[Sirkarsalot]

Hi All, after going thru Machdar's thread on his restoration I decided to start a new thread as I didn't see any responses coming on his.
I have recently acquired a 1969 Mercedes Benz W115 200D. I am going to start with putting pictures of the car in its current state and then progressively put pictures of the car as the restoration progresses.
This car has some fine lines and is actually quite a beauty. The previous owner has done a fair job of maintaining the car in 'certain areas'.
There are some mechanical issues which I am already working on and have probably been able to solve half way. The brakes for one were leaking fluid all over the place and were really spongy, a new master cylinder seems to have fixed that problem. She is running fairly well now though I wouldn't say that the confidence is instilled to a level to drive it from Delhi to Mumbai! This is how I am planning on going about the restoration

1 .The first step is to get every mechanical aspect of this machine the way it was meant to be when it was first made.
2. This would be followed by a new floor and wheel arches (including a brand new floor for the boot).
3. This would be followed by body work and a new paint job.
4. The final steps would be to work on the interiors.

I am planning to do this in a phased manner and would appreciate any feedback at this stage from people who have done restorations. Anyone know any reasonable place where I could get the second point addressed. I am basically looking for a guy who is a good fabricator who can to do a nice job of rebuilding the wheel arches and the floor with the right grade and thickness of metal which would ensure that the handling and/or structural integrity of the car is not compromised.

[FINTAIL]

Originally Posted by Sirkarsalot

I have recently acquired a 1969 Mercedes Benz W115 200D. I am going to start with putting pictures of the car in its current state and then progressively put pictures of the car as the restoration progresses.
.

Ah! Well, a good stroke 8 after ages! The MB Tex is still present! How does the OM615 feel?

I just cannot wait to see her in another coat of DB-40G!

P.S: Do NOT be afraid to ask questions. As someone who is involved with astrophysics...I believe in clarifying doubts throughly!

More details about the car please. Get a certificate made, if you can!

This post has given me an opportunity to clarify a question that I've often been asked.

Q) Did the W110 {Fintail/Heckflosse} 200D, and the W114/115 {Stroke 8} 200D share the same motor?
Answer : > Nope. The W110s had an OM621, and the W114/115s had the OM615.

Lastly, seeing another person get himself a Merc, makes me wonder, when I'll get mine. Just saw a W111, VIP Number, et al. Rusted. Has the OM616. Why!?

Cheers!

[Sirkarsalot]

Originally Posted by FINTAIL

Ah! Well, a good stroke 8 after ages! The MB Tex is still present! How does the OM615 feel?

I just cannot wait to see her in another coat of DB-40G!

P.S: Do NOT be afraid to ask questions. As someone who is involved with astrophysics...I believe in clarifying doubts throughly!

More details about the car please. Get a certificate made, if you can!

This post has given me an opportunity to clarify a question that I've often been asked.

Q) Did the W110 {Fintail/Heckflosse} 200D, and the W114/115 {Stroke 8} 200D share the same motor?
Answer : > Nope. The W110s had an OM621, and the W114/115s had the OM615.

Lastly, seeing another person get himself a Merc, makes me wonder, when I'll get mine. Just saw a W111, VIP Number, et al. Rusted. Has the OM616. Why!?

Cheers!

Fintail I must tell you that it took a fair bit of hunting to find this particular car. I didn't see any with the MB Tex and very few with the Bakelite steering. The engine is good and strong as is the suspension which makes her a very enjoyable ride. I have a long way to go before you get to see that fresh coat of paint and sparkly interiors with a Becker thrown in for that touch of class. And probably a lot of questions and pictures along the way here.
For now I am working on the instrument cluster and it has a lot of issues.
1. Speedometer is working though the needle bounces around till the car crosses 60 kmph after which it moves up or down in a more stable manner.
2. Temperature gauge is non responsive.
3. Fuel indicator is moody and seems to have decided to quit working.
4. The Glow plug is burnt out.

