Skirt Color Matching

[spaceman_west]

From what i read, it was only in '94 that Mercedes started matching the paint of the skirt/fenders to the rest of the car.
I wanted to ask if most people here prefer this look or the 2 tone from the previous years?
Have you painted the skirts on your car to match the car color?

 

[gerryvz]

Only certain colors came as monochrome from the factory on the .036 -- this is detailed in the Wiki. Signal Red was one such example.

For the "facelift" (model year 1994) cars, the impact "rub" strip was painted the same color as the rest of the bumper/cladding. For the pre-facelift cars, this impact/rub strip was generally painted black, from the factory.

Many people have repainted their lower cladding to the body color. This is an issue of personal taste - many folks believe this "updates" and modernises the look of the car.

Personally, I like the two-tone schema. Sure it may date the car a bit, but it is how the car was originally conceived.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[spaceman_west]

thanks for the info gerry.
i agree with you. i like the two-tone!
it's probably a bonus for most people, but unfortunately the car i'm looking to buy right now was painted to match.
not sure how easy it is to go BACK to two-tone??

 

[gerryvz]

Just an update - the only mono-chrome cars I found "from the factory" were the following colors:

- Signal Red
- Midnight Blue (later cars only)
- Sapphire Black (including E500 Limiteds)

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/wiki_index.php?title=500E-Paint-Codes

It's not difficult to go "back" to gray painted cladding - any competent body shop familiar with MBs can do this work. For 199 (pearl black) cars like mine, the gray color is "Alto Gray" which is very common from the 1980s and 1990s on Benz cladding.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[8899]

The facelifted polar white 036s also came from the factory as a mono-chrome color.

 

[gerryvz]

The facelifted polar white 036s also came from the factory as a mono-chrome color.

It appears you are correct -- I have detailed photos of three white 1994 cars in my database, and all of them are monochrome white.

 

[texas993]

Just an update - the only mono-chrome cars I found "from the factory" were the following colors:

- Signal Red

That is me! I am always an exception. The PO painted the black bumper strip Signal Red too. I like it that way and will keep it Signal Red.

 

[maw1124]

I agree it gives the cars a more modern look, as well as slightly more rakish by accentuating the lower skirting (in light and brighter colors). I've stayed away from it thus far. IF I ever paint the car, then I'll consider it. But at this time I have no plans to do that.

maw

 

[600Eric]

I agree it gives the cars a more modern look, as well as slightly more rakish by accentuating the lower skirting (in light and brighter colors). I've stayed away from it thus far. IF I ever paint the car, then I'll consider it. But at this time I have no plans to do that.

maw

Funny you guys are talking about this as I was mulling over this same issue recently prior to sending my car to paint. I do like originality and if I had a very clean low mileage example I would definitely leave it the factory two tone but at the same time I really do prefer the mono-chrome look as I agree with Maw that is gives these cars a much more modern look. However I am still on the ropes about the impact strips. I went ahead and had mine sprayed 744 with everything else but right now I am leaning towards buying / installing some new black ones just to break up the silver a bit and provide some contrast.

 

[gerryvz]

GSXR brought up a good point I hadn't thought of .... considering I owned a Polar White 1995 E320 wagon for seven years, which had Marble Gray cladding. Now he owns that car.

 

[8899]

It appears you are correct -- I have detailed photos of three white 1994 cars in my database, and all of them are monochrome white.

Yep - see post #17 here:

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2332&highlight=denver

 

[gsxr]

I thought we were talking about matching skirts. What's all this yammering about paint codes?

 

[spaceman_west]

hahahahaaa i had actually tried to go back and change the title to "bumper/cladding color match" after what gerry had referred to it as.

 

[gerryvz]

Just waiting for Klink to chime in ... he seems thus far to be "skirting" the issue.

 

[Klink]

No thanks! I'd look bad in those. I'll stick with my Utilikilts...

 

[Klink]

I thought we were talking about matching skirts. What's all this yammering about paint codes?

Just like a curfew under martial law, I think you could wind up in prison for violating those...

 

[Klink]

Just waiting for Klink to chime in ... he seems thus far to be "skirting" the issue.

