Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
colacube_uk said:
Hello, fellow 124 owner here. Been following this thread with interest. Currently tramping round the opposite end of Europe. Attached (hopefully) is a pic of our wagon resting in the split marina car park while we head off for a bit of a sail. 
Did you drive it there from the UK? It looks great, ultra-classy. But I would say that. I like the shot, too. I love catching a glimpse of the car in among so much other stuff going on.Every time I waver about keeping this car going, I visit this site: https://www.instagram.com/mercedesmotoring/ and my wavering ceases. I think he boot hinge repair will be a b
d and that the Man will not want to do it but I'm going to get it done all the same.r129sl said:
colacube_uk said:
Hello, fellow 124 owner here. Been following this thread with interest. Currently tramping round the opposite end of Europe. Attached (hopefully) is a pic of our wagon resting in the split marina car park while we head off for a bit of a sail.
Did you drive it there from the UK? It looks great, ultra-classy. But I would say that. I like the shot, too. I love catching a glimpse of the car in among so much other stuff going on.Every time I waver about keeping this car going, I visit this site: https://www.instagram.com/mercedesmotoring/ and my wavering ceases. I think he boot hinge repair will be a b
d and that the Man will not want to do it but I'm going to get it done all the same.r129sl said:
I may have spoken too soon...
The car has been in my wife's use all week and now the boot lid does not fit or close at all. The passenger side hinge mounting point has rusted away at the body. This looks very difficult to fix. I have stripped most of the interior trim out but it is hard even to see where the boot lid hinge mounts to the body: it is in a kind of pocket in the 'D' pillar. The whole internal 'D' pillar is—or should be—available as a spare part but cutting it out and putting in a new one looks like the devil of a job. All of the Man's skills will be called upon on Monday...
Good luck. It would be boring if everything was fine all the time but this does sound like a potentially big job. When problems crop up I always remind myself that I will learn another aspect of the car in the process of fixing it.The car has been in my wife's use all week and now the boot lid does not fit or close at all. The passenger side hinge mounting point has rusted away at the body. This looks very difficult to fix. I have stripped most of the interior trim out but it is hard even to see where the boot lid hinge mounts to the body: it is in a kind of pocket in the 'D' pillar. The whole internal 'D' pillar is—or should be—available as a spare part but cutting it out and putting in a new one looks like the devil of a job. All of the Man's skills will be called upon on Monday...
Once it's rectified treat the new hinge area to a coating of something like this:
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-3572-acf-50.aspx
Peanut Gallery said:
just to add I am surprised by how fast it has gone from not showing anything to the boot not closing, you would have got your man to sort any bubbling paint as soon as you spotted it.
It's been brewing since the beginning but the truth is I have been ignoring it. I've been to see the Man this morning and we'll get it sorted out later this month. More expense!r129sl said:
Did you drive it there from the UK? It looks great, ultra-classy. But I would say that. I like the shot, too. I love catching a glimpse of the car in among so much other stuff going on.
Every time I waver about keeping this car going, I visit this site: https://www.instagram.com/mercedesmotoring/ and my wavering ceases. I think he boot hinge repair will be a bd and that the Man will not want to do it but I'm going to get it done all the same.
Yes, but broke the journey with a week in the alps. Currently got 1700 miles under her belt for this trip. It'll be a yomp getting home. It's just a lowly 200, but sits at 85 all day long so get 200 miles between stops. Every time I waver about keeping this car going, I visit this site: https://www.instagram.com/mercedesmotoring/ and my wavering ceases. I think he boot hinge repair will be a b
d and that the Man will not want to do it but I'm going to get it done all the same.Only issue has been the cabin vent fan packing up an hour short of Split. Suspect the regulator. Left the keys with a garage to fix, so fingers crossed it's there repaired when we return.
Good luck with sorting out your rust. Had ours nearly four years, and weighing up whether to go all in with full suspension overhaul or go for a newer model. Suspect I'd regret letting it go as it's generally in great shape.
My wife has just passed her driving test (first time but at the age of 35, 17 years after first trying to learn) and insisted on buying a used '64 Yaris Hybrid. She won't be using it all that much.
Very tempted to chop in my 2015 A6 Avant while it is still worth something and go full-on Merc fiend. I can use the Yaris or one of the R129s the rest of the time, and have this as a near-daily and/or long-distance car. We won't be doing much city driving...
http://www.mtsv.co.uk/info/S124300DAG2.htm
PS - Baister has had SL2 since the end of last month for brake fluid and ATF change. Am I likely to see the car again this year?
Very tempted to chop in my 2015 A6 Avant while it is still worth something and go full-on Merc fiend. I can use the Yaris or one of the R129s the rest of the time, and have this as a near-daily and/or long-distance car. We won't be doing much city driving...
http://www.mtsv.co.uk/info/S124300DAG2.htm
PS - Baister has had SL2 since the end of last month for brake fluid and ATF change. Am I likely to see the car again this year?
Zonergem said:
My wife has just passed her driving test (first time but at the age of 35, 17 years after first trying to learn) and insisted on buying a used '64 Yaris Hybrid. She won't be using it all that much.
Very tempted to chop in my 2015 A6 Avant while it is still worth something and go full-on Merc fiend. I can use the Yaris or one of the R129s the rest of the time, and have this as a near-daily and/or long-distance car. We won't be doing much city driving...
http://www.mtsv.co.uk/info/S124300DAG2.htm
PS - Baister has had SL2 since the end of last month for brake fluid and ATF change. Am I likely to see the car again this year?
