Mercedes 129 titivation

Mercedes 129 titivation

Author
Discussion

blueb10

172 posts

133 months

Monday 27th July 2015
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Saw your car at Silverstone, looked very nice and certainly wears its miles well. You must be very pleased, I would be.

rob0r

420 posts

169 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
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Stunning car, very jealous!

r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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A little more photo action from my favourite field.













Should have shut the gate: lazy. But I'm feeling good about the paint job: this is after a day's use.

Edited by r129sl on Monday 3rd August 22:11

5potTurbo

12,483 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th August 2015
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Lovely pics and I like the mini resto, sorry, "titivation" wink you've done.

I can almost hear a farmer shouting, "Get orf moi laaaaand!" smile

stichill99

1,040 posts

180 months

Tuesday 4th August 2015
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Don't be so cheeky 5potTurbo, I would be be delighted if that Benz parked next to my bales! Makes a change from the 's tipping their old fridges in the hedgeback!

0a

23,879 posts

193 months

Tuesday 4th August 2015
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Stunning. You have almost convinced me that the later r129s can look as good as the earlier ones smile !

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th August 2015
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It really does look splendid, and the pics are beautifully composed and shot.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 4th August 2015
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Looking great

r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Tuesday 11th August 2015
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I noticed a minuscule coolant leak from the header tank the other day. Googling suggests this is not uncommon. New header tank available next day from MB Newcastle. I can't recall the cost, maybe £50. Very easy to fit and an opportunity to clean up under the bonnet.

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Tuesday 11th August 2015
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I'm seeing r129's all over the place at the moment, I'm blaming this thread it's like they're calling to me!

My local garage has one parked up off the road in black, it's not taxed and they have had it for ages I'm tempted to ask if it's for sale.


TR4man

5,208 posts

173 months

Wednesday 12th August 2015
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Wills2 said:
I'm seeing r129's all over the place at the moment, I'm blaming this thread it's like they're calling to me!

My local garage has one parked up off the road in black, it's not taxed and they have had it for ages I'm tempted to ask if it's for sale.

You might be in for a shock. Only a short while ago you'd get a good one for £5k, seems you now need at least double that for a decent one.


r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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New coolant tank did not cure the leak. I suspect it is the little vent hose and/or the clamp that secures it to the bottle. New hose and clamps ordered. £36 for the hose. Outrageous. There is no rhyme or reason to Merc parts prices.

0a

23,879 posts

193 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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TR4man said:
Wills2 said:
I'm seeing r129's all over the place at the moment, I'm blaming this thread it's like they're calling to me!

My local garage has one parked up off the road in black, it's not taxed and they have had it for ages I'm tempted to ask if it's for sale.

You might be in for a shock. Only a short while ago you'd get a good one for £5k, seems you now need at least double that for a decent one.
They are fantastic cars - I'm in my first 6 months ownership of a 1991 500SL. Mine is in the £5k area and I think this was a fair price for it - I purchased it from a PHer I know so a fair deal for both parties was done.

I called about, and viewed a few cars prior to mine. One in particular was advertised on a Merc site and it was an absolute dog - rust everywhere.

Mine's not perfect - but I know what the issues are and will sort them. The exhaust is kind of done (I think I might get some baffles put back in though!), the A/C compressor doesn't work, and I will work my way through the suspension. All can be done at my leisure.

I absolutely love it though, and I think they look great. Don't give up - PHers have had some ridiculous bargains with much cheaper cars lately.



Edited by 0a on Tuesday 29th September 21:32

5potTurbo

12,483 posts

167 months

Wednesday 30th September 2015
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I've just leanred a mate's dad, who's owned this model 500SL (in black) since the early 90s, changed it for a BMW 3 cab! WTF?!

r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Monday 15th February 2016
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I have finally gotten round to having the hardtop sorted. Minor bubbling in various places. It is aluminium so ought to be easier to sort than rusty steel. I think reassembling the trim and seals will be a struggle but I'm hoping the Man is up to it because the main front seal is £450. Ouch.











More significantly, we were over-optimistic about "curing" the corrosion on the bootlid and rear end. It has indeed started to come back, albeit was fairly microscopic. I have sourced a replacement bootlid and we are going to cut out and replace the affected part of the rear end. The latter is a fairly tricky task to accomplish. If it isn't right, we'll replace the entire rear end. Whoever it was that commented on this first time round, you were right!


Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Monday 15th February 2016
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Hmm, disappointing. Assuming it was all appropriately slathered with Bilt Hamber Deox followed by Electrox primer (or equivalent products) that rather suggests that it's coming through from inside. I did some smaller scabby surface patches on my E39 that way and haven't had anything come back over 20 months of the car standing out in the rain.

r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Tuesday 16th February 2016
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No turning back now!







It had been treated with Hydrate 80 and Electrox and slathered with Dynax UB inside but the corrosion was well into the metal. I live about 150 yards from the north sea coast, so it spends a lot of its life parked in a salt chamber. I noticed a couple of weeks ago pin prick-sized blistering under the paint so it was coming back already. The old metal will be used as a template or guide for new. The new patch will be prepared in weld-through primer, welded in, painted and undersealed behind. If it doesn't work out, I'll have to spring for a new rear panel. It's not the cost so much as the difficulty of getting the four joins just so.

Edited by r129sl on Tuesday 16th February 18:37

r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Tuesday 1st March 2016
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New section welded in and dressed.



And painted.



The backside of the new metal was primed with a weld through primer before being installed, then liberally coated with Dynax S50. The hardtop is finished and re-assembled and the car comes back to me this evening. Now we just need a weekend polishing and detailing and the arrival of the spring. Oh, and £400-worth of new tyres.

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Tuesday 1st March 2016
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I'm also coming up for tyres

You're on bigger wheels than me so have access to a larger range of makes of tyre - perhaps the only disadvantage of staying on 16" in my view, as I've never felt the need for bigger brakes on any of my 16" wheeled cars. I'm coming to the view that the best currently available bet for a 129 on 225/55 16 looks like the Michelin Primacy 3 (the Primacy HP replacement) in its 99 load rated XL incarnation. But if you or any other 129 / 124 drivers have recommendations for W-rated tyres currently available in that size, this would be a handy time...

r129sl

Original Poster:

9,518 posts

202 months

Tuesday 1st March 2016
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Lowtimer said:
I'm also coming up for tyres

You're on bigger wheels than me so have access to a larger range of makes of tyre - perhaps the only disadvantage of staying on 16" in my view, as I've never felt the need for bigger brakes on any of my 16" wheeled cars. I'm coming to the view that the best currently available bet for a 129 on 225/55 16 looks like the Michelin Primacy 3 (the Primacy HP replacement) in its 99 load rated XL incarnation. But if you or any other 129 / 124 drivers have recommendations for W-rated tyres currently available in that size, this would be a handy time...
There is not a bad range here: https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-225-55-16-0...

I didn't like the Primacy HPs I had on my 129 a while back. I loved the PS2s but they are no longer available. At the moment I have the PS3s, also only available in the 99 XL fitment. I can't say I notice any difference between them and the usual 95s in terms of stiffness. I like the Continental Premium Contact 5, which I have on my estate car, but I don't know how it would handle a much faster car. I think I'd probably go for the Michelin Primacy 3 but I'd get the 95W.