I hit a deer about a week ago and I am searching for a new hood. I found two hoods only about 3 hours from here for a decent price. Here's the thing...they say one of them is steel and the other is aluminum. It said the steel one was from an 86 420 ($136), while the aluminum was from an 89 560 ($210).

560 and 420 hoods were made from different metal?? If mine is steel, which I assume it is, should I jump for the aluminum one since I have the chance or stick with steel???

I'd like to stick my name on one of them, but I'd like to figure this out first.

__________________
'86 420SE Euro
904 Midnight Blue, Gray Velour
Dad bought it new, now I own it.

"A Mercedes-Benz is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age."

I believe that the aluminium hood is from an SEC (Coupe), and the steel hood is from an SE or SEL (saloon).

Try a magnet on your hood.! ONLY the steel version is avail from MB as a new replacement.

NO advantage w/aluminum once the hood is installed.

THEY do use different springs, so if you have steel you will need different springs & so-on /soforth.

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

I went out and tried the magnet....it's steel. They said the steel one has damage on it, they're gonna get back with me as to how much....they have to go out and look at it. But I suppose since aluminum has no real advantage (what's a couple pounds on this heavy car?) and I'd have to mess with springs, etc...I might as well just stick with steel if I can find a good one.

One question though, MB DOC.....alu may not have any advantages, does it have any disadvantages (granted I can swtich out springs no prob)??

__________________
'86 420SE Euro
904 Midnight Blue, Gray Velour
Dad bought it new, now I own it.

"A Mercedes-Benz is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age."

Aluminum will dent much easier than steel. Companies started using aluminum pieces to cut down on weight. Look at the rear diff. on a Town Car, the cover is aluminum.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

VERY few body shops fix aluminum panels with EASE. Only downside other than very easy to dent.

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

Hope you put the deer in the freezer, alum is in general harder to paint...........

William Rogers........

Deer in the freezer....hmm....well actually I didn't even stop. That stupid deer was the last thing on my mind. I stopped a few miles later at a gas station so I could unplug my headlight which was shining straight into the sky. I guess I also didn't want to see the damage to my beloved Benz right away. I guess I was trying to pretend it didn't happen! Kind of a denial type thing I guess. But then when I stopped to unplug my light.....it definitely sunk in.

Good news though, I found a single euro light with turn signal on ebay.....$90. Not bad. I possibly found a hood too, if it's not damaged too much. Then I've already ordered some parts from Fastlane, and I'm getting ready to order a few more from Germany. I guess I'm well under way to getting this thing fixed. So now I just need to find a good body shop.

__________________
'86 420SE Euro
904 Midnight Blue, Gray Velour
Dad bought it new, now I own it.

"A Mercedes-Benz is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age."