Weather Man
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2008
- Messages
- 26
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- Your Mercedes
- 1984 380 SL
In 1992 my Dad bought my Mum an '84 380SL with 70,000 miles on it. In 2003 they parked it in the garage with 110,000 miles on it, half a tank of gas in it, and went into a nursing home.
I rescued it this month. First I registered and insured it. We had it towed to a local mech who put a battery and fuel pump and line in it (from pump to tank). It ran! I took it to a tire store and put four new tires on it, then to a garage and had a new middle muffler installed, followed by new coolant and fresh crankcase oil; tranny looked good, nice and red.
The next step was to drive it from New York to its new home in Key West FL, 1650 miles. I made it! It took me two tank-fulls to realize that the tank-vent was clogged or gummed. It was developing a vaccuum in there which the pump could not overcome, once half a tank was consumed - it balked. The fix is to keep pouring injector-cleaner and gas treatment in it, and not letting it get below 1/2 full.
It leaks, or seeps, coolant, about half a liter in the last three weeks; my local man looked at it and found a couple pinholes in the radiator, too. The emission system needs complete replacement I think. A proper front end alignment was not possible due to wear in the tie rods or bushings or whatever MB has up there. The a/c is out. I'd like to replace the plugs and wires. I can't get the cover for the air cleaner off, a couple of pipes or hoses block two clamps from coming loose.
I spent three days washing and waxing it, vacuuming the interior and reconditioning the leather, emptying the boot and cleaning the toolkit, filling the spare.
It looks brand new from ten feet away! Topless in Key West, it draws looks.
These little problems are nagging me though. Do they sound familiar? I know nothing about MB's; the nearest dealer is in Miami over 100 miles away. My intention is to get it in shape and turn it over to my wife.
I rescued it this month. First I registered and insured it. We had it towed to a local mech who put a battery and fuel pump and line in it (from pump to tank). It ran! I took it to a tire store and put four new tires on it, then to a garage and had a new middle muffler installed, followed by new coolant and fresh crankcase oil; tranny looked good, nice and red.
The next step was to drive it from New York to its new home in Key West FL, 1650 miles. I made it! It took me two tank-fulls to realize that the tank-vent was clogged or gummed. It was developing a vaccuum in there which the pump could not overcome, once half a tank was consumed - it balked. The fix is to keep pouring injector-cleaner and gas treatment in it, and not letting it get below 1/2 full.
It leaks, or seeps, coolant, about half a liter in the last three weeks; my local man looked at it and found a couple pinholes in the radiator, too. The emission system needs complete replacement I think. A proper front end alignment was not possible due to wear in the tie rods or bushings or whatever MB has up there. The a/c is out. I'd like to replace the plugs and wires. I can't get the cover for the air cleaner off, a couple of pipes or hoses block two clamps from coming loose.
I spent three days washing and waxing it, vacuuming the interior and reconditioning the leather, emptying the boot and cleaning the toolkit, filling the spare.
It looks brand new from ten feet away! Topless in Key West, it draws looks.
These little problems are nagging me though. Do they sound familiar? I know nothing about MB's; the nearest dealer is in Miami over 100 miles away. My intention is to get it in shape and turn it over to my wife.
