Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol8]

[0a]

Weird looking Sacco panels

[olly755]

hornetrider said:

Lovely old girl. Now this is a mod of which we can all surely approve?

Reminds me of the leathery elbow pads fitted to my old form tutor's hairy sports jacket.

[r129sl]

E65Ross said:

r129sl said:

An for facelifts, I think the point is of general application and goes beyond cars. I far prefer the original 124 with no Saccos and no chrome at all save on the grille. What is the point of chrome inlays on the door handles and chrome trim strips on the top of the Saccos and around the bumper tops? It's just adornment for adornment's sake.

But if (and IF) it looks and feels nicer, then what's wrong with that? I bet several early W124 owners would rather the pointed star sticking up from the end of the bonnet, rather than a small badge on the grille, or no badge at all..... Is that not adornment for its own sake? But it's a nice feeling, looking down the bonnet and seeing that pointed star there.... So it's nice to have. IMO.

Early E38s also look too boxy and the front lights look pretty poor compared to the facelifted lights imo.

This is rather my point: with the benefit of perspective, it almost never does look better. There's something inevitable about that because merely superficial adornment almost never looks better than simple purity of design. And early 124s still had the star, don't fear!

Original and best?

[W00DY]

E65Ross said:

r129sl said:

An for facelifts, I think the point is of general application and goes beyond cars. I far prefer the original 124 with no Saccos and no chrome at all save on the grille. What is the point of chrome inlays on the door handles and chrome trim strips on the top of the Saccos and around the bumper tops? It's just adornment for adornment's sake.

But if (and IF) it looks and feels nicer, then what's wrong with that? I bet several early W124 owners would rather the pointed star sticking up from the end of the bonnet, rather than a small badge on the grille, or no badge at all..... Is that not adornment for its own sake? But it's a nice feeling, looking down the bonnet and seeing that pointed star there.... So it's nice to have. IMO.

Early E38s also look too boxy and the front lights look pretty poor compared to the facelifted lights imo.

Nothing wrtong with it. I think in general you're either a facelift or an early guy for most cars. Certainly there are very few facelifts I prefer to the original form.


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C590634

[Krikkit]

I like tan interiors, but that beige upper dash is just hideous. If only it was black, that'd make a nice combo! £1600 is very cheap for a barge of such quality.

[SuperHangOn]

mickyveloce said:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C590647

[url]

Yum, I have a thing for old white mercs. Just needs a set of 8 hole alloys.

As with most old mercs, the lack of a/c would put me off. Just don't think I could live without after having good systems in my last few bangers.

[Agent Orange]

Stegel said:

I think there are no hard and fast rules on facelifts. It is heresy to say this here, but in my view the facelift 124, with inset grille and clear indicators, makes the original look very clumsy - the early grille and the rest of the car seem a few decades apart, and gingers just don't do it for me. On the 129, even though I have a facelift car, I agree there is something "whole" about the early cars, gingers and all.

Far as I can tell it's like music or taste in anything. It's what works for you.

Personally I think the early R129s look dated, the first facelift perfection and the second face lift taking things too far. Some of the last R129s to me look like an old car with new parts dropped on it.

But it's not a hard and fast rule. Take this for example. A 1995 pre-facelift. It's only around the corner from me and I almost daren't go and view it because I want a 97 I6 but it looks glorious.

[mccrackenj]

r129sl said:

E65Ross said:

r129sl said:

An for facelifts, I think the point is of general application and goes beyond cars. I far prefer the original 124 with no Saccos and no chrome at all save on the grille. What is the point of chrome inlays on the door handles and chrome trim strips on the top of the Saccos and around the bumper tops? It's just adornment for adornment's sake.

But if (and IF) it looks and feels nicer, then what's wrong with that? I bet several early W124 owners would rather the pointed star sticking up from the end of the bonnet, rather than a small badge on the grille, or no badge at all..... Is that not adornment for its own sake? But it's a nice feeling, looking down the bonnet and seeing that pointed star there.... So it's nice to have. IMO.

Early E38s also look too boxy and the front lights look pretty poor compared to the facelifted lights imo.

This is rather my point: with the benefit of perspective, it almost never does look better. There's something inevitable about that because merely superficial adornment almost never looks better than simple purity of design. And early 124s still had the star, don't fear!

Original and best?

yummm!

