Race Ramps by Brute Industries

[DerFuror]

My quest for "The" ultimate car ramp is finally satisfied by the two-piece 67 inch Race Ramp XTs, manufactured by Brute Industries of Escanaba, Michigan, USA.

Made of structural foam and barely weighing 15 pounds, the Race Ramp XTs is capable of holding 3000 lbs per set and raises a vehicle with wheels up to 12 inches wide 10 inches off the ground.

Race Ramps are made specifically for high performance cars with wide tires and low ground clearance. The 10.75 degree angle of incline provides plenty of clearance for the 500E's ground effects. I had all kinds of room to maneuver under the 500E on a creeper while performing starter lockout switch R&R last week.

The Race Ramps will not slide on or scratch garage floors. You can store them just about anywhere out of the way & they will not rust or damage your car or body if dropped (I don't believe they even weigh 15 lbs). You can remove the one piece "ramp" section for side access to the car.

More details: http://www.raceramps.com/

I felt that several maintenance/repair uses will more than justify its price. I was able to apply a 15%-off coupon & had them delivered for $330.

 

[195910]

Sweet.. Pretty light too

 

[Glen]

Very nice. I think they are a little expensive but I do like the ability to remove the ramp section and the light weight.

The Portable Pit Stop product is cool too but again, a bit expensive for me.

 

[gerryvz]

Interesting. Ramps are not a bad way to go -- I prefer them to having the car jacked up on jackstands, etc.

I have a pair of metal ramps I had the front end of my 560SEC up on for a full two months while I was rebuilding the top end. They worked fine but indeed the ramp portion got in the way a lot when I was sliding under the car from the sides (i.e to work on the exhaust and downpipe, when removing it from the exhaust manifolds. I said more than few curses various evenings when I banged my arms, knees and such on the ramps when contorting to get under or out from under the car

When I finish building my new house next year (planning to break ground end of this year), I'll have a four-car garage and it will be designed for a full hydraulic lift. That should eliminate a lot of cursing, and save my lower back. Which, is still hurting from my 560SEC experience. I expect it will finally heal up in a few months; the pain is about 50-60% down from what it once was.

Very cool though. Thanks for the heads up.

Cheers,
Gerry

P.S. That is one bad-ass Finny in the garage. Do tell....

 

[DerFuror]

Re: The Finny is my first car, the 500E is my last


The Finny is a 1965 220b 4-door sedan named Klaus. We have been on & off tour together since 1984. I believe I’m the 2nd owner. I rescued Klaus for a reasonable price as a birthday present to myself from a prominent hometown attorney family. I used to walk the backstreets & alleys on my way to high school. Along the way, I saw this car parked off an alleyway that was so gothic & gaudy. It looked like the cars that the bad guys in the early James Bond movies always drove. It was a Mercedes Benz. When I got older, I was gonna get a Mercedes Benz like this. A couple years passed. The car was still setting there. I bought it. I was very lucky to have a father who was a “Doctor of Motors”, arguably one of the best auto mechanics in the region during his time. He was a mechanical, electrical & welding wizard who specialized in European imports, was a Ferrari mechanic for a privateer racing team during the late 1950s – early 1960s, and was proprietor of his own small business. He resuscitated the neglected engine & provided its new lease on life. I thankfully learned most of my automotive skills & patience from him.

The car is powered by the timeless M180.940 straight six cylinder, dual Solex 34 PJCB carbureted engine. 1965 was the last production year of this W111.010/ M180.940 model. It has the latest & greatest versions of its model’s brake system, subframe, axles, etc., but none of the overly electrical or hydro/pneumatic issues of its successors or more advanced coupe brethren. The 220b was the pedestrian version of the W111...your basic entry-level sedan, taxi or fleet car. Produced from August 1959 – August 1965, most were driven into the ground or to the crusher. Production numbers were 69,000-ish, with slightly less than 5000 produced during the final year (Klaus’ year). It appears these Finny or Heckflosse Benzes are now encountering a surge in collector interest. I do know that drivable versions are now quite scarce on the open road (especially from the looks on other driver’s faces as Klaus passes them on the motorway…”What the Hell was That!”).

Over the past decade, my job had me living out of a suitcase travelling about America & Europe. During that time I stockpiled a mass of new OEM replacement parts. I finally created the opportunity for a major R&R. The drivetrain (engine, 4-speed automatic transmission & rear end) are all original. The engine was overhauled by my father mid 1980s. The Solex carbs were then rebuilt & bench-tested by Apple Hydraulics. The past 3 summers have been active. The original radiator was refurbished. All coolant hoses are new. All ignition components are new. I replaced the original Bosch distributor with an electronic 123Ignition this past year (probably the most impressive upgrade to driving pleasure). The driveshaft has new u-joints & rebalance. Most rubber wear & suspension components have been replaced. Bilstein shocks all around. New rear springs & Gillette Bear P185/80 R13 M/S tires. We upgraded from Girling to ATE front disc brakes calipers years ago. The car is currently in the garage receiving new brake hoses & some lines.

