LukeZero
Deeply Confused
Does Bonnie know you refer to her as “old wife”?
Builds 1973 Mercedes R107 build (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gumby
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #202
She likes it better than when I call her the ex-girlfriend.
LukeZero
Deeply Confused
Jennifer sometimes refers to me as her first husband. Maybe i should be concerned.
- Thread starter
- #204
Evaporust. Worked pretty great. No before pic so just picture the same linkage as a siezed rusty mess.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #205
73 W116 engine and trans and 73 r107 engine and trans. I also have the 78 drivetrain. The 107 has a rear main seal leak that won't stop and a bad exhaust valve on #2. I'd like to fix the 107 engine. I have spare valves from the 78. I already used a few, so that would be easy and wouldn't be opening any engines that have been sealed for 50 years. Depends how groovy the crank is. If a repair seal won't fix it, I'll drop the W116 motor in.
Today is paint the engine compartment day, so I can have good dry time before the end of break when I'd like to have it reassembled.
Also, Squirrel! And other distractions. 10 month old and 10 week old puppies.
Today is paint the engine compartment day, so I can have good dry time before the end of break when I'd like to have it reassembled.
Also, Squirrel! And other distractions. 10 month old and 10 week old puppies.
Last edited:
LukeZero
Deeply Confused
What's up with the hood clearance hole?
- Thread starter
- #207
In the end I went with Arabian Grey. Paint code 124. Only available on 72 model 350SL. Single stage. I like the non-metallics on the early cars. It'll be easier to blend too.
The one r107 pic i could find had a really, really red interior.
The one r107 pic i could find had a really, really red interior.
- Thread starter
- #208
I assume it speaks to the quality of the engine swap.
- Thread starter
- #209
Got the engine bay in color today.
Stripped the bay down. Washed it, wiped it down with wax and grease. Painted the insulation rather than stripping it. It was in good shape.
Scuffed the POR-15 with red scotchbrite to break the sheen, then 320 to give the epoxy primer a good mechanical bite. Put a quick coat of the primer, then three coats of the Arabian gray. Did the cowl under the hood, the headlight buckets, the bumper support and core support.
Stripped the bay down. Washed it, wiped it down with wax and grease. Painted the insulation rather than stripping it. It was in good shape.
Scuffed the POR-15 with red scotchbrite to break the sheen, then 320 to give the epoxy primer a good mechanical bite. Put a quick coat of the primer, then three coats of the Arabian gray. Did the cowl under the hood, the headlight buckets, the bumper support and core support.
- Thread starter
- #210
Got back my favorite car of all time. I got talked into trading up to a LS460 after falling in love with a 03 430. I gave the 430 to my daughter and bought a LS600, the hybrid version of the 460. It's been a nice car, but a money pit. Daughter called to tell me she was getting rid of the 430, so I bought it back.
shouldn't be a distraction, other than getting the 600 ready to sell.
shouldn't be a distraction, other than getting the 600 ready to sell.
- Thread starter
- #211
Got a bunch back together today. Long way to go yet before it's running again.
fjc-man
SILVER Star
It would be a perfect time to replace that left side motor mount.
- Thread starter
- #213
It's better than it looks in the pic. Old, but not worn.
Replaced the valve. Chucked it up in the drill press and it was pretty bent. Tossed it back together and dropped the motor and trans back in.
Replaced the valve. Chucked it up in the drill press and it was pretty bent. Tossed it back together and dropped the motor and trans back in.
- Thread starter
- #214
Just needs fluids, exhaust and some little clean up things like the red paint on the condenser hose and the too,long green gauge temp sensor wire.
Edit: the long green sensor wire drove me back out to the shop for some wire management.
Edit: the long green sensor wire drove me back out to the shop for some wire management.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #215
Been a while, but I've been hard at it. Lots of stuff i didn't take a lot of pictures off. Some metal work, some body work, lots of paint prep. Painted the fenders, quarters, jams and windshield frame. The paint side of the shop is full of snowed in Lincoln so I put up some plastic, wet the floor and did the best I could. New Iwaki paint gun sprays nice.
Doors and hood metal and body work are done. The inner doors are painted. Outer doors and hood need to have the Slick Sand taken down to 600, then epoxy seal coat and paint. Trunk deck is prepped on the outside. Soft top cover and front and rear valence panels under the bumpers need prepped. There's a few little panels and parts to paint as well
I had to decide where to stop on the color change. Dash supports and other interior stuff was more than I wanted to get into, but generally it's a pretty complete color change. Windshield came out because there was yellow visible behind it, the clips needed replacing and there was some rust starting. It also had several big chips. The 72 parts car might have to donate its windshield. If it does, it'll probably never be a driver again.
Next up is to swap out the interior with the 72 and get the rest of the panels ready for paint.
