Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: Wolfmann on June 16, 2011, 18:43:49
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Just Got home after a hard day in court and just had to read the complete Snow White thread. Compelling and almost romantic in a `'no woman would ever understand" type of way. I feel similar emotions on my visits to the shop where my own fairytale princess is being resurrected. I take regular and expensive gifts of parts and even attach some of them myself, sometimes she appears happy but more often just gleeful in demanding bigger and bigger slices of my disposable income. We have been together 14 months and such is my devotion that I have given up eating out and holidays and am down to my last decent suit and pair of 501's but that, as they say, is true love.
My Belle too had played exclusive hotel to to the family mouse and the chrome vents and conduits were clogged with nesting, my mice however fared less well for food and had resorted to eating both windscreen demister mouldings. (no problem, a mere £108 each from MB, now plastic rather than mouse food compressed cardboard).
My 1964 230SL too was originally papyrus white with blue MB TeX but is being awakened in 050 white (rather than the Peugeot 206 ice blue some Philistine had daubed her with) with navy leather as the interior was shot (and partially eaten). Unlike Snow White my car needed some profound cosmetic surgery in the form of everything excluding the chassis legs from the firewall forward, the previous owner having spent £20K on having the rear end professionally restored before weakening, (like his marriage) having her blown over and selling her to me for far less than he had already spent. I am happy that she has been truly saved and will be resurrected rather than ending her days being broken for parts. Just another few thousand and 6 months should see her done...
The pictures below show the interior as found and the car front now.
PS The rear of the car is good and I have all the receipts for loads of work, the panelling is good and the restoration supported by pictures but he had paid other people for all sorts of mechanical work that had clearly been half done or not done at all. £20K ! He got seriously torn off I'm afraid.
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Pictures. These are the most recent and as the car is at the moment.
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Pictures before...Looks OK in the centre picture but there were horrors underneath the new wings as you can see !
Please note the terrible door/wing interface in the picture taken from the rear...
Wrong wheel trims but I prefer the look of these although I guess I am going to have to try and find beauty rings and hubcaps some time - There are so many more essential things to fund first like a good set of exterior door handles and a W123 electronic ignition kit. The horror...
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Underside of wing/fender and Crewe Engines rebuild. Engine now has replaced starter motor ring gear in addition.
I have had the engine, gearbox, radiator, heater matrix, fuel injection pump and steering box rebuilt and the shock absorbers and all suspension bushes and engine and gearbox mountings replaced.
it's all been a bit expensive but the sale of my much loved R107 helped a little.
Steven.
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Welcome Wolfmann. What side of the bench were you sittingon? :D Its great to have another new member and you are doing the car an honour bringing it back to life. Keep the pictures coming as we all really appreciate them.
My 230SL is also papyrus white with blue MB Tex interior (LHD however). Only my seats were crap and needed replacing so I stayed with the MB Tex. Why have you gone to 050 rather than the 717? Is the difference in colour so noticeable. Just curious.
Keep up the great work.
Marcus
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Thanks Marcus ! No, nothing wrong with Papyrus white but the small vestiges left looked a little greyish ( I have never seen an example in the metal ), I had seen a couple of 050 cars at Sandringham SL Rally last year and I liked that colour and thought that it wasn't too far a departure from the original colour.
Steve.
PS If anyone wants more pictures or to hear more nightmare stories just ask - I don't want to bore anyone as I am pretty sure most of you have had similar experiences!!!
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Welcome Steve,
Great to see another SL saved and put back on the road. Your restoration work looks great and looking forward to reading ( and pictures) of your progress. Mine is 050 with Cognac MB Tex, a great color combination IMO ;)
John
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Just curious Wolfmann, were you at the 'Bromley Pageant of Motoring' last Sunday.
Rain ruined the day!
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Yes Gnuface I certainly was. It was rather wet !
Are you half of the couple I met at the Sandringham SL rally last year ????
Steve.
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Yes that is who I am, silver Pagoda. It's good to put a face to a name on the site.
Hope to see you and car at future events, probably not ready for this year's SL day!!
but we will be there.
Larry
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It is indeed Larry, when is the SL day this year please ??
Steve.
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The SL day is Sunday 14 August with drive out on the 13th.
I am still waiting for my tickets but believe it is at Berkeley
castle in Goucestershire. Hope to see a few more Pagoda's
this year. This Sunday (June 19th) at Mercedes World, Brooklands
there should be a few SL113 club members for the Mercedes 125 year celebration.
Weather is actually looking ok!!
Larry
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Snow White has been visiting me for some needed fixes. We just finished her soft top replacement today and I will drive her home tomorrow. The Red Rocket may take her on a date tomorrow but he hasn't made up his mind yet.
She looks so pretty in her new wardrobe and she purrs like a kitten out on the open road. Should be a nice day for a drive with the windows down blasting down the 401 or out through the open countryside.
We are taking her to the races on Sunday where all her long lost cousins will be waiting to say hello. The vintage car races at Mosport - oh, she's gonna be popular. And if the Rocket goes with her, they'll be a stunning couple.
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Thanks good doctor for putting my mind at rest, I had been most concerned about Ms White since i received a rather forlorn Email from her benefactor.
Something to do with dirty fuel and a break down and then a 360km trailer ride to you, "next door" apparently in Canadian terms !
I trust she will enjoy the role of escorted debutante on your planned outing...
Steven.