Recent purchases - Part II

[StanleyVanBuren]

non-clothing recent purchase:

1984 Mercedes-Benz 300D

Photo was taken right after purchase, prior to any wash or anything else so the car is a bit dirty and paint is looking a little dull. It's a bit of a restoration project but also a totally decent daily driver in its current state. Seats & dash are in excellent condition though some of the other interior upholstery is a bit worn. Paint is not original, nor are the wheels/hubcaps, but the car came with the original Bundt wheels as well, which I will likely swap back on once I've had them refinished. Prior owner tinted the windows, which I'm on the fence about since the look isn't quite right for this car but the benefits in southern California are indisputable. Car has about 180k miles on it, so I can drive it and mess around with it without feeling bad but it's not one of those 300k+ examples that need to be completely rebuilt from the ground up either.

 

[RegisDB9]

Cake batter/plaster GATS are one of my favorite purchases of the season

 

[conceptionist]



that's exactly why i avoided getting 'em, after having the OG painted gats they started looking really bad in my opinion

Paper GATs have the same problem unfortunately. They look dirty rather than worn in.

 

[ridethecliche]

@StanleyVanBuren , good luck with the resto project. You might want to pop into the 'cars discount' thread because a few people are working on cool projects in there and might be able to help with DIY stuff.

I hope you don't have electrical gremlins!

 

[Mon Dieu]

Cake batter/plaster GATS are one of my favorite purchases of the season

Did they melt when wet......Still on the fence, kop no kop......kind of wish they would jus go away and I could admire from afar.

Enjoy

 

[Imyouricecreamman]

Stanley.

You should check out Kent Bergsma or "Mercedessource" channel on youtube. Informative and zen at the same time

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

@StanleyVanBuren , good luck with the resto project. You might want to pop into the 'cars discount' thread because a few people are working on cool projects in there and might be able to help with DIY stuff.

I hope you don't have electrical gremlins!

Thanks! So far, so good. Prior owner was pretty on top of basic maintenance but seemed to mostly drive around town and never took it to the next step. I do a lot more freeway driving and we want to take it on road trips, so the biggest thing it needs for now is a complete suspension overhaul. Luckily he took care of everything else it's needed in order to be reliable mechanically and electronically, at least. I've been driving it all week and the engine stays cool in traffic, AC blows extra cold, and yeah all the electrics seem to be fine. Vacuum is a big deal on these cars, since everything including stuff like shift points and door locks is run off it, so vacuum leaks will likely be the biggest headache if and when they pop up.

Once I feel confident that any mechanical issues have been addressed, I'm going to look for stuff like euro headlights and bumpers, then address the worn parts of the interior, and ultimately get it repainted at some point. The car was originally gold, and I like the current color, but apparently the guy pulled it out of the Toyota/Lexus book plus it was a $1800 paint job from a few years ago that's already starting to show its age. I'm partial to the Mercedes citrus green, but who knows what my preference will be once I actually get around to it. Paint will probably be the last thing. For now, I kind of like the idea of driving it wherever I want (dirt trails, etc) without having to worry. Some guy with an old Porsche 356 recently did the trail from the desert near Joshua Tree up to Big Bear so I figure if he can make it, this car probably can as well.

Anyway, I'll probably do some fun photo shoots with it at some point, a la vintage SVB style, so you guys will probably see some progress as I go along.

Stanley.

You should check out Kent Bergsma or "Mercedessource" channel on youtube. Informative and zen at the same time

Oh man, there goes the rest of my afternoon...

 

[Imyouricecreamman]

Euro bumpers will be a huge lift. I think the color looks great and if it drives good as is, i think making a list of the most critical stuff and tackle it in stages. W123 has always been a passion and I've owned several and the ride is probably the most important aspect of that line of cars. Sort that first and it will be a lot more enjoyable on longer trips. The 240 and 300d are great for just slowing down the pace and enjoying the ride. How do you find the gearing for highway cruising?
Damn.... Now I want another one

 

[John-Galt]

Lemaire

Edit: When he was still Christophe

 

[Severisth]

Soooo good, where did you find that at?

 

[John-Galt]

Going to university gift, no clue where it's from.

 

[OccultaVexillum]

There was a size 48 on eBay for a while. $350 OBO. He listed it a few times.

 

[bry2000]

Regis or anyone else, are the cake batter/plaster MMM GATS running the same as regular MMM GATS. In other words, TTS -- more or less?

 

[Lacker]

Melinda Gloss

 

[brightorangetrousers]

Our Legacy:

Paul Smith: