Junk to respectable...In 20 days!

[bradsscooters]

I bought this 1977 450 SL on ebay for $1300. Wife thought I was crazy! I fixed it up, did all the body work myself and had Maaco paint it. I can now say that It's pretty nice. Here are some pictures of before and after. My next project is a 1984 300dt that I picked up for $400. This is another one I saved from the junkyard! you can see the pictures at http://www.photobucket.com/bradsscooters

[Roncallo]

Originally Posted by bradsscooters

I bought this 1977 450 SL on ebay for $1300. Wife thought I was crazy! I fixed it up, did all the body work myself and had Maaco paint it. I can now say that It's pretty nice. Here are some pictures of before and after. My next project is a 1984 300dt that I picked up for $400. This is another one I saved from the junkyard! you can see the pictures at http://www.photobucket.com/bradsscooters

Nice work

[meltedpanda]

looks good, hows it run?

[RickM]

Looks like a totally different car. Nice work.

Did you pull the engine...or is half of it blue as well?

[bradsscooters]

Thanks, I didn't pull the engine, but I did take the time to tape off everything. It does run strong, except it doesn't want to start right up after it is warm and then sitting for more than 20 minutes. still trying to figure that problem out, but she starts right up every morning and every night when I come out to it after work. Any thoughts?

[meltedpanda]

leaky injectors or CSV or other misc items

[msega]

Wow. I wouldn't have thought the two were the same car..

[RickM]

Originally Posted by bradsscooters

it doesn't want to start right up after it is warm and then sitting for more than 20 minutes. still trying to figure that problem out, but she starts right up every morning and every night when I come out to it after work. Any thoughts?

My money is on a faulty Fuel Accumulator. Very common issue.
Let us know...

[rowdie]

Originally Posted by msega

Wow. I wouldn't have thought the two were the same car..

Neither do I.

[GaryF]

Originally Posted by bradsscooters

I bought this 1977 450 SL on ebay for $1300. Wife thought I was crazy! I fixed it up, did all the body work myself and had Maaco paint it. I can now say that It's pretty nice. Here are some pictures of before and after. My next project is a 1984 300dt that I picked up for $400. This is another one I saved from the junkyard! you can see the pictures at http://www.photobucket.com/bradsscooters

20 Days single handed, unbelievable !
You should do this as a business, can't believe how slow I am.

[dstorey]

Looks good!

[bradsscooters]

Actually I guess I have made this a business. I buy old, beat up MB's and fix them up and make them presentable. I have done this with three others over the last year and then sold them. My biggest criteria when purchasing these cars is that they at least run enough so that I know mechanically, they are fixable. The body work needed is of little importance because I can do that. I live in a modular home community in Florida with no garage as you can see in the pictures and I do all the body work in my carport. I work the afternoon shift and have every morning free so rather than golfing I apply my free time to working on the old Mercedes. And unlike golf, this is a game that I don't mind getting frustrated with ocasionally because I can go to all of you on this site to correct the problems I am having with my game. And again I would like to thank all of you for the help that you have given me with my MB's and I hope that I can return the favor soon!

[gy sgt]

bradsscooters isent you a private message

[LUVMBDiesels]

Very nice work!

Seeing you do this makes me not so scared of a cheap SL...

[Strife]

Well, a large part of the skill is picking the RIGHT car...Although both of my SL's are good cars (now), they weren't as good of a deal as I thought that they would be.