OWNER JC220

[gerryvz]

Just use the editor, as it allows you to style text and auto-saves what you are inputting once every minute or so.

 

[gerryvz]

I cleaned up a few more pages.....

 

[JC220]

I cleaned up a few more pages.....

I am trying to assist also Gerry - up to page 9 done currently (On my posts that I can edit)

 

[gerryvz]

With a couple more hours' work (in addition to JC's work yesterday) at scrubbing all extraneous text from JC's 28 pages of OWNER thread, I think we've got the job complete.

This morning's database backup from 1:00 AM showed a 40 MB drop in overall database size from yesterday. 40 MB is a HUGE drop in database size, considering the overall forum database is around 600 MB in size.

I think it is fairly prudent to say that JC is/has been the forum's definitive, overall resource/storage usage hog champion (with the exception of myself, but only because of the photos associated with the dozens of HOW-TO article's I've written over the years).

Thus, congratulations are in order for our friend JC.

 

[JC220]

With a couple more hours' work (in addition to JC's work yesterday) at scrubbing all extraneous text from JC's 28 pages of OWNER thread, I think we've got the job complete.

This morning's database backup from 1:00 AM showed a 40 MB drop in overall database size from yesterday. 40 MB is a HUGE drop in database size, considering the overall forum database is around 600 MB in size.

I think it is fairly prudent to say that JC is/has been the forum's definitive, overall resource/storage usage champion (with the exception of myself, but only because of the photos associated with the dozens of HOW-TO article's I've written over the years).

Thus, congratulations are in order for our friend JC.

Thanks for your help with that Gerry! I do refer back to my owners thread quite alot to double check what and when I had carried out certain jobs on my motley fleet so its great to have my error repaired and the thread restored

PS I think we are due another epic GVZ "How-To"

 

[gerryvz]

Thanks for your help with that Gerry! I do refer back to my owners thread quite alot to double check what and when I had carried out certain jobs on my motley fleet so its great to have my error repaired and the thread restored

PS I think we are due another epic GVZ "How-To"

Approximately six more Wiki bugs reported and squashed in the past 24 hours...

VaultWiki - Wiki for Forum Communities - Support

VaultWiki, Wiki addon for vBulletin forums. Licensing and support site.

www.vaultwiki.org

 

[JC220]

Say hello to my latest Ebay purchase



A brand new W140 Soft Close pump Aparantly NLA according to seller but never checked that myself.
(3x spare now - 1x per 140)

 

[Kyiv]

Only a very small, narrow group of people on this planet can actually understand on a quantum level why acquiring 3rd brand new is soft close pump is feeling

 

[gsxr]

Appears to still be available, but ~$/€1000!

https://partssearch.mercedes-benz-classic.com/parts/A1408001748?tt=automatic

 

[JC220]

Only a very small, narrow group of people on this planet can actually understand on a quantum level why acquiring 3rd brand new is soft close pump is feeling

Sorry I meant 3 spare with the other 2x being good used pumps. (One is 2015 or something like that) and this new one giving 3x total spare.

Have been stepping up the hoard recently. Bought 4x w140 tool kits also spare in last couple of weeks and aiming for 12x

Appears to still be available, but ~$/€1000!

https://partssearch.mercedes-benz-classic.com/parts/A1408001748?tt=automatic

Yes I figured these were pricey! But I lucked out since this was an ebay auction and the seller had made a mistake in their listing. They had it listed as used under the Ebay setup but described as brand new boxed unused pump in description.

Only one other bidder and at the last possible second I dropped a £300 bid and to my surprise the other person only had £100 bid on it so got it for just over £100 (LESS than they go for used here!)

 

[gsxr]

Have been stepping up the hoard recently. Bought 4x w140 tool kits also spare in last couple of weeks and aiming for 12x

Joe, do you have photos of both the early + late 140 toolkits, fully loaded, to show which tools come in each type? I have one of each but they aren't complete and I'm not sure what belongs in all the spaces!

 

[JC220]

Joe, do you have photos of both the early + late 140 toolkits, fully loaded, to show which tools come in each type? I have one of each but they aren't complete and I'm not sure what belongs in all the spaces!

