Mercedes 129 titivation
Discussion
A bit more chair action for yer. This driver's seat back arrived from the US of A this morning. Obvs their cars are LHD so the right hand seat will be a lot less worn and so it proves. It is not perfect but it is a million miles better than mine and a million times cheaper than a new one. On the subject of millions, I am a million years behind with my work at the moment (that's why I am posting this) so there is no prospect of doing anything with it before the weekend, but the intention is a very thorough clean and then a feed up with whatever nourishing potions I have in the garage.
I have Autoglym in the garage, not just Leather Cleaner but Leather Balm, too. It's like Aladdin's cave in there.
Well what a successful day in the garage. For the first time ever, I came out richer than I went in. I cleaned up the new driver's seat back with the aforementioned Autoglym products. Is it just me or does leather cleaner never really make much difference? I reverted to Bilt Hamber Surfex HD. Then when the cushion was dry, I put the balm on. Transformative. Not. Not my hands still smell nice.
I set about removing the seat cushions. This is very easy and well-documented on the internet. Even I couldn't cock it up. Under the base I found £12-odd in change, some missing Lego including a rare Lego brain and a lot of Panini wrappers from the 2018 World Cup. Mid you, £3 was in old pound coins. Can you still cash those in? What I was most pleased about was the wooden box from a dancing bug.
Here you can see the difference between old and new. That is 290,000 miles for you, hardly surprising. If I was a fat b
d, I imagine it would be a lot worse but, as the ladies of the north east will rush to tell you, a fat bd I am not.
While I had it out, I did the same cleaning job on the base cushion but it is showing its age but it is not too bad. I'll keep my eyes peeled for another one from a LHD market.
Well what a successful day in the garage. For the first time ever, I came out richer than I went in. I cleaned up the new driver's seat back with the aforementioned Autoglym products. Is it just me or does leather cleaner never really make much difference? I reverted to Bilt Hamber Surfex HD. Then when the cushion was dry, I put the balm on. Transformative. Not. Not my hands still smell nice.
I set about removing the seat cushions. This is very easy and well-documented on the internet. Even I couldn't cock it up. Under the base I found £12-odd in change, some missing Lego including a rare Lego brain and a lot of Panini wrappers from the 2018 World Cup. Mid you, £3 was in old pound coins. Can you still cash those in? What I was most pleased about was the wooden box from a dancing bug.
Here you can see the difference between old and new. That is 290,000 miles for you, hardly surprising. If I was a fat b
d, I imagine it would be a lot worse but, as the ladies of the north east will rush to tell you, a fat bd I am not.While I had it out, I did the same cleaning job on the base cushion but it is showing its age but it is not too bad. I'll keep my eyes peeled for another one from a LHD market.
I have been very quiet on here but I have been using the car, working on it, having work done on it and planning more work for it.
I am still keen on a 5.5litre engine swap. Bugger originality, I just want to go faster. I went down to Swansea the other day, via Birmingham on the way and then Kenilworth on the return and the car still has what it takes to cover ground seriously fast. North of Doncaster on the well-known A1(M)-ring, I was able to knock along at 120 to 140mph for long, long stretches of time. And, of course, it is in daily use now the sun has arrived in Geordieland.
It needs new front lower control arms. These have arrived, along with a fan clutch, and await Baister's attention.
This evening, I changed the hydraulic oil in the roof mechanism. This is a very easy job. The hardest part is removing several years' worth of crap from the boot. Then haul out the spare wheel, remove the pump cover (3 x 10mm plastic nuts), take the lid off the pump reservoir, take the return line off the pump (11mm spanner), put the return line in an empty bottle, cycle roof and roll bar, adding fresh fluid each time, continue until fluid is clear.
I used about 2litres of Febi 02615 (about £5 a bottle), the system capacity is 1.25L. I was scrupulously clean: I even cleaned the funnel with brake cleaner before using it. While I was in there, I cleaned out years of debris and then sprayed the little bits of rust with ACF50. Obviously, I had no idea which line was the return line, took a 50:50 chance, removed the supply line, pumped fluid all over the boot floor, before realising the error of my ways. The original fluid was black, the new fluid is transparent. A worthwhile exercise and beats talking to the wife.
Spare wheel well sans spare wheel:
A rather dirty wheel well. The return line has been removed and placed into a bottle. Now cycle the roof. You can see the fluid is very dark.
Nice new fluid and a slightly tidier well.
