Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => Photo Gallery => Topic started by: Douglas on September 22, 2004, 08:44:34

Title: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Douglas on September 22, 2004, 08:44:34
It seems most people who've re-chromed their bumpers tend to leave the backside untreated. The pvevious owner of my SL did the same, so I recently removed my bumpers and gave them a diligent, once-every-couple-decades cleaning that included treating the start of any corrosion on the backside with a rust inhibitor and painting them with an almond-colored Rustoleum that's a good approximation to the factory primer. The chrome job was good, so I wanted to keep them looking good.
In the course of dismantling the various parts, I noticed something that I never knew -- though the gaskets for the bumper guards were the usual beige/gold color I've seen on most every Pagoda, the gaskets had actually faded. They were originally a bright silver. An examination of the backside of the gaskets made this very clear.
I cleaned the gaskets with Simple Green, glued any parts that were splitting, and promptly sprayed them with an aluminum paint that looks quite nice if I may say so. Frankly, I never cared for the look of the bumper guards, but a nice fresh set of anything chrome seems to breathe new life into a Pagoda. I highly recommend the exercise, particularly for people who have the new gaskets that Mercedes sells which, IMHO, stand out like a sore thumb since they're black.
Also, make sure your bumpers guards are protected from the inside out. Zap any rust in there and paint them with lots of good, rust-inhibiting paint. I used Rustoleum, but POR-15 would be even better. I think the guards are even more prone to rust than the bumpers, so you could say anyone with Euro bumpers has 4 fewer hassles than I do.
Here are a couple of pix of the finished product:
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) guard.JPG (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/douglas/2004922102942_guard.JPG)
48.1
KB
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) guard2.JPG (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/douglas/2004922103642_guard2.JPG)
63.08
KB
And here's the front bumper before (too bad you can't see the backside):
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) guard3.JPG (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/douglas/200492374939_guard3.JPG)
69.01 KB
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Naj ✝︎ on September 22, 2004, 10:41:15
Very smart!! Douglas.
Did you fix the door glass?
naj
65 230SL
68 280SL
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Douglas on September 22, 2004, 12:07:18
Naj, thanks. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure the window adjustment out. Frankly, I'm at a loss for what to do next.
Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Bob G ✝︎ on September 22, 2004, 12:07:50
Douglas:
Are the gaskets for the bumper guards availble from Mercedes or after market?
bob Geco
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Douglas on September 22, 2004, 12:09:58
They're the originals. The ones Mercedes now offers are black.
Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Malc on September 22, 2004, 16:02:30
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas

Naj, thanks. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure the window adjustment out. Frankly, I'm at a loss for what to do next.
Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

Douglas, have a root around in the bottom of your doors, there should be a couple of rubber blocks that attach to the glass to help with the adjustment. there is an artical in Practical Classics somewhere about it this, I'll dig it out
Naj
Ta for the info re imports
cheers
malc still "green" about all these smart pagodas :)
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: Douglas on September 22, 2004, 16:40:04
Malc,
I checked the bottoms of the doors. No luck.
Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: hauser on September 22, 2004, 20:22:52
Doug, have you thought about taking the the other door apart and comparing the two?  Sometimes it's the simple things that keep us second guessing.
The bumpers look great and the overriders look great!  Nice job!
1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: n/a on September 25, 2004, 14:08:46
Doug,
looks good....when are you showing the result in manhattan?????
Fabrice
Silver 1971 280 SL
New York City
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: gwuisman on September 25, 2004, 15:05:32
Doug,
I bought original siver collored gaskets at sls Hamburg last year. Mine originals were totally hardened and could not be glued anymore. I will take a pic and post it.
Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl
Title: Re: Bumper Guards - I had no idea
Post by: gwuisman on September 26, 2004, 14:19:05
Doug,
Here are my pics.
Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) front guard gasket.jpg (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/gwuisman/2004926161738_front%20guard%20gasket.jpg)
75.56 KB
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) rear guard gasket.jpg (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/gwuisman/2004926161615_rear%20guard%20gasket.jpg)
77.57 KB