Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 6]

[mccrackenj]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

E65Ross said:

Indeed, looks nice but prefer the green one.

We've done it. We've given you the bug! You're forever hooked chum.

Just give in to it, it's easier in the long run.

[0a]

E65Ross said:

I'm quite possibly going to view that almandine one posted a fee posts up to see what they're like.

Who knows what will happen!

I kind of don't want to like it

You will hate it - rightfully so! A modern car is quieter, more economical, handles better, is less rusty etc.

I had my first meeting with my mechanic today - we've split the work on my car into 3 areas:

- Ongoing stuff - fix the cruise control, radio aerial, noisy trim, mirrors, squeak on the steering (random), full service (including transmission fluid change, and spring as described here)
- Suspension
- Bodywork

Please can a W124 expert (r129!) link or describe exactly what needs replacing in the suspension phase - my intention is to bring the car back to a new W124 in terms of ride.

Phase 1 starts on Monday (I will do 650 miles in the car this weekend) - HELP!

[0a]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

You are correct - the e23 I had felt seriously old: difficult to live with old. I no longer want to drive an e28. I have driven an e34 and again, looking back (I hadn't driven my w124 then) it felt old.

The W124 is an excellent modern car as all modern cars have reduced steering feel, increased weight, useless ride - but with increased size, length, bad visibility and so on. The W124 is a good compromise, and when you drive 100 miles in one you appreciate the compromise - before you start to appreciate the quality.

[idiotgap]

r129sl said:

mccrackenj said:

Fun and games over the last few days with the recent barge, the E220T. Noticed when I got it that the offside indicator lens had a tiny hole in it, and the stone that did it still inside. No problem, I had a pair of clear lenses sitting about form when I re-ambered the 230TE before I sold it. So, fitted new offside one and threw the damaged one in the bin.

Drove to work, no problem. Left work, and half way home again indicated and dash light starts flashing. "OK just a bulb" thinks I and drives the rest of the way home. Goes into house and comes out with spare bulbs - only to find the whole indicator missing! Bu££er.

No probs, the perfect excuse to get 2 new ambers (even though it's a facelift car, but they look better with silver than clear ones do) So car off the road for a week until I get 2 new ambers. Fitted them on Sunday, drove to work Monday, drove home, everything fine. Come out of house this morning and what is lying in the road? One offside amber indicator lens. It was definitely in place last night and the car hasn't moved an inch for 48 hours so WTF?

You have to laugh.

I've had the same happen to me. They're quite difficult to locate properly. You have to keep the spring clip tensioned on the inside while pushing it home (hard) from the outside until the spring clip overcomes the retainer. Which is easier said than done. I suspect that last night the spring clip "sprung".

And me, good job they're still cheap for the moment. You need to hear the click to confirm it's located.

[slippery]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

So you think a 300E is more refined than a 500SE for example? Do you mean in direct comparison or against their direct competition of the same vintage?

[0a]

BGarside said:

mickyveloce said:

I've owned 12v 300, 24v 280 and 24v 300, and all are different.

300-24 would be my choice of them all for its character and performance. Add to this that it's the most economical, and its a winner.

The head gasket thing is a bit of a red herring, specialists on here report the problem is over reported, but regular oil changes are important. All seep a little oil at the front of the block, but not enough to be an issue.

Best of the lot us the 3.6 24v which has uprated AMG gaskets etc, but strangely I don't think it would suit the r129 chassis.

I've been considering a 6-cylinder W124 but, having test-driven a 300-24, I figured a power band starting at over 5,000 revs wouldn't really be much use to me as I wouldn't thrash an old engine that hard to access the extra power.

Have not driven the 12v 300 yet, but I'm afraid it might feel a bit slow, with only 177hp (reduced from original 188 on early W124s), a high torque peak (around 4400rpm?) and an autobox which starts in second gear anyway.

Also, is the 12v engine not equally, susceptible to head gasket failure at around the 100k mark?

