I just picked up a really clean 1973 450SE, but the problem is, it's missing a distributor. I just happen to have a couple 1973 M117 distributors lying around the shop, but this W116 has the regular 6 pin connector (circled in red), which differs from the conenctor on the distributor that I have. I should have a distributor connector around here somewhere, but I have no idea how to splice the wires to get to the proper connector.
And there is what appears to be a temperature sensor (circled in green) just hanging loose, can't seem to see where it belongs.
As you can tell, there is a layer of filth on the car, I just got the car towed in last night, I'm eager to get her cleaned up and running.

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I called the shop where the car was stored, and the owner gave me the two distributors that he had for the car. Now the dilema. One of the distributors has vacuum advance, one has vacuum retard. Not sure which the car is supposed to have. It's an early version made in April of 1973 VIN ends in 005116 anyone know which my car is supposed to have?

Here's a picture of the two distributors. FWIW the seller of the car (estate sale) told me the distributor number should be 002 158 15 01 which I can't find any where.

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Took the valve cover off, looks like the cams are 52/53, which happens to be the same cams that I had on a 450SLC and it had vacuum advance, not vacuum retard.

Since the car hasn't been started in years, I applied some oil to the cams and will now take out the spark plugs and spray some WD40 in the plug holes to lubricate the cylinder walls before I crank it.

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Put the distributor in last night, removed plugs and they were very sooty. Looked brand new too,,, hmmm,,, I was able to clean the soot off with compressed air. Put the plugs in the boots, put them wher I could see them as I cranked and I had sparks!

Now to locate my feeler gauge and gap them.

After spraying lubricant (oil) into the cylinders, and on the cams, I cranked the engine until oil pressure came up. She spun pretty fast with no plugs in and it wasn't long before oil pressure registered.

When I was trying to figure out where the green wire from the distributor goes (trigger) I removed the coil and ensured a good ground was had. Personally I don't think anything was wrong with the car, other than a bad ground, and maybe a mal-adjusted air idle valve, and probably some vacuum leaks.

To my surprise, it looks like the top end of the engine has been rebuilt. the Valve cover looked as if it where brand spanking new. With this in mind, might even be unadjusted valves.

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Everything is back together, went to start, but no fire. Not getting fuel, oh well, sounds like a little fuel in the throat to keep going forward. Secdond asttempt, nogo.

Set everything back up TDC and looked at the rotor/trigger, hmmm, a little late, I gently pulled the distributor up until the gear disengaged, and turn the rotor CCW just enough to engage the next gear. Secured the distributor, went to start NADA. Turn the distributor CW to the max Fired up first crank.

Looks like I gotta go one more tooth on the dist gear and I will be able to set the timing near center travel.

Now to deal with the lack of fuel problem,,,

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