The next issue would be to realign the after market AC to blow thru the cars original ducts rather than the blower which the previous owner had fitted in the car two decades ago.

I have a long list in place and these are but a fraction even if I just talk about the dashboard area. Do it once and do it right is what I am going for.

[GTO]

What a stunning car! Congratulations on the acquisition.

Since you're particular about the fabrication quality of the floor & wheel arches, why not try out Tutu Dhawan's garage (link)?

Good luck with the restoration. Subscribed to this thread.

[svsantosh]

First few photos I was about to rush below and type "is it after - restoration?" pic...

Wow - what a well (for my eyes) kept beauty... all the best.

[KPS]

Very nice looking car you have there, Sirkarsalot. Congratulations on this buy. Since the car is in such good shape, guess there is no tearing hurry to do the restoration in one go. Do the mechanical's, use and enjoy before you start working on the body work

Wish you all the very best

Cheers

KPS

[sriramr9]

Originally Posted by Sirkarsalot

Hi All, after going thru Machdar's thread on his restoration I decided to start a new thread as I didn't see any responses coming on his.

Thanks Sirkar for showing us the acquisition and your plans for restoration, meanwhile request to post details of the engine bay and speedometer showing genuines miles run and smaller details like badges, warnings etched in the body like MADE IN GERMANY, would love to see them .

I feel these were one of the most rugged models manufactured by the company.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by Sirkarsalot

Hi All, after going thru Machdar's thread on his restoration I decided to start a new thread as I didn't see any responses coming on his.
I have recently acquired a 1969 Mercedes Benz W115 200D. I am going to start with putting pictures of the car in its current state and then progressively put pictures of the car as the restoration progresses.
This car has some fine lines and is actually quite a beauty. The previous owner has done a fair job of maintaining the car in 'certain areas'.
There are some mechanical issues which I am already working on and have probably been able to solve half way. The brakes for one were leaking fluid all over the place and were really spongy, a new master cylinder seems to have fixed that problem. She is running fairly well now though I wouldn't say that the confidence is instilled to a level to drive it from Delhi to Mumbai! This is how I am planning on going about the restoration

1 .The first step is to get every mechanical aspect of this machine the way it was meant to be when it was first made.
2. This would be followed by a new floor and wheel arches (including a brand new floor for the boot).
3. This would be followed by body work and a new paint job.
4. The final steps would be to work on the interiors.

I am planning to do this in a phased manner and would appreciate any feedback at this stage from people who have done restorations. Anyone know any reasonable place where I could get the second point addressed. I am basically looking for a guy who is a good fabricator who can to do a nice job of rebuilding the wheel arches and the floor with the right grade and thickness of metal which would ensure that the handling and/or structural integrity of the car is not compromised.

Well, A Super maintained car.

Most of we guys do this mistake of starting restoration before giving a pre-thought. If i would have had bought this car in this condition, I WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED THE RESTORATION.

1) Get the car mechanically sorted out first.

2) Drive it around, check for any pertinent issues, solve them, Enjoy the car.

3) Once all the mechanical ghosts vanish, breathe easy.

4) Go online, Order each and every part that you may need for restoration. Get them on hand.

5) Follow the rule DONT FIX SOMETHING THAT AIN'T BROKE.


Well, these are just my few inputs. Its your car, and i hope you know best.

[BowMan]

Lovely car, looks like the perfect project car to me.

Dampness under the front carpet is usually a sign of leaking glass rubber seals up front. Or could be leaking AC Hose...

Might I ask for if you have identified from where you will source the Original Becker Europa? You can look at some of the discussion here.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...onality-2.html

I will be following this story.

[Collector]

Just came across your post. and thought you may like to see a few of my pics. Your car is in great shape you are lucky.