No, was just beating around the bush...

 

[maw1124]

However I am still on the ropes about the impact strips. I went ahead and had mine sprayed 744 with everything else but right now I am leaning towards buying / installing some new black ones just to break up the silver a bit and provide some contrast.

Agreed. My car is silver as well, and I actually like the way the black plays on the look, with the smoked rears and what not. And the lighter color doesn't give up too much of the monochrome "effect", which is why I haven't fussed with it. Funny, one of the cars I almost bought was a '94 Polar White car, and one of the things I couldn't get comfortable with ... was the monochrome look. I thought it highlighted the cars gaps too much. What I've decided is in cars where I like the monochrome, I'd also like fresh black impact strips. I love the look of 2PHAST's red car painted monochrome, but I don't think black impact strips would hurt it one bit. So like GVZ said originally, personal preference.

Cheers, Gents.

maw

 

[8899]

Funny, one of the cars I almost bought was a '94 Polar White car, and one of the things I couldn't get comfortable with ... was the monochrome look. I thought it highlighted the cars gaps too much.

No love for white W124s on this forum

 

[Maui]

I like white W124s in fact I'm looking for a white wagon.

 

[Ron500E]

More matching skirts. Courtesy of Galaxy. Audrey Hepburn body look-a-likes. They CGI'd her face on these 2 ladies.
More importantly, they graciously used an open 300 Adenauer in the commercial to allow me to post this with the obligatory Mercedes content.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx9eDoS76LM

 

[gerryvz]

I like white W124s in fact I'm looking for a white wagon.

I think GSXR has one, perhaps it's for sale? Last I heard it had a redone top-end and a redone transmission...

 

[gerryvz]

beating around the bush...

[youtube]5CGLneL5LR4[/youtube]

 

[8899]

I think GSXR has one, perhaps it's for sale? Last I heard it had a redone top-end and a redone transmission...

Won't that car always belong to Charlie?

 

[Maui]

I would love to have that wagon but I don't think it's in the cards.

 

[gsxr]

I would love to have that wagon but I don't think it's in the cards.

Probably not for quite a while... too much time and $$$ invested!

 

[Maui]

I like the wheels.

 

[gsxr]

I like the wheels.

Those are W202 C280 Sport wheels, 16x7.0... with snow tires mounted. Easy to clean and fairly light weight too, a hair under 19 lbs each.

 

[Klink]

No love for white W124s on this forum

I love any MB model in white, most especially the 124.

The only MB that I ever actually ordered, I ordered in white with gray guts. For the possibly curious, it was a fully loaded '98 C280 sport, European delivery in Stuttgart, October '97, and yep, it had those wheels that Gixxer is showing on the wagon just above.
Spent the next week driving, mostly through the mountains of Northern Austria. Picture book perfect...

 

[Klink]

No, was just beating around the bush...

[youtube]5CGLneL5LR4[/youtube]

Good call! Also from "down under", if I may note. I suppose that an argument could also be made for "Whole Lotta Rosie" given it's frequently (some say mis) inprepreted meaning...

 

[maw1124]

No love for white W124s on this forum

Nah, that's just me h8'n. What I'm finding out about myself is that my eye looks for colors that accentuate the cars' shapes while minimizing the gaps, if that makes any sense. Especially on the Bruno Sacco cars, where the silhouettes are just all-out gorgeous. But again, that's just me.

;-D

maw

 

[gerryvz]

I also love white MBs, particularly cars like 107s, non-.036 W124s, and W140s. Even a white 126 sedan or coupe can be quite stunning, as long as it has a good interior color (black, mushroom, red and palomino come to mind. Blue interior with a white exterior on a 126 coupe...blecchhh!).

White (polar or arctic) on an .036 is not my favorite color, though. I believe the .036 looks best with darker or silver colors (brilliant silver, pearl or sapphire black, midnight blue, spruce green, almandine red, etc. come to mind). Personal opinion though.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[sheward]

Although i'm also a fan of darker colors on the 036, here's pics of some beautiful white examples to go with yours, Greg. The one with the dark grey "skirts" is my favorite. The other is Richs' car which is quite unique due to the black interior.

drew