Mercedes W114 250 Coupe - help!

[John Jones Jr]

An intriguing quandary now beckons...

Leave well enough alone initially and consider your options later would be my view. Best get the car mobile under it's own steam first allowing you to give it a good shake down.

 

[jaymanek]

5 Speed is a Getrag box that was also an option on the W123.. A lovely box..

 

[Charles Morgan]

A quick look under the bonnet reveals a fair amount to do there to get it up and running. The bonnet hood is corroded at the front cross member so that will need replacing. Fuel rail is out and numerous things not connected and lacking a dizzy head. A lot of the chrome is ok but fittings are a bit pitted.

The more I contemplate the idea of a five speed (especially with that overdrive 5th) the more I like it. Remap the car with Megasquirt and the torque curve should a lot flatter, add in a fifth and much more economical cruising becomes a very attractive proposition.

Key thing now is to pull together the part list and cost. It doesn't half start to add up!

 

[John Jones Jr]

It doesn't half start to add up!

Indeed. My buddy & I have been on the hunt for a L/h/d project...still haven't pulled the trigger after three months, as it seems buy @ c.£5k and spend the same again! Old cars, huh...

 

[jaymanek]

Restorations of this type are rarely financially profitable. You will spend way more in parts alone than the cars finished value.
Then there will be a load of welding, paintwork, mechanicals etc.

Going to be a nice car when its done though!

 

[219]

Seats starting to look more civilised with a scrub with that well know detailing fluid for Vinyl - Tesco's Value All Purpose Cleaner

Instrument binnacle and steering wheel also look just a bit better

Now the really big surprise of the day - it's a five speed! Ummm....

The gear knob and shift pattern is exactly what I had in my 280E (W114) .

 

[219]

A quick look under the bonnet reveals .....numerous things not connected and lacking a dizzy head.

If just the dizzy cap then that should be available from the dealers without too much drama .

If you mean the whole distributor is missing , the 123 electronic distributor I mentioned back at the beginning of this thread would be your saviour .

123ignition electronic ignition systems for classic cars

UK dealer selling the unit for £250

http://www.sciperformance.co.uk/onlineshopproducts_53353/prod_49233-123MERC6RV.html

interesting video !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XcqgLdeRGg

 

[Charles Morgan]

Restorations of this type are rarely financially profitable. You will spend way more in parts alone than the cars finished value.
Then there will be a load of welding, paintwork, mechanicals etc.

Going to be a nice car when its done though!

Of that there is no doubt on both fronts!

I'm entirely sanguine that it will be a game with lots of snakes and not so many ladders. So far I'm pleased with my parts buying and the earlier I know the majority of the part list the better. It is helping me determine whether I go for pristine restored or nicely conserved. I know it has to be resprayed and I know I need quite a lot of the interior, so that will drive the acceptability of bits in the trim.

 

[Charles Morgan]

The gear knob and shift pattern is exactly what I had in my 280E (W114) .

How did you get on with the box Derek?

 

[219]

How did you get on with the box Derek?

The lever had a very long travel between 1st & second , and between 3rd and 4th , with strong spring bias towards 3rd/4th plane - once you got used to it , it was fine , but it was a bit 'clunky' compared to others .

1st was very low and ran out barely after you got moving . Back in the day , the 280E with that box was quite a quick car .

 

[jaymanek]

Same with my W123 200.. Long throws and 1st isnt used for long at all. Far superior to the 4 speed which runs out of oomph at 70 mph...

The box is very very strong and in my car it is being kept and adapted to be used with the 5.6 V8 thats going into it at the moment.

 

[Dee James]

Possible parts car Charles?

1975 MERCEDES W114 280 CE AUTO SILVER Spares Repairs Project Classic Pillarless | eBay

 

[Charles Morgan]

Hopefully (touches wood) I have a good source for the remaining parts. A whole car would be a bit greedy...

 

[219]

There's an infinitely tidier one , albeit a saloon , still sitting at a reasonable price .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301490011674?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&fromMakeTrack=true

 

[Charles Morgan]

Thanks all, but I don't need a donor car and if I did have no space. 3 non runners in my possession would be 2 too many!

 

[Charles Morgan]

Replacement front and rear bumpers arrived yesterday from 74Merc (Martin) in Northern Ireland, the Parcelforce man (relieved that I was home) remarked how grateful he was how solid they were. Also included were some door handle shells, and Martin had kindly pointed me in the direction of the chap breaking his coupe from whom I got the automatic.

Interestingly the bumpers had similar (but much lower - originally from a South African car) corrosion areas - the rear bumpers really are hopelessly under-protected. When I strip them and kurust them, they will get a layer of underseal on exposed areas.

 

[Charles Morgan]

A good afternoon clearing out the boot, and for one snake there were three ladders. The snake is that one of the bumper bolts from inside the car has sheared (nothing to do with me honest), but two of the ladders were finding a front valence that I'd thought I'd have to buy, and an entirely unexpected find of two mud flaps in good condition (need a clean obviously). The most important though was finding the boot floor, including the spare wheel well, blissfully solid and free from corrosion. The rear loom is in place too. Tomorrow I'll treat the superficial corrosion with rust cure and give the inside a dusting, having vacuumed all the rubbish today.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Having cleared and vacuumed the boot I decided to do the same with the interior as there was lots of dirt and stuff needing sorting. Among the items found was a receipt from Autoglass from 1985 with the then owner's name (the chap who transferred the car to Tony), the then registration (different from the 6 figure one etched on the windows) which came up as NVX231J - so the car is from 1970.

Lots of trim found in an unhappy state

but it cleaned up well

Not so happy to find in the rear seat base corners by the inner rear wheel arch on both sides that the rust has penetrated. It's not major but it is well concealed and the car will need a good inspection underneath.

 

[219]

Among the items found was a receipt from Autoglass from 1985 with the then owner's name (the chap who transferred the car to Tony), the then registration (different from the 6 figure one etched on the windows) which came up as NVX231J - so the car is from 1970.

My white W115 was NSX126J , almost feels like they could have been distant cousins





Oh , and here's one of my 280E

 

[Bellow]

That's nasty! Almost as nasty as...

...that! Nothing against you sticking with manual box (I see the sense in it) but please will you circumsise that knob? And have something more spherical on the shaft's end? Just does not look right in there!