Yes I'll get you photos of both types Dave no problem. My kits are all complete

 

[JC220]

It is almost time to get the 320 coupe out of the garage so the weldathon can begin on the other cars. I need to find a faster way if cutting both the rusted areas from the cars and the new patch panels. Using a grinder with thin discs gives nice cuts but a PITA on smaller complex shapes.

A Plasma cutter will work best for me but I require a Pilot type cutter to enable it to slice thorugh painted or rusty steel. There are plenly of "Cut 50" chinese cheapies on ebay with pilot light for £150 ish. Tempting but NO. That is a buy cheap, buy Twice scenario. It will shart shit itself soon enough and then I;ll have to buy another one over.

So I went for a Clark 30SI Plasma with Pilot Arc - you tube demo video

These sell for approx. £650 gbp but at least it is a qulaity unit and should not fail or if it does there will be parts available to repair it.

I bought this used on ebay but it is literally brand new condition. The guy bought it a few months ago used it for tests and never since as a project fell through. (He makes gates or something not sure) Anyway for £300 shipped I am very pleased and can't wait to test it out when it gets here. And get to work on the couple of areas where the Green S500 coupe requires small repairs and then the S430 which needs extensive welding to the cills

 

[JC220]

So unfortunately the used plasma cutter got here today and was faulty out of the box

Fortunately I bought it on ebay and paid through Ebay/ paypal etc. So the unfair ebay system will actually work for me for once and a return request has started.

These plasma machines appear temperamental even as new machines and £500 - £600. May just not bother with one for fear of ending up with a paper weight after a given period of time.

 

[JC220]

Got my 500E out today for the first time in spring and gave it a little blast-

Going to take it for a long drive today but not getting out anywhere at all (Virus!) Just to get it to stretch its legs which is long overdue and enjoy the nice sunshine from the car interior! We are house bound all weekend and taking this seriously but a drive out wont hurt anyone especially since we are not yet in lockdown.

 

[JC220]

Enjoying the coast Covid style - packed lunch and dont leave car

 

[ace10]

Enjoying the coast Covid style - packed lunch and dont leave car

View attachment 95515
View attachment 95516

Glassy.

Is that facing the ocean or the sea?

I grew up on the water. A protected bay. Miss being so close.

 

[JC220]

Glassy.

Is that facing the ocean or the sea?

I grew up on the water. A protected bay. Miss being so close.

Hi, this photo was taken in a town called Portrush. It is one of the most Northern towns in Ireland. Lots of great beaches but they were of course empty today with what its currently going on worldwide.

So I guess this is looking out to Sea in the North Easterly direction

 

[ace10]

Had to check that on a map. Didn't realize that Ireland comes up the west side of NIR, so you don't really have exposure to the Atlantic.

Looks like a nice spot to stare out at the horizon.

Stay safe!

 

[JC220]

Hi All, I was busy social distancing in the garage this weekend. Come to think of it I have been practicing this for years!!

The Green Goddess is getting the attention at the moment for a final push to the finish line. Got the following done:

• Flushed cooling system with cleaner and fresh water several times. Clear water now. (The car stood for years with low coolant so it was due)
• Rad removed again for cleaning and detailing.
• New condenser fitted to rad and fans rebuilt / tested. Alu fan blade blasted and sprayed with etch primer and aluminium paint. New fan clutch going in too.
• Before the bumper goes back on I am taking care of any small rust spots to keep the car in top condition for years hopefully. (Wurth zinc paint primer applied and green coded paint and laquer to follow)
• Fog lamps taken apart and cleaned up.
• New nuts and bolts everywhere for cosmetic reasons.
• Front end in bits again but will all go back together this week.

Building the restored rad pack back up again, will install then drive it onto ramps so I can tighten the crank bolt and put the fan etc back in. Exceited to see the old girl back in one piece again and looking much better for it from when I bought the car

 

[TerryA]

Hi All, I was busy social distancing in the garage this weekend. Come to think of it I have been practicing this for years!!

