Author Topic: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL  (Read 2848 times)

FresnoBob

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Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« on: February 24, 2020, 16:05:25 »
On New Year's Day I decided to kick off the year by beginning a major restoration.  The non-numbers matching engine consumed oil, belched smoke and had low compression.  The body needed new paint from a terrible attempt to repaint only one side of the car from a "road rage" incident many years ago.  The body also has considerable rust from living in Germany for the first 15 years of its life. 

I was able to buy a Metric Motors rebuilt 250 engine from Rick Iknoian, a fellow Pagoda SL Group member and Gus is rebuilding the injection pump.  I'm now mostly through assembling the rebuilt motor and beginning the body work.  The largest battle seems to be scope creep.  I've now rebuilt the drive shaft, horns, fuel tank, fuel pump, and a multitude of smaller items.  Glass beading of the valve cover and intake manifold came out particularly well. 
Bob Comstock
1966 230 SL Euro Auto
2017 AMG C43 Cabriolet

JamesL

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2020, 16:34:55 »
Love seeing this sort of thing - keep the pictures and updates coming.
James L
Oct69 RHD 280 in DB906 with cognac leather

johnk

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2020, 22:59:46 »
On New Year's Day I decided to kick off the year by beginning a major restoration.  The non-numbers matching engine consumed oil, belched smoke and had low compression.  The body needed new paint from a terrible attempt to repaint only one side of the car from a "road rage" incident many years ago.  The body also has considerable rust from living in Germany for the first 15 years of its life. 

I was able to buy a Metric Motors rebuilt 250 engine from Rick Iknoian, a fellow Pagoda SL Group member and Gus is rebuilding the injection pump.  I'm now mostly through assembling the rebuilt motor and beginning the body work.  The largest battle seems to be scope creep.  I've now rebuilt the drive shaft, horns, fuel tank, fuel pump, and a multitude of smaller items.  Glass beading of the valve cover and intake manifold came out particularly well.

If you bead blast your aluminum be extremely careful not to get any glass in the channel inside the valve cover. It’s very difficult to remove and can cause damage to your engine. Also I was recently advised that the heat from bead blasting opens up the pores in the aluminum making  it easier to absorb dirt down the road. I coated mine with a good hi-temp clear satin paint to prevent this.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

FresnoBob

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2020, 22:09:50 »
Thanks John - I was planning to coat my intake manifold and valve cover with Cerakote, but I think a matte finish is better than gloss.  What clear, high temp product did you use?
Bob Comstock
1966 230 SL Euro Auto
2017 AMG C43 Cabriolet

Benz Dr.

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2020, 22:21:56 »
I've noted that after painting, if you leave paint on the areas where a gasket will seat, you can have coolant leaks. I always remove any paint or try to mask those areas off before assembly. Saves a lot of '' go back and do it again '' work.
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

kampala

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #5 on: February 29, 2020, 06:55:22 »
Looking very nice.   Keep the photos coming many like to see naked pagodas.
250sl - later - manual
280sl - 1971 - Auto - LSD

Aslam

FresnoBob

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2020, 23:36:10 »
I've completed all the body work I'm doing at this stage and now having someone paint the engine bay.  The engine is coming along nicely and the injection pump should be fully rebuilt by the end of the month.  It's amazing how much time I spend cleaning and repainting parts, not to mention the big box of parts sent for electroplating. 
Bob Comstock
1966 230 SL Euro Auto
2017 AMG C43 Cabriolet

Shvegel

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2020, 23:14:19 »
"Scope creep"  Bwahahahah!

FresnoBob

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2020, 23:52:33 »
Engine bay painted today.  I guess this is the bottom and I'll start reassembling parts tomorrow.  Now to remember where everything goes...
Bob Comstock
1966 230 SL Euro Auto
2017 AMG C43 Cabriolet

Paul Cain

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2020, 05:20:53 »
Great photos. Keep them coming.  When will you be applying the color / base coat?

johnk

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2020, 17:12:11 »
Fresno
Are you going to support the wire harness above somehow?  I tried to tape mine up when I primered my engine compartment but realized I had to pull it out before I applied the color and clear coats.  Too much dust and too difficult keeping it out of the way without bumping into the wet paint.

John
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

FresnoBob

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2020, 15:58:24 »
John - I used wire from above to hold the harness in several places to keep it away from the paint.  We still had to move the wires by hand to get paint everywhere it needed to be.  Almost done assembling the engine bay, so the engine should go in next week. 
Bob Comstock
1966 230 SL Euro Auto
2017 AMG C43 Cabriolet

beachbear

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2020, 00:16:34 »
Currently, mine is in a similar condition. I have chosen to forgo cad plating since the logistics are overwhelming to me in Hawaii. I've chosen to paint clips satin black and lines or rods clear using Everbrite.
David White
'69 280sl automatic, 3rd owner since '82

Paul Cain

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2020, 04:23:46 »
Just put down color on my engine compartment. Excited to start reinstalling the gold zinc hardware.

Paul Cain

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2020, 04:25:34 »
If you need gold zinc. I have a guy in Orange county, CA who would return ship to HI.  Let me know if you want contact details.

beachbear

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2020, 09:07:36 »
Thanks Paul. I really appreciate the recommendation, but I’m too far along in my project.
David White
'69 280sl automatic, 3rd owner since '82

johnk

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Re: Restoration Progress Report - 230 SL
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2020, 13:15:29 »
John - I used wire from above to hold the harness in several places to keep it away from the paint.  We still had to move the wires by hand to get paint everywhere it needed to be.  Almost done assembling the engine bay, so the engine should go in next week.

Good idea. I couldn’t do that because the ceiling in the barn is about 12 feet.

Looks great. Hope you were able to keep the little dust and dirt particles out of the crevices when you paint. Makes a big difference in the appearance when you are done.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540