Middle one for me please - green pre-Sacco saloon. Oh hang on . . I've just bought one! Albeit the colour is closer to the coupe in that pic than the Saloon.

Another 9 days and I'll be driving it down from Dundee towards the ferry, can't wait.


ETA: I really shouldn't look at pictures like that - it gives me ideas . . .

Edited by mccrackenj on Friday 6th March 12:23

[Stegel]

Agent Orange said:

Far as I can tell it's like music or taste in anything. It's what works for you.

Personally I think the early R129s look dated, the first facelift perfection and the second face lift taking things too far. Some of the last R129s to me look like an old car with new parts dropped on it.

But it's not a hard and fast rule. Take this for example. A 1995 pre-facelift. It's only around the corner from me and I almost daren't go and view it because I want a 97 I6 but it looks glorious.

Are those US indicators or was there a time they were standard in the UK? I see a few cars with them, but there seems to be no pattern - pre- and post- first facelift. My car is Feb 97 and has clear indicators.

[KrisP]

It's seems to be correct for that year, clears came on the facelift it appears, with those ones just before it. Personally it's either Amber or clear, not the Inbetween

[SpeckledJim]

Agent Orange said:

I don't want to see what's on the other side of that sign.

[mccrackenj]

KrisP said:

It's seems to be correct for that year, clears came on the facelift it appears, with those ones just before it. Personally it's either Amber or clear, not the Inbetween

Have you done anything about that 190e 'over here' yet?

Buy it man, please! I'm having sleepless nights trying to resist going up to see it and ignoring the Ebay listing until it finishes on Sunday night. That interior!

Imagine the reaction at home if I bought another car before I'd even collected the latest wone? Mind you, a full set of C126, W201, W124 and R129 would be nice wouldn't it? Or would it just be a monumental ball-ache looking after them all, plus the wife's Jazz? The reality - of course - is that it would.

Maybe if I bought it secretely and stored it in Harrkul's barn until I sold either the SEC or SL?

"Just off to Coleraine for the day, dear. Why? No reason, honestly" followed by "just off to L/Derry for the day - going to see that PistonHead chappie with the barn I told you about. Why? Oh, no reason, honest, just fancy a day out"

Yeah, that'll work . . .

[tobinen]

KrisP said:

It's seems to be correct for that year, clears came on the facelift it appears, with those ones just before it. Personally it's either Amber or clear, not the Inbetween

My uncle's '95 has those 'in-between' indicators.

[KrisP]

mccrackenj said:

KrisP said:

It's seems to be correct for that year, clears came on the facelift it appears, with those ones just before it. Personally it's either Amber or clear, not the Inbetween

Have you done anything about that 190e 'over here' yet?

Buy it man, please! I'm having sleepless nights trying to resist going up to see it and ignoring the Ebay listing until it finishes on Sunday night. That interior!

Imagine the reaction at home if I bought another car before I'd even collected the latest wone? Mind you, a full set of C126, W201, W124 and R129 would be nice wouldn't it? Or would it just be a monumental ball-ache looking after them all, plus the wife's Jazz? The reality - of course - is that it would.

Maybe if I bought it secretely and stored it in Harrkul's barn until I sold either the SEC or SL?

"Just off to Coleraine for the day, dear. Why? No reason, honestly" followed by "just off to L/Derry for the day - going to see that PistonHead chappie with the barn I told you about. Why? Oh, no reason, honest, just fancy a day out"

Yeah, that'll work . . .

The trouble I have is that I've never tried a 190 and I really did want a manual. The car as a whole I like, the colour, the whole package, but the interior as you say is something else. (I did really want a cloth sportline to get away from the lack of heated seats that the majority of W201's and W124's have)
I'm going back to look at the pictures now...

[E65Ross]

MOT passed

[mccrackenj]

KrisP said:

mccrackenj said:

KrisP said:

It's seems to be correct for that year, clears came on the facelift it appears, with those ones just before it. Personally it's either Amber or clear, not the Inbetween

Have you done anything about that 190e 'over here' yet?

Buy it man, please! I'm having sleepless nights trying to resist going up to see it and ignoring the Ebay listing until it finishes on Sunday night. That interior!

Imagine the reaction at home if I bought another car before I'd even collected the latest wone? Mind you, a full set of C126, W201, W124 and R129 would be nice wouldn't it? Or would it just be a monumental ball-ache looking after them all, plus the wife's Jazz? The reality - of course - is that it would.