The Green Goddess is getting the attention at the moment for a final push to the finish line. Got the following done:

• Flushed cooling system with cleaner and fresh water several times. Clear water now. (The car stood for years with low coolant so it was due)
• Rad removed again for cleaning and detailing.
• New condenser fitted to rad and fans rebuilt / tested. Alu family blade blasted and sprayed with etch primer and aluminium paint. New fan clutch going in too.
• Before the bunker goes back on I am taking care of any small rust spots to keep the car in top condition for years hopefully. (Wurth zinc paint primer applied and green coded paint and laquer to follow)
• Fog lamps taken apart and cleaned up.
• New nuts and bolts everywhere for cosmetic reasons.
• Front end in bits again but will all go back together this week.

View attachment 97554

View attachment 97555
Building the restored rad pack back up again, will install then drive it onto ramps so I can tighten the crank bolt and put the fan etc back in. Exceited to see the old girl back in one piece again and looking much better for it from when I bought the car

Wow! That engine looks like a polished diamond in a ring setting.

BTW, Here in the US, you can get back maybe £100 on your investment for that partial roll of TP setting behind the fans.

 

[nocfn]

In many primitive society in Africa, shaking of hands is usually done with the left hand only, since Toilet paper is non-existent.

 

[sheward]

Wow! That engine looks like a polished diamond in a ring setting.

BTW, Here in the US, you can get back maybe £100 on your investment for that partial roll of TP setting behind the fans.

I'll take it. Priority delivery please.

The car is looking sweet Joe.

drew

 

[Kyiv]

Unreal, and inspirational

 

[gerryvz]

Yes, that is definitely bordering on (but not quite) @lowmania. But very much an order of magnitude below @captruffitis. The rust on the centers of those fan bolts places this job just shy of lowmania achievement.


lowmania (noun)
lo·ma·nia \ ˈlō-mā-nē-ə \

Definition of lowmania
1: excitement and elevation of mood manifested by hyperactive and anal cleaning, refurbishment and detailing of decades-old Mercedes-Benz parts to a condition as good as or better than when the car left the factory

// I experienced a serious bout of lowmania last night when working on my 500E.

2 a: an excessive enthusiasm for cleaning and detailing Mercedes-Benz automotive parts, exclusively found only in the western coastal (North Sea) region of Norway

2 b : a Mercedes-Benz automobile that is the object of such anal and peculiar enthusiasm

 

[JC220]

Wow! That engine looks like a polished diamond in a ring setting.

BTW, Here in the US, you can get back maybe £100 on your investment for that partial roll of TP setting behind the fans.

Thank you Terry! Yes I have lots of blue rolls in the garage I could have retired off loading the lot but I need it for greater good!

I'll take it. Priority delivery please.

The car is looking sweet Joe.

drew

Thankyou Drew I appreciate it!

Unreal, and inspirational

Again thank you all for kind comments! Lots more progress to come as this one nears completion (well as complete as any car owned by a nutcase OCD type can be!)

Yes, that is definitely bordering on (but not quite) @lowmania. But very much an order of magnitude below @captruffitis. The rust on the centers of those fan bolts places this job just shy of lowmania

Haha thanks Gerry that was a great post on lowmania! I miss that too on the board

Actually - I kid you not. That was a mockup and I didnt bolt the fans down yet because I wanted to spray in those 2x areas on the fans with satin black paint! That will be done before the fan pack is fully built up and installed. All plastic trim were uncracked anywhere and have cleaned up as new so really pleased with it.

Fans were also lubricated and tested before fitting into the repainted frame. They appear in rude health for a car that has sat so long. I kind of like the way this car is coming along - not a mental over the top restoration but lots of the original parts and paint are still there which is really pleasing to see.

 

[JC220]

Today I got the small areas that had minor rust blemishes sprayed and blended in with the original paint. Super happy with how it turned out - small touch ins are invisible. This wont be seen when the bumper and rad pack goes back in but what to heck!! Before the trim goes back on I will also spray these areas with clear preservative anti rust waxoyl.







Meanwhile the fog lamps and headlamps have been split apart for cleaning internally and behind the lenses. New bulbs going in too just whilst in there. All little brackets getting bead blasted and sprayed satin black before going back on. Fan Blade was vapour blasted, etch primed and aluminium painted. I am impressed by the quality of the new NRF viscous fan clutch and that it even came with the correct new centre bolt in the box!



Going to torque the crank bolt next before final assembly commences

 

[JC220]

This is something wrong in this picture and I hope some of you can spot it




That's right- RUST!!!! WTF.





