Author Topic: 1964 230SL restoration in UK (Read 238389 times)

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #450 on:** September 18, 2017, 19:40:42 »

But on to more important matters....

I've finally got the boot floor finished and I think it has turned out pretty well. I spent Saturday finishing up a few spot welds and making the flanges for the spare wheel well. I also carried on filling and fairing the join and then seam sealing all the new metal.

I had planned on priming the floor tonight but I had forgotten to make the two weld blobs on the bottom of the trunk floor near the shock towers so I did that tonight instead and redid the seam sealer in that area, thats the last picture.

I'll prime it all tomorrow night. So thats been a hell of a job, can you believe thats 4 days work there!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #451 on:** September 19, 2017, 17:24:58 »

I went in early this morning and got a coat of primer on before everyone else turned up otherwise I would have had to hang around tonight waiting for it to dry so I could get the second coat on. That 2K paint really is the most obnoxious stuff!

I'm really pleased with the way it has turned out. There is a little bit of remedial work needed in a couple of areas that the primer has highlighted. The new spotwelds look a lot more pronounced than the originals, I think if I carefully finger a tiny amount of body filler in the weld I can lose some of its definition and try and make them look a bit less defined like the originals do. Had I replaced the whole panel it wouldn't have been an issue.

I am not happy with the spot welds to the left of the wiring channel and in front of the spare tire well so will plug weld those and redo the spots. I didn't like the look of them right from the off but thought I'd wait and see how they looked once they were painted, I was hoping they would look ok but they really don't. There are also a couple of spot welds that have not gone right and have fractured around the edge, I'll plug weld these and redo the spots on them also.

On the whole though I think it looks really good. The bits I'm not happy with will be easy to resolve and once they are done I think it will look A1

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #452 on:** September 19, 2017, 17:29:47 »

In other news the left rear fender arrived from Mercedes USA so we are ready to rock. I have a couple more problem areas to deal with and then we can make a start on the rear end bodywork.

Thats one well travelled wing!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #453 on:** September 23, 2017, 18:51:35 »

More adventuring today. There were a couple of small pinholes in the LH rear chassis leg. I had planned on replacing the whole section but the replacement part from K&K had a much sharper radius than the original part so trying to join it would have caused problems. It also looked like a pig to do and the section that needed replacing was also only a couple of inches long so it seemed a bit of overkill. There were a couple of dents further back so I figured my best bet was to replace a 12" section of the flat and deal with all of the problems in one go.

Once I cut the bad piece out I gave it a wire brush inside and brushed some Kurust in there to try and keep any corrosion inside the box section at bay, these buggers are always rusting eh!

Anyway it all went Pretty smoothly and looks nice, 'The Chief' made short work of the spot welds and its another job ticked off.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #454 on:** September 23, 2017, 19:00:33 »

I also spotted a hidden problem that I was surprised I hadn't noticed before. A part toward the rear of the transmission tunnel had been cut and then hammered out the way. I checked that it wasn't a factory adjustment using Stickandruddermans excellent body pictures, thanks Stickandrudderman!

It took a little while using heat to get it cherry red and then tapping it back into shape and welding. It all looks alright in the end though.

All in all a productive day!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #455 on:** October 07, 2017, 07:12:36 »

I didn't get a full day Pagoding last Saturday as a friend came over and we went out for lunch instead. I have pretty much finished with floors now so I did a bit of housekeeping elsewhere. Every time I roll the car over I could hear a whole bunch of rattling as whatever is inside the crossmembers falls from one side of the car to the other...

I have tried shoving an airline into every hole I can already and gotten the bulk of it out but there were a couple of areas where access was poor so I figured I had to cut an access hole to get in there. I cut four holes in total and blew and vacuumed it all out with the car in several positions, the second photo shows all the muck that came out, mostly sand but with a bit of rust shale in there too, there was a lot in there eh!

The box sections all seemed in good shape inside from what I could see so no further action was deemed necessary. I welded the discs I had cut out back in and hey presto, you'd never know...All the noise has gone and once more I can rest easy.

I am going to leave the small hole in the trunk side member so I can squirt some wax in there once the car is painted.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #456 on:** October 07, 2017, 07:14:50 »

And heres one of it upside down!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #457 on:** October 09, 2017, 07:08:33 »

Things didn't go that smoothly for me last Saturday. I had to tackle the lower front inner fender. I guess the battery had leaked in the past and corroded just the area underneath it. I had already tried to let a patch in before but it really went badly so I gave up on that idea and got a complete inner fender for the repair. I didn't fancy trying to replace the whole panel and it seemed over the top for the amount of rust there was. I am also quite keen to retain as many of the original spot welds as possible in the engine bay area, particularly where the fenders join to the inner wing.

Even though I was using a genuine Mercedes panel there are several differences between the new inner fender and what I have in the car so I figured I'd keep the repair small and just use what I need. What could possibly go wrong?