Originally Posted by Sirkarsalot

Hi All, after going thru Machdar's thread on his restoration I decided to start a new thread as I didn't see any responses coming on his.
I have recently acquired a 1969 Mercedes Benz W115 200D. I am going to start with putting pictures of the car in its current state and then progressively put pictures of the car as the restoration progresses.
This car has some fine lines and is actually quite a beauty. The previous owner has done a fair job of maintaining the car in 'certain areas'.
There are some mechanical issues which I am already working on and have probably been able to solve half way. The brakes for one were leaking fluid all over the place and were really spongy, a new master cylinder seems to have fixed that problem. She is running fairly well now though I wouldn't say that the confidence is instilled to a level to drive it from Delhi to Mumbai! This is how I am planning on going about the restoration

1 .The first step is to get every mechanical aspect of this machine the way it was meant to be when it was first made.
2. This would be followed by a new floor and wheel arches (including a brand new floor for the boot).
3. This would be followed by body work and a new paint job.
4. The final steps would be to work on the interiors.

I am planning to do this in a phased manner and would appreciate any feedback at this stage from people who have done restorations. Anyone know any reasonable place where I could get the second point addressed. I am basically looking for a guy who is a good fabricator who can to do a nice job of rebuilding the wheel arches and the floor with the right grade and thickness of metal which would ensure that the handling and/or structural integrity of the car is not compromised.

[ringoism]

Lovely car. I remember finding a 200-series coupe (2dr) in a salvage yard outside Philadelphia - this would've been the mid 1990's - and being impressed that a faded, 25-year-old, doomed junkyard unit still had a virtually rust-free body (this was in a "rust-belt" state), undamaged original upholstery, and doors that shut with that famously solid "thud".

IMO, "German engineering" has oft been highly overrated (I say this as a mechanical engineer of German heritage, who grew up riding in a '63 Beetle (and toured rural Mexico as a child in the mid-70's in a '71 VW Camper bus), and who later owned a 7-series BMW); But what the Krauts definitely got right was superior fit and finish, solid basic drivetrain designs, and distinctively enduring, non-trendy styling that aged well. My '88 E32 was 13 years old when I bought it, and still looked absolutely contemporary (and very BMW), and your much older Merc still looks so tasteful, tidy and well-proportioned today.

In those days, I think the average diesel Merc. buyer was someone who wanted a well-designed, durable, relatively simple and economical to run, good-looking sedan that would serve them well for years, and who was thus was willing to pay a bit more up front. Think I'd heard of people finishing 5-6lakh km's on them without ever opening the engines. By the mid 1980's, maybe, the simple diesel models with crank windows were gone from North America (240D being the last), the marketing gurus finally having convinced everyone that owning a Mercedes was a way to impress your neighbors or show them how successful you were - i.e., it became a status symbol whose finer points (and even weaker points) were actually lost on most of its automotively clueless (but wealthy) buyers. Imagine my surprise meeting African classmates in college some years later, who told me that basic, bare-bones Merc. diesel sedans were still being bought / commissioned as rural taxis in places like Kenya!

Anyway, great car. Would love to own one. Someone up here in Manali - descendant of one of the original Anglo-Indian families in the area - still had an older Merc. station wagon, last I knew. Seldom if ever saw it out on the road, though.

-Eric

[Joe M]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

1) Get the car mechanically sorted out first.

2) Drive it around, check for any pertinent issues, solve them, Enjoy the car.

3) Once all the mechanical ghosts vanish, breathe easy.

4) Go online, Order each and every part that you may need for restoration. Get them on hand.

5) Follow the rule DONT FIX SOMETHING THAT AIN'T BROKE.


Well, these are just my few inputs. Its your car, and i hope you know best.

That could be one of the best ever 'restoration' advices you get. Getting the car mechanically fit is most important, and that takes some real-life/regular usage to find out the possible issues.

That's a really nice kept car. 115s have always been a dream car, and I haven't found any in this condition, after checking classifieds for a long time. You're lucky to get one which you can use without needing immediate restoration.

Love those interiors!

