1998 Mercedes-Benz CL420 (C140)

[Mr Tidy]

honevo said:

I've sold the CL now but have just bought a Fiat 130 Coupe

Madness because I'm a natural born fretter

Well done.

I've always loved 70s Italian cars, especially Fiats, as my Mum had a 127 that was the first car I drove on my own after passing my test and a year later I became the custodian of my Dad's 125.

I'm pretty sure I still have a brochure for the 130 that I got at Earls Court!

I hope you start a thread for it.

Saw this manual saloon at a local car meet in 2020 if you need some inspiration!

[Gerradi]

Mr Tidy said:

Well done.

I've always loved 70s Italian cars, especially Fiats, as my Mum had a 127 that was the first car I drove on my own after passing my test and a year later I became the custodian of my Dad's 125.

I'm pretty sure I still have a brochure for the 130 that I got at Earls Court!

I hope you start a thread for it.

Saw this manual saloon at a local car meet in 2020 if you need some inspiration!

Ah The twin tone horns & the sliding hand throttle by the gear lever set these off...I wafted around in a blue one these in 1978 , Wonderful.

[carinaman]

It looks much larger than the Mk1 Cortina next to it.

[tobinen]

The resident next door has misjudged his width and run along the side. The NS door moulding is pushed in and I suspect the door is behind it. I will remove the moulding to check. He was very apologetic and has said he will pay.

If it needs a door it's a write-off through official channels so let's see.

[E90_M3Ross]

Hopefully you can get it sorted easily enough. Have you been using the car much recently, and has it been behaving itself?

[tobinen]

Yes, I have been using it most weeks to go to the office. I still haven't found the reason for the bootlid soft close failure but that is one for the better weather when it comes.

[E90_M3Ross]

tobinen said:

Yes, I have been using it most weeks to go to the office. I still haven't found the reason for the bootlid soft close failure but that is one for the better weather when it comes.

Glad to hear it's still in service. Any update on the neighbour's prang? Hopefully it'll be an easy fix.

I'd love to try one of these old 140s one day, they're lovely old things. It seems to me, having read through the thread that it is becoming quite difficult to get many parts as they're NLA. I guess that's the issue with having a car that was never exactly common and doesn't appear to have a big following One of the things that puts me off things like the BMW 8 series.

[tobinen]

Some good news: I had two estimates, one for £727 and one for £516. The lower one was by the bodyshop that did the respray ealier in the thread. It also said it can repair my wings with some better stuff than it had the first time. He also accepts cash.

The neighbour has paid me the lower figure so I am booking in to have the dent and wings sorted at the same time.

Next week when/if it's not raining I will take the SL over for it to check my quarter panel dent and how much to sort the bonnet and match the mouldings ballsed-up by the previous bodyshop.

[E90_M3Ross]

tobinen said:

Some good news: I had two estimates, one for £727 and one for £516. The lower one was by the bodyshop that did the respray ealier in the thread. It also said it can repair my wings with some better stuff than it had the first time. He also accepts cash.

The neighbour has paid me the lower figure so I am booking in to have the dent and wings sorted at the same time.

Next week when/if it's not raining I will take the SL over for it to check my quarter panel dent and how much to sort the bonnet and match the mouldings ballsed-up by the previous bodyshop.

That is good to hear. I'm glad you're still (seemingly) enjoying the car and happy to keep spending money on it to keep it in good condition

[tobinen]

It passed the MoT today which makes it a good day. Only 650-ish miles in 12 months so it does make me question why I still have it.

It's booked into the bodyshop on the 25th.

[E90_M3Ross]

tobinen said:

It passed the MoT today which makes it a good day. Only 650-ish miles in 12 months so it does make me question why I still have it.

It's booked into the bodyshop on the 25th.

That's no mileage at all! At least it has a fresh ticket.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

tobinen said:

It passed the MoT today which makes it a good day. Only 650-ish miles in 12 months so it does make me question why I still have it.

It's booked into the bodyshop on the 25th.

It's a glorious thing though. Sell your other stuff and use it more.

[tobinen]

It's back from the bodyshop and I have swapped it for the SL which will be there for a month or so.

I am happy with the job for the price, both wings done though only one side pictured. Oddly on the return journey the battery light is flickering and it lost PAS for a second. Both would seem to be related to the drive belt and/or pulleys system so more investigation required.

Currently it is SORNed as I didn't know how long the bodyshop would take and as the L322 is in service I will probably tax it next month.

[JeremyH5]

tobinen said:

It's back from the bodyshop and I have swapped it for the SL which will be there for a month or so.

I am happy with the job for the price, both wings done though only one side pictured. Oddly on the return journey the battery light is flickering and it lost PAS for a second. Both would seem to be related to the drive belt and/or pulleys system so more investigation required.

Currently it is SORNed as I didn't know how long the bodyshop would take and as the L322 is in service I will probably tax it next month.

Nice bit of cosmetic upkeep, good job. Hope the flickering battery light responds to logic!

[tobinen]

Thanks Jeremy

There is some fluid on top of the undertray but it was otherwise OK today. I think it's water.