The various products in my "stores":
I am still keen on a 5.5litre engine swap. Bugger originality, I just want to go faster. I went down to Swansea the other day, via Birmingham on the way and then Kenilworth on the return and the car still has what it takes to cover ground seriously fast. North of Doncaster on the well-known A1(M)-ring, I was able to knock along at 120 to 140mph for long, long stretches of time. And, of course, it is in daily use now the sun has arrived in Geordieland.
It needs new front lower control arms. These have arrived, along with a fan clutch, and await Baister's attention.
This evening, I changed the hydraulic oil in the roof mechanism. This is a very easy job. The hardest part is removing several years' worth of crap from the boot. Then haul out the spare wheel, remove the pump cover (3 x 10mm plastic nuts), take the lid off the pump reservoir, take the return line off the pump (11mm spanner), put the return line in an empty bottle, cycle roof and roll bar, adding fresh fluid each time, continue until fluid is clear.
I used about 2litres of Febi 02615 (about £5 a bottle), the system capacity is 1.25L. I was scrupulously clean: I even cleaned the funnel with brake cleaner before using it. While I was in there, I cleaned out years of debris and then sprayed the little bits of rust with ACF50. Obviously, I had no idea which line was the return line, took a 50:50 chance, removed the supply line, pumped fluid all over the boot floor, before realising the error of my ways. The original fluid was black, the new fluid is transparent. A worthwhile exercise and beats talking to the wife.
Spare wheel well sans spare wheel:
A rather dirty wheel well. The return line has been removed and placed into a bottle. Now cycle the roof. You can see the fluid is very dark.
Nice new fluid and a slightly tidier well.
The various products in my "stores":
On the subject of SL500 performance, boy one and I ran down to Goodwood for the Festival of Speed this weekend. En route we took M6 toll. Coming out of the tollgate, we had a drag race with a new Toyota Supra. It must have been the cooking model but even so, it is a car with 258bhp weighing 1,470kg, with a super-modern multi-ratio automatic transmission and a quoted 0-60mpg time of 5.2seconds. To my astonishment (and that of the Supra's passenger), my r129 kept pace up to about 85 and then edged away. Boy one was desperate to take M6 toll on the way home...
As for the way home, we covered 360miles in 4hrs40minutes on the road (we stopped for a bite to eat at Leeming Bar services and fell through a wormhole into the 1970s). The 137 speed-camera-infested miles M25/M1 to M1/M18 were dispatched in 1hr35mins. Although the journey average was only 77mph, the first 20miles were on very slow (but rather nice) local roads, there was that endless average speed section north of Luton, and on the whole I kept the speed below 110mph just in case. Mpg was 25.4.
For a 22 year old car with 296,000 miles on the clock, for a 32 year old design, the r129 is a remarkable vehicle for covering real world ground fast. Even though prices are on the rise, they represent an enormous amount of car for the money. The m113 5.0litre V8 is very flexible (as the flat torque curve suggests) and is just the ticket for making progress at real world fast cruising speeds.
As for the way home, we covered 360miles in 4hrs40minutes on the road (we stopped for a bite to eat at Leeming Bar services and fell through a wormhole into the 1970s). The 137 speed-camera-infested miles M25/M1 to M1/M18 were dispatched in 1hr35mins. Although the journey average was only 77mph, the first 20miles were on very slow (but rather nice) local roads, there was that endless average speed section north of Luton, and on the whole I kept the speed below 110mph just in case. Mpg was 25.4.
For a 22 year old car with 296,000 miles on the clock, for a 32 year old design, the r129 is a remarkable vehicle for covering real world ground fast. Even though prices are on the rise, they represent an enormous amount of car for the money. The m113 5.0litre V8 is very flexible (as the flat torque curve suggests) and is just the ticket for making progress at real world fast cruising speeds.
No tickets in the post yet...
This evening I set about covering uncharted territory for me. Despite having had the front lower control arms (i.e. wishbones) changed, there is still some movement in the front suspension on the nearside. Terry thought there might be some wear in the bolts as they had been reused. Irritatingly, I had new bolts in my stores: they are Febi Bilstein but made by the same people who make them for MB, Reimer or somebody.
Any way, car up on stands (and tense jack as a precaution), wheels off. That's the easy bit. Then mark the eccentric washers so that the alignment is approximate enough to drive to Kwik Fit tomorrow for a proper alignment (I find Kwik Fit ok). Loosen and remove the nuts. Then the big moment I had been waiting for, the first use of my new £60-off-eBay spring compressor. I took all the tension out of the spring, then removed and replaced each bolt, one at a time. Then tighten them up, set according to the scribe marks, remove spring compressor. This went without a hitch.
