Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
The new Blaupunkt is almost in. Quite a lot of effort tonight and I forgot to take photos. Here it is laid out in best internet saddo fashion:
These are the Amazon Basics leads, which are very good for the money:
First of all, we made up a tidy harness for the RCA leads to the amplifier and also the accessory line, which switches on the amp and can be seen poking out half way up. I marked one of the leads with blue tape on either end. Wrapping it in wiring harness tape took about ten minutes but makes it much easier to manipulate and much tidier.
We took out a length of bodge in the middle of the accessory line, soldered it back up (with rosin and also with silicon grease) then heat shrank it. Then we spliced the amplifier switch on line using a Scotchlok connector.
Next we ran a USB/Lightening lead to the glove box. This necessitated removing the glove box lining, which is easy enough, just pull out the lamp, 7 plastic push tabs and unscrew the latch. It is then easy to run the wire down the centre console. The Lightening end emerges from the glovebox lamp aperture.
Finally we ran the microphone line from the headunit aperture, under the back of the dash, behind the weather stripping and up the passenger door pillar and then under the roof trim, the microphone emerging out of the interior light opening. Not too much trim had to come off for this but it was a ball ache.
The moment of truth.... The lights are on but nobody is home. No sound. Plugging the speaker loom directly into the unit gave us sound, so the problem is with the amp. I was sceptical of my accessory switch-on splice but thought I'd check the fuses. The Fuse in the amp was fine. So I went under the bonnet to check the inline fuse for the power supply from the battery. Weirdly, very weirdly, the fuse was completely absent. Not blown: just not even there. I have no recollection of tampering with this. I found a fuse lying round and tried to fit it. Weirdness upon weirdness, the parts of the fuse holder that would take the fuse weren't there, either. This is a bit of a head scratcher, I must say.
So I have ordered a new fuse holder for tomorrow but hopefully my local garage man will have something that I can pick up first thing in the morning.
These are the Amazon Basics leads, which are very good for the money:
First of all, we made up a tidy harness for the RCA leads to the amplifier and also the accessory line, which switches on the amp and can be seen poking out half way up. I marked one of the leads with blue tape on either end. Wrapping it in wiring harness tape took about ten minutes but makes it much easier to manipulate and much tidier.
We took out a length of bodge in the middle of the accessory line, soldered it back up (with rosin and also with silicon grease) then heat shrank it. Then we spliced the amplifier switch on line using a Scotchlok connector.
Next we ran a USB/Lightening lead to the glove box. This necessitated removing the glove box lining, which is easy enough, just pull out the lamp, 7 plastic push tabs and unscrew the latch. It is then easy to run the wire down the centre console. The Lightening end emerges from the glovebox lamp aperture.
Finally we ran the microphone line from the headunit aperture, under the back of the dash, behind the weather stripping and up the passenger door pillar and then under the roof trim, the microphone emerging out of the interior light opening. Not too much trim had to come off for this but it was a ball ache.
The moment of truth.... The lights are on but nobody is home. No sound. Plugging the speaker loom directly into the unit gave us sound, so the problem is with the amp. I was sceptical of my accessory switch-on splice but thought I'd check the fuses. The Fuse in the amp was fine. So I went under the bonnet to check the inline fuse for the power supply from the battery. Weirdly, very weirdly, the fuse was completely absent. Not blown: just not even there. I have no recollection of tampering with this. I found a fuse lying round and tried to fit it. Weirdness upon weirdness, the parts of the fuse holder that would take the fuse weren't there, either. This is a bit of a head scratcher, I must say.
So I have ordered a new fuse holder for tomorrow but hopefully my local garage man will have something that I can pick up first thing in the morning.
New fuse holder and fuse installed, everything now works. My local garage had one for £3 and he gave me two fuses. I ditched the cheap antenna splitter and affixed the DAB antenna to the passenger side of the windscreen. I am hoping it will disappear from notice with familiarity. Only the film bit is visible, I concealed the black plastic gubbins under the pillar trim.
I have not had much time to fiddle with it but it sounds great and works great. There is the layered menu accessed by a single rotary knob which is familiar to us since the iPod arrived 20 years ago but it is much more intuitive than that Pioneer thing. As for sound, I suspect the amplifier never has been connected. The additional volume is huge; there is no need for more than 45W RMS to drive the Rainbow speakers throughout the car. I have to do some work (given my hourly rate, this is probably the most expensive stereo installation ever) but I am looking forward to fiddling with it later.
I learned a few new skills doing this and had to put my thinking cap on a couple of times: a very satisfying business. Inevitably the final installation involved shoving a big web of cables behind the set with brute force but it is much tidier back there than it was.
I have not had much time to fiddle with it but it sounds great and works great. There is the layered menu accessed by a single rotary knob which is familiar to us since the iPod arrived 20 years ago but it is much more intuitive than that Pioneer thing. As for sound, I suspect the amplifier never has been connected. The additional volume is huge; there is no need for more than 45W RMS to drive the Rainbow speakers throughout the car. I have to do some work (given my hourly rate, this is probably the most expensive stereo installation ever) but I am looking forward to fiddling with it later.
I learned a few new skills doing this and had to put my thinking cap on a couple of times: a very satisfying business. Inevitably the final installation involved shoving a big web of cables behind the set with brute force but it is much tidier back there than it was.