Once I had measured how much I'd need I cut the piece off and set to dollying the flat part into a round shape again to meet up with the original on the car, that went quite well and it all looked pretty close. There was also an extra hole and dimple in the new part that needed knocking out and filling in. Once that was done I then sandblasted the new piece and cleaned it up ready to go in. I was quite pleased with the way it was all looking, I should have quit while I was ahead.

It took forever to cut out the original piece and trim the new part to fit, I had originally planned to replace the whole front corner but was concerned that I wouldn't be able to get access to the front part of the panel to weld or clean it up after, also the front part was in perfect condition so I made the join on the radiator support. I also had to replace more of the panel than I had originally planned as there was a bit of pitting further up the panel and I figured it would make welding the new piece in difficult if the metal was thinner there. I had hoped to keep the repair underneath the battery tray so it wouldn't have been obvious there had been a repair there.

I guess by that time I had just run out of talent as the welding really didn't go well.I kept blowing through so turned the welder down a bit, it was all a bit of a struggle and didn't look very nice, to be honest I'd kind of had enough by then so I should have called it a day but I was keen to get as much done as I could, besides that couple of weeks back Ronni said if I got home too early on a Saturday I could help her with the housework, she might have been joking but I just can't take that risk.

Anyway it is what it is, I would have liked it to look a bit neater. I haven't finished cleaning it up yet and I still have to spot weld the flange to the chassis rail so it may look a bit better by the time that is all done. I really had had enough by then so I called it a day, the highs and lows of car restoration eh!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #458 on:** October 10, 2017, 20:10:45 »

More excitement! My Getrag arrived back from Allgears yesterday and I think it looks awesome. I wanted this to be about as close to a new Getrag as I can get so I had them get the casing bead blasted while it was stripped and the fasteners plated. I have to confess I don't know exactly what was done as part of the rebuild, They had a free hand to do whatever was necessary so I would assume new bearings, synchros etc.

Theres still a few bits to do for the 5 speed conversion, I have the shifter rods and bell housing to modify. I'd also like to have a trial fit of it all before the body goes to the painter. Would like to see if I can modify an original transmission underpin to fit with the 5 speed.

Looks nice eh fellas!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #459 on:** October 16, 2017, 05:25:04 »

I carried on with the inner fender job on Saturday and got the spot welds done on the underside. I also made the replacement battery tray support bracket and got that spot welded into place, I was pleased that the spot welder I bought came with several sets of electrodes and could reach the bracket so it could be clamped and welded in one go.

Im quite pleased with the bracket, it took a while to press the dimple in it where the nut goes, so what sounds like a fairly simple task took most of the day, glad Im not paying for my time here....

There was another area on the inner fender underneath the clutch reservoir that had a little bit of rust in it so I cut that piece out and have used my donor inner wing for a repair section. It is pretty much ready to go in but I ran out of day so I'll save that for next week. I think once this is done and I redo a couple of the spot welds in the trunk that I am about there with all the underneath work and can let the car down of the rotisserie and start on the rear wings and tail light panel.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #460 on:** October 16, 2017, 06:27:25 »

I assembled the dash vents this weekend. It was a bit fiddly to start with but I got the hang of it and they went together relatively quickly, not without problems though. The first set of flaps I had chromed didn't come out that well, the chrome is not the best quality. The first platers broke one of the surrounds too so I already had a second set, I had these rechromed and they look nicer but the platers ground the end pivots flat so that when they are in the fully open position there is a chance that the flap could slide out of the adjuster bar and flop around.

I didn't want to take that chance so I wound up using the original flaps which don't look as good but function better. They look great when they are open but not so good closed. I see they are available as a repro item now so I may get a set of those and sell mine, I may just leave mine open all the time.... It sucks though that Ive had to buy a second set of vents, paid for two lots of chroming and I still don't have vents that Im happy with.

Jonny B · « **Reply #461 on:** October 22, 2017, 01:45:40 »

Did not remember where the thread was on the ratchet jack
Here is one I saw on Ebay US
322823897894

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #462 on:** October 22, 2017, 08:10:47 »

Thanks JohnnyB I got one off eBay this morning for $55

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #463 on:** October 22, 2017, 08:34:55 »

I think I'm about done with floors and inner wings now. I finished the repair to the front inner fender yesterday, I also filled in a couple of holes that had been drilled in the right inner fender for an aftermarket cruise control kit, and redid a few of the spot welds in the boot floor.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #464 on:** October 22, 2017, 08:48:57 »

I had a bit of timer left over yesterday so I had a look at the wiper motor. I have some more parts to send to the platers so I figured Id get the wiper motor casing redone.

when I got the car the wipers weren't working but I didn't go any further in diagnosing them, my suspicion was the switch as it felt pretty iffy. I tested the motor yesterday and everything functioned as it should, slow speed was very slow though.