Bolts to be replaced are marked red:
Nice new spring compressor:
Compressed spring (not all the way, just enough to take tension off control arm):
New and old bolts, I wonder whether they will stop the knocking:
Next was to fit a new air con compressor. I had the gas extracted elsewhere. Merc wanted over a grand for a compressor and they are on back order. I found a Behr-Mahle or Hella-Mahle or whatever they are called this week on eBay for £319. In principle, removal and replacement should be easy. Disconnect the 12v signal, unfasten the gas pipes (1 x 6mm hex each), remove the poly-vee belt, then unfasten three torx head bolts. In practice, it was pretty bloody difficult. My car has a slight oil leak from the timing case so everything was filthy. The hex bolts holding the pipes on were very easy to round off. The electrical feed would not come loose after 22 years. The mounting bolts have to be done from underneath. Access is tight. And a compressor is bloody heavy. I got there in the end, but not without spilling loads of new oil into my mouth (you have to fill the new compressor with PAG 46 oil and then let it soak through the works). It tastes hideous and has given me a headache and made me feel sick. Before anyone asks, I fitted new green 'O' rings.
New compressor:
New and old:
All in all, not a bad evening's DIY. I have an alignment booked tomorrow and I will also get them to gas it up.
Edit: non-thread purchase today, quite excited about this.
This evening I set about covering uncharted territory for me. Despite having had the front lower control arms (i.e. wishbones) changed, there is still some movement in the front suspension on the nearside. Terry thought there might be some wear in the bolts as they had been reused. Irritatingly, I had new bolts in my stores: they are Febi Bilstein but made by the same people who make them for MB, Reimer or somebody.
Any way, car up on stands (and tense jack as a precaution), wheels off. That's the easy bit. Then mark the eccentric washers so that the alignment is approximate enough to drive to Kwik Fit tomorrow for a proper alignment (I find Kwik Fit ok). Loosen and remove the nuts. Then the big moment I had been waiting for, the first use of my new £60-off-eBay spring compressor. I took all the tension out of the spring, then removed and replaced each bolt, one at a time. Then tighten them up, set according to the scribe marks, remove spring compressor. This went without a hitch.
Bolts to be replaced are marked red:
Nice new spring compressor:
Compressed spring (not all the way, just enough to take tension off control arm):
New and old bolts, I wonder whether they will stop the knocking:
Next was to fit a new air con compressor. I had the gas extracted elsewhere. Merc wanted over a grand for a compressor and they are on back order. I found a Behr-Mahle or Hella-Mahle or whatever they are called this week on eBay for £319. In principle, removal and replacement should be easy. Disconnect the 12v signal, unfasten the gas pipes (1 x 6mm hex each), remove the poly-vee belt, then unfasten three torx head bolts. In practice, it was pretty bloody difficult. My car has a slight oil leak from the timing case so everything was filthy. The hex bolts holding the pipes on were very easy to round off. The electrical feed would not come loose after 22 years. The mounting bolts have to be done from underneath. Access is tight. And a compressor is bloody heavy. I got there in the end, but not without spilling loads of new oil into my mouth (you have to fill the new compressor with PAG 46 oil and then let it soak through the works). It tastes hideous and has given me a headache and made me feel sick. Before anyone asks, I fitted new green 'O' rings.
New compressor:
New and old:
All in all, not a bad evening's DIY. I have an alignment booked tomorrow and I will also get them to gas it up.
Edit: non-thread purchase today, quite excited about this.
Edited by r129sl on Saturday 17th July 22:56
Even I am impressed with my impressive work although I got myself absolutely filthy doing it. I am currently at Kwik Fit having an alignment and air con recharge done. They have noticed (helpfully) that there is a slight leak from the union of the brake pipe and flexi hose on the rear offside. Something to keep me busy this afternoon.
Before hoying it back together this morning, I detailed the front wheels. Auto Finesse's Iron Out product made light work of it. Spray it on, leave to dwell for about ten minutes, then sponge off. The inside of the wheels came up immaculate straight away. I then waxed them using Mint Rims, which I find prevents the brake dust sticking fast. This is the height of sadness but very satisfying. And pointless: I've drive a few miles and they're dusty again.