The seats are original & in better than average condition compared to the battered examples I usually see in ebay. It has a Becker Europa radio. I’ve had a Blaupunkt Washington with matching 10disc CD changer in the car since the 1990s. I upgraded the sound system 2 years ago with an EQ & Blaupunkt matched component speakers front & back. I need to strip & refinish about 2/3 of the dashboard veneer. I searched long & hard for the flip down armrest…great shape, great condition, wrong color. I have new front & rear window seals I hope to install during the off-season. Any non-original interior features I add are usually made from MB items.

Whatever mood I am in, when I climb into Klaus I feel like a million bucks. That timeless vintage smell of the leather interior. The spaciousness & visibility of the concert hall-like seating area (I have not experienced a car with more head or leg room). The speedometer with its vertical thermometer-like calibrations. The sound & way the doors (even after 45 years) still seal shut.

The ride is luxo-barge smooth, yet it can corner like a sports car. It’s a great town car or tour car. Zero to 60mph times are not in this car’s vocabulary (with a whopping 105hp @5200rpm), but Klaus can drive forever at 75mph & can hit 100mph if need be. I added an air snorkel connection to the airbox intake similar to the W111 fuel injected models. At 80mph, the result is almost like a low boost blower kicking in. The car must also produce some kind of spell-binding optical illusion…or just look like it can’t go that fast. I’ve purposely held my accelerator foot firmly planted to the floor going over 90mph for tens of miles at a time, awaiting either a blown engine or a State trooper pulling me over...yet neither of these outcomes have occurred. Best of all, the front end approaching a slow mark’s rear view mirror does wonders in moving them out of the passing lane.

For whatever reason, the car has been getting more looks & thumbs up this year than I have ever experienced. I’ll do the brake hose job as soon as possible & get our last rides of the season in because the registration expires soon. I will be taking Klaus off the road for some necessary undercarriage repair. I’ll focus on this area & a proactive wheel bearing replacement so the car will be good to go for another 45 years.

 

[195910]

That Fintail is timeless.

If that's the status of an entry level Benz after 45 years, then what would we expect for a top of the line hand built limited production model that was the fastest 4 door in its time ????

 

[DerFuror]

That Fintail is timeless.

Klaus's time has run out on this year's driving season. A final run was made to "Soaring Capital of the World" Harris Hill, home of the National Sail Plane Museum...a veritable sail plane playground with a panaramic scenic overlook & some nice twisty roads to get there...

For what time is left this year, it will now be all 500E. :twisted:

 

[DerFuror]

What is the 500E's future value?

If that's the status of an entry level Benz after 45 years, then what would we expect for a top of the line hand built limited production model that was the fastest 4 door in its time ????

I've been pondering 195910's question for quite a while. My gut feeling has always been that this car is perhaps the most desirable Mercedes in the past 25 years based on its perceived pedigree, production, performance & quality (this has a lot to do with why I own one). The norms of basic economics pertaining to scarcity would also suggest that the value of a desirable item increases as its scarcity increases.

I remember reading a 2008 Classic Motorsports review of the 1992-94 production 500e. The reviewer stated to expect prices for better condition vehicles to range from $15,000 to $30,000 USD. The reviewer also suggested that 500Es are often being sold at 6-cylinder W124 prices because the overall market is ignorant to what the 124.036 really is. I was fortunate to take advantage of this perception by locating & buying a very nice 500E for well under what I would have considered its actual value.

One of the reasons it's taken so long for me to post this reply is that our traditionally accepted economic paradigms have become so schizophrenic regarding the stock & bond markets, oil, gold, real estate, currency values, etc. The traditional relationships between these items no longer currently hold. In the past I would have said, "Easy. The value of a 500E is going to be just what the review stated, if not more". But, I refrained from predicting anything regarding a 500Es future value because our present was no longer making sense & the future was therefore even less predictable.

I revisited a copy of the Mercedes-Benz 500E and E500 Production Numbers from 500Espot Wiki:
http://www.500espot.com/wiki/index.php? ... on_Numbers

It clearly guesstimates that approximately half of the total production of these cars is now off the road worldwide...gone. A scarce item becomes more scarce. Another most interesting statistic is the velocity at which the German domestic market (initially the largest 500E market) has been dwindling.

