Stray followed me home:

[speeder]

Ok, full disclosure: it was on my trailer.

1970 Mercedes-Benz 250 sedan, not a particularly special or valuable model but a great little car. I owned the twin to this car 20-some years ago and should not have sold it, so when this popped up on eBay local to me a couple weeks ago, I bid and won.

The bad is that it’s in ok but not great condition cosmetically and it has been sitting for about 4 years. It needed the expected tires and brake work plus the carbs rebuilt. It actually came w a good battery and the gas is not too old. Seller is a car guy and drained it when he put it on non-op in 2015. Mechanically it is pretty solid, never owned by a maroon who serviced it at a 3rd world mechanic like so many 50 year old cars.

It has been repainted once by the seller and it’s definitely a DIY job but I think I can sand and buff it to a decent finish. Plenty of room for improvement. Did I mention that I got it cheap?

On the positive ledger, aside from the aforementioned decent overall condition is that it’s one of the most well-documented vehicles I’ve ever come across. All original books including a fully stamped maintenance book that had to be added onto in the back, the original window sticker and a stack of receipts that covers the first 40 years of its life. Original tourist delivery papers, it was picked up in Germany by a Northern California owner who kept it for the next 20 years. I love this stuff and hate it when an old car, (especially a MB), is missing its books. They came w a huge billfold of manuals.

So I thought I’d take the time to compile a traditional OT thread about a middle of summer car project, non-Porsche related. I like saving worthy candidates from the scrap yard or parts seller, I think this one qualifies because prices have been rising enough to justify my effort.

So here it is following me home:

[1975porsche]

Great looking project.

[island911]

Wow! Looks complete and straight. I do have a soft spot for old Mercedes as well.

Good on you for revitalizing this one.

[speeder]

This engine is the M114, a sweet little 2.5 liter SOHC straight-six w dual Zenith 2-barrel carbs. It was built in 1969, almost 50 years ago to the day and a matter of months before emissions laws began to change the features under the hood.

The carbs needed complete overhaul, seller had tried to change needle valves and messed something up plus just general age and wear. Luckily, I’m one of the dinosaurs around who still knows carbs. I’m pretty good w them.

Before/during:



They have vacuum operated secondaries and both carbs’ diaphragms were shot/torn so this car was running only primaries, (one barrel), on each. I was able to get good kits w diaphragms so those are fixed. Diaphragms:

Great score! Love the blue CA plates. The comment about third-world mechanics made me laugh--aren't these cars the most common taxis in most third-world places? I always thought they were bullet-proof. Both literally and figuratively.

[speeder]

Here they are, finished and ready to go back in:


There is a lot more but I need to run so I’ll update later.

[fastfredracing]

I love projects like that,. where you can get really far on your knowledge, and some elbow grease in lieu of metric dollars .
It will be rewarding to see it come back on line .
Nice grab. Keep us posted with updated project pics .
These are my favorite type threads here . you seem to know old mb well

[Tim Hancock]

Looks like a fun project. I assume no rust to deal with?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Looks like a fun project. I assume no rust to deal with?

Tim- it’s a dry CA. car. Otherwise, it would not be worth doing because the parts have gotten expensive, (body and trim+NLA stuff), so it would get parted-out. The guy I beat in the auction sells parts, so I saved this car.

The normal repair parts are still cheap, so it works out for me.

[oldE]

Great save!
I have a real soft spot in my head for these old sedans.
What transmission does it have?

Best
Les

[Rinty]

Thanks for posting. Have fun.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by oldE

Great save!
I have a real soft spot in my head for these old sedans.
What transmission does it have?

Best
Les

It’s a 4-speed automatic w column shift. Mercedes offered a choice of column or floor in those days

When I went to adjust valves, I found a damaged cam lobe, (rearmost #6 exhaust). So off w its head, (love that expression), and had to source a good cam and a new valve. The head is at my machinist now. Still can’t figure out exactly what happened, the top of the valve was broken off but stem not bent and no damage to head or piston. It got stuck somehow.






While the head is in the shop, I’m going through the brakes and working on interior. With all old cars, I drain all of the brake fluid and change brake hoses plus boil out the reservoir and put new DOT 4 in. Also changed front pads and hardware plus of course check all calipers for free movement and leaks.

The interior wood was cooked, so I removed it to refinish. Stripped off old varnish, (actually lacquer), re-stain and clear coat I also take the gauges apart and clean them up:

[speeder]

Here is the re-stained wood, I think this is about as close as I’m going to get it, color wise. Second try.


Here are a couple of interior shots from the day I picked it up, pretty dirty:



The gauges:





That light switch and surround were particularly disgusting, 50 years without a proper cleaning will do that. The instruments had never been touched as well.

[Macroni]

Very cool.... please keep posting as you move through its recommissioning.....

[Jim Richards]

Great project, Denis, although when I saw the title, I was expected something with legs (2 or 4).

[speeder]

I carefully dust and clean the gauges and take apart the cluster to clean everything, like these inner chrome rings that you barely see:

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Great project, Denis, although when I saw the title, I was expected something with legs (2 or 4).

I can’t post the two-legger and I don’t have a dog other than this guy that I co-parent:

[tabs]

A survivor

[Baz]

Yes, a survivor. Good save, Denis.


You sure did a lot of work on her in just one day!

[Jeff Higgins]

Sweet, Denis. Just enough to do to make it a "project" for guys like you who like that kind of stuff, and enough to do to dissuade guys who don't like to do that kind of stuff, making it attainable for guys who like to do that kind of stuff.