So, I bought a R107 :)

[SilverSaloon]

Regarding the arch lip, you should maybe consider using chemical metal. It will be a much stronger and longer lasting job than fillers.

i bought some of filler that claims to have metal in it which i have been using on this wing. apparently its a new product

 

[SilverSaloon]

I've started to set up a blog that i'll update during the restoration for anyone interested in the progress instead of posting seperatly on here....

http://r107restoration.blogspot.com/

 

[219]

Bookmarked - will look in with interest !

 

[SilverSaloon]

Blog updated:

R107 280SL Restoration

the whole car is starting to come back together now.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Updated again with o/s and n/s sill and inner wing repairs:

R107 280SL Restoration

I'd be interested with any advice/critism/comment on what i've done so far. Some of those pics are scary!

next job is to repair some bolt on bits like the battery tray etc ready for the battery to go back in so i can refit and sync the renovated headlamp washwipe system.

 

[PeterE320Cdi]

Great stuff so far, will be very useful when I start looking for a R107. Unfortunately I have to wait till I have a garage

 

[C43AMG]

You are doing a Grand job, as you said very scary. It will look great when you are finished and a great sense of achievement, keep up the good work.

Any idea when it it will be finished ?

 

[SilverSaloon]

Any idea when it it will be finished ?

Thanks.

Current situation is the front is starting to all bolt back on. This will be quite time consuming as anything that i had to take off is going to be renovated/cleaned before it goes back on. I only work on the car for a few hours each night. Wifey is taking kids down to her mums for a weekend away in a couple of weeks time, so i'm hoping to get a load of work done on it then.

I battled with the headlamp wiper system last night - this was siezed so it had to completely come apart and the motor cleaned up. it now works but needs bolting back onto the car - then i've got the electrics to sort out which i think need some work as the jetwash for the lights starts squirting as soon as the headlamps are switched on at the moment and dont go off! previous owner disconnected the pump to "fix" it.

then i've got to wait for the new wing to arrive (hopefully next week) and get it fitted and sprayed.

I have a facelift front spoiler that also needs repaired/prepped and sprayed.

Then everything will just bolt back on!

i've got some work to do at the rear of the car aswell.

i'm hoping to have it on the road, in use at start of july. A lot of stuff can be done as a "rolling resto" after that (interior fixes etc)

 

[Phil Thomas]

Minor update. I've been patching up the wing. I've tackled the surface rust on the top of the passenger wing - grinding down to good metal (and removing/grinding off someone's previous poor attempt at welding new metal ontop of rust) and then a good coating of POR-15. This wing is still on the car and i'll tackle the rest of the rust once i've got the wing off.

the drivers wing is already off the car and i've cut two great big holes in the side of it - it was completely rotton around where the side trim bolts onto, so about 3" square section has been cut out of it and a new piece of metal welded into place. As its my 1st proper weld job on the car i'm pretty happy with the result now its sanded down. I plan on treating the whole repair patch to a thin coating of POR-15 on both sides and then a little thin layer of filler to even it all out, then it should be ready to paint. Luckily the amount i needed to cut out didnt go too much into the wheel arch curve.

After i've finished this, i have a few other small bits of metal to weld in where rot has been cut out and the wing will be rust free.

i'm amazed by the thickness of the genuine MB wing. Its about 1.6mm thick.

Backl in the early 60's I had a 1959 MG Magnette III. It rotted in the driver's side floor pan. I used a pink resin called David's isopon and lacquered it on to some zinc mesh laid on the floor pan. I did the same underneath, so the rotted metal was sandwiched. I covered an area about 12" by 8". Cosmetics of course were not an issue there. It lasted over 15 years until the car was scrapped. I never replaced the the stiffening girder running beneath it. The zinc sheet was perforated and easy to form to fit shapes. Nowadays an aluminium mesh seems readily available. Easier than welding! But only to my mind when structural issues are not a problem. A bolt on wing would be OK in my view.

 

[94mattda]

Lovely looking car....i ummed and arrred over which shape SL....i love the 107s too... looks lovely, well done and happy motoring

 

[SilverSaloon]

car is finally starting to come back together now. New wing on & painted:

Hopefully will be back on the road maybe in about 2 weeks if all goes well!!

My blog has been updated quite a lot recently as it starts to come together gain. i've definatly turned the corner now!

Mercedes R107 SL Restoration

 

[blondebier]

This thread is as exciting as Jay's restoration. Can't wait to see the final result... good on you!

 

[SilverSaloon]

thanks. not too sure how different it is going to look apart from a few small things. its more whats underneath thats changed. instead of flakey rot/rust there is now nice solid metal! and i've given up on the rear rust of the car - thats going to have to wait until next winter. its not as bad as the front was and the bumper covers it anyway! the rear bumper has been done though.

i've not even driven it with the roof down yet!

 

[SilverSaloon]

new post '86 spoiler fitted:

aim is to get the front of the car fully back together my end of this week. just waiting on a new headlamp lense to replace the cracked one i managed to break whilst fitting

my car was originally fitted with the older black rubber lip. the later 107's (1986 to 1989) were fitted with a later plastic air dam/spoiler that i managed to source 2nd hand. unfortunatly the previous owner had decided to spray the whole thing blue instead of just the area and leave the black grilles and the lower edge black, so i had to spray these black, then mask then spray the rest the body colour. i used stone chip guard for the black areas. i think the later spoiler transforms the car.

 

[219]

Will you be bringing it to the Road Policing Unit next month , then ?

 

[SilverSaloon]

Will you be bringing it to the Road Policing Unit next month , then ?

if its not raining then i will yes.... assuming its finished lol that is aslong as the police dont look at it (i joke!!)

its not actually going to be totally finished - i'm leaving the rear rust "issues" that the bumper hides until next winter otherwise it wont be on the road this summer. then there is of course the interior etc - some stuff i'll do on a "rolling" basis.

i plan only to take out if its not raining

 

[tim74]

love the car will be a cracking motor when your done

 

[SilverSaloon]

love the car will be a cracking motor when your done

both headlamps and trim and now on the front of the car again. i broke one whilst fitting one of those $*$**$ moments!!

also a brand new grille and star is fitted and looks really nice. i was going to leave the centre grille star as the last thing to bolt to the car to signify it being finished but i could resist fitting it.

bumper, foglamps etc etc will go onto the car tonight as i need SHMBO to help hold the bumper as i bolt it on.

a few minor fixes here and there and it will be ready for use for the next few months, before it will return to the garage again next winter for all the stuff i didnt have time to do.

i wont be putting it on the road until i'm back from my holiday though as otherwise i'll have to pay this months road tax for 3 days worth of use.

cheers!

Derek

 

[SilverSaloon]

Phase 1 (which is what i'll call it) of the "restoration" is now complete.

The front of the car is completed. i finished the paintwork on it last night and its all smooth same as the bonnet now.

I've still got to change the engine oil, spark plugs, dist cap, and fit the rear mudflaps before end of this week, other than that i wont be doing any more work on it (i hope) until when it will be off the road again during the winter months.

Bring on the sunshine! (if it hasnt already been and gone )

:bannana:

 

[Chattonmill]

It's looking fantastic, a testament to all the hours of hard graft put in.