Restoration of my fin tail Mercedes Benz

[VEEeight]

Dear Asim Sb.,

Nice work. Truly nice. I love the paint work. Coming along very nicely. Seats are looking good too. I had mentioned in my other blog that I sold my XJ40 due to my work contract finishing in Saudi, but what I didn't say was that I resigned my job on account of my getting another contract. I was back in Saudi on my new job within a month. Once I got back I began looking for a car. My wife always had a soft spot for two door Mercs. So that is what I got. I thought since this is a blog relating to your beautiful and special 220S would be a good place to share my old car's pics (of course I hope you will not mind)

This car was not a Saudi spec car but a German import. It had special features such as a Vebasto additional heater and heated front seats. Handy in the cold months. The additional heater is a device that preheats the car without the engine running. Uses the petrol from the tank, burns it in a small heat exchanger that warms up the car cabin and the engine. And there is a timer that you can porgram to heat the car before going to work in the morning. Neat!! Oh yes, it also had hydraulic rear suspension that had auto leveling. This car I often drove well above the posted speed limit . It could easily top 240Km/h.

I drove this car for five years and put 375,000 Km on the clock and finally sold it before it got so worn out that no one would pay any money for it.

Hello from here too:)
My "passion" ( it's the most appropriate word to use here! ) for Jaguar is based on the "realisation" that I will never be able to "satisfy" it because they are just so "unhavable" in this part of the world , despite the presence of the XJ6 , if only due to the minscule nos here.

In my opinion, and its purely a personal one, no self-respecting car enthusiast can call himself ( or herself..) one without having a strong(ish) opinion about Mercedes Benz. I have more than just a strong opinion and my penchant for this marque is not based on unobtainability but sheer respect for its "teutonicness". Over the years I have acquired/ restored a few MB models, the latest one being this Fintail. It's been and for now, will cont to be quite a long haul and whilst the car was almost complete cosmetically, mechanically it was a dodo! If you go thru this thread in some detail, you will know what I am talking about! Going through this restoration ( and that of the 300SEL W109) has been a learning experience about the never ending debate between restoring to original specs......or not!

The car you have posted pictures of ( and I CERTAINLY don't mind ) is one of my all time favourites. My compliments to your lady wife for having excelent taste The W126 Coupe was the Merc flagship of its day. What year was yours? I can make out the 500 badge, or was it a 560 ? The additional heater you mention was a fitting in the only Mercedes i have ever sold, a 126 Saloon ( 280SEL). The problem was that couldn't get it to work using the timer.

In the SEC you know you are in for a treat as soon as you get inside and when the "silent butler" offers up the seatbelt I must tell you here that whilst we may not own the same model of Jaguars, this IS one that we do even though you have sold yours. I have a 1986 560SEC brooding away in the garage and have developed a high degree of respect for both its bark AND bite. So far it's the only car I have driven that reaches a 180 kph but not its top gear at that speed AND needs traction control on flooring the throttle.......but doesn't have it.....

Am not at all surprised you racked up the mileage you mention and the years you owned yours for

[msabbasi]

Hello from here too:)
My "passion" ( it's the most appropriate word to use here! ) for Jaguar is based on the "realisation" that I will never be able to "satisfy" it because they are just so "unhavable" in this part of the world , despite the presence of the XJ6 , if only due to the minscule nos here.

In my opinion, and its purely a personal one, no self-respecting car enthusiast can call himself ( or herself..) one without having a strong(ish) opinion about Mercedes Benz. I have more than just a strong opinion and my penchant for this marque is not based on unobtainability but sheer respect for its "teutonicness". Over the years I have acquired/ restored a few MB models, the latest one being this Fintail. It's been and for now, will cont to be quite a long haul and whilst the car was almost complete cosmetically, mechanically it was a dodo! If you go thru this thread in some detail, you will know what I am talking about! Going through this restoration ( and that of the 300SEL W109) has been a learning experience about the never ending debate between restoring to original specs......or not!

The car you have posted pictures of ( and I CERTAINLY don't mind ) is one of my all time favourites. My compliments to your lady wife for having excelent taste The W126 Coupe was the Merc flagship of its day. What year was yours? I can make out the 500 badge, or was it a 560 ? The additional heater you mention was a fitting in the only Mercedes i have ever sold, a 126 Saloon ( 280SEL). The problem was that couldn't get it to work using the timer.

