My R129 500SL Progress

[Doodle]

They actually said R 0 on the bodies, which I assume means Resistance = 0...

Depending on where on the body that was. If it's on the metal section then unfortunately that's unlikely to be the case. Bosch R code means either resistor type, or a particular thread/length type that would be incorrect for this application.

 

[Zonergem]

Not on the metal but on the porcelain/enamel insulator part. The code F7DC0 was finely engraved on the metal. They were definitely correct and the car runs very happily on them.

 

[Doodle]

Random marketing guff then.

 

[MarkGolf997]

Looking Great Mark

Thanks mate, slowly getting there!

The components of the ignition system (dizzy cap, rotor, plug leads) provide a specific amount of resistance, that is not present in the later Motronic (coil on plug) systems. Hence plain plugs for the early cars, and resistor plugs for the later cars.

Unfortunately they frequently get mis-specified due to incorrect catalogue data, this includes the part manufacturers themselves! (Bosch, I'm looking at you here).

Great info, thanks very much, good to know!

Great thread, congrats on taking this wonderful car so far forward in such a short space of time.

Should be Bosch F7DC0 plugs (or their Champion/NGK equivalents) for the M119.960 KE-Jetronic cars. MB Part Number A 003 159 16 03 got me those Bosch plugs in MB boxes at £3 a pop. They actually said R 0 on the bodies, which I assume means Resistance = 0...


If you're still looking for the piece of plastic shown below then I have a spare you can have for free.

If you haven't got a wind deflector then the OEM model was made by Oris and is definitely worth getting hold of. Makes top-down driving at speed a breeze rather than a gale.

Mercedes SL Wind deflector | eBay

Thanks very much for the info and offer of the part, I will most certainly take you up on that. I tried to buy it from Mercedes but they only listed the whole panel, which was only £15 but I figured I would hold on that for the minute, thankfully I did! I'll message you.

A wind deflector would be handy, the wife would appreciate that!

These are the plugs I used,

Got caught in a random rain shower yesterday and was happy to see the AutoGlym roof protector doing it's job, water is no longer soaking in to the roof but beading off of it now!

Roof liner is taking a bit longer than planned, the glue is pretty sticky and I'm trying to fully remove it all to ensure the surface is as flat and perfect as poss.

Nearly there

 

[MarkGolf997]

Zonergram - I can't private message you as the site says your permissions do not allow it

 

[Zonergem]

It's because I haven't reached

 

[Zonergem]

Thirty posts yet

 

[Zonergem]

But I am trying

There's no rush, I'll pop it to one side.

 

[BTB 500]

A wind deflector would be handy, the wife would appreciate that!

I bought one for my car because it came without and I'm a fussy tart The cover panel for it (which needs to match the boot interior) was a special order from Germany, and that was probably 10 year ago ... not sure if they'd still be available. Wasn't too expensive though.

The windbreak is very effective but in reality I hardly ever use it because visibility is reduced a bit with it and the rollbar up, and it blocks access to the rear seats (for jackets etc.) when down. I tend to put the hood up instead for fast motorway driving (the noise is a bigger issue for me than the buffeting). Off motorway I find it OK - at many speeds it's better with the windows down than up btw.

 

[Zonergem]

Is there any other kind of motorway driving in a 500?!

I use the windbreak a lot but not with the roll-bar raised, often driving on rolling country roads.

The same seller (no relation) is selling a deflector cover but the OP doesn't have the straps in place. The deflector was optional (code 283 IIRC) for the first few years of production, even when you were handing over £70k+ in the depths of the early 1990s recession. Fortunately they are an easy retrofit, though as the OP has no rear seats then maybe he has no reason to take the deflector out and hence no need for another round of expenditure? Also his interior colour is pretty rare and I'd suggest he'll be looking for a while to find the right match.

 

[BTB 500]

My '97 was an Approved Used from a main dealer but still didn't come with a deflector! I didn't know enough about the cars to challenge it at the time

I didn't see any cover panels for sale at the time (of any colour), so ordering one from MB was the easiest option, and wasn't that expensive then.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I'm impressed by your car and your handy work, but most of all I'm impressed by that Gtechniq trim restorer!

Picked up some small bits from Mercedes Epsom.

New upper/lower aerial grommets as the existing one isn’t making a seal.

Clip which holds the battery panel in place, current one is broken

Screw for spark plug cover, one is missing.

I also got some genuine Mercedes Spark Plugs to replace the current unknown plugs as part of the upcoming service I want doing. I’ll be doing the spark plug change myself, that’s for certain.


Crappy pic of aerial grommet of, soon realised it was too dark for pics but I felt the need to nip out and change that before it rained that night.

Here is the clip which holds the carpeted battery cover in place, I soon realised the other end was missing, so I’ll need to order that.

The inner lining of the soft top was pretty filthy, hated seeing that when in the car so I had to get that out and give it a clean asap!

A soak in a bath with some mild fabric detergent.

The next morning, clean!

5 mins to fit back in

Some foam backed suede samples arrived for the hard top lining which I did previously stick back up but I was never happy with the job as the material had shrunk and just looked a bit old/dirty. So, I figured a suede headlining would solve the old sagging lining issue and add some more luxury to the cabin. I picked 2 colours and decided on the darker one as it was a close match to the original.

I’ve now got a roll of material and I will be fitting that tonight.