Phew - that was close

 

[gerryvz]

It's good that you are proactively taking care of these things, before the E500E Originality Police busts you for non-compliance.

I don't think you are QUITE up to Lowman- or Captruff-level of resto anality, yet, though.

 

[JC220]

It's good that you are proactively taking care of these things, before the E500E Originality Police busts you for non-compliance.

I don't think you are QUITE up to Lowman- or Captruff-level of resto anality, yet, though.

Hi Gerry, I know this is a chain yank since this is a S500 not E500E Police specific

Ps I'm not trying to be anyone else but JC220

 

[gerryvz]

Hi Gerry, I know this is a chain yank since this is a S500 not E500E Police specific

Ps I'm not trying to be anyone else but JC220

You are posting non-E500E stuff on an E500E forum. Therefore, you are [by default] held to E500E standards in all respects, including originality and quality of repairs. Otherwise, it's back to Banzworld for you !!!

 

[JC220]

Gotcha Gerry! Thanks

My S430 did something strange today. Fired up and reversed back OK and I left it to idle for a bit. Noticed silence a little while later and when I tried to restart it, it sputtered and just cranked over.

Added more Petrol thinking it had ran out but no difference. Put on my fuel pressure gauge and pegged at zero. Damn and blasted another fuel pump death! I usually have one on the shelf but the green goddess took that pump recently.... I'll fit a new fuel pump when it arrives by post and see if that gets the S430 up and running again. Worth a shot before delving into relays and such. Although I do have w220 SAMs etc in the hoard for testing.

 

[JC220]

I charged the battery for a couple of days on the S430 and today it fired up just fine. Must have been a low voltage issue from sitting around. Note to self - get that car on the road again!

Still tidying up small parts for the S500. Cleaned the head and fog lamps inside and out. Made one good headlamp for the left side out of 2x. (One had a cracked lens and the other a broken clip. All good now)



Shot blasted these parts, etch primed and several coats of satin black going on tonight before bed. This is literally about the 78th small batch of bits to get restored on this car! Used up at least half a dozen aerosols just on this car

Going to try and get the bumper, headlamp and these parts re-fitted tomorrow.

Edit- paint still wet but appears nice! Will dry as satin finish



One coat of Upol etch primer and 3x coats of Satin Black with 20 mins curing between each coat.

 

[JC220]

It was June last year I removed the front bumper a few days after purchasing this coupe for engine transplant. So it was GREAT to re-install that tonight and it doesn't look like a parts car any more!!

Tidied up the bumper brackets which had overspray on them from past repaint on bumper


Rebuilt and cleaned Fog lamps


Clear / Amber anti corrosion wax sprayed on to all inaccessible areas before bumper was mounted



And looking like a car again!

 

[JC220]

I just learned this morning that the Green Coupe has MOT! Covid 19 exemption came through so it's MOTd until October

However I need to make the old girl road legal first which starts with swapping over a set of legal tyres (The ones on it are pre historic times and cracked to hell) and some other basic checks. Maybe, just maybe I can take it for a gentle drive a few miles up the road this Easter break and see how it drives and how the new motor pulls under C140 bulk. Some other very minor rust welding IS NOT an MOT failure just stuff I want to make good myself so those tasks can be done post shake down run. Most people would never even know the rust was there I went looking for it and stripped out the trunk linings etc. Very small areas.

It will be the first time this car is on the road since the last MOT it passed in 2008 (Expired 2009 and never on the road since that time)

The brakes actually feel totally fine at my house and I can see it is evenly cleaning the discs of surface rust. I will still totally strip them, blast, paint and fit all new rubber seals etc this spring since I have w140 caliper rebuild kits on the shelf.

 

[JC220]

When one bolt takes over 2 hours to remove you start to question your life choices






I'm keeping this one as a souvenir. That little

To my neoghbours - have you never seen a guy snow foam his exhaust before?? Sheesh

 

[gerryvz]

When one bolt takes over 2 hours to remove you start to question your life choices

View attachment 100657
View attachment 100658
View attachment 100659
View attachment 100660

I'm keeping this one as a souvenir. That little

To my neoghbours - have you never seen a guy snow foam his exhaust before?? Sheesh
View attachment 100664

I had a similar issue with a block drain on my G320 (M104 engine). A former mechanic had "botched" the plug and basically stripped it out, and I was left to clean up the aftermath. I literally spent like 6+ hours on getting a simple drain plug out of the block, and had to destroy it to do so. I had ordered 2x spares, so had a ready replacement. I have saved the old one (it's literal carnage) as a souvenir, and still have it today.