Edited by r129sl on Thursday 1st April 12:09
Wiper said:
Finally joined!! Thanks r129si re E300D Estate Ariel from Car-Masts-UK. I seem to have got his last o e, couldn’t see the make but seems to cost a fair bit more than the Saloon 124
Welcome! I think I must have had his next to last one, the deployment is a bit noisier than the one it replaced but it works perfectly and that's all I needed. The Car Masts guy will give you al the help you might need. Great thanks, been following this thread for yonks thanks to my son- bought my 300CE and ran it for 10 years-but wow, r129si deserves a medal, fascinating and erm , a little jealous; can’t dive around a car these days following an accident.
Been relying on Albert Lock and Andrew to fettle my E300D S since 2010. Does anyone know what has gone on there, can’t phone him as it cuts off. Known Albert for over 20 years, fingers crossed!
Been relying on Albert Lock and Andrew to fettle my E300D S since 2010. Does anyone know what has gone on there, can’t phone him as it cuts off. Known Albert for over 20 years, fingers crossed!
I've just bought another pair of repro Hirschmann masts from Malcolm at Car Masts UK, one for this car, one for my r129. I find they get stuck pretty quickly, which is strange because I look after them, generally polishing them with Autosol once every few weeks and even lubricating them with the proper Hirschmann antenna wipes. I wonder whether it is yet another consequence of living so close to the sea?
I have now done about 200 miles with the new Blaupunkt and really love it. Expensive, yes (although nothing compared to a Becker in period) but it looks first class and really works. It is far more intuitive than the Pioneer it replaces. I can't fault it. Whether I take to DAB is another matter, time will tell. DAB seems to be a bit of a white elephant. However, the FM/AM reception is excellent, the Bluetooth streaming works flawlessly and so too does the Bluetooth telephone. What is refreshing is how easy it is to navigate the layered menu. As I say, much easier than that Pioneer.
Andrew, I would have gone for a period tape deck had I just been using the car for fun on high days and holidays but if we ever get back to normal I expect once again to be covering 20 to 30,000 miles a year in this car, much of it for business, and the need for a good telephone and good sounds overwhelms the need for vintage cool.
So an unqualified recommendation from me. The combination of the Blaupunkt headunit, Alpine amplifier and Rainbow speakers all round is everything I need in a car stereo. It goes pretty loud, too!
I have now done about 200 miles with the new Blaupunkt and really love it. Expensive, yes (although nothing compared to a Becker in period) but it looks first class and really works. It is far more intuitive than the Pioneer it replaces. I can't fault it. Whether I take to DAB is another matter, time will tell. DAB seems to be a bit of a white elephant. However, the FM/AM reception is excellent, the Bluetooth streaming works flawlessly and so too does the Bluetooth telephone. What is refreshing is how easy it is to navigate the layered menu. As I say, much easier than that Pioneer.
Andrew, I would have gone for a period tape deck had I just been using the car for fun on high days and holidays but if we ever get back to normal I expect once again to be covering 20 to 30,000 miles a year in this car, much of it for business, and the need for a good telephone and good sounds overwhelms the need for vintage cool.
So an unqualified recommendation from me. The combination of the Blaupunkt headunit, Alpine amplifier and Rainbow speakers all round is everything I need in a car stereo. It goes pretty loud, too!
Bluetooth audio is something I didn't think I needed until I bought my latest daily which has it. Have fitted Bluetooth phone kits to the last few cars, but now I have audio I can't do without it, for the new summer daily Audi convertible I wasn't going to stick a big android unit in so got a Bluetooth to FM converter, surprisingly decent for the money and also bot throwing cash away if I punt on the car too.
r129sl said:
Andrew, I would have gone for a period tape deck had I just been using the car for fun on high days and holidays but if we ever get back to normal I expect once again to be covering 20 to 30,000 miles a year in this car, much of it for business, and the need for a good telephone and good sounds overwhelms the need for vintage cool.
So an unqualified recommendation from me. The combination of the Blaupunkt headunit, Alpine amplifier and Rainbow speakers all round is everything I need in a car stereo. It goes pretty loud, too!
R129 So an unqualified recommendation from me. The combination of the Blaupunkt headunit, Alpine amplifier and Rainbow speakers all round is everything I need in a car stereo. It goes pretty loud, too!
I absolutely understand your rationale. I had not realised that unit had all that functionality...
Le Shed is for general Gallic tootling
Very interesting info ref the stereo work, got me thinking Thankyou, mine is in a mess!
Ref Albert Lock, finally spoke to them yesterday, had no phone for 3 weeks and were cut off. He’s a long way from you guys but someone may have had the same probs. Also the phone company are going to have a very big headache!
Ref Albert Lock, finally spoke to them yesterday, had no phone for 3 weeks and were cut off. He’s a long way from you guys but someone may have had the same probs. Also the phone company are going to have a very big headache!
Wiper said:
Very interesting info ref the stereo work, got me thinking Thankyou, mine is in a mess!
Ref Albert Lock, finally spoke to them yesterday, had no phone for 3 weeks and were cut off. He’s a long way from you guys but someone may have had the same probs. Also the phone company are going to have a very big headache!
That's good to know - I sent my mate around there the other afternoon having read your last post but by the time he made it they'd shut up for the night. They really are tremendously knowledgeable; I know a lot of people don't get on with him but my tactic and technique was just to be extremely polite and let him get on with it. He's not one for small talk particularly, but has an incredible wealth of knowledge (and parts) so it's best just to let him get on with it and then pay what's owed on the beautifully typewritten invoice. Ref Albert Lock, finally spoke to them yesterday, had no phone for 3 weeks and were cut off. He’s a long way from you guys but someone may have had the same probs. Also the phone company are going to have a very big headache!
Do they also have ANOTHER place at Rushden? Internet wisdom seemed to suggest there was another place a short distance away from the wonderful scrapyard/shack.
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