Green 500E

[talbir]

Some sneak preview pics....the Spruce Green 500e that arrived from Canada in May cam back from the bodyshop on Friday, following the facelift conversion.

Car is an early 93 500E, and as my black 500E is the pre-facelift, i chose to make this one the smoother updated version. So replaced bonnet, boot, headlamps, headlamp under-trim etc etc. Bodyshop also created the side repeaters in the wings - only UK 500e's were equipped with this feature from factory, so we had to create them using my Hammer w124 as the template !

Amazingly the bodyshop managed to paint match bonnet and bootlid without painting any of the adjacent panels...to get the metallic colour to match like that without any blending takes some doing...and i was keen for no other panels to be sprayed to retain the car's original factory finish which is still so mint.

Car has a series of Brabus upgrades lined up, but Friday and today fitted :

- New Brabus 500e springs with new 1 nib spring pads all round

- The refurbed Brabus Monoblock II 3-piece rims, 8j fronts, 10J rears, with gold-plated Ronal fasteners, lock nuts and tyre valves !

- Recaro Classic C's in the front, freshly connolised in beige to match

- Renntech steering wheel finished in beige with gorgeous burlwood

- Carlsson beige mats....very rare find !

- Gold-plate bonnet badge to match the them on the wheels

- Brand new rear light clusters

- Brand new front headlamp lenses

- US version MB front indicators in white and amber sides

- white side repeaters


Items awaiting fitment are :

- brand new Brabus 500e specific exhaust

- brand new 'E 500', Bootlid star and 'BRABUS' bootlid badges gold-plated

- brand new Brabus gear knob


Here's a link to pics and a few attached...i'll post more detail as i get more stuff done...still need to align up front bonnet/headlights/panels etc. I usually do all that myself, getting my bodyshop contact to do the bare minimum.

I personally love the wheels...i think they have worked very well, giving the car the mean and hard look....of course, not everyone's preference, but i love 'em. And it's the look i want for this car, replicating fully the Brabus 6.0 500E featured in their press pics.

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket


cheers
talbir

 

[Barbanasos]

That's a stunning car with a lot of attention to detail. Not a fan of gold plating but looks ok on the car.

By the way talbir, since you collect parts from all over the world, I posted yetserday in Spotted on ebay, some w124 amg parts currently for sale in Germany, full 124 interior and brand new steering wheel.

Could come handy in future.

 

[gurpz]

Truly amazing Talbir, yet another masterpiece. Two things if I may ask. What are those boxes in the front door cards never seen them before and will you be replacing the door pins to UK/EU spec as well as the US ones look strange.

 

[talbir]

That's a stunning car with a lot of attention to detail. Not a fan of gold plating but looks ok on the car.

Totall agree, gold-plating is not for the purist, but it's a means of personalizing my cars for me...and dark green and gold work so well together, i just had to do it

Attention to detail hasn't begun yet, work so far has been broad brush...i like to do the 80/20 broad and then a weekend finishing touches.

cheers
talbir

 

[talbir]

Truly amazing Talbir, yet another masterpiece. Two things if I may ask. What are those boxes in the front door cards never seen them before and will you be replacing the door pins to UK/EU spec as well as the US ones look strange.

Wow, very good eye for detail there to spot the US spec door pins...yes they are very Datsun type ! I might replace with UK or try and fudge some Brabus pins onto the top of these with some cutting and trimming

The boxes on the door cards are cup holders, nice bespoke items that were already there, not something i like to do drink & drive...and the old seats had enough coffee stains in the out-of-sight places to back up the reason i detest these features that encourage such interior-maligning habits Or maybe they're just bad cup-holder design !



cheers
talbir

 

[mercboiuk]

I have to admit, whilst reading your post, I wasn't liking the mental image I was building of your car - gold plating, the Brabus wheels and American indicators....
However upon actually seeing the photos, I'm VERY impressed! It looks absolutely stunning. I'm still not convinced with the gold bonnet star, although that's just my honest opinion.
Everything else a BIG

Are there any engine modifications planned for this one, Talbir? You say it'll look like the Brabus 6.0.....will it eventually get this engine?

Darren

 

[gurpz]

Wow, very good eye for detail there to spot the US spec door pins...yes they are very Datsun type ! I might replace with UK or try and fudge some Brabus pins onto the top of these with some cutting and trimming

Its all about the detail There something that I have always seen on US spec mercs and like yourself have not preffered. Have always wondered though whats the reason behind them being different over there though.