In the SEC you know you are in for a treat as soon as you get inside and when the "silent butler" offers up the seatbelt I must tell you here that whilst we may not own the same model of Jaguars, this IS one that we do even though you have sold yours. I have a 1986 560SEC brooding away in the garage and have developed a high degree of respect for both its bark AND bite. So far it's the only car I have driven that reaches a 180 kph but not its top gear AND needs traction control on flooring the throttle.......but doesn't have it.....

Am not at all surprised you racked up the mileage you mention and the years you owned yours for

Sir,

You know your Mercedes cars. Yes it had the silent butler handing over the belt as soon as the door was closed. This one was a 1989 500SEC. It had ample power giving off a chip from the tires even in second gear.

Here is a picture I took to celebrate it reaching 350,000 Km. If you look at the picture of the central consol, you will see three buttons just below the ashtray. The two on the extreme left and right are the seat heaters and the thing in the middle is the Webasto heater. You are a lucky man to have a 506SEC. Once another dude with a 560SEC decided to race me on the Khobar - Dammam highway, the result was inevitable, he just had too much more power and was gone.

[MUGEN]

sl 320 my fav ...............

[VEEeight]

sl 320 my fav ...............

why not the 500 or 600? Would b interested to know

[VEEeight]

abbasi;4024890]Sir,

You know your Mercedes cars. Yes it had the silent butler handing over the belt as soon as the door was closed. This one was a 1989 500SEC. It had ample power giving off a chip from the tires even in second gear.

Here is a picture I took to celebrate it reaching 350,000 Km. If you look at the picture of the central consol, you will see three buttons just below the ashtray. The two on the extreme left and right are the seat heaters and the thing in the middle is the Webasto heater. You are a lucky man to have a 506SEC. Once another dude with a 560SEC decided to race me on the Khobar - Dammam highway, the result was inevitable, he just had too much more power and was gone.[/QUOTE]

Hello. The 500 has "only" about 240bhp on tap compared to the 295 or the somewhat exaggerated 300bhp of the 560. Its only fair to say that the difference is very obvious if you drive one after the other. Your car had the ideal int/ext color combo. Mine is silver with a blue cloth int which I find insipid. Am attaching a pic of it. Apologies for its quality.....

[msabbasi]

abbasi;4024890]Sir,

You know your Mercedes cars. Yes it had the silent butler handing over the belt as soon as the door was closed. This one was a 1989 500SEC. It had ample power giving off a chip from the tires even in second gear.

Here is a picture I took to celebrate it reaching 350,000 Km. If you look at the picture of the central consol, you will see three buttons just below the ashtray. The two on the extreme left and right are the seat heaters and the thing in the middle is the Webasto heater. You are a lucky man to have a 506SEC. Once another dude with a 560SEC decided to race me on the Khobar - Dammam highway, the result was inevitable, he just had too much more power and was gone.

Hello. The 500 has "only" about 240bhp on tap compared to the 295 or the somewhat exaggerated 300bhp of the 560. Its only fair to say that the difference is very obvious if you drive one after the other. Your car had the ideal int/ext color combo. Mine is silver with a blue cloth int which I find insipid. Am attaching a pic of it. Apologies for its quality.....

[/QUOTE]

OMG you have a SEC????

Unable to see the badge. Is that a 380, 420, 500 or 560? Regardless of colour combo. You are indeed a very lucky man to have one of these classics. Usually in Saudi the W126 coupes or sedans were silver ext were with black leather int. Looked really smart. If you ask me, silver is particularly suited to Merc coupes SEC/SL/SLK/CLK etc.

Speaking of power, after being beaten on the highway a few times with the 500SEC, the next car I bought was a real rocket ship. It could show a clean pair of heals to anything on the road except perhaps a Ferrari or Lambo. Probably I will never own a faster or quicker car that that one ever again.

Pictures will only be shared with your permission since it was not a Merc.

Cheers.

[VEEeight]

Hello. The 500 has "only" about 240bhp on tap compared to the 295 or the somewhat exaggerated 300bhp of the 560. Its only fair to say that the difference is very obvious if you drive one after the other. Your car had the ideal int/ext color combo. Mine is silver with a blue cloth int which I find insipid. Am attaching a pic of it. Apologies for its quality.....