Saturday gone, I decided to investigate the rotor arms, caps, leads and change plugs. The guys I got the car from said that the leads and caps were “recently replaced” but without a date or invoice, I took this with a pinch of salt, having looked at them, they do not appear old and they’re certainly not original. The arms and tips appeared clean, no carbon build up or dusting so certainly not in need of replacement, I would imagine that the plugs were changed at the same time but for peace of mind, I wanted to change those. I did the plugs 1 by 1, NGK R plugs had been fitted, I had read online about NOT fitting R (resistance) plugs, not sure why but I had Mercedes plugs spec’d for the car to go in, all plugs which were removed were identical in condition so I’m happy with that.

All 8 plugs changed, I fired the car up, it seems to start better and upon driving, 100% feels to rev smoother. Very happy with that. Look forward to the main service so I can get some fresh oil in.

Next job was to investigate something that got my interest, I noticed a random black wire which looked out of place due to being on it’s own. I followed it and it was linking the rear brake lights… I couldn’t understand why someone would do this, it was 1 solid wire so I wasn’t wired for a 3rd brake light and was the exact length it needed to be to be between both rear brake light bulbs, so I disconnected it and didn’t see any adverse results, everything worked as normal. Upon driving away later, I had a positive result, my bulb warning light no longer illuminates, WOOHOOO!!! 1 job off of the list

One more job I squeezed in before going to a BBQ was to add some Gtechniq trim restorer to the handles, the handles looked tired, so a good clean with some panel wipe and an application of the permanent trim restorer has lifted the handles to their original condition.

Roof lining tonight and I’m planning to pop the car down to my bodyshop for them to look at the rust and get a date booked in.

 

[Zonergem]

Here's another early car in the same (rare) colour as the OP's. Also has the Sacco panels in matching gloss paint, so perhaps the paint did come this way from the factory as a special order perhaps?

Used Mercedes-benz Sl Class Convertible in London, Buckinghamshire | The Motoring Team

 

[Doodle]

I've never seen it as an option in any pricelist of the time, IIRC the Sacco panels were always satin. However it was a popular modification, especially to copy the facelift once it arrived. Easy if you were already looking at repainting to cover little knocks.

In the late 90's/early 2000s the classifieds would be littered with earlier cars painted up as such, fitted with clear indicators and facelift grilles behind the front arches.

 

[BTB 500]

However, it was a popular modification, especially to copy the facelift when it arrived.

Like the white front indicator units fitted to that car

 

[Zonergem]

And now the "forward-dated" cars look rather less attractive than a proper original early car, with all the classic Mercedes styling cues like orange indicators and two-tone paint. I even "downgraded" my good car from the optional 8-hole alloys to the poverty fitment 15-hole one (same size, same tyres) just to play up that early 1990s vibe.

A bit of digging turned up a very original 500SL in the OP's colour scheme 587 Pajett Rot with satin/matt Sacco panels and 274 Palomino/Bamboo leather - ex-Japan (see the aerial hole is higher) now for sale in Germany for 30k euros.

https://home.mobile.de/MEGAMOBILEAUTOHANDELSVENJUNGE#des_259419811

 

[C43AMG]

My favourite Wheels, had them on my 560SEC, they just suite that period.

 

[MarkGolf997]

I'm impressed by your car and your handy work, but most of all I'm impressed by that Gtechniq trim restorer!

It's great stuff, infact, most items they do are really good! I have used Crystal Serum _ Exo v2 on my 964 and that is incredible, water beads off and there was a noticable reduction is dirt/dust sticking to it!

Here's another early car in the same (rare) colour as the OP's. Also has the Sacco panels in matching gloss paint, so perhaps the paint did come this way from the factory as a special order perhaps?

Used Mercedes-benz Sl Class Convertible in London, Buckinghamshire | The Motoring Team

I would love to find out for sure, although it doesn't actually matter, the colour match is perfect and it just doesn't appear aftermarket although my car does appear to have had a full blow over, to the top section anyway..

And now the "forward-dated" cars look rather less attractive than a proper original early car, with all the classic Mercedes styling cues like orange indicators and two-tone paint. I even "downgraded" my good car from the optional 8-hole alloys to the poverty fitment 15-hole one (same size, same tyres) just to play up that early 1990s vibe.

A bit of digging turned up a very original 500SL in the OP's colour scheme 587 Pajett Rot with satin/matt Sacco panels and 274 Palomino/Bamboo leather - ex-Japan (see the aerial hole is higher) now for sale in Germany for 30k euros.

https://home.mobile.de/MEGAMOBILEAUTOHANDELSVENJUNGE#des_259419811

I do like those wheels, your car is probably my ideal spec! Love the blue 2 tone, orange lenses and either sets of wheels!

Great to see another in my spec, I've never found another, god I love these cars!

 

[MarkGolf997]

Small bank holiday update, with thunder storms and rain shower forecast, I thought I’d stick the hard top on. That was a regretful move as we just had brilliant sunshine! Doh.

The new headliner has lifted the interior however, adds a touch of luxury, I do plan on sweeping the material one way to lose the lines, that was just a novelty thing to show off the material

 

[MarkGolf997]

I managed to do a couple of small yet satisfying jobs.

Replaced the worn looking drivers door lock switch, this always bugged me!

I’m looking in to my electric mirror issue and while the centre console was out, I wanted to fix the ash tray. I had found out that this should spring open, mine didn’t, after finding an image of how the mechanism should be positioned on google, I saw that mine was not set, a quick 2 mins setting the mechanism on both sides resolved the issue, I can now press the lid in and it pops open!

Just for reference of what the centre looks like without the console.

Love the small jobs