Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items => Topic started by: lamakdaddy on April 03, 2013, 07:35:06
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So..one thing led to another...my 71 had a couple of small chips and paint imperfections on the front fenders and doors. The garage (without my asking!) decided to blow in these chips. A previous attempt to 'blow in' other chips on the doors was not successful because, whilst the paint on my car is lovely, its over 20 years old and has faded and the new paint hue didnt match and so I asked them to not procceed. However, it was too late becuase they had already flated the areas of the wings!
An amicable agreement was reached to to go the whole hog and respray the car. Not bare metal as it was bare metal sprayed 20 years ago and the subsurface is nice and flat. At the same time I decided to remove the side markers as I already have euro headlights. I will put some chrome plugs into the bumpers for now and have them filled and chromed when I am next in the UK (chromers in the middle east are awful!). I need to figure out how to remove the head restaints as a last euro mod that I will undertake.. I will also keep all parts and have made templates of the holes should someone wish to put the car back to US specification.
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Removing the headrests on a '71 would have little to do with making the car more like a Euro spec. as Headrests were at least optionally available on a 1971 off the factory.
Hans
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They look so much prettier without them though..far more 60s sleek. Head rests always remind me of daft US safety regulations..
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Head rests always remind me of daft US safety regulations..
I believe all cars have them now, all over the world? Nearly so. Even an A-Class Maruti in India has them! :D
What once was considered an intrusive regulation is now a safety requirement built in during engineering by manufacturers concerned with safety--like Mercedes-Benz...and Maruti, too. ;)
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They look so much prettier without them though..far more 60s sleek. Head rests always remind me of daft US safety regulations..
I do agree about the headrests, safety aside, on our Pagodas they look like something was planted there without much thought :)
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There are plenty of people trying to add headrests to their Pagodas. I don't have them on my '68 but I don't think they look out of place at all. It's a detail of safety that I wish I had. Hey, what's it cost to ship that stuff to the U.S.? I mean, if you're just gonna toss 'em... ::)
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Hi
My logic is that if I were so worried about safety I wouldnt be driving a 1960s designed car...it doesnt have ABS or an Airbag which a Maruti probably does these days....
I just prefer the sleek look without the head restraints and it is definately more of a euro look.
I will of course keep the headrests for any future owners (hopefully my new born son in 25 years time when he becomes a stem cell doctor :)
The key challenge will be to fix the holes in the seats. I would either need to find some appropiate plugs or have the area retrimmed...Anyway its a phase 2 issue for now..
I am concerend that I will end up with a Pagoda that is simply too good to use which is not really what I wanted at this stage of ownership..but is too late
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In a book grouping old articles about Pagodas there is one passage listing headrests, seat belts, disc brakes, radial tires and other items of the kind as the most important safety devices that found their way in the motor industry in '60s. In fact, our Pagodas were quoted as cars, where all such devices were lavishly offered making it not only beautiful car, but also a very safe vehicle for the period. Obviously, we are talking about pre-electronic era, so no ABS, no AirBags etc were available, but the list of things that even today work and do their job is quite impressive.
just back to the main topic: I also took the advantage of the restoration (still ongoing, alas! :'() to Europeanize the car: euro headlamps, removing side markers etc… but I kept the headrests. I have also bought a pair of three point retractable Kangol seat belts, original ones from old-new stock as offered by a source on eBay. I also put back the originally installed Becker Europa Stereo instead of some Panasonic from '80s that I found when bought the car.
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Here is a leading question- Should I remove the clips that hold the aluminium strips to the doors and fenders. There is the opion to carefully mask them. I am worried that by removing them I may not get the right clips. The ones on the fenders are blue and white and the ones on the doors are all white?
Everthing else has now been removed- including the windscreen (it was amazing to see the orginal paint in the windscreen surround) 1960s looked so nice.
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I added headrests to my 280 when I had the seats rebuilt about 8 years ago. I think they make the car look more premium as so few cars of that era had them. The practical reason is when I do long distance touring my better half can now fall asleep comfortably
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Here is a leading question- Should I remove the clips that hold the aluminium strips to the doors and fenders. There is the opion to carefully mask them. I am worried that by removing them I may not get the right clips. The ones on the fenders are blue and white and the ones on the doors are all white?
Everthing else has now been removed- including the windscreen (it was amazing to see the orginal paint in the windscreen surround) 1960s looked so nice.
The clips are ready available on SLS or Niemöller (even advertised on eBay.de), so I would just take them off before the paint and refit them afterwards :-)
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Some good progress...
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Check out my thread...
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=302820 (http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=302820)
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(http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo29/lamakdaddy/280SL/280resp69.jpg)
(http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo29/lamakdaddy/280SL/280resp68.jpg)
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Something very calming happens to me when I look at that color combination.....It's very pleasing......I bet the interior plays off of the hard top color......?
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Engine bay has been detailed, Many parts nicely plated, painted and or bead blasted!
(http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo29/lamakdaddy/280engsmall5.jpg)
(http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo29/lamakdaddy/280engsmall1.jpg)