Next job is to fit new front pads, I noticed they are running a bit low. Replacement Brembos ordered from Euro, I'll fit them on Monday night. I ordered new accessories at the same time.
Before hoying it back together this morning, I detailed the front wheels. Auto Finesse's Iron Out product made light work of it. Spray it on, leave to dwell for about ten minutes, then sponge off. The inside of the wheels came up immaculate straight away. I then waxed them using Mint Rims, which I find prevents the brake dust sticking fast. This is the height of sadness but very satisfying. And pointless: I've drive a few miles and they're dusty again.
Next job is to fit new front pads, I noticed they are running a bit low. Replacement Brembos ordered from Euro, I'll fit them on Monday night. I ordered new accessories at the same time.
In the weekend of endless car tinkering, I tightened up the union between flexi and hard line on the offside rear, hopefully curing the leak. Have these great super-slim spanners which were ideal for holding the flexi in place. And this was the second outing for the flared nut spanner. Money well spent. I then bled this brake, just to be sure.
Up on the jack again. Risky, risky but I couldn't be arsed to do it properly and put it on stands. Having compressed air and a windy gun makes life easier. Removing a wheel takes about 45 seconds rather than 5 minutes.
Spanners in situ.
And another wheel detailed. Must resist the temptation to take the fourth one off just for the hell of it.
Interesting though I am sure this is, on balance I prefer those photo sets in which the lady removes more and more of her clothes to a series of spanner steps.
Up on the jack again. Risky, risky but I couldn't be arsed to do it properly and put it on stands. Having compressed air and a windy gun makes life easier. Removing a wheel takes about 45 seconds rather than 5 minutes.
Spanners in situ.
And another wheel detailed. Must resist the temptation to take the fourth one off just for the hell of it.
Interesting though I am sure this is, on balance I prefer those photo sets in which the lady removes more and more of her clothes to a series of spanner steps.
Thanks for the recommendations (and the loaner offer, Prinny). There's a place in Sunderland called Kish Automotive who have a decent reputation and I see from his Insta that he has done some 129s before. I will probably go there.
I managed to get air in the brakes when changing the pads last night. Was up until midnight bleeding the damned things. I am not quite sure how I did it but there we are.
I managed to get air in the brakes when changing the pads last night. Was up until midnight bleeding the damned things. I am not quite sure how I did it but there we are.
My cabriolet top is now on its last legs. Not only has the rear side window completely split but the lateral stitching across the top blew away the other day. I was bombing along with the roof up at a decent three figure lick and there was a big bang followed by a hissing noise. The top of the roof has essentially come away from the frame. I am running with the hard top at the moment. The alternative is driving a Bedouin tent.
So I have at long last ordered a new top from KHM. With all of the bits and bobs it comes to €1,120.11. I am guessing I'll have to pay import duty and VAT (out of my tax paid income, grr: serve me right for voting for Brexit) in addition to that. The top takes about a month to come. It is going to be fitted by Angus Kish at http://www.kishtrim.co.uk who is local to me. I spoke to him this morning (he called me rather too eagerly at 7h13) and he seemed to know his onions inside out.
I have gone for the original dark brown in the Sonnenland Plus fabric. KHM (www.cabrio.de) are supposedly the best top manufacturer for the 129 and they certainly are not cheap, though nor are they mad-expensive. Installation is £500 plus VAT. There is a good thread here in which all of the alternatives are considered and researched. https://forums.mbclub.co.uk/threads/r129-soft-top-...
This is a big job, as big as a paint job or an engine transplant, it seems to me. I am very much looking forward to aesthetic and functional improvements. In particular, the thin Ultralite BUV plastic glass in the present top is inadequate. It flaps and bangs in the wind, setting the alarm off when park and making driving much above 120mph quite unpleasant. But the present top also is faded and heavily worn in places and it lets in drips of water around the edges.
Now the question is, do I get Mr Kish to install "Exclusiv" leather upholstery at the same time...
So I have at long last ordered a new top from KHM. With all of the bits and bobs it comes to €1,120.11. I am guessing I'll have to pay import duty and VAT (out of my tax paid income, grr: serve me right for voting for Brexit) in addition to that. The top takes about a month to come. It is going to be fitted by Angus Kish at http://www.kishtrim.co.uk who is local to me. I spoke to him this morning (he called me rather too eagerly at 7h13) and he seemed to know his onions inside out.