I think I took some photos....

What’s your best buy DIY garage tools? | Tools and Shop Equipment

This thread is getting off-topic. Let’s please keep it focused on tools.

www.500eboard.co

 

[JC220]

The C140 exhaust system eventually gave in to hours of bashing out bolts, cleaning, wire brushing etc etc. Zinc coated, then VHT black finish like OE. New hardware coming in the post then that system goes back on for a year or two only then I hope to get a full stainless system made with Y pipe / resonator delete.





I am also really excited about l something I bought for the green goddess and it should turn up next week. It will be a finishing touch to the car - a little special something sitting on a shelf for 19 years and on the way here now

 

[JC220]

Yesterday morning I had my GF check the lights in the C140 and found quite a few issues...

• Front left side light out
• Front left Main Beam out
• Both front side indicators out
• Left tail lamp out
• Left Brake lamp out

Oh dear! Cleary a car that hasn't seen an MOT station for over a decade. Some fettling began until all was working again as it should.

I do keep a small stock of mostly German made Osram bulbs -



Ordered about 60 new bulbs too so I have plenty of every type of bulb I'll ever need to hand including several sets of night breakers which will all be stored in a dedicated bulb plastic carry case / organiser.

Front side lamp was just a fused bulb. Front main beam was tested with my power probe and immediately I confirmed the bulb was OK but the poorly designed lamp holder wasnt passing the earth through. So I jerry rigged it for now and it's fine- But I have a new much better pair of H1 connectors coming in the post. I'll solder those in both sides on the car to make a proper job of it and fit new night breaker bulbs at the same time before aligning the headlamps too as a final step.

The side indicators were a case that the bodyshop who had sprayed the front fenders for the selling dealer left the bulbs hanging in behind and one was fused. Fishing those back out and installed a fresh new pair of bulbs sorted that.

In the rear it turned out both bulbs were missing on the left side! Someone must have robbed them in the past - perhaps the dealer for another car!?? Simple fix and with that, all bulbs on the car are burning brightly and as they should.

Then I found a lost rubber seal for the radiator that was preventing me installing the rad pack. So last night that went back in and this car is really taking shape now.

More to come the next few days will see alot happening to this coupe and possibly the first time I can drive it on the road

 

[outrbnks]

Enjoying the coast Covid style - packed lunch and dont leave car

View attachment 95515
View attachment 95516

Hey Joe,

Just catching up on your owners thread, always a great read, and I came across your road trip picture at Portrush last month. The picture looked inviting enough to try and find it on Google maps, it's simply amazing what you can find with Street view.

Anyway your description of looking Northeast threw me off for a while, with the Sea on the right side of the picture and the grassy hill on the left.

So I finally decided it couldn't be Northeast and continued looking to the northwest instead, considering the shape and the relative northwest angle of the Ramore Head peninsula to the mainland. So with changing the view angle there were only a couple of places to look for a large grassy hill on the left and a road close enough to the water. I found Ramore Ave. fairly quickly and on the 2nd Street view stop, there it was near the north edge of town, and your parked looking to the northwest.

It looks like a nice place to go exploring, if this virus thing ever gets over, my wife and I want to explore Ireland and the UK among others.

Anyway, keep up the pictures and write ups, great to see all the work you've done. Cheers.. Oscar

 

[JC220]

Hey Joe,

Just catching up on your owners thread, always a great read, and I came across your road trip picture at Portrush last month. The picture looked inviting enough to try and find it on Google maps, it's simply amazing what you can find with Street view.

Anyway your description of looking Northeast threw me off for a while, with the Sea on the right side of the picture and the grassy hill on the left.