[Sirkarsalot]

Hi All, thanks for the words of appreciation for the car. And thanks for all the information, advice and tales!! It's going to stay with me as this project progresses.
Some have pointed out in earlier posts that there can be mechanical issues which might show up as I continue using the vehicle. I hope not but from my past experiences with old vehicles I would say that there is a chance. The cars driving really well for now. I see an issue with the brakes making a slight squealing sound. My mechanic thinks it is just rust from lack of use by the last owner. And believes that it's going to clean itself out with use, I am not sure on this one but he has been the care taker for the last two decades.
Anyone know from where Indian order the rubber parts and map pockets for the front doors.

Cheers!

[harit]

Hi Dude,

I don't know what your plans are in terms of collecting, but your first car (vintage or classic) should be a car which you can use. You seem to have got this, a nice driveable classic which could appreciate over the time, now it can't depreciate. But you have to maintain it properly, and that will keep on costing you money.
After the car runs around a bit, you may decide to do some "tinkering". Here you should go to an expert who knows how to remove fittings and store properly without any damage to anything.
A very common mistake made while tinkering this model as well as the Fintails is to lose the straightness of the body line and then the rear mudguards slope (hang) downwards after the rear doors. You must observe that this does not happen, the appearance of the car gets messed up. Also its a big job to rectify. Below is a picture of such a mistake. Look at the side trim in the photo and the rear sloping down.



Your upholstery should be professionally cleaned, you can do that even now. I am sure that it will come up well.
You can start collecting trims, rubbers which you will need when remove glasses door trims for tin/painting.
These cars were an object of prestige when new, when they aged they went into the country side and were used roughly, many petrol engined cars were dieselised. Now they are being respected again.

All the best.

Cheers harit

[Sirkarsalot]

Hi Harit, that looks like a really messed up job! As of now I have been driving around the car and trying to figure out the mechanical ghosts as one of the members pointed out.

Fintail, Pawan or anyone else following this thread. A ghost has made its appearance. A couple of weeks ago the car refused to start and with a brand new battery it was very frustrating. This pointed towards one issue and when we did check the alternator it seems to be working though the output was not as high as it should be on a new one (my initial guess is corrosion around the contact points). Now the thing that I wanted some inputs on was that this car comes with an original 35 amp unit. However with the aftermarket AC and its age I am not sure if its got enough in it to do the job. Should I go in for a higher capacity unit if yes what would be an ideal output. I am planning on getting a few additional electronics in the car at a later stage and yellow HID lamps. Also would the new alternator in turn need an electrical systems overhaul?

By the way I have managed to source a Becker Europa, its a pre FM model and works well with all original parts inside. One of the things that amazed me was to see a thread that attaches to the tuner knob which helps in scanning for channels is still working after close to half a century of use. The guys at Becker sure knew what they were doing.

Originally Posted by harit

Hi Dude,

I don't know what your plans are in terms of collecting, but your first car (vintage or classic) should be a car which you can use. You seem to have got this, a nice driveable classic which could appreciate over the time, now it can't depreciate. But you have to maintain it properly, and that will keep on costing you money.
After the car runs around a bit, you may decide to do some "tinkering". Here you should go to an expert who knows how to remove fittings and store properly without any damage to anything.
A very common mistake made while tinkering this model as well as the Fintails is to lose the straightness of the body line and then the rear mudguards slope (hang) downwards after the rear doors. You must observe that this does not happen, the appearance of the car gets messed up. Also its a big job to rectify. Below is a picture of such a mistake. Look at the side trim in the photo and the rear sloping down.

Attachment 1244769

Your upholstery should be professionally cleaned, you can do that even now. I am sure that it will come up well.
You can start collecting trims, rubbers which you will need when remove glasses door trims for tin/painting.
These cars were an object of prestige when new, when they aged they went into the country side and were used roughly, many petrol engined cars were dieselised. Now they are being respected again.

All the best.

Cheers harit