Even More - it's getting close

More progress: Here's the rheostat dimmer switch for the instrument cluster. It has been cleaned and reinstalled.






Here is the speedometer. The needle has been repainted to be able to be seen.





Here, though, is my favorte accomplishment, or rather that of a neighbor who has a wire welder. I could not locate the grommet for the wiper mechanism. So, we took a #12 stainless steel washer, reamed it out, and welded it onto the cap. I cycled it for several minutes, and it has held. Now I need to clean out the cowling.




ANother shot of the wiper transmission. We also lubed the wiper shafts themselves.





TOday - title & registration, along with others. I've almost got the left panel off, so I can kill those dents.

A busy day

A new hood pad! I could have gotten the left side aligned a little better; I think about 1/4" off there.

The old look

The home made instrument cluster removal tool.

The back of the instrument cluster.

The left side of the instrument cluster

The instrument cluster, with al of the back side screws on the picture of the back of the instrument cluster. Thanks, Richard Sexton!

The plugs out of the driver's side window motor.

I washed it down with contact cleaner, but pulled it out anyway since the mailman delivered a new one.

This is the hood area, after I had sanded and primed.

The old window motor, which is now added to the used parts bin.

More progress - slowly

Pictures of tonight's work

Here's the radiator drain plug, with the o-ring

Here's the Hirschmann antenna. I've printed out a diagram for parts, but this one may be best to send to Walter Odemer.

Front underneath the carpets on the driver's side - needs a youngster to clean out.

Ditto for the back seat area. I did find wasp nests underneath the back seat.

With a hood pad on the way, we need to get the crap off the hood. I used a citrus based stripper, non-flammable, a ZEP product. I've used it before to get stain off dors, paint off chairs, etc. It has done well in the past, and seems to have helped tremendously here.

Another shot, showing the dropcloth - Thanks Rusty!!!

While I had the stripper out I stripped the shifter console. Since I have veneer on the way, and this is pretty cracked, I may bookmatch and replace the veneer.

These don't really do it justice, I'll have to learn how to do good camera shots. A photographer I ain't.

What I don't have is a shot of the dent on the hood - I hammered it out. I think I finally have the hang of the hammer & dolly.

Great Service Testimonial

Just like I bitched about what I considered piss-poor service a few posts back, I now get to glow about a good guy. Rusty Connell, at http://buymbparts.com/, is one of the nicest guys I've dealt with in dealing with parts and information. When you go to his web site, if he is online he does have a link to chat if he is there. On the telephone, he is pleasant, knowledgeable, and pretty doggone funny. He even laughs at customer jokes. Please buy from him, whatever you can.

The work is coming at me fast

OK - the weekend was sort of a bust, but, I did get the radiator drain plug out. Once I drilled thru the plug, all sorts of nasty water came out. I literally stripped the head off the plastic plug - but I don't think I actually did it.

Several flushes with pure water yielded even more gunk out of the engine. Once the plug is in, we'll flush with some vinegar or mild citric flush material before fully operating. But, the engine needs to start. I can run for a minute or two with the radiator not full, and a plug of sorts in the bottom of the radiator. I wonder if I put Pig Putty in there if I would be able to get it out later - I may try.  It is fun.

Anyway, Bonnie is now up on the ramps in the garage, awaiting some parts. Those are:

• Radiator drain plug - Vendor A
• DIY DVD on AC Repair - Vendor A
• Fuel Filter Kit - Vendor A
• Automatic Transmission Bushing Kit - Vendor A
• Air Cleaner Rubber Mounts - Vendor A
• A/C Belt - Turbo - Vendor A
• Thermo Vacuum Switch - Vendor A
• Rubber Pieces for Thermo Vacuum Switch  - Vendor A
• Right side mirror - Vendor B
• Left door seat switch - Vendor B
• Rear vent window glass - Vendor B
• Ignition Switch - Vendor C
• Hood Pad - Vendor C
• Zebrawood 1/16" wood veneer - Vendor D
• Veneer Tape - Vendor D

Other things I will need:

• Windshield - found
• Left driver door window motor - looking
• Antenna motor/assembly - working over
• Fix sprung door - found vendor

I pulled out the interior carpets, and the padding is abysmal. The back seat also had some wasp nests in it. I have pulled out the shifter panel, and it needs to be refinished. I'll strip that sucker, and redo. My son's video camera is sent for repair, so we'll have to upload from an analog camera. Old School, kind of like Paul Teutel, Sr.