It all came apart pretty easy and seemed in good condition so Im hoping it was just gunky old grease that was causing the slow speed. Ive given everything a clean, one set of brushes was a bit stuck in the holder but they freed off ok and look in good shape. The pole pieces are riveted into the main casing so I'll have to paint that. I can send the mount bracket and motor cover though.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #465 on:** October 23, 2017, 19:57:56 »

I ordered a couple of dash vents from SLS which look better than what I have but the flap with the lever on it is a different shape, seems there are a couple of different types. The original one has a much larger adjuster part. Ive been deliberating the last couple of days if I either send them back or use them. I figured my best bet was to swap my lever flap from my original vents into the new ones and have the best of both worlds, fortunately the lever flaps in my originals are the best ones of all so it has all worked out OK in the end.

And at last I have one complete dash vent. Whilst the new flaps look fine and function fine they are not as solid as the originals and rattle a little if I shake them. I'll leave one on the dash of my car for a bit and see if I can hear it whilst driving, if I can I'll try and quieten it down with some dumdum or something.

why is this all so hard???

Jonny B · « **Reply #466 on:** October 27, 2017, 20:24:34 »

Scott, you may want to give Buds Benz a try for the lug wrench with the pry tip. They show a regular style (no pry tip) as a for sale item, miscellaneous section. But if you scroll down, they also show a bunch of old tools. Granted the picture is probably an old one, but these are also the kinds of items that are very difficult to keep up on with inventory. A phone call may help you out.

Toll Free Phone: 800.942.8444
Local Service Phone: 770.942.8444
Fax: 770.942.8400
Email: info@budsbenz.com

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #467 on:** January 07, 2018, 11:55:23 »

Thanks JonnyB, I will keep a look out for one, for ease I had already ordered a standard replacement from SLS to try. It fitted the existing clamps perfectly so I used that as a template/guide.

Ive been gearing up for rep[lacing the rear fenders and tail light panel. I wanted too strip the black coating off the panels first. It was pretty tough to get off and in hindsight I wouldn't have bothered, I had tried a small spot on one wing and came off easy so I figured it wasn't a good idea to leave it, that one stripped easy but the other ones were very difficult.

Once that was done I hung the doors and trunklid back on and lined them up with the existing panels so I knew I had a good datum to go to.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #468 on:** January 07, 2018, 12:22:42 »

I had already cut out the old tail lamp inner panel before we shut for the holidays. Yesterday I carried on with fitting the new panel. There were 3 holes in the new panel that weren't in my original one so I filled those in, I also had to cut a T shaped hole in the new one for a plastic bracket, I don't know what it is for, some sort of tool I guess. Once that was all done I fitted the gas tank filler neck cover to hold everything in place, I also fitted the latch so I could lock the trunklid down and pre-fitted the tail lamp outer panel to make sure everything was lined up, then spot welded it in to place.

It all fitted very well and looked good. I then used the new lug nut wrench to line up the original mount brackets and got those welded into place. All in all a successful day!

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #469 on:** January 19, 2018, 17:55:17 »

I didn't get a massive amount don't to the MB last Saturday, I had already seam sealed and painted the outside of my inner tail lamp panel pricer to that so I could get the outer rear light panel fitted loosely.

I had to clean up the bottom of the rear chassis crossmember where the tail light panel welds to, and there were a couple of spots where I had gone too far with my spot weld drill and were a bit thin so I plug welded those and then sprayed a bit of weld thru primer on. I also cut the new rubber pads and foam strip that goes between the two panels. The tail light panel fits pretty nicely and looks good.

Im cutting the rear wing off tomorrow....

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #470 on:** January 19, 2018, 18:01:16 »

I ordered the rear license plate so I could drill the mount holes for it but the plate is slightly too big and the top touches the trunk lock housing and the bottom two corners touch the tail lamp panel. Should there be some sort of standoff? I have looked to see if I can find any info but can't find anything.

I don't really want to have a smaller plate made because then it will lose the polished border and I don't want to use USA size plates on it as I have the euro style trim for under the plate which I like.

stickandrudderman · « **Reply #471 on:** January 19, 2018, 18:10:29 »

The only way around it is to mount the plate on bobbins and attach cushions to the corners to stop it vibrating.

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #472 on:** January 19, 2018, 18:19:30 »

OK thanks for the heads up on that, thats what I'll do.

114015 · « **Reply #473 on:** January 20, 2018, 02:30:58 »

Scott,

Shorten the number plates on the edges,

or choose another (shorter) licence plate...

Best,

Achim

neelyrc · « **Reply #474 on:** January 20, 2018, 03:06:50 »

Scott, I used fairly hard rubber washers about 1" in diameter and about a quarter inch thick to provide stand off for my USA size plate. Granted, I did not have the panel interference problem you have with the longer plate. I just did not want metal contact with the finish. You may need a little thicker rubber washers for added standoff, say 3/8th inch thick. I don't think this will be unsightly at all.

It is interesting to note that the factory were not so concerned about esthetics. See the "as delivered" picture of the rear Zolle plate on my car attached. Since the oval plate was not a good fit, they simply notched it out around the trunk lock housing!

News:

Author Topic: 1964 230SL restoration in UK (Read 238389 times)