Once in a lifetime Barn Find

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by 126coupe

We started disassembly today, my painter and I met and discussed the project yesterday.
We have a rotisserie and this will be taken down to bare chassis, doors, fenders, ect are coming off tomorrow, I removed all the guts in the doors today no body work from the past and all the proper fasteners, glass is unmolested

you need to buy stock in a company that makes plastic bags...

[Zeke]

I went to see the car today. Mark didn't make it, but his shop guy let me look around. I spent about an hour on the car. It really is a solid car. I'll list what I found and you guys can make the determination of whether I eat engine padding or not.

Complete glass out respray.
Different color under primer on front bumper.
Looks to me as if the front latch panel has been replaced or worked on. Mismatched and missing bolts and screws in the area including the front valance.
Body tag on front panel installed reading upside down.
Lots of oil and crud on the oil tank (but the perforated guard is in place).
Surface rust everywhere, especially under the sound deadening coat on the top of the floor pans.
Engine is an oily mess on bottom.
Heat exchangers are rusted and the exposed part of the head pipes are deeply cratered and rusted completely through in several places at the 3 into 1 merge.
Front brake discs seem to out of spec as they are machined thin on the outside, RS is worse, but all 4 look weird to me.
Brake pedal rubber worn through to metal.
Door switches, hinges and data plates are pristine. Slight bushing wear to driver's door.
Nice gaps although the car is starting to show "jack stand droop" at the rear top of doors.
Lock panels look great.
Front suspension pan lower piece is toast, I mean gaping holes. It might be possible to install the lower bridge only to restore this area.


Rear deck not aluminum or original, but that was known (he has an AL deck already to fit to the car. Rear license plate panel appears to be AL (stock for S models of some years), but I forgot my magnet. There is the visible damage to the RR bumperette, but it got into the body every so slightly (I would guess the car rolled into something, not hit in an accident).


There doesn't seem to be any cancer on the rockers, door jambs, lower front fenders at the door, doors (they are gutted and are rusty inside, but feel solid). No door guards in doors suggesting original. The car has been very wet or damp for a long time. Rotors are bubbling in rust suggesting it has not been driven in many years.

A lot of the exterior bright work has been painted over in black, probably when the car was resprayed. It all shows age, so the car was repaired/repainted long ago. Good glass although I forgot to closely examine the windshield for pits.

Overall, I'd say the car is an excellent car showing fair to middling care in it's driven life. Appears to have been driven in dirty conditions more than once. I can't quite wrap my head around the car having 42,xxx miles total. Yet, it doesn't seem like it has almost 3.5x that, e.g., turning over once. It's a hard call and one that only Mark makes because I doubt very many people know this car. It's pretty much unmolested save for some minor repairs.

It was definitely "found" not running and not cared for in the least. If I had to guess, I'd say it came from near the coast. That's the best I can do and I'm sure there's a lot I missed. I'm far from an expert.

It is baffling since the headlight buckets and door areas look pretty good while the a-arms and the like are really rusty. Perhaps the floor of the "barn" was bare, moist dirt.

Having seen the rest of Mark's stable, I will predict that when this car is done, it will be awesome.

Very awesome.

[126coupe]

Milt,

I'm so sorry i missed, things unraveled a bit this morning when My trip to Italy is one day earlier than I thought. Thanks for your input and spending time with my wrench Tim.
How about 88 year old Walter? he knows his **** about the old Mercedes, come and works with Tim, Walters knowledge cant be found in any book. I wished had all the cars uncovered for you to see, next time? Would love to have more of your input on the 911S

[RWebb]

you should get paid for that PPI

[NutmegCarrera]

126 coupe
Where in Italy?
I'm in Pescara today. Heading to bologna later this week. Out of Milan on Saturday.
Small world fer a couple pelicans....

[126coupe]

Mosummano, Siena, Sorrento, Capri, Abruzzo

[imcarthur]

I believe that you owe Milt a beer for that PPI.

While you are in Sorrento, make sure that you go to the south side of the Amalfi coast & visit Ravello & walk out to the terrazza of the Villa Cimbrone.

Ian

[Zeke]

No, no, I owed Mark a lunch. With a little bag of swag I left at the shop and the look over, maybe I'm off the hook.

[126coupe]

Originally Posted by Zeke

No, no, I owed Mark a lunch. With a little bag of swag I left at the shop and the look over, maybe I'm off the hook.

Milt you are welcome anytime, I'm a pretty good cook and make lunch for the boys from time to time.

[126coupe]

Been on the internet, ebay, almost had a great badge, then low and behold I was wandering around the cave and right on my golf cart is a perfect badge. I dont even remember purchasing it, but it was in 1998-99, the question is, is it the real deal or a knock off?

[Zeke]

That appears to be a red bar reproduction. It could very well be NOS, but it's not for your '69. If you score a badge in poor shape, there are a couple of places that restore them. I almost put one in poor shape in your swag bag, but it turns out I'm not that nice of a guy.

[126coupe]

What's the difference?

[Zeke]

The bars on the early badges are orange, not red.

[126coupe]

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by 126coupe

What's the difference?

Here is the correct one, and Yes it is for sale

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Here's a proper badge for the car. This one is about $450, not for sale. I expect you'll pay $1500 for something more NOS.

[dtw]

Allan Heywood in New Zealand was the only guy in the world I could find that did a perfect concourse restoration of an orange badge. His work ran around $300/badge which was a deal compared to an NOS badge's cost.

Unfortunately, Mr. Heywood passed away in 2010. I do not know if anyone has filled the void since his passing - you may be stuck hunting down a NOS badge.

[Joeaksa]

Boy, what a great find!