OMG you have a SEC????

Unable to see the badge. Is that a 380, 420, 500 or 560? Regardless of colour combo. You are indeed a very lucky man to have one of these classics. Usually in Saudi the W126 coupes or sedans were silver ext were with black leather int. Looked really smart. If you ask me, silver is particularly suited to Merc coupes SEC/SL/SLK/CLK etc.

Speaking of power, after being beaten on the highway a few times with the 500SEC, the next car I bought was a real rocket ship. It could show a clean pair of heals to anything on the road except perhaps a Ferrari or Lambo. Probably I will never own a faster or quicker car that that one ever again.

Pictures will only be shared with your permission since it was not a Merc.

Cheers.[/QUOTE]

hello from here too
i actually did mention in an earlier post that I have a 560SEC! I have no problem with the ext color or even the blue int.....it's just that I would have preferred leather. I think apart from the webasto heater on your 500, this one has the same options incl the hydraulic rear susp.

Please feel free to post whatever picture of any car, whether yours or any of interest to you! It will provide some "relief" from the ongoing trials and tribulations of the main subject!!!

in any case, am really curious to know about this rocket ship just south of a Ferrari , Lamborghini etc

[msabbasi]

OMG you have a SEC????

Unable to see the badge. Is that a 380, 420, 500 or 560? Regardless of colour combo. You are indeed a very lucky man to have one of these classics. Usually in Saudi the W126 coupes or sedans were silver ext were with black leather int. Looked really smart. If you ask me, silver is particularly suited to Merc coupes SEC/SL/SLK/CLK etc.

Speaking of power, after being beaten on the highway a few times with the 500SEC, the next car I bought was a real rocket ship. It could show a clean pair of heals to anything on the road except perhaps a Ferrari or Lambo. Probably I will never own a faster or quicker car that that one ever again.

Pictures will only be shared with your permission since it was not a Merc.

Cheers.

hello from here too
i actually did mention in an earlier post that I have a 560SEC! I have no problem with the ext color or even the blue int.....it's just that I would have preferred leather. I think apart from the webasto heater on your 500, this one has the same options incl the hydraulic rear susp.

Please feel free to post whatever picture of any car, whether yours or any of interest to you! It will provide some "relief" from the ongoing trials and tribulations of the main subject!!!

in any case, am really curious to know about this rocket ship just south of a Ferrari , Lamborghini etc :)[/QUOTE]

When the 500SEC was beginning to get a bit long in the tooth, I began doing a bit of research. I like fast cars that externally look docile. Basically a boxer in a lounge suit. The car that took my fancy was the E500 - hand build at the Porsche factory for Mercedes. Fast, quick and yet a four door sedan. After looking high and low for this car I drew a blank. During my search I came across a number of W140 S600 coupes but they had issues needing money to be sunk in to bring them up to my liking.

Finally I stumbled upon a 1999 BMW E39 540i. This car can top 250km/h and get to 100km/h in 5.3 sec. Both figures verified by yours truly. Actually it pulled very strongly beyond 250 and was electronically limited to 255. Here are a few pictures:

M5 is even faster than this one but the money being asked for the M5 was out of my reach. This car I drove for 6 years and sold to a company mate. Again due to high mileage.

[VEEeight]

hello from here too
i actually did mention in an earlier post that I have a 560SEC! I have no problem with the ext color or even the blue int.....it's just that I would have preferred leather. I think apart from the webasto heater on your 500, this one has the same options incl the hydraulic rear susp.

Please feel free to post whatever picture of any car, whether yours or any of interest to you! It will provide some "relief" from the ongoing trials and tribulations of the main subject!!!

in any case, am really curious to know about this rocket ship just south of a Ferrari , Lamborghini etc

When the 500SEC was beginning to get a bit long in the tooth, I began doing a bit of research. I like fast cars that externally look docile. Basically a boxer in a lounge suit. The car that took my fancy was the E500 - hand build at the Porsche factory for Mercedes. Fast, quick and yet a four door sedan. After looking high and low for this car I drew a blank. During my search I came across a number of W140 S600 coupes but they had issues needing money to be sunk in to bring them up to my liking.

