Extreme Man Maths!

[del320]

Some of our older remaining Forum members may recall the halcyon days of June 2009 when I posted a thread recording the refurbishment of my C124. First registered in September 1996, she was one of the last produced, and when I became the second owner in October 2001, she was the last to be punted out through a dealership with the then “Signature” warranty. I went all the way to Brighton to P/ex my CE 300-24.

At five years old she had done 65k, so fast forward 8 years, and at 13 years old and a further 38k, a refresh was due.

Now, another 13 years on and the mileage at 156k, what to do? Run her into the ground until scrap, give her away for a few bob and buy something else, or do the sensible thing and commission a full restoration. Of course!

I’ve done around 91k over the past 21 years – over a third on Continental jaunts and every mile travelled and £ expended has been recorded! With Man-Maths at play here, there is no going back…

Here is where we are after a couple of months:


Fresh from the paint shop at one of the then excellent regular MB Club GTGs - July 2009.



Still looks OK at 12 feet in 2021



Bodyshop March 2022. What horrors lurk?



Dashboard out (for access)



N/S Inner wing - base of the windscreen.



N/S Base of A-Pillar.

The cills and floorpan are fine but the N/S rear wheelarch is not! Inner wing on offside bad - but not that bad...

I shall add to this as the weeks/months roll by.

Perhaps Admin could consider this for the Projects Section?

Aaah - Happy days!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

An actual car thread!

Moved to Projects as requested

 

[SmartAmg]

Excellent! Will follow this thread with interest.

 

[SpikyMikey]

An exemplary example.......of Man Maths
Looking forward to following this.

 

[Deleted member 159894]

LOL, and my 2 month old Porsche is ‘poverty’.

 

[mioba]

This is real car porn with the addition of man maths = a heavenly project.

Love it, esp as I have a huge soft spot for the W124, my first merc and still in my opinion the best built of the lot.

 

[grober]

Some of our older remaining Forum members may recall the halcyon days of June 2009 when I posted a thread recording the refurbishment of my C124. First registered in September 1996, she was one of the last produced, and when I became the second owner in October 2001, she was the last to be punted out through a dealership with the then “Signature” warranty. I went all the way to Brighton to P/ex my CE 300-24.

At five years old she had done 65k, so fast forward 8 years, and at 13 years old and a further 38k, a refresh was due.

Now, another 13 years on and the mileage at 156k, what to do? Run her into the ground until scrap, give her away for a few bob and buy something else, or do the sensible thing and commission a full restoration. Of course!

I’ve done around 91k over the past 21 years – over a third on Continental jaunts and every mile travelled and £ expended has been recorded! With Man-Maths at play here, there is no going back…

Here is where we are after a couple of months:

View attachment 124935
Fresh from the paint shop at one of the then excellent regular MB Club GTGs - July 2009.

View attachment 124936

Still looks OK at 12 feet in 2021

View attachment 124937

Bodyshop March 2022. What horrors lurk?

View attachment 124938

Dashboard out (for access)

View attachment 124939

N/S Inner wing - base of the windscreen.

View attachment 124940

N/S Base of A-Pillar.

The cills and floorpan are fine but the N/S rear wheelarch is not! Inner wing on offside bad - but not that bad...

I shall add to this as the weeks/months roll by.

Perhaps Admin could consider this for the Projects Section?

Aaah - Happy days!

You are in prestigeous company. Good luck with the restoration.

Ermmm another one!! | MB Defectors to Other Marques Forum

Today this bigger, older brother arrived... I have nicknamed it rusty and it’s a fairly rare Bentley turbo R. Issues I have noticed so far are: Both front arches, a pillars, passenger doors around the handles and boot lid need paint due to rust. The front driver and passenger foot wells are...

forums.mbclub.co.uk

 

[del320]

Another day older and deeper in debt...

My man has advised me that a corner has been turned and welding is just about complete. Surgery has to be tidied up before rigorous rustproofing is applied. Then it will be down to new front and rear screens and body prep.

It is well known that 124s hide corrosion very well indeed, though I suppose the same can be said for many other cars. 107s are notorious. What has been of concern is that the A-pillar area is significantly structural and in my case was heading towards being dangerous.


Before

After - Corner of door repaired.

N/S rear wheelarch.

Rear jacking point - guaranteed weakness...

Front o/s - not structural but always goes under washer bottle.

On and ever upward...

 

[LTD]

Nice to see it getting a well-deserved makeover

Never forget the time it sacrificed itself and kept you safe and well.