So I finally decided it couldn't be Northeast and continued looking to the northwest instead, considering the shape and the relative northwest angle of the Ramore Head peninsula to the mainland. So with changing the view angle there were only a couple of places to look for a large grassy hill on the left and a road close enough to the water. I found Ramore Ave. fairly quickly and on the 2nd Street view stop, there it was near the north edge of town, and your parked looking to the northwest.

It looks like a nice place to go exploring, if this virus thing ever gets over, my wife and I want to explore Ireland and the UK among others.

Anyway, keep up the pictures and write ups, great to see all the work you've done. Cheers.. Oscar

Hi Oscar - that's awesome research! And sorry for the NE bit I must have got that confused. Yes Portrush is a lovely area and there are lots of great coastal areas in Ireland with amazing Spa Hotels. Such as Parknasilla in Kerry where we stay about 4 - 5 times every year.

Parknasilla Resort & Spa | Luxury Hotels In Kerry | Book Today!

Enjoy a relaxing stay in Kerry at Parknasilla Resort & Spa Hotel that offers luxury rooms & self-catering houses surrounded by inlets & hidden beaches. Book Today!

www.parknasillaresort.com

I can give you plenty of tips if you get a trip over and of course it would be great if you could visit here in Co Tyrone!

Indeed this year if things improve we intend to take a week and drive as much of the irish coast as we can - most likely in the green C140 (fitting colour and all!)

Thanks for the comments on the thread - lots of work going on and progress sort of being made on the fleet which should continue all year hopefully

 

[JC220]

Last night I got the antifreeze filled with the correct Zerox and deionsied water in the C140. Luckily I buy both of those in 5 gallon drums so had plenty to hand despite lockdown.

You can imagine what a decade of standing does for a brake system - especially the climate this side of the pond. I started on the front left side. There were new brake pads and the discs are good too. (By good I mean they were likely new at one point - have rust but are still perfectly serviceable and I'll clean + paint everything properly this summer)

The pads were so neglected they had to be punched out. But I worked all 4x pistons free and got the pads nice and clean and fresh brake grease on all contact points. Went to the front right side then - oh dear.

One piston was seized hard. So I took that caliper off, stripped and rebuilt it since I so have w140 rebuild kits on the shelf.






That's as far as I got for today. I'll be out 6.30am tomorrow morning and by 7 or 8pm tomorrow night I might just get my first ever drive in it! But at the same time I wont rush to take it on the road unless I an happy that it is safe and all is good. So lets see what tomorrow brings!

If anyone is interested in a How To for DIY brake caliper rebuilding do let me know. The key to it is if you have a seized piston you will never get it out just with levers. I chock the good ones and let the car do the work. Use the hydraulic system to free off the old piston and blow it out before you take the caliper off. This one was bad but that worked a treat! Mashed the brake pedal and bam

 

[JC220]

There was an issue with the 140 seal repair kits. They were Autofren brand made in Spain so should have been OK. But the larger outer seal boot appeared about 0.25mm too large to clip onto the caliper. So not wanting to wait a week or more for another seal kit brand I used clear 2 part epoxy carefully applied with a Q Tip and clamped overnight. Actually a great job now and I kind of wish I had sealed both boots the same way as no atmospheric moisture could enter again and when rebuilding them next time the shot blaster will take that off anyway.



And the sort of finished product!


I am chuffed with this since caliper rebuild kits are inexpensive and I didnt have to wait weeks to post them off etc. I'll be rebuilding my own calipers from now on- despite the hasty shot blast job I did these are very well rebuild and perfect inside.

I will wait until the 18inch wheels come back from paint and have new tyres, paint all the brakes and discs and fit new stainless Hel carbon brake lines at the same time. (Like I do all my cars) I want to see how the other calipers perform before painting and be sure all is good.

The mission for a first test drive continues

 

[JC220]

Today was a long day - but a good one!!

Got the exhaust back on - this is really fun to do by yourself on a driveway using trolley jacks. I highly recommend this is a therapeutic pastime.

Then I torqued the crank bolt - with the crossover tube removed using my mega tonka toy size Teng 3/4 wrench which is only for this task. And takes every bit of it. This is the late style crank bolt. 200nm + 90 degrees. That 90 degress clicked the wrench at 450nm. Crazy tight.