I think the time is now for a potential 500E buyer who is sitting on the fence to make their purchase. It appears we are starting to see values of good 500Es slowly increase. I'm sure part of this is attributed to owner's (many who may collaborate thru the 500Espot) to hold out on a sale for the reserve value they establish & nothing less. There is also a lot to be said about the power of the Forum as a mass marketing tool. I think we will start seeing an increased demand from Germany for quality 500Es start pushing prices as the 500E reaches its 20th anniversary. It also appears that the majority of surviving 500Es are now in North America (with a noticeable influx of JDM cars adding to this figure). Many of you have also commented on how Benz "doesn't make'em like they used to". I'm sure the Germans feel the same way. I sense all of these items combined will rekindle 500E reminiscing & a strong interest in getting one of these babies into a Deutschlander collector's garage & out on the Autobahn.

Bottomline: Take care of & enjoy your car. Buy another one. Move to sell (if desired) after MB Corporate unveils 500E 20th anniversary promotions. Legends grow over time. The market should be looking for the Legend.

 

[gerryvz]

I agree with every word you say. I saw this nostalgia marketing campaign from MB Classic happen right before my eyes with the 300SEL 6.3. The values of nice 6.3s has skyrocketed. Same has happened with Pagodas. 5-7 years ago you could get a nice Pagoda for $25-30K. Today they are more than double that. The price of a nice original 6.3 has more than doubled what it was 5 years ago. This is after years of stagnation in the prices of these cars. The 6.9s haven't seemed to have taken off yet, so are a bit of an anomaly to the rule. Cars like Finnies, 6.3s, and Pagodas have been traveling back to Germany from the US in droves over the past 5-7 years.

R107 SLs have been climbing for a number of years now. They are climbing to the point where the value of nicer 1986-1990 560SLs have eclipsed the value of the earlier and middle-year successor R129 SLs. $20K is now the entry point for a decent 560SL, and lower mileage "pristine" models are in the $25K and even higher range. And these cars were made (as are the 560SECs) in fairly large numbers - certainly far larger than our E500Es.

Same with the 560SECs. The prices of the nicer cars have already bottomed out and are climbing. There are very very few "nice" 560SECs out there because so many have been driven hard and abused. It is REALLY difficult to find nice examples of collectible Benzes in Europe -- far more difficult than here because of the rust issues that they tend to have in Europe. Plus, cars like 500Es and 560SECs were often purchased as daily drivers by wealthy Europeans and driven hard, used up, and sold. Many of these cars had fewer options than the fully loaded US cars, as well, making the US-model cars more desirable. I'm starting to see nicer 560SECs in the mid-20K range and going up.

The values of even the top tier of 500E/E500s have declined, but I think are right at the bottom at this point in time. Fully depreciated. I take for example several cars I've seen with low mileage (in the 40-60K range) that have been available in the $20-25K range. This is a decline from perhaps $25-30K about 7-8 years ago. But the price of these cars hasn't broken the $20K barrier and won't ever break it. Just can't go any lower, and rather will start to go back up again.

MB will definitely mount a "20th anniversary" and then a "25th anniversary" MB Classic marketing campaign for the 500E. In fact, that will happen this coming year, which was when the 500E was first unveiled 20 years ago back in 1991 and available for purchase later that year. These marketing campaigns tend to drive up demand for the cars, particularly among European collectors. Given that US cars and European cars were very similar in power levels (unlike the heavily smogged 560SEC), that will make it a very desirable machine for European collectors.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[sheward]

I think both of you have summed up the points on this topic well. I agree the inherant or actual value in these cars is not yet reflected in the current pricing. The most obvious reason being the lack of the car cultures' awareness of the model, as was said. This is discussed here regularly. Many more enthusiasts recognize the M5 as compared to the E500E for example. I would like to add that this forum, along with 500 ecstacy, perpetuate that change in awareness and will most likely have a significant influence on the cars' value in the future.

 

[jano]

Bumping this old thread.. hey, Derf, THANK YOU. I sent out a link to my little bro after reading about those ramps, and was surprised to receive it for christmas from the folks and bro . Holy cow they are AWESOME. Lightweight, easy to store, and get the car up higher than a sidewalk, the jack stands, or ramps from auto stores. I am thrilled!

 

[gerryvz]

Haven't seen much out of the Derf lately. He must be hibernating for the New York winter in the garage (with his cars) and will pop out again in the spring.

Those Race Ramps are not cheap. I'd love to get some but I'll suffice with my Griot's Garage ramps I've had for some years now.

That's sweet that you got some though!

 

[DerFuror]

.. hey, Derf, THANK YOU... Holy cow they are AWESOME... I am thrilled!

You are welcome & the Brutes are awesome. What a nice way to start your New Year off working on your car. You are obviously regarded as a very good son & brother. Best wishes.