I'll also fill in the vendor A - D later. I had a real nice talk with Rusty at www.buymbparts.com. Will give them a whole write - up as well.

Mixed results

Limited results - the radiator drain plug sheared. Now, we do need a new one.

These are the connections by the master cylinder

This is the vacuum actuator referred to as S47, out of the driver's side door. It does not look like it has a vacuum hose connection. There was also not a vacuum connection in the door panel. We'll try to get teh video camera to display.

Here once again is the infamous wiper assembly. I think we'll trim down the grommet, and weld/braze/solder a washer onto there. This should make it hold.

This we found near the transmission. I had seen it before, but wanted to get a picture before we knocked it off.

Here's the new right hand turn signal, courtesy of Clint at Rolling Hills Farms Collectibles, and his Ebay store.

Here is the insides of the antenna mechanism. Looks like a little corrosion has taken place.

The inside of the tachometer assembly.

The AC compressor - belt is totally off, and the compressor does not turn. I think the mystery electrical connection hooks up here.

Another look inside the powered antenna.

This is a side view of the shifter connection to the transmission. It is very loose. I also did not see the vacuum switch I was looking for, plus the limit switch interlocking the starter.

A punchlist will be constructed in the next couple of days. There's a boy anxious to drive. We did find a good price on a windshield, courtesy of a reference from the new Firestone dealer in Friendswood. We are also doing some wire brushing to clean up rust spots, as well as stabilizing rust in places. I will also have to pull the dash components.

The weekend activities

Got the right turn light assembly and some other parts this week. I'll install it today. The back vent window, the right mirror, and the driver's seat switch are on the way. I got the manual I ordered in the previous post. Now I must get her started, and able to be moved so I can get the passenger door situation unscrewed. Then, make sure the driver's window rolls down, and up, then a windshield. I'm getting a "large" order ready to place for neat stuff at http://www.dieselgiant.com. That will be to get the engine purring like a, well, a diesel.
The manual I got was somewhat helpful, but I overpaid for it.
Next, the bondo chronicles.

For those about to rebuild, we salute you

A picture is worth a thousand words. So, here's a picture of the 617 diesel engine. This looks way cool when blown up. If you want a copy that is unredacted - email me.

A bad experience with a vendor

Most folks I have talked to to get parts and manuals have been extremely nice and helpful. However, yesterday I got one who was not. I found this neat manual called "Why Won't My Diesel Start? - Diagnostic Manual" by Kent Bergsma. It is from http://mercedessource.com/. I initially bought it to be able to do some serious troubleshooting on Bonnie, as we had washed the engine with petroleum distillate based engine cleaner, and disintegrated the vacuum connections. I got a lot of help from Russell at http://www.dieselgiant.com/, who gave me all sorts of advice, even though I had not ordered the first thing from him. However, the folks at mercedessource.com indicated the manual was available for pdf download on their web site. I went to order, and a price for postage showed up. I made the assumption that they would be shipping me a hardcopy manual as well. So, I entered my credit card number, and all, and proceeded to try and find how I could download the pdf. When I could not, I sent a message via their contact us info, as well as called. I at least received a call back, but the lady on the other end of the telephone promptly informed me that they no longer did pdf's, that the email filters regarded their download sites as spam, etc. She also did not want to email me the pdf. Being an IT sort in my normal day job, I asked what kept them from getting past the spam filters. She did not know. I informed her that her web pages were still showing pdf download capability. She apologized, unconvincingly. I then floated the idea that I needed the manual, and what could she do to get it to me in a couple of days. She didn't get the hint or miss a beat, flatly informing me that Fedex second day would cost me about 20 bucks.

Normally I'm a believer that if you don't have something good to say about someone, then keep silent. However, one day I hope to have a number of readers of this blog, and I think I have some fiduciary responsibility to warn readers about places to stay away from. Good service should be noted. Piss poor service, especially among the fraternity of 1980's Mercedes owners, should be called out as well.

Stupid

The mirror is mounted

The external side needs to be polished, but it is on. I've found one for the right side, as well as a vent window. But some screwups have occurred.

Here is the driver's side seat control. I thought I would take it apart, but not so good.

Here's the EGR valve. I think the cleanup last weekend deteriorated the rubber mounts for the vacuum system connections.

The ball connection for the windshield wiper assembly. It needs to come off.

Another vacuum system screwup.