I have gone for the original dark brown in the Sonnenland Plus fabric. KHM (www.cabrio.de) are supposedly the best top manufacturer for the 129 and they certainly are not cheap, though nor are they mad-expensive. Installation is £500 plus VAT. There is a good thread here in which all of the alternatives are considered and researched. https://forums.mbclub.co.uk/threads/r129-soft-top-...
This is a big job, as big as a paint job or an engine transplant, it seems to me. I am very much looking forward to aesthetic and functional improvements. In particular, the thin Ultralite BUV plastic glass in the present top is inadequate. It flaps and bangs in the wind, setting the alarm off when park and making driving much above 120mph quite unpleasant. But the present top also is faded and heavily worn in places and it lets in drips of water around the edges.
Now the question is, do I get Mr Kish to install "Exclusiv" leather upholstery at the same time...
23.7 said:
I had mine done a couple of yrs ago. Jolly good too.
At the time I was keen to do a side window delete, like this. But couldn't find a UK supplier.
That is an interesting top which I have come across before. Do you have a link to the manufacturer? It is more like the Porsche 993 top in its shape, no?At the time I was keen to do a side window delete, like this. But couldn't find a UK supplier.
The new cabriolet top has finally arrived so I need to get the car to the trimmers. Unfortunately, the G-wagen is at Mercedes-Benz of Newcastle who are being particularly useless about fixing it and the estate car is still having the crap welded out of it, so it will have to wait.
I was pleased to set a new personal best in the SL last night, however. I nipped down to Leeds to attend probably the grimmest ever black tie bash the world has ever seen (600 people, all pretty pissed and revolting, food definitely revolting, blaring music throughout dinner, weird compère, I'm bound to have the Covid now) but I had to hot foot back to Northumberland in order to be at work today. I filled up near the Royal Armouries at 23h09 and one hour later I was in the Tyne Tunnel, an on the road average of just over 98mph. I do love this car, although one day, I dare say, it will get me into big trouble.
I was pleased to set a new personal best in the SL last night, however. I nipped down to Leeds to attend probably the grimmest ever black tie bash the world has ever seen (600 people, all pretty pissed and revolting, food definitely revolting, blaring music throughout dinner, weird compère, I'm bound to have the Covid now) but I had to hot foot back to Northumberland in order to be at work today. I filled up near the Royal Armouries at 23h09 and one hour later I was in the Tyne Tunnel, an on the road average of just over 98mph. I do love this car, although one day, I dare say, it will get me into big trouble.
Well yesterday morning started with a misfire and so it continued. Very lumpy idle, no power, then at higher revs, maybe 3,750rpm plus, it would all come back together and suddenly go like the clappers. I suspected a dirty MAF sensor so ordered another this morning. Then I got in the car and it worked perfectly, running fine all day. Explanations?
I don't think I have ever driven as fast for a prolonged period as the other night, except perhaps in Germany. I saw maximum speed at one point and I am pretty sure I never dropped into double figures from entering the motorway at J44 to leaving it at Whitemare Pools Roundabout. All very silly but I can't help it and no harm was done.
I don't think I have ever driven as fast for a prolonged period as the other night, except perhaps in Germany. I saw maximum speed at one point and I am pretty sure I never dropped into double figures from entering the motorway at J44 to leaving it at Whitemare Pools Roundabout. All very silly but I can't help it and no harm was done.
Edited by r129sl on Saturday 9th October 21:23
The car keeps warping its back brakes. It is really noticeable when sloughing off speed from 100mph-plus. I ordered new discs and pads from Autodoc. The whole lot, including sensors and accessories, was only about £100. Brembo for the discs and pads, ATE for the hardware and some unknown brand for the sensor. It was murder getting the discs off: they seemed to be stuck on the handbrake shoes. This made me think the handbrake was out of adjustment and maybe has been the cause of the warping. Once I loosened off the shoes, the discs came away easily enough.
The car is much smoother under braking. I was pleased that the callipers came off easily. The only difficulty was getting the old discs off the handbrake shoes but once I'd figured that out, everything was pretty easy.
Here is a shot of the handbrake shoes. You adjust them using the sprocket that is at the 2 o'clock position.
New discs:
And hardware:
The car is much smoother under braking. I was pleased that the callipers came off easily. The only difficulty was getting the old discs off the handbrake shoes but once I'd figured that out, everything was pretty easy.
Here is a shot of the handbrake shoes. You adjust them using the sprocket that is at the 2 o'clock position.
New discs:
And hardware:
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