I assume the economy of these older engines is worse than the later 2.8 and 3.2 with EFI?

Seems to me the best engine is the 3.2, as it develops more torque at lower revs than the older engines and can be had with the 5-speed auto. Obviously requiring wiring loom to be sorted....

I can only answer for my 168k 12v 3.0 - "I wouldn't thrash an old engine that hard to access the extra power" - I know you applied this to the 24v version, but I would own any of these mercs and 'thrash' them when warm - I do change the oil every 5k and get the car looked over, but there is no reason why you wouldn't use the engine to its full rev range. A couple of chaps were laughing at the noise my car made when I took them on a 10 mile drive for lunch today - it's a nice sounding 3.0 straight 6 engine!

Regarding head gasket failure, mine seems fine.

I'd like to understand whether the 24v is really robust - it sounds like an excellent engine to use.

Edited by 0a on Wednesday 2nd April 23:21

[idiotgap]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Some interesting stuff, some of which may end up in budget, in here:

http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic-auction...

I like the look of the Almandine E220, with burgundy leather. Estimate of £2600-3000.

Did we agree that the 220 was adequate?

Don't want to discourage you CDG if you're sure, but it's not really burgundy is it, it's a bit rhubarb & custard!

[slippery]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Interesting. I've been in both a 126 and a 124, but only when they were a few months old, which is now too long ago to remember! I did get a very tired 230 TE courtesy car about a decade ago, which I don't count, as it was truly horrid.

[slippery]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I know that makes sense, but then I look at an SEC and go weak at the knees. In the right colour and top condition, they are just so beautiful.

[Emeye]

0a said:

I am going to spend a st load of wonga on making an old Merc like new.

Are you starting a build thread please?

[jonclancy]

This 300CE-24 Coupe featured earlier went for £2273. A bargain, I think!

[derin100]

r129sl said:

mccrackenj said:

Fun and games over the last few days with the recent barge, the E220T. Noticed when I got it that the offside indicator lens had a tiny hole in it, and the stone that did it still inside. No problem, I had a pair of clear lenses sitting about form when I re-ambered the 230TE before I sold it. So, fitted new offside one and threw the damaged one in the bin.

Drove to work, no problem. Left work, and half way home again indicated and dash light starts flashing. "OK just a bulb" thinks I and drives the rest of the way home. Goes into house and comes out with spare bulbs - only to find the whole indicator missing! Bu££er.

No probs, the perfect excuse to get 2 new ambers (even though it's a facelift car, but they look better with silver than clear ones do) So car off the road for a week until I get 2 new ambers. Fitted them on Sunday, drove to work Monday, drove home, everything fine. Come out of house this morning and what is lying in the road? One offside amber indicator lens. It was definitely in place last night and the car hasn't moved an inch for 48 hours so WTF?

You have to laugh.

I've had the same happen to me. They're quite difficult to locate properly. You have to keep the spring clip tensioned on the inside while pushing it home (hard) from the outside until the spring clip overcomes the retainer. Which is easier said than done. I suspect that last night the spring clip "sprung".

This has happened to me twice on 124s! Once on my ex-red 230CE and also on the white 300CE. Both times I was on a motorway and so there was no way at all to try to retrieve the indicator.

Having been bitten twice, I have since also looped a cable tie through the bracket as a "belt and braces" so that if one does pop out again at least it can't fall off the car completely!

[derin100]

My biggest gripe with the 124s in terms of refinement (and I'm comparing our 320 Estate with the E38 now) is the level of noise. At fast motorway speeds the engine noise is quite intrusive because it's revving so high and the levels of wind noise are really very noticeable. Get to speeds of near 100 mph and the wind noise around the windows is horrible.

Maybe they are discrete safety features built-in to dissuade excessive speeding? It certainly makes me slow down!