That 300 TD is superb and will be a friend for life. You can retrofit them with the pollution equipment with no power detriment. I understand that these old indirect injection, normally aspirated diesels are cleaner than all but the most recent stuff. When your wife has got the hand of driving (haha, don't hold your breath and all that hilarious sexist joke stuff), introduce her to a 190. My wife really, really likes hers.Very tempted to chop in my 2015 A6 Avant while it is still worth something and go full-on Merc fiend. I can use the Yaris or one of the R129s the rest of the time, and have this as a near-daily and/or long-distance car. We won't be doing much city driving...
http://www.mtsv.co.uk/info/S124300DAG2.htm
PS - Baister has had SL2 since the end of last month for brake fluid and ATF change. Am I likely to see the car again this year?
Baister: it is only 12 days since the end of last month, a blink of an eye in Baister land. If that is all he is doing on it, tell him you'll be up to get it on Friday. It's only an hour's work. I can hassle him a bit, too. He did my E430 today: drop off at 10am, pick up at 4pm. I'll get you lunch if you do make it up to the Town.
I wouldn't really mind but the hardtop leaks a bit at the A-pillar seal on the N/S. When I took it in the forecast for the week ahead was clear so I didn't mention the waterproof car cover in the boot.
Last night the pouring rain woke me at 3.15 am and I lay in bed for an hour, seething about my flooded car.
I'll follow your advice about Friday.
The MTSV car doesn't have air-con, does it? Maybe a bit of a bore if taking the car away on holiday with family...
Last night the pouring rain woke me at 3.15 am and I lay in bed for an hour, seething about my flooded car.
I'll follow your advice about Friday.
The MTSV car doesn't have air-con, does it? Maybe a bit of a bore if taking the car away on holiday with family...
It was raining stair rods when I was there this afternoon.
He keeps them inside at night. Although, obviously, they leak just as much during the day.
No air con on that 300 TD. I would want air con. You can tilt the roof and all that, but its absence is a total bore if you get stuck in heavy traffic on the périphérique in July.
He keeps them inside at night. Although, obviously, they leak just as much during the day.
No air con on that 300 TD. I would want air con. You can tilt the roof and all that, but its absence is a total bore if you get stuck in heavy traffic on the périphérique in July.
r129sl said:
Clearly ideal for all your fly-tipping needs.
No, me neither.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-W124-S124-300TD...
I quite like these Euro-style wagons. I love good old-fashioned split rims with polished rims and bolts. I wish I'd sprang for a set for my SL when they were vaguely affordable.
These guys produce some interesting wheels, cutting the centres out of period one-piece wheels and bolting up polished rims and barrels.
https://www.instagram.com/crcustomwheels/?hl=en
These guys produce some interesting wheels, cutting the centres out of period one-piece wheels and bolting up polished rims and barrels.
https://www.instagram.com/crcustomwheels/?hl=en
I do wonder if I should have SL2 resprayed black, colour-code the grille, fit a black roof, tint the windows and spend serious wonga on the AMG OZ 17" staggered split rims. Even try and find a Gen 1 AMG bodykit...
There's a set on eBay now at 1750, no tyres and need refurbishment.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-set-of-Mercedes-AMG-...
The result of this 10k's worth of work and parts would be a Yakuza spec car, which does look ruddy fabulous.
There's a set on eBay now at 1750, no tyres and need refurbishment.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-set-of-Mercedes-AMG-...
The result of this 10k's worth of work and parts would be a Yakuza spec car, which does look ruddy fabulous.
The visit to the Man reveals that the cup into which the tailgate hinge bolts has rusted away. I knew that already. A replacement pillar (incorporating the cup) is NLA at Mercedes, although it was only £205 plus VAT. It would be quite a complex part to repair. The inner pillar structure would have to be removed and patched. This might leave things wonky. The plan at the moment is to cut the relevant parts out of a scrap car and weld them into my car, essentially obtaining the part that is NLA. This would be a proper repair. The legendary Baister is making enquiries about having the part cut out and sent up; if that comes to nothing, I have located an E300 diesel estate for sale 22 miles a way at offers over £240. I am tempted to buy this anyway, strip it for what I might need and then weigh in what is left.
Here is a view into the tailgate hinge area. You can see where it has rusted away:
And here is a view of the inner pillar structure from inside. Happily it is a double skin, welded to the roof structure rather than forming the roof structure.
Marked up the part that will be cut out and replaced, also showing the underside of the hinge area:
Here is a view into the tailgate hinge area. You can see where it has rusted away:
And here is a view of the inner pillar structure from inside. Happily it is a double skin, welded to the roof structure rather than forming the roof structure.
Marked up the part that will be cut out and replaced, also showing the underside of the hinge area:
Is that wiring with the cimp connectors standard? Perhaps its had a water leak there in the past that caused the rust?
I guess the key thing will be to ensure that its not a design fault or whatever breaker you find is likely to be the same?
Have to say I love 124s and we see a few available in the UAE that have been imported form Japan and are fairly clean.
There are quite a few E500s too and they are just superb to drive.
I guess the key thing will be to ensure that its not a design fault or whatever breaker you find is likely to be the same?
Have to say I love 124s and we see a few available in the UAE that have been imported form Japan and are fairly clean.
There are quite a few E500s too and they are just superb to drive.
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