 

[d w124]

Any updates?

 

[c16rkc]

That is such a beautiful car, I am so pleased the man maths worked out and you are continuing to restore it!

 

[del320]

Any updates?

Nothing new to report yet. I'm not working to any fixed timescale - the chap has other jobs on the go...



However, as an aside, I noted back in 2009 that ignore your plastic Sacco cladding at your peril.

Dirt washes down the doors and grit gets caught in between the painted metal and the cladding. Vibration over the years abrades away and will eventually wear down to the metal, causing rust bubbles to appear along the upper edge.


This was the June 2009 refurb but over the next 13 years, rust bubbles did appear - and got worse and worser!



Now, new metal has been let in and the door, as with the rest of the body, is getting initial prepping.

 

[c16rkc]

I love that old M5 - I bet that needs a bit of work!

Your car will be one of a kind with all this work you are doing!

 

[del320]

Any updates?

It's been a long hot summer and I felt I was losing the will to live!

Shit will always happen and even Putin has affected the schedule. No1 welder was Ukrainian and he needed to return home. Then, my man moved to far more suitable and spacious premises. Finally, problems occurred with the paint shop, fitting in with run-of-the-mill insurance jobs.

Now, things are moving on after a metaphorical kick up the jaxxy!

As can be seen from the earlier photos, inner wing corrosion was far worse than expected. Undoubtedly, the integrity of the body was compromised - probably contributing to the cracked windscreen. I wonder how many cherished 124s are hiding similar problems?

Anyway, I'll post further pictures as the car is nailed together, as well as other alarming photos of the work.

Meanwhile...

 

[c16rkc]

Looks wonderful, glad things are progressing.

 

[StMarks]

Excellent project, looks a tidy paint job too.

 

[ALFAitalia]

I think your man maths is even more extreme than mine!!Lovely as she is I could not get my man maths to justify the thousands you must be spending to still have a 156,000 mile non AMG Mercedes with the potential for big mechanical bills that go with any car that age or mileage......only made worse by it being a Merc and the prices that go with that....that said its not my car and not my money.....and its going to look great driving a car that old in such fine condition. The only man maths I could get to work is that you better be keeping it long enough to be buried in it to get your moneys worth....assuming it lasts longer than you before throwing a metaphorical rod!
This thread does make me feel happier about my current daily drive....an ALFA 159 with about 170,000 miles on....(with not one scrap of rust anywhere above light surface rust on the subframes)!!....the joys of a fully galvanised shell! My 175,000 mile 2002 CLK200 was also rust free....and I park my cars outside and live near the sea!
All this said I'm looking forward to seeing the finished job.

 

[del320]

Run her into the ground until scrap, give her away for a few bob and buy something else, or do the sensible thing and commission a full restoration.I think your man maths is even more extreme than mine!!Lovely as she is I could not get my man maths to justify the thousands you must be spending to still have a 156,000 mile non AMG Mercedes with the potential for big mechanical bills that go with any car that age or mileage......only made worse by it being a Merc and the prices that go with that....that said its not my car and not my money.....and its going to look great driving a car that old in such fine condition. The only man maths I could get to work is that you better be keeping it long enough to be buried in it to get your moneys worth....assuming it lasts longer than you before throwing a metaphorical rod!
This thread does make me feel happier about my current daily drive....an ALFA 159 with about 170,000 miles on....(with not one scrap of rust anywhere above light surface rust on the subframes)!!....the joys of a fully galvanised shell! My 175,000 mile 2002 CLK200 was also rust free....and I park my cars outside and live near the sea!
All this said I'm looking forward to seeing the finished job.

Mmmm - a double-edged post if there ever was! As I mentioned in my original post, the choices were - run her into the ground until scrap, give her away for a few bob and buy something else, or do the sensible thing and commission a full restoration. . Apart from a handful of exotica, restorations never make any financial sense.

So, at 72 and minted, what better way to blow c£16k or so? A mere soupçon compared with lashing out on a ghastly new car with touch screens. And yes, it will probably see me out.

So...

Back from paintshop for re-assembly. Note TR4, MGB and SAAB 9000



Dashboard being refitted (see #1) hope it all works! Note Scimitar, VW Cabrio and 996.



Note 308GT4 and E34 M5.

 

[Muckypaps]

72 and minted
Love it, and well done.

 

[c16rkc]

Looking fantastic so far! I'm glad you're doing the project, I think I've done far sillier things in my time and let's face it we can't take the cash with us when we die - might as well enjoy it!