Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 13]

[callahan]

Croutons said:

Mr Micawber said:

....Or at the other end of the risk/excitement scale you could have this on your driveway (hard shoulder) within thread budget

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1069523

I was just about to post the Gumtree ad, lucky I didn’t as it adds nowt but WANT from me.

Imagine this and the 400 on your drive....?

I do love an Alpina but considering the MOT history I would be worried about the next test in Feb 2019.... Either that or a very detailed specialist checkup before purchase.

[anonymous-user]

I've had a play around with a couple of R230 SLs through work the last couple of days. Foolishly I checked prices on eBay tonight, and it's gaving me bad ideas...

SL500 for £5k
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-SL500-converti...

SL350 for £4.8k
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-MERCEDES-SL-350-CO...

How do R129s fair in comparison?

I've always fancied a r129, but I think I'd want a 500, which seem thin on the ground for around thread budget these days.

[r129sl]

0a said:

r129sl said:

0a said:

It’s back. I post without comment.

https://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1069721

Been for sale forever. Started at £8k way back in 2016 or 17. Still over-priced. It’s had bodge in a rear wheel arch and one of the wings has a blurb which will have worsened since the pics were taken.

I love the colours. Obvs.

I love them as well. Just imagine ordering it and seeing it brand new for the first time. Bravo!

I tried searching for it but didn’t find it from its last appearance. I am sure we will see D443NCY again.

Here we are discussing it in July 2017. And it appears you had spotted it in April at £1,500. I wonder what the trader would take to be shot of it. But then I wonder what state it is in after two years' standing round.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[mondayo]

JF87 said:

E55 went through the MOT yesterday with one trifling advisory. Plus the steering issue was resolved by a solenoid after all, not the replacement rack or pump The Man had gloomily predicted.



Also, it's increasingly looking as if I inadvertently acquired it at the bottom of the depreciation curve. Bought for £8,000 almost two years ago, and could definitely fetch at least that now.



Oh, and I've just established that a 5.5 supercharged V8 with off-the-scale emissions is somehow exempt from the London ULEZ, which is to be extended to the end of my road in 2021 (by which time the car will be worth at least £40,000, and have developed the ability to repair itself).

Excellent news. I've a very similar car and MOT is due in a few weeks. I'll be happy with a similar outcome.

[olly755]

r129sl said:

I know of a tidy-ish 300 SL-24 for sale at a knock down price. The roof controller is bust and the hardtop is stuck in place. It is freshly MOT'd. From memory it has rusty front wings. It is Astral Silver over either black or blue leather with everything else pretty original. 15 hole wheels. If Zonergem, er, anyone, is interested, do let me know and I can put you in touch with the (judge) vendor.

I ended up buying this. An unusual choice for someone who hates rust and issues, in fact any automotive projects in general. But the money was right, and it will be good to revisit the R129, even if what I've bought is essentially a 300 SLC-24V. I initially had naughty Moss/Jenks inspired thoughts about an angle grinders, fly screen, tonneau cover, press studs and blue check cloth, but of course these are only words.

Collect Saturday, I know the drill.

[mondayo]

bolide said:

Krikkit said:

Does the W201 have a transmission dipstick, or is it something much more grubby to check the level?

I'm having dirty thoughts about this S124, only problem is it's Motorhub!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283229458104



Pretty good MOT history, although it's out of ticket, £3k doesn't seem bad if it's not an absolute shed.

It's been for sale at Motorhub since at least March 2018. It has been sold a few times before:

2008 158,300 miles £975
2011 166,000 miles £2550
2013 170,000 miles £?
2018 206,000 miles £3989 unsold
2019 206,000 miles £2989 unsold

Nick Froome

I was going to post it's been for sale for ages and occasionally crops up in my searches. But Nick has provided a much more comprehensive answer....makes me wonder why I'm still typing.....

[Zonergem]

olly755 said:

I ended up buying this. An unusual choice for someone who hates rust and issues, in fact any automotive projects in general. But the money was right, and it will be good to revisit the R129, even if what I've bought is essentially a 300 SLC-24V. I initially had naughty Moss/Jenks inspired thoughts about an angle grinders, fly screen, tonneau cover, press studs and blue check cloth, but of course these are only words.

Collect Saturday, I know the drill.

Are you collecting it from Newcastle and driving south? If you fancy breaking your journey in North Yorkshire I'm sure an impromptu thread R129 beard gathering (Lowtimer, MickyVeloce, your truly) could be attempted.

[harrykul]

Congratulations Olly, looking forward to the report!

[tobinen]

WorldBoss said:

I've had a play around with a couple of R230 SLs through work the last couple of days. Foolishly I checked prices on eBay tonight, and it's gaving me bad ideas...

SL500 for £5k
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-SL500-converti...

SL350 for £4.8k
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-MERCEDES-SL-350-CO...

How do R129s fair in comparison?

I've always fancied a r129, but I think I'd want a 500, which seem thin on the ground for around thread budget these days.