Now go get dirty!

 

[Jelmer]

You've just given me the inspiration I needed to work even harder and try to earn more. I need to have such a driving museum in my garage.

 

[DerFuror]

Re: Driving Museum

You've just given me the inspiration I needed to work even harder and try to earn more. I need to have such a driving museum in my garage.

Thank you, Jelmer. I'm glad to have been of inspirational service...

...When does the hurting stop?

...however, work smart! I believe you are better off with just one driving museum at a time.

 

[Jelmer]

Touché.

 

[500AMM]

My quest for "The" ultimate car ramp is finally satisfied by the two-piece 67 inch Race Ramp XTs, manufactured by Brute Industries of
More details: http://www.raceramps.com/

I felt that several maintenance/repair uses will more than justify its price. I was able to apply a 15%-off coupon & had them delivered for $330.

Hello.

These Race Ramps looks very handy and are very tempting. Along with a set of the Wheel Kribs would be great. I've found them here in Morepay too - at $600 a set for the 67"! (Hmmm - do they go as hand luggage on a business trip... LoL)

-arnt-

 

[DerFuror]

I've found them here in Morepay too - at $600 a set for the 67"! (Hmmm - do they go as hand luggage on a business trip... LoL) -arnt-

Wow! $600 from Freuchen Import is a crazy price! When is your next business trip to the US? Buy them here & ship them home with your check-in luggage. The box is quite large, but it is not heavy at all. The package size would be comparable to checking in a double ski bag for a return trip home from a ski vacation.

Otherwise;
you NOK/Morepay

PS: A disturbing fact is that there are ambitiously insane people here in the USA working feverishly at this very moment robbing our personal wealth & freedoms while remodeling our socio-economic system based on that of Europe! Most people/families relocated to the US to get the hell away from the "European" system...

 

[500AMM]

I have in fact a planned business trip to the US in two weeks, so I could bring along my ski bag and take them as special luggage. I guess that would cost a little extra, but what happens when I enter Morepay, +25% VAT + custom fee and 25% VAT on that fee again - oh yes! :-( So I'll contact the vendor here tomorrow and check for a possible group-buy with some MB club members.
------------------
As for the European versus US economy systems, they are on different planets and can't be merged. It is a long story to list all + and - between those. I'm not an economist, but the US system is more money driven based on higher risk, fast income and less reserves. So if somebody put on the brakes it is disasterous to the money flow. It may not sound good for many in the US, but from a European point of view, it seems that Barak Obama is the first president really saying that "we can't use more money than we have". So in hard days, the very wealthy and greedy ones (companies, banks, some individuals etc..) spasmodic protects their vallets, not sharing a dime to the country in tax, it'll be nothing left for the regular folks, simple thinking. But let's hope the world economy is brought back to balance as soon as possible, the best for all.

Ciao
-arnt-

 

[gsxr]

...but from a European point of view, it seems that Barak Obama is the first president really saying that "we can't use more money than we have".

Wait. Isn't this the same president who is currently spending like crazy, and spending money we don't have? :?

Disclaimer: I avoid politics like the plague... but it seems Obama hasn't done very well with the economy, and it's not because he's being conservative and avoiding spending. More like the opposite!

 

[DerFuror]

...but what happens when I enter Morepay, +25% VAT + custom fee and 25% VAT on that fee again - oh yes! :-( So I'll contact the vendor here tomorrow and check for a possible group-buy with some MB club members.

Ouch! That certainly represents a twisted definition of the word "VALUE". A group-buy may be your only viable option. Sounds like your Government has all the entry doors well-guarded by the Morepay VAT-man.
VELKOMMEN TIL NORGE!

 

[Klink]

Derf, thanks for the link. I will be re-reading this thread a time or two with delight. I also have great Heckflosse memories from my teens, and our experiences with them are uncannily similar. Thanks again.

 

[DerFuror]

die Heckflossen

Heckflossen are very cool. Here is an excellent restoration article regarding the model that superseded mine one year later. The magazine sponsoring the job is also the same magazine that produced the article that reintroduced me to the 500E & prompted me to find the one I'm driving now.

Both sedans are a real buzz to drive...except one goes a real helluva lot faster than the other.

 

[Klink]

Re: die Heckflossen

Heckflossen are very cool. Here is an excellent restoration article regarding the model that superseded mine one year later. The magazine sponsoring the job is also the same magazine that produced the article that reintroduced me to the 500E & prompted me to find the one I'm driving now.

Both sedans are a real buzz to drive...except one goes a real helluva lot faster than the other.

Thanks! I'm going to enjoy both of those a lot. I will do an owner thread one of these days. As with you, my 500E fetish overlaps with a Heckflosse experience.