Then it was time to temporarily put the slam panel back in for a test drive. (More detailing and touch ins to do there. I'll spend another day finishing the engine compartment properly for the moment this is it-



And at that, I nervously cranked it up and took to the road



First time in over a decade for this coupe. First drive in my ownership. The hundreds of hours work paid off the thing is running superb! The engine is running like a swiss watch really pleased with it. Still lots of work planned for this coupe but it's now a rolling resto

 

[JC220]

Started on the S500 wheels today. Tyres were 20 years old



Had those junked then spent about 5 hours scrubbing and cleaning the barrels up to remove decades of brake dust. Corroded areas will be sanded back and sprayed in behind the wheels and I'll sand back the front faces for repaint. I'll etch prime etc and bring them to my painter next week. A very nice hyper silver sparkle paint will be used. I could spray then myself but with Covid and Asthma it's best the painter does the spraying and Its good to give him some work too since he cant get supplies at present. (I have the paint and 2K clear etc on the shelf)



With the first TFR spray and pressure wash



During about a dozen applications of a quality wheel cleaner (used 3L of the stuff!)




And where I left off this evening



In about a week these should look like new and be shod in fresh Continentals

 

[JC220]

Got 2x wheels sanded back, filled and into etch primer today. It is labour intensive to do right- about 1.5 - 2 hours sanding per wheel.







I chose a white primer which should work well with the Hyper Silver finish. These will be given a couple days to cure then be wet flated back before dropping off with the painter. And the other 2x will follow suit so by middle of the week they should be in a booth

 

[JC220]

Prep on the wheels is now complete- quite a few hours in this. 10 - 12 to be exact

The barrel of the wheels were sanded back, primed and given a quick coat of Wheel Silver just to stop corrosion and tidy them up



After primer dry powder guide coat is lightly applied then knocked back with 400 grit dry to highlight any imperfections / low spots / runs in primer.



Then 600 to 800 grit wet flated back with soapy water and rinsed / blown dry. The painter will take over from here now I just have to drop them off with the box of paint. (Hyper silver base coat and 2k clear laquer)



Last pics were taken at dusk !

 

[JC220]

I posted on another thread about some trouble shooting on S500 starting issues. I did also go back in and re -torqued the valve covers and found bolts to be loose! They were definitely torqued to 9nm when the engine was built so this shows how important it is to go back over the cam cover bolts are re torque after several heat cycles.

So I have more parts coming for the coupe and more fettling to do all summer but for the moment it is road legal again and driven several times a week. This is good! And I want to move onto other projects sitting at my house and desperately need put into use.

Like the S430 - that is next to get resurrected and back on the road. I gave it a wash today and marveled again at how nice the paint colour is on that car



Definitely my favourite paint code of the fleet! It needs some serious work so stay tuned. New rear arches will be here next week and then it's out with the grinder and make this W220 Great Again!!

 

[JC220]

Owner S class continues

Gave the S430 a very much needed machine polish again to bring up the paint before applying 2x layers of Fusso Coat ceramic wax.

These shots were just after the first stages before moving to shaded area for Fusso



Unlike my S600 this w220 is not getting a full repaint. The front wings will be replaced, rear fenders cut out and new ones welded in and the left cill repaired. I will be doing all of the welding + bodywork and touch ins but my painter will take care of spraying the larger areas. Primarily rear bumper and front fenders will need paiting and blending back into the surrounding panels after.

Work will properly start on this S430 now to get it on the road and use it. Last MOT was 2003 or something like that so I've not even driven this car yet - looking forward to that! Infact this S430 will become my main second car hopefully. It has sat too long and desperately needs driven and put into use

More details and photos on this S430 below - (Its actually a rare colour combo that strangely works very nicely!!)

Project: W220 S430 Revival | Member Roadtrips and Project Journals

You guys surely know by now I don’t like to buy the easy ones! “Nothing more expensive than a cheap W220” or something like that applies I’m quite sure. Some of you will have already seen in my owners thread a couple weeks back that I bought a 1999 W220 S430 LWB in need of some TLC. In this...

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[JC220]

Got the new w220 rear repair arches today - they appear nice fitment. This will be fun to fit!



W220s rust at the arches - nothing else for it but to make them whole again and PROPERLY seal them up so they wont rot again. MB messed up there for sure