I've never owned either, but an R230 has to be a financial suicide mission IMO

I'd want a nice SL500 129

[tobinen]

Excellent news Olly. We look forward to the obligatory pics

[Krikkit]

tobinen said:

Excellent news Olly. We look forward to the obligatory pics

Yep, slightly gloomy petrol station photo required!

[SpeckledJim]

1990 W201 2.0 autobox.

Thanks all for the helpful suggestions. The transmission dipstick is, as hoped for, dry, so I've 5 litres on the way to me.

Are there any words-to-the-wise about topping-up procedures, if there are any?

To my embarrassment, this is already as in-depth as I've ever got with a gearbox!

[tobinen]

When I worked at Jeep the techs would always shift through the gears during a 'box fill. I think it also helps to have it up to temperature. My 2d worth

[SpeckledJim]

tobinen said:

When I worked at Jeep the techs would always shift through the gears during a 'box fill. I think it also helps to have it up to temperature. My 2d worth

Shift gears with the engine running? And the new oil up to temperature, or the car, or both?

I'm absolutely positive there's at least one dead stupid question in there ^^^

[Lowtimer]

SpeckledJim said:

Shift gears with the engine running?

Car in the air, wheels free to rotate. Shifts between P, R, N and D and back again are a simple series of lever waggles. On some cars, e.g. my R129, you can manually choose between first and second gear also wit the wheels in the air, as normal D selection puts it into second.

[r129sl]

Zonergem said:

olly755 said:

I ended up buying this. An unusual choice for someone who hates rust and issues, in fact any automotive projects in general. But the money was right, and it will be good to revisit the R129, even if what I've bought is essentially a 300 SLC-24V. I initially had naughty Moss/Jenks inspired thoughts about an angle grinders, fly screen, tonneau cover, press studs and blue check cloth, but of course these are only words.

Collect Saturday, I know the drill.

Are you collecting it from Newcastle and driving south? If you fancy breaking your journey in North Yorkshire I'm sure an impromptu thread R129 beard gathering (Lowtimer, MickyVeloce, your truly) could be attempted.

Let’s do it.happy to help with station lifts.

[Prinny]

r129sl said:

Zonergem said:

olly755 said:

I ended up buying this. An unusual choice for someone who hates rust and issues, in fact any automotive projects in general. But the money was right, and it will be good to revisit the R129, even if what I've bought is essentially a 300 SLC-24V. I initially had naughty Moss/Jenks inspired thoughts about an angle grinders, fly screen, tonneau cover, press studs and blue check cloth, but of course these are only words.

Collect Saturday, I know the drill.

Are you collecting it from Newcastle and driving south? If you fancy breaking your journey in North Yorkshire I'm sure an impromptu thread R129 beard gathering (Lowtimer, MickyVeloce, your truly) could be attempted.

Let’s do it.happy to help with station lifts.

Congratulations on the purchase, boo! on the timing. It’s our works Christmas party (I know) in that there London tomorrow - I’d otherwise have been happy to invite myself to the gathering (could have driven you up there too as you’re not far from me...)

I know there will be further R129 opportunities in Yorks’ though (how’s the diff doing on SL2 Zonergem?)

[Krikkit]

Lowtimer said:

SpeckledJim said:

Shift gears with the engine running?

Car in the air, wheels free to rotate. Shifts between P, R, N and D and back again are a simple series of lever waggles. On some cars, e.g. my R129, you can manually choose between first and second gear also wit the wheels in the air, as normal D selection puts it into second.

In my experience you don't really need to let the wheels actually rotate - it's to allow the fluid to permeate properly through the mechatronic unit, which it will as long as the lever is moved around.

Engine on of course, foot on brake, shift through the gate with about 5s between shifts.

Great news though SJ, result.

[tog]

Krikkit said:

Engine on of course, foot on brake, shift through the gate with about 5s between shifts.

That's the instructions in the manual for checking fluid level in my automatic gearbox too. Then check the level with the engine idling and the box in neutral. What it doesn't say is that you have to reach down through a very narrow gap past the hot exhaust manifold to get to the dipstick.

[olly755]

r129sl said:

Zonergem said:

olly755 said:

I ended up buying this. An unusual choice for someone who hates rust and issues, in fact any automotive projects in general. But the money was right, and it will be good to revisit the R129, even if what I've bought is essentially a 300 SLC-24V. I initially had naughty Moss/Jenks inspired thoughts about an angle grinders, fly screen, tonneau cover, press studs and blue check cloth, but of course these are only words.

Collect Saturday, I know the drill.

Are you collecting it from Newcastle and driving south? If you fancy breaking your journey in North Yorkshire I'm sure an impromptu thread R129 beard gathering (Lowtimer, MickyVeloce, your truly) could be attempted.

Let’s do it.happy to help with station lifts.

Sounds great chaps. I’ve no other plans for the day and ETA in Alnmouth is 1pm, say half an hour or so for the formalities, and then I’m be heading south. There’s a rattler heading north pretty much on the hour on Saturday morning, so could possibly be earlier if the vendor is flexible.