My Custom 1980 W116 300SD Project - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

-=DeanstuD=- · #46 10-10-2010, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

...It looks like yours can either drop down or swing out.

Yes, '66 was the first year for the dual action tail-gate. I don't know if a newer one could be retrofitted. If not, that would make a '65 be the only year for his tail-gate, and that would make it REAL hard to find one...

Sounds like the high $ paint job may be due to allot of surface prep rust issues.

Keeping it related, I DID think maybe convert the wagon to a truck and ad a merc diesel!

Really no clue what to do, but it can sit in the barn 'til they sell the farm, so I have some time.

dunl · #47 10-27-2010, 11:30 PM

I like the Bundts as well.

just not the sidewalls.

Squiggle Dog · #48 10-29-2010, 11:32 PM

I got rid of the sun-damaged steering wheel that was torn and had holes in it, and replaced it with a steering wheel that came from another 1980 300SD that someone was parting out. That car looked like it had hardly been used and was in near mint condition, even the original paint! The seller only wanted the engine to put in an off-road project vehicle. I also removed the nearly mint condition dashboard and console to install in mine.

Since the steering wheel has hardly any wear and is in near mint condition (other than some black marks on the horn pad) I bought a steering wheel cover to protect it from getting worn or sun-damaged. It was my first time installing one of these. This is the Superior 58-0470B Sport Grip Truckline cover made for 16"-18" steering wheels. It wasn't easy and I didn't like the way the instructions showed to tie the ends of the lace, so I improvised my own way, which appears to be seamless.

I also installed a new zebrano shift knob. I tried to order one but everywhere I checked said they were all a few months out on backorder. Then an NOS German-made knob came up for sale on eBay for less than the new ones. I think it may be better quality than the ones currently made. I have plans to purchase a zebrano wood instrument cluster when I have the money.

The 1994 Kenwood CD player had quit playing CDs and my antenna is broken. I installed a Blaupunkt Bahamas CD/MP3 player, which is what I have in my 1968 200D. I think it suits the car very nicely and it is a very user-friendly unit. It is also a Bosch product and matches the factory Blaupunkt anti-theft warning decals on the windows. When I was at Pull-A-Part I scored a brand new set of Pioneer speakers out of a 1980 300SD that fit perfectly in the dashboard! They have great sound as well. My car had deteriorated JBL speakers up front. My sound system is great other than I need proper fitting rear speakers.

I purchased an early 1980s Sony Walkman WM-10 for $200 that was advertised as working. It arrived in non-working condition but I will be getting a partial refund and I get to keep the unit. I had planned on putting it in the center console and using the auxiliary adapter to have period-correct tape cassette-playing capabilities. That same day I found a working 1980s Sony WM-4 for $2 at the thrift store, so that was some comfort. I am going to use it in the center console while I look for someone who can repair the WM-10.

I went to Pull-A-Part and saw a W116 behind the fence. I came back a couple days later and they were just setting it down in the yard (a 1980 300SD, no hood ornament--they must remove them before putting them out, along with the fog lights, first aid kit, and fuses). It had 5 great bundt wheels with good tires on them, but there was a crowd of people wanting to buy the wheels so they could pull the tires off of them and junk the wheels. Once they saw I was interested in them they backed off but more people would keep coming by and asking if I wanted the wheels. After I got them stacked up I noticed that the forklift had bent and gouged the insides of the wheels and cut the sidewalls of the tires.

I got the oil cooler, air cleaner assembly with bracket, 5 injectors that look rebuilt, battery tray, fuse box cover with fuse diagram, front rotors, instrument cluster, wooden ash tray, new Pioneer front speakers, rear speaker covers, one door seal, grille, upper bumpers, wheel center caps, German Osram bulbs, and some other pieces.

I like chrome wheel arch trim so I purchased the TFP clip-type fender trim. It came without clips, had scratches, and wasn't close to fitting so I returned it. I later bought a set of chrome-plated brass fender trim that is older stock but made in Taiwan. It had a great finish but was nowhere near close to fitting and I actually kinked one of the pieces trying to fit it. I looked around for German Autotrim Accessories brand fender trim but it seems to no longer be available. I got sick of looking for quality fender trim so I just bought a set of NOS 1980 stock German-made trim (yes, the sets that go for $490 plus shipping on eBay). I am waiting for it to arrive and will install it soon.

Also, I plan on purchasing some tobacco brown interior parts soon to two-tone my bamboo interior. I am going to use the brown door panel inserts, center seat sections, piping, seat net panels, headrest sections, and under rear windshield carpeting. I need to locate some bamboo seat skins that are in better condition than mine since the outer sections of my seats have tears and sunburn. I also need a rust-free rear seat with good padding. Mine is rusty and was reupholstered using nails to hold the skins in place! But, it was a $12 seat at Pull-A-Part and looks better than the blue W123 seat that was in there.

dunl · #49 10-29-2010, 11:49 PM

Looking great!

Squiggle Dog · #50 10-31-2010, 02:59 AM

I think I have a solution for installing the front seat heater switches without putting holes in the console wood. I think the switch housing above the heater control area would be a good place for them.

My car has 4 switches in this area; dome light, power antenna, rear window defroster, and sunroof. My CD player has a built-in antenna switch so I won't need the factory switch anymore. I am going to convert the sunroof to manual, so I won't need that switch, either.

I want to get a switch housing piece with only the two center switch holes punched out, one for the dome light switch and one for the rear window defroster. Then I would place a seat heater switch on each end where the other switches would go (the holes would be cut only large enough for the seat heater switches). Apparently the switch housings can be bought new for $40. I wonder if they have any of the switch blanks punched out. It would be worth the money if they don't.

destroy · #51 11-01-2010, 02:00 AM

Benzes and an Epihone (shame she's not a Gibson...

)?

Maybe I'll have to check some of these cars out next time I'm down in Tacoma!

Squiggle Dog · #52 11-01-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destroy

Benzes and an Epihone (shame she's not a Gibson...

)?

Maybe I'll have to check some of these cars out next time I'm down in Tacoma!

I always thought it was a Gibson because the neck nut cover reads Gibson. But, after getting replacement parts for it I found that Gibson parts did not fit!

Squiggle Dog · #53 11-05-2010, 06:06 PM

I purchased chrome fender trim for the 300SD. I first bought a set of the clip-type stainless steel ones made by TFP so I wouldn't have to drill holes. It came without the clips and the seller said that they do not include the clips because they don't work and to use screws instead. Besides this, the trim did not fit properly and was too narrow. So, I returned it.

I read that the fender trim that was available when the cars were new was made of chrome plated brass, as opposed to the stainless steel trim that is available today. The advantage of the brass trim is that it's more scratch resistant than stainless, has a better finish, can be replated, and is easier to fit.

There was a German company called Autotrim Accessories that made quality trim and used to be available from online parts stores, but apparently their products are no longer available. Their boxes read "Radlauf-Schutzzierleisten".

I found a set of trim on eBay that looked like 1990s stock and was chrome plated brass. I ordered it and it has a nice finish. It's made in Taiwan. I went to fit the trim and it didn't look close to fitting. I tried to reshape one piece and it kinked a little so I gave up and decided that if I was going to put holes in my fenders that it would be for trim that fit well and would be worth restoring at a later date if necessary.

I saw another set on eBay that was new old stock German-made stock from 1980, the same year my 300SD was made. The price was $490 plus shipping. I found it hard to justify paying that much money for fender trim, but then again, I was not successful in finding good German-made trim anywhere else. The seller made a deal with me and soon the NOS German W116 wheel arch trim was mine.

