oblivion, I arrived at the ferry with an hour to wait. What else to do other than open all the doors, the hatch and take in all the funny looks from fellow passengers? To say the car looks like crap would be an understatement. It desperately needed airing out as it's been sitting by the waterside for about two months already, plus I don't think it's been properly washed in at least a year, so adding that to the general neglected state the bumpers and mismatched fenders give off, the car is a bit of an eyesore.
Getting off the ferry I then realized that the dash lights don't work - as well as the instrument cluster itself fogging up, so that's another job to add to the list (edit: spoke to the seller and he said wiggle the odometer reset knob and they should work - I'll try that tomorrow). The low oil level warning light definitely works - it had been on all the way home, although I know the oil level is in reality fine. Probably new sensor time I think!
So tomorrow should be a fun day. I essentially have a Mercedes-Benz Lego set sitting in the back of the car, a full day of sun-with-cloud in the forecast and nothing to do aside from watch the Liverpool-ManUtd game in the morning, drink a cup of tea and get started on reviving this old gal.
More soon