Finally I stumbled upon a 1999 BMW E39 540i. This car can top 250km/h and get to 100km/h in 5.3 sec. Both figures verified by yours truly. Actually it pulled very strongly beyond 250 and was electronically limited to 255. Here are a few pictures:

M5 is even faster than this one but the money being asked for the M5 was out of my reach. This car I drove for 6 years and sold to a company mate. Again due to high mileage.[/QUOTE]

VERY nice and faster than a 560 to a 100kph by about 1.5 seconds! Pity you didnt come across the same 560 guy on the dammam highway in this one:) And I see you have been at work on the interior here too

As for the 500E , I actually drove one in the UK a few years ago and it was madness. The stance with the flared arches was beyond amazing. The left hand drive was a bit limiting on the B road I drove it on. I think it was some ex AMG guy who also put tog a V8 124 that got to be known as a "Hammer". Am surprised you couldn't find one in the Mecca of cars

[msabbasi]

Indeed this was a very fast car and the beauty was that parts were easily available. The body was stock E39 and the engine/transmission was stock 740i/iL. I did no work in the interior. It was just too nice to begin with. However it was lacking in the options department. But did I care? Never saw the 560SEC dude but I did put a lot of other fancy machinery my tail lights.

In my entire stay of 20 years in Saudi I only saw one worn out E500. Much later towards the end of my stint in Saudi the Mercedes agent Al-Juffali introduced the AMG cars but these were waaayyyy beyond my reach.

[alvis]

On the 126, so here is my favourite 560 SEC, sold now, looking for a 2005 CL 600 now. The search is on.
The car was a treat to drive on the lonely stretches of road in where I live and am really looking forward to the CL and open the speed restrictors. The 560 was good for a genuine 250km/hr, my all time favourite.

[VEEeight]

On the 126, so here is my favourite 560 SEC, sold now, looking for a 2005 CL 600 now. The search is on.
The car was a treat to drive on the lonely stretches of road in where I live and am really looking forward to the CL and open the speed restrictors. The 560 was good for a genuine 250km/hr, my all time favourite.

this is identical to the one I have except for the 16 inch deep dish rims and fender chrome trims. I imagine it will lose its status as your all time fave once the CL takes up residence!

[VEEeight]

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE SHOW ME HOW TO STRAIGHTEN THESE PHOTOS??????!!!!!!

Work had been slow because have been trying to get the front bumper to "sit" right and get all the gaps equal. The pics show things the way they are. Experience has taught me that repeated trial fittings always pay off during a resto' and never was that more true than here! Just as well the bumpers are to be rechromed as that means they can be knocked around and adjusted for best fit without fear of damage. The lights will be removed again also, as the reflectors inside them also need rechroming. The central bar on the radiator grill is all dented and has to be so knocked out.

Am not happy with all this just now. Hopefully these will be the "before" pictures. Right now am wondering whether I should actually USE these bumpers at all or would it be better to go for a "bumper less" look. Getting replacements at this stage is not an option really......

There is some good news as well. I have been able to source original wheel cups in 15 inch dia ( usually its 14) which means I have the option of putting on 15 inch steel rims with the period caps. My mech feels it may be a necessary upgrade anyway in view of the altered drive train. There will be 220 horses to harness

[msabbasi]

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE SHOW ME HOW TO STRAIGHTEN THESE PHOTOS??????!!!!!!

Work had been slow because have been trying to get the front bumper to "sit" right and get all the gaps equal. The pics show things the way they are. Experience has taught me that repeated trial fittings always pay off during a resto' and never was that more true than here! Just as well the bumpers are to be rechromed as that means they can be knocked around and adjusted for best fit without fear of damage. The lights will be removed again also, as the reflectors inside them also need rechroming. The central bar on the radiator grill is all dented and has to be so knocked out.

There is some good news as well. I have been able to source original wheel cups in 15 inch dia ( usually its 14) which means I have the option of putting on 15 inch steel rims with the period caps. My mech feels it may be a necessary upgrade anyway in view of the altered drive train. There will be 220 horses to harness

Looking nice and getting there slowly. As you said there is a bit of work still to be done. The period wheel caps will look priceless. BTW, will the 15" wheels not have an impact on the reading of your speedo? But I guess the impact will be minimal. Any chance to get the Dubai Merc agent, Gargash to get you a complete grill then get a friend to bring it over? It will look stunning. Good thing about the German cars is that parts can be sourced.

