[W126 Coupe] Rear view mirror upgrade - link to pics

[Sharan Bains]

Yes, that's true.

But it's rarely the auto-dim that dies - it's the alarm circuit board that 
fails and for those who have it as standard fitment on their W140's and 
R129', it's a real problem since on those cars the immobiliser is hooked up 
to the sensors in the circuit board on the mirror........so their cars don't 
start when their mirrors fail..........!!!!!

talbir


>From: Jonathan Hodgman <jhodgman@gmail.com>
>Reply-To: mbcoupes@mbcoupes.com
>To: mbcoupes@mbcoupes.com
>Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Rear view mirror upgrade - link to pics
>Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 10:55:52 -0500
>
>Talbir,
>As always a first class write up!  Just as a bit of info, these
>mirrors do fail rather regularly..  I receive a healthy number of
>calls/emails a year from people who's auto dimming mirrors died..:-/
>
>Hopefully yours was built on a Tuesday!
>Jonathan
>
>
>
>On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 14:13:52 +0000, Sharan Bains
><sharanbains@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Hope everyone has had a great Christmas.
> >
> > I just did this on my W124 500E over the Christmas break - since W124, 
>W126
> > and W201 mirrors are all identical, the process would be exactly the 
>same
> > for the SEC's. Indeed I am going to be doing this on my 560 and 500SEC's
> > shortly - the process will be exactly the same.
> >
> > I updated the rear view mirror to one from a late 1998 W140 mirror - 
>this
> > mirror is AUTO-DIM, and has red and green LED's for the alarm system.
> > Moreover, the late W140/r129 mirrors just look so much better, rounded 
>and
> > updated - and as can be seen from the pics, the mirror really does 
>update
> > the interior. Best thing is, late w140/r129 mirrors are color-coded to 
>the
> > interior. This one I have fitted is black, as it matches my black 500e
> > interior. I have a grey w140 mirror for my 560 which is grey interior 
>and
> > beige one for my 300Se beige interior. The original w124/w126/w201 
>mirrors
> > are very dated, flat and all black.
> >
> > However, this auto dim mirror, brand new from MB, costs approx $500. The
> > standard W140 mirror (with LED's but no auto dim, costs approx $200). So 
>it
> > ain't cheap - I was lucky to get one new from my breaker at
> > half-price....there are electrically adjustable ones too, but we'll save
> > that for another day....
> >
> > Here is a link to the pics - there are other pics from upgrades on my 
>500E,
> > namely
> >
> > - fitment of electric steering column
> > - refurbishment of AMG 2-piece alloys
> > - lowering of rear suspension
> > - late 1998 W140 walnut/leather steering wheel fitment
> > - late W220 walnut/leather gearshift fitment
> >
> > http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.asp?userid=hakkinen&album_id=191832
> >
> > The W140 mirror spring, which hooks up to the mounting plate on the roof 
>is
> > identical to the spring on the W14/w126 - so the mirror can infact be 
>hooked
> > straight up and all you need do then is wire up the loom for the 
>auto-dim
> > sensor and alarm LED's sensors. BUT, and this is the sticking point, the
> > W140 mirror stalk base is very different to the stalk base on the 
>W124/126 -
> > as a result, you have gaps showing, and it ends up looking tacky. The 
>other
> > major difference is that thw w124/w126 stalk attached to mirror from the
> > back, whereas the w140 stalk attaches to mirror from back but comes into 
>it
> > vertically.
> >
> > So a little work is requried to make it look original :
> >
> > - open up w140 mirror and remove circulating ball, which is held onto 
>stalk
> > with T15 torx bit
> >
> > - open up W124/w126 mirror and remove stalk, which is held onto 
>circulating
> > ball by Phillips screw
> >
> > - attached w124/w126 stalk to w140 ball - they fit onto each other
> > perfectly. The w124/w126 stalk has a sqaure piece of metal which fits 
>into
> > ball and then screw holds it in place. The w140 ball has a recess for 
>this
> > square piece, and it's exactly the same size as on the W124 stalk. So 
>the
> > w140 ball bolts straight up to the W124 stalk.
> >
> > - attach w124/w126 stalk with w140 ball to w140 mirror, reassemble 
>mirror
> > and casing. Rear casing has a cut-out at top for stalk - this may need 
>to be
> > filed to make it slightly bigger to allow more adjustment room with the
> > w124/w126 stalk (which is angled more). The casing is plastic and is 
>easily
> > filed down and if done properly with correct tools, looks very original
> >
> > - now a 3mm hole needs to be drilled into the w124/w126 stalk, at an 
>angle,
> > to allow the loom to be run from mirror, up stalk, and then under 
>headliner
> > down to the alarm control unit and power distribution unit, to power the
> > auto-dim facility
> >
> > - wiring is simple. two wires for auto-dim, brown wire to ground and
> > grey/blue wire to night-time illumination wire (which is also grey/blue 
>on
> > w124/w126 wiring), so auto-dim facility is only activated when you turn 
>on
> > the lights.
> >
> > - alarm led's - this depends on alarm system in car, but I wired up the 
>red
> > LED so that it flashes when alarm is armed, and green LED flashes with
> > indicators when alarm is being armed via remote. A relay was used to 
>ensure
> > green LED only flashes when indicators light up with alarm 
>arming/disarming
> > - green LED's will not light up once key is in ignition. The red LED was
> > made flashing through use of a flasher diode and flashes only when
> > alarm/immobiliser are armed.
> >
> > And that's it. Once wiring was complete and stalk transfer complete, 
>simply
> > push in the mirror onto the existing roof mount. Running the loom up to 
>the
> > mirror is a bit tedious, but straightforward.
> >
> > The auto-dim is brilliant - mirror glass turns dark within seconds of 
>light
> > shining onto it brightly. The mirror has a rotating knob on the bottom, 
>as
> > all w140/r129 mirrors have, but on this mirror that knob is not 
>functional,
> > since it is auto-dim. On the standard mirrors, that knob has the 
>function of
> > dipping the mirror to make it dimmer.
> >
> > More mods to come soon....
> >
> > talbir
> >
> > The MB Coupes Website!
> > W126 SEC Mailing List
> > Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
> >
>
>
>--
>If you need Anything Mercedes please write, mercedesparts@gmail.com
>Please have a look at my Mercedes Service literature etc page:
>http://personal.rockbridge.net/hodgman/Mercedes%20Pages.htm
>404-805-1357
>1002 Oglethorpe Dr NE
>Atlanta, GA 30319
>jhodgman@gmail.com
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>Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.