[harry kular]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Very well put, my thoughts exactly

[machinery]

Paging MJK 24
Please mail me on [e-mail] about your 230e

[r129sl]

0a said:

BGarside said:

mickyveloce said:

I've owned 12v 300, 24v 280 and 24v 300, and all are different.

300-24 would be my choice of them all for its character and performance. Add to this that it's the most economical, and its a winner.

The head gasket thing is a bit of a red herring, specialists on here report the problem is over reported, but regular oil changes are important. All seep a little oil at the front of the block, but not enough to be an issue.

Best of the lot us the 3.6 24v which has uprated AMG gaskets etc, but strangely I don't think it would suit the r129 chassis.

I've been considering a 6-cylinder W124 but, having test-driven a 300-24, I figured a power band starting at over 5,000 revs wouldn't really be much use to me as I wouldn't thrash an old engine that hard to access the extra power.

Have not driven the 12v 300 yet, but I'm afraid it might feel a bit slow, with only 177hp (reduced from original 188 on early W124s), a high torque peak (around 4400rpm?) and an autobox which starts in second gear anyway.

Also, is the 12v engine not equally, susceptible to head gasket failure at around the 100k mark?

I assume the economy of these older engines is worse than the later 2.8 and 3.2 with EFI?

Seems to me the best engine is the 3.2, as it develops more torque at lower revs than the older engines and can be had with the 5-speed auto. Obviously requiring wiring loom to be sorted....

I can only answer for my 168k 12v 3.0 - "I wouldn't thrash an old engine that hard to access the extra power" - I know you applied this to the 24v version, but I would own any of these mercs and 'thrash' them when warm - I do change the oil every 5k and get the car looked over, but there is no reason why you wouldn't use the engine to its full rev range. A couple of chaps were laughing at the noise my car made when I took them on a 10 mile drive for lunch today - it's a nice sounding 3.0 straight 6 engine!

Regarding head gasket failure, mine seems fine.

I'd like to understand whether the 24v is really robust - it sounds like an excellent engine to use.

Edited by 0a on Wednesday 2nd April 23:21

I wouldn't hesitate to use any of the engines within the full extent of their design parameters. They were intended to run hard and fast and they thrive on it. The 12valve engine is commonly regarded as utterly bulletproof. I suspect the weaknesses of the 24valve engines are over-stated.

[E65Ross]

0a said:

E65Ross said:

I'm quite possibly going to view that almandine one posted a fee posts up to see what they're like.

Who knows what will happen!

I kind of don't want to like it

You will hate it - rightfully so! A modern car is quieter, more economical, handles better, is less rusty etc.

You are aware I have run (for 3.5 years and 30k miles) an E21 BMW which, whilst unrefined, noisy, and slow.....I absolutely loved purely because it had bags and bags of character. In many ways, I still miss it. So I do know what you mean about old cars.

[E65Ross]

derin100 said:

My biggest gripe with the 124s in terms of refinement (and I'm comparing our 320 Estate with the E38 now) is the level of noise. At fast motorway speeds the engine noise is quite intrusive because it's revving so high and the levels of wind noise are really very noticeable. Get to speeds of near 100 mph and the wind noise around the windows is horrible.

Maybe they are discrete safety features built-in to dissuade excessive speeding? It certainly makes me slow down!

The E38 is a very quiet car and a fair step up (if i remember correctly) in refinement from the E32; the E65 is another level still....you can quite literally hold a whispered conversation into 3 figures. Even doing 140+ it's just still so quiet.

My E65 doing 140 is actually quieter (decibels) than an MX5 doing 60 (not sure about below 60, didn't measure that slow!) but it's quite remarkable.

[r129sl]

Basic, pricey, but quite appealing. Takes gravel and grass to new levels. One assumes (hopes?) that is not the vendor's house.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C487913

[r129sl]

And then there is this. Price strikes me as insane given it lacks a six. But even so, it harks back to the days when a proper car was a proper car.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C487928