Doors and hood metal and body work are done. The inner doors are painted. Outer doors and hood need to have the Slick Sand taken down to 600, then epoxy seal coat and paint. Trunk deck is prepped on the outside. Soft top cover and front and rear valence panels under the bumpers need prepped. There's a few little panels and parts to paint as well
I had to decide where to stop on the color change. Dash supports and other interior stuff was more than I wanted to get into, but generally it's a pretty complete color change. Windshield came out because there was yellow visible behind it, the clips needed replacing and there was some rust starting. It also had several big chips. The 72 parts car might have to donate its windshield. If it does, it'll probably never be a driver again.
Next up is to swap out the interior with the 72 and get the rest of the panels ready for paint.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #216
Doors, hood, cowl vents, cowl repair and ID tag.
- Thread starter
- #217
Had to repair a spot on the hood today. Before I flatten the rest of the 2nd coat back to 600g, I thought I'd take an outside pic. Duke, Jack and Ralph are giving suggestions. Trunk lid and top tonneau are ready for the next paint day too.
- Thread starter
- #218
Got both r107s running yesterday. Drove the grey car into the barn to free up the room to paint all the rest of the panels except the rear facia under the bumper and the top. The facia has a ton of undercoating to get off and the top is low on the priority list. Put a final coat, (coat and a half) on the hood and doors. Deck lid and top tonneau got sealer and 3 coats.
- Thread starter
- #219
Trying really hard to keep my hands off the paint. I want to give it a full day to cure before the cut and buff. Not a ton of orange peel, but lots of dust nibs. I did try out my fancy new tungsten nib cutter. Works really well.
I spent the day stripping the 72 interior. It's really good. I think that car is prolly worth throwing a bunch of second best parts at. If nothing else it'll make a good test mule for future stand alone conversions.
The amazing thing about the 72 is that it has no signs of ever being apart. It was a well looked after car until it was left outside for a long time. Needs drivers front floors and a chunk in the wheel well that let all the water in.
I swapped out the slider rails as the 72 ones need cleaning, but all 8 little plastic slider inserts were where they should have been in 50 yo grease. Ran them through the sonic cleaner.
It was warmish and kinda sunny so I backed it out where i could open doors wide.
Dropped the seats in. So much better. I don't know why any car was ever made without mb-tex upholstery. The 73 and 78 were on at least the second set of leather seat covers.
I spent the day stripping the 72 interior. It's really good. I think that car is prolly worth throwing a bunch of second best parts at. If nothing else it'll make a good test mule for future stand alone conversions.
The amazing thing about the 72 is that it has no signs of ever being apart. It was a well looked after car until it was left outside for a long time. Needs drivers front floors and a chunk in the wheel well that let all the water in.
I swapped out the slider rails as the 72 ones need cleaning, but all 8 little plastic slider inserts were where they should have been in 50 yo grease. Ran them through the sonic cleaner.
It was warmish and kinda sunny so I backed it out where i could open doors wide.
Dropped the seats in. So much better. I don't know why any car was ever made without mb-tex upholstery. The 73 and 78 were on at least the second set of leather seat covers.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #220
A couple of windsheild trim clips had broken and most were pretty rusty. Pelican has them listed for $2 each times 12. They are listed as MB parts and have a 2-3 day delay. I'm thinking they are ordering them from MB. So I gave the local dealer a call. They could get them, but only in bags of 20. $1.12 each and no shipping. I ordered some rocker trim clips too.
Fit the windsheild. The guy in Detroit that had one wasted the day after paint when a road trip would have been welcome. A promise to call back never happened. Called the next morning and talked to the owner. He didn't want to pull it and didn't have anybody that could do it. Guy south of Toledo had four but couldn't get to them because he had had a fire. Guy in Chicago had one on the shelf so I headed west into stress. $80 later I was headed to Lou Malnatis for pizza then back in traffic but headed back to the woods.
Rivets came in handy for door edge trim too.
Cut and polish went OK. I'm gonna need to see it in the sun. Took a lot of time. Weather was terrible, but I got it out in the mist to wash off the polish and compound.
Got the dash in. Not bolted in at all, but fit enough to get started
Started getting the doors back together too.
Fit the windsheild. The guy in Detroit that had one wasted the day after paint when a road trip would have been welcome. A promise to call back never happened. Called the next morning and talked to the owner. He didn't want to pull it and didn't have anybody that could do it. Guy south of Toledo had four but couldn't get to them because he had had a fire. Guy in Chicago had one on the shelf so I headed west into stress. $80 later I was headed to Lou Malnatis for pizza then back in traffic but headed back to the woods.
Rivets came in handy for door edge trim too.
Cut and polish went OK. I'm gonna need to see it in the sun. Took a lot of time. Weather was terrible, but I got it out in the mist to wash off the polish and compound.
Got the dash in. Not bolted in at all, but fit enough to get started
Started getting the doors back together too.