Cheers

[msabbasi]

Or get just the strips, they are available

[VEEeight]

Looking nice and getting there slowly. As you said there is a bit of work still to be done. The period wheel caps will look priceless. BTW, will the 15" wheels not have an impact on the reading of your speedo? But I guess the impact will be minimal. Any chance to get the Dubai Merc agent, Gargash to get you a complete grill then get a friend to bring it over? It will look stunning. Good thing about the German cars is that parts can be sourced.

Cheers

am afraid the pictures are not telling the complete story.....these bumpers are grade zed HORRIBLE !!!! I didn't realise just how bad they really are bec when I got the car I didn't pay that much attention to them. The problem is the rechroming quality, have never been able to get a satisfactory result. I got so messed around with the bumpers of the 56 Chevy that in a moment of madness / utter frustration, i actually had them PAINTED the body colour. Then I couldn't decide which was worse!

I WILL have a go at fixing them, at the moment they look a mess. However I have pictures of "bumper less" Fintails in my archives..........just need another moment of madness......

i don't know whether you have read this thread in detail or not, but I got the car without the original engine/ gbox so went a bit ballistic and have put in a 3 litre, twin cam straight six out of a Lexus GS 300 with gearbox. The brakes are out of a scrap W126 and are nw discs all round, the shocks and springs are also uprated. A differential unit out of a W108 had already been fitted, probably to cope with the W116 2.8. So you see, it was all a bit of a hotch potch. My idea was to have an absolute stock looking car but with a snarl to it when goaded.

Once I get to that stage will compare the speed shown with a GPS and then ave it recalibrated. There's an old boy here who reconditioned the metre and can do this. A contact HAS offered another grill that is supposed to be unmarked. Lets see.

Whilst on the topic of customising, let me horrify you even further. I have a W109 with a 4 litre V8 out of a Lexus LS400 but this sacrilege ends here. The other models I have wearing the 3point star are totally original.

[VEEeight]

Or get just the strips, they are available

oh wow! Thanks for this. I presume the nos are part nos?

[msabbasi]

oh wow! Thanks for this. I presume the nos are part nos?

Sorry these are not the part numbers. They the item numbers. The part number is a pretty long one comprising of a string of numbers.

[sawan345]

[QUOTE=VEEeight;4028468]WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE SHOW ME HOW TO STRAIGHTEN THESE PHOTOS??????!!!!!!

Sir you are using tab or laptop/desktop and which window you are using ?

Right click on the photo and go to open with and press windows photo viewer after clicking it pictures gets opened and you will see a bar under it on which rotate clockwise and rotate anti clockwise icon just click where the picture gets vertically or horizontally straight.
I hope it help you out

[msabbasi]

am afraid the pictures are not telling the complete story.....these bumpers are grade zed HORRIBLE !!!! I didn't realise just how bad they really are bec when I got the car I didn't pay that much attention to them. The problem is the rechroming quality, have never been able to get a satisfactory result. I got so messed around with the bumpers of the 56 Chevy that in a moment of madness / utter frustration, i actually had them PAINTED the body colour. Then I couldn't decide which was worse!

I WILL have a go at fixing them, at the moment they look a mess. However I have pictures of "bumper less" Fintails in my archives..........just need another moment of madness......

Dear Asim Sb.,

I have worked in Karachi for 6-7 years from the late 80's to the early 90's and I had our 2100HP air compressor piston rod re-chromed. I am 100% sure that such services are available in Lahore. They may be 3-4 times more costly than your local "chrome walla". Such shops MAY help you out. I personally have never tried them to see if they can do chrome on thin metal. Though there is one fly in the ointment, if I recall correctly, the hard chrome is dull when the item comes out of the chemical bath. It then goes for final grinding process to level out the chrome layer and bring the rod to the required finished size. It is the grinding process that gives the smooth surface and shine. Grinding the bumper is not possible however buffing could be done. My suggestion will be to take a small piece similar to a bumper (scrap over-rider or the like) and experiment with it.

The local "chrome walla" is a no-no. He will first remove all the factory coatings and then just cover it with Nickel. You will be worst off than what you started with. Rust pitting and pealing will begin in no time. If you can first somehow provide a layer of brass and then do nickel, the end result will be very much like chrome. Someone even suggested that I check out the factories like Asia who make taps and mixers for sinks and basins (chrome on these is pretty good). It seems like a good idea but I never followed through.