Maybe if I bought it secretely and stored it in Harrkul's barn until I sold either the SEC or SL?

"Just off to Coleraine for the day, dear. Why? No reason, honestly" followed by "just off to L/Derry for the day - going to see that PistonHead chappie with the barn I told you about. Why? Oh, no reason, honest, just fancy a day out"

Yeah, that'll work . . .

The trouble I have is that I've never tried a 190 and I really did want a manual. The car as a whole I like, the colour, the whole package, but the interior as you say is something else. (I did really want a cloth sportline to get away from the lack of heated seats that the majority of W201's and W124's have)
I'm going back to look at the pictures now...

Ah b@lls. I typed a long an hopefully informative response for you re leather Vs cloth vs heated vs electric and manual Vs auto etc etc - but it's gone?!

Maybe I'll try again, but gist is - if 2.6 then auto not manual for me. If no electric seat then cloth every time. Sportline checked cloth absolutely lovely. Sportline leather + electric + memory in a 190e 2.6 auto must be V V rare!

Edited by mccrackenj on Friday 6th March 15:23

[JF87]

This is a slightly weird one - vendor comes across as a schizoid blend of the passionate and shiftless. Says the car has lived under a breathable cover in a heated garage... yet he hasn't started it for six months and couldn't be ar$ed to charge the battery to see if it would fire up, or try for a new MOT (current one expires next month). Also can only state "from memory" that the driver's bolster is tatty. Unforgiveable LED running lights and 'caca d'enfant' steering wheel, cheesy stereo, degingered, soft top's probably a goner... but the history appears solid, it's on decent tyres (Dunlop SPs?) and the car just somehow seems like it might be a lot better in the flesh than he's made it look and sound. Perhaps he's just got bored with it after five years.

Could be a basket case, or a massive bargain. Currently just over his stated reserve of £2,000 (which he says he'd be happy to get).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-MERCEDES-500SL-32-A...

(Actually just noticed the photos appear to be four years old, so forget it!)

[mccrackenj]

JF87 said:

This is a slightly weird one - vendor comes across as a schizoid blend of the passionate and shiftless. Says the car has lived under a breathable cover in a heated garage... yet he hasn't started it for six months and couldn't be ar$ed to charge the battery to see if it would fire up, or try for a new MOT (current one expires next month). Also can only state "from memory" that the driver's bolster is tatty. Unforgiveable LED running lights and 'caca d'enfant' steering wheel, cheesy stereo, degingered, soft top's probably a goner... but the history appears solid, it's on decent tyres (Dunlop SPs?) and the car just somehow seems like it might be a lot better in the flesh than he's made it look and sound. Perhaps he's just got bored with it after five years.

Could be a basket case, or a massive bargain. Currently just over his stated reserve of £2,000 (which he says he'd be happy to get).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-MERCEDES-500SL-32-A...

(Actually just noticed the photos appear to be four years old, so forget it!)

Presumably DRLs and wheel easily changeable? But would you buy a car from a vendor who would fit them?

[W00DY]

JF87 said:

This is a slightly weird one - vendor comes across as a schizoid blend of the passionate and shiftless. Says the car has lived under a breathable cover in a heated garage... yet he hasn't started it for six months and couldn't be ar$ed to charge the battery to see if it would fire up, or try for a new MOT (current one expires next month). Also can only state "from memory" that the driver's bolster is tatty. Unforgiveable LED running lights and 'caca d'enfant' steering wheel, cheesy stereo, degingered, soft top's probably a goner... but the history appears solid, it's on decent tyres (Dunlop SPs?) and the car just somehow seems like it might be a lot better in the flesh than he's made it look and sound. Perhaps he's just got bored with it after five years.

Could be a basket case, or a massive bargain. Currently just over his stated reserve of £2,000 (which he says he'd be happy to get).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-MERCEDES-500SL-32-A...

(Actually just noticed the photos appear to be four years old, so forget it!)

Don't forget the painted red calipers and downward pointing gap-toothed exhaust!

[JF87]

mccrackenj said:

Presumably DRLs and wheel easily changeable? But would you buy a car from a vendor who would fit them?

Unless this thread's price ceiling is shifted upwards a couple of grand, you'll soon have no choice if you want an R129 SL500 in budget!