Upon inspecting the NOS trim I could see that it was very sturdy and well-shaped. Below I am going to compare the Taiwanese trim (top) to the original German trim (bottom):

The Taiwanese screws are on the left, and the German ones on the right are smaller:

Taiwan rubber molding on the left, German molding on the right. Note the extra sealing ribs:

The German front fender trim (top) follows the curve down the fender while the Taiwanese trim stops at the bumper line:

The German trim (upper) has a crease at the body line, while the Taiwanese trim cheats by using a larger cutout. Though, a larger cutout does make fitting the body molding easier:

Squiggle Dog · #54 11-05-2010, 06:15 PM

Both trims end about the same in the rocker panel area:

The two brands of trim use different mounting hole locations. The German brand (upper) uses 4 holes while the Taiwanese brand has a 5th hole located in the center of the trim, which in my opinion doesn't help on this model. You can see on the lower trim how I kinked it trying to get it to fit in the fender before giving up:

The German trim (lower) is a little wider than other trim:

Comparison between the German (upper) and Taiwanese labels:

The German rear fender trim (lower) has a crease that matches the body line while the other brand does not:

Squiggle Dog · #55 11-05-2010, 06:23 PM

German trim has body line crease, other brand does not:

German trim on bottom is a little wider:

Here is the Taiwanese trim being fitted to the 300SD. The center section of the trim sticks out too far and is hard to push up against the body:

The bottom edge of the Taiwanese trim leaves a gap between it and the fender:

The center of the German trim fits snugly up against the fender:

Squiggle Dog · #56 11-05-2010, 06:39 PM

The bottom lip of the German trim doesn't leave a gap (I knew something was up with that other brand):

To hold the trim in place I used slide clamps with a bicycle tube in between them and the fender to protect the finish. This allowed me to fine-tune the fitment of the trim so the body creases matched:

Once the trim section was where I wanted it to be I would drill a small pilot hole followed by a bit the same size as the diameter of the screws (not including threads). I put tape around the holes before drilling to protect the finish in case I slipped. I would place the first screw in the hole closest to the area where the body lines were located. Then I would work from the center alternating outward.

The rear fenders gave me trouble because the sheet metal was double thick. The screws would bend and break in the holes. I put one screw in a vise grip and attempted to thread the holes but all it did was strip out the screw. I discovered that they don't make a tap in this size and thread, or even a self-tapping screw for that matter unless I went up a size. I wasn't excited about making the pre-drilled holes in the trim bigger and making the holes in the body larger.

I found that the screws used to hold in the VIN plates are the same thread pitch and are a hardened metal with sharp threads. They worked excellent in cutting threads in the body. After using those VIN plate screws to cut threads the stainless fender trim screws went in without trouble:

Here's the Taiwanese right side front trim. Same fitting problem:

This side has a gap, too:

Squiggle Dog · #57 11-05-2010, 07:17 PM

And the German one fits right up against the lip. You can tell they had some good engineers designing this trim:

The Taiwanese rear fender trim fits rather well compared to the fronts. I don't think it would give much installation trouble:

The German rear trim fits fine. The extra crease at the rear body line is a nice touch:

Once I had the trim screwed into place I removed it and cleaned and waxed the area where it was placed. I waxed the trim and applied the rubber molding. I left some excess material on the ends where the body molding fits in case it shrinks with age. I used 303 Aerospace Protectant on the molding to help preserve it. The rubber fit fine on the trim without adhesive though I had to use plastic pry bars to push it back in place while fitting the trim:

The slider clamps and bicycle tubes were used again to hold the trim for reinstallation and to line up the screw holes. I started with the screw nearest the body crease, then from the outside screws alternating inward. I used anti-seize paste on the threads to help prevent against rust.

I'm very happy with the way the German trim fit. There are no gaps and it is a perfect fit. I think that the Taiwanese trim could be made to fit fine. The kink in the one trim piece could be worked out and it's not in a place that is noticeable. Still, I'm glad I spent the money on the NOS German trim. Incidentally, I plan on selling the Taiwanese trim if anyone is interested in it.

Squiggle Dog · #58 11-05-2010, 07:22 PM

Squiggle Dog · #59 11-05-2010, 07:45 PM

I love the look of the chrome fender trim and think that it completes the look of the car. I am glad I got the hole drilling out of the way before the new paint job (I'm not sure when that is going to be).

dieselman · #60 11-20-2010, 12:58 PM

Here is a short video of my interior conversion....I am glad I like it!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_82Wua2m57I