 

[Barbanasos]

Talbir something that may go with your carlsson details on the car.

AMG,carlsson ,lorinser, brabus, tacho on eBay (end time 01-Aug-09 09:26:11 BST)

 

[Dee-124CAB]

Talbir, Well done to a another top job.

Just curious about the connolising of the recaro c's that you have mentioned....

Do you recommend this method of changing/restoring an interior colour?

Does it last?... Am I right in thinking that if not done right it can crack?


Must say on first impressions, those recaros look stunning... A perfect match with the rest of the beige interior.

Cheers
Dee

 

[RBYCC]

Wow, very good eye for detail there to spot the US spec door pins...yes they are very Datsun type ! I might replace with UK or try and fudge some Brabus pins onto the top of these with some cutting and trimming

The boxes on the door cards are cup holders, nice bespoke items that were already there, not something i like to do drink & drive...and the old seats had enough coffee stains in the out-of-sight places to back up the reason i detest these features that encourage such interior-maligning habits Or maybe they're just bad cup-holder design !


cheers
talbir

Talbir

Excellent taste...

One must remember that the "tuners" of the period would provide whatever the client requested.
Difficult to discern what was offered as dealer installed, especially in the USA.

In fact AMG Westmont Illinois in the USA offered a "Gold Package" with all the emblems done in gold plate.
Reason was that one of the administrative assistants did gold platiing as a hobby....so Westmont pushed the package to put a few ( very few !!! ) quid in her pocket.

The cupholders were a common dealer installed aftermarket product.
Offered by Merc, BMW, and Jaguar dealers.
The aftermarket manufacturer produced the cupholders in colors to match the OEM manufacturers leather.
If I recall they were about a $125.00 dealer installed option...a high profit item for the dealer

Ed A.

 

[talbir]

I have to admit, whilst reading your post, I wasn't liking the mental image I was building of your car - gold plating, the Brabus wheels and American indicators....
However upon actually seeing the photos, I'm VERY impressed! It looks absolutely stunning. I'm still not convinced with the gold bonnet star, although that's just my honest opinion.
Everything else a BIG

Are there any engine modifications planned for this one, Talbir? You say it'll look like the Brabus 6.0.....will it eventually get this engine?

Darren

Thanks Darren,

I think you'll like the Gold bonnet badge more once the rear 3 gold-plated badges are on

Yes, engine mods planned, but let's see what lady luck has in store...

Well pleased with the way she has turned out....

cheers buddy
talbir

 

[FLYNAVY]

Beautiful car Talbir....that is hands down my favorite factory color for the 500e. Your parts hunting skills never cease to amaze me

 

[abs]

U are an amazing guy!!

Loving the car ! looks stunning!


Abdulla

 

[d w124]

No words.Well done Talbir

 

[MBK]

Awesome car Talbir, looks Fantastic...

K

 

[talbir]

Talbir, Well done to a another top job.

Just curious about the connolising of the recaro c's that you have mentioned....

Do you recommend this method of changing/restoring an interior colour?

Does it last?... Am I right in thinking that if not done right it can crack?


Must say on first impressions, those recaros look stunning... A perfect match with the rest of the beige interior.

Cheers
Dee

sorry Dee, missed replying to your questions on the connolising.

It has worked well for me over the past 7 years or so....I've not found good connolising to crack or lose colour. But it's important not to have any dramatic colour changes taking place....best to connolise in the same colour or a mild colour change will work as well, like white to cream. But doing black to cream or vice versa won't work very well.

The chap i use has been doing this job for over 20 years but even he's only as good as the parts you supply....if the seat leather is already knackered, then it's not going to last too well.

cheers
talbir

 

[Bri957]

Are you going to fit some of the offset Brabus exhaust pipes Talbir?

Not usually a fan of green cars, but that does work.

 

[d w124]

Are you going to fit some of the offset Brabus exhaust pipes Talbir?

Not usually a fan of green cars, but that does work.

Items awaiting fitment are :

- brand new Brabus 500e specific exhaust

 

[Niks]

AMG, Brabus, Renntech and Carlsson.... Talbir, I see your well on your way to building up a E500 portfolio. How about the E500 V12 VATH to complete the icing on the cake?

The spruce green is looking brilliant, inside and out! I love how the chunky recaro's just look at home in there! Stunning.

 

[Bri957]

Items awaiting fitment are :

- brand new Brabus 500e specific exhaust

Bah, that will teach me to work and read at the same time.