[W126 Coupe] peeling woodwork

[Divov]

Hi Dick,
You guys in the States probably don't realise how lucky you are i.r.o. car 
prices.
I think the same car costs us double in South Africa.
The cheapest, nastiest little piece of junk, e.g.. a new Hyundai Altos costs 
us around $11500 or more....
By my reckoning, life only begins at about an Audi 1.8T which would cost us 
about $43000!
I had my 500SEC on the market @ $14000 and there were no takers for a car in 
"Pebble Beach" type condition... a 5 times MB club concours winner.
At $10000 I would sooner throw rocks at it than give it away.
An average to tatty example sells here from about $5750 upwards.
People ask how the heck can I go race a car in that condition?
Answer: it ain't worth much relative to our new cars.
Sad but true.
It may sound expensive in USA terms but our market is different. Cars are so 
expensive here.
So, rather than using the car once in 3 months, I am enjoying it and 
hopefully it will survive unscathed to be returned to being a road car.
Gas is expensive here so I wouldn't want to have a SEC is a daily driver.
Wife has a Lexus 400 so we use that as our 4 door. (kids long gone)
I generally drive a diesel Isuzu pick-up but also have an Austin Healey 3000 
& Lancia Fulvia (both mint condition) as other toys.

We plan to retire in Australia within the next 5 years so I will eventually 
sell up everything & start a new life.
2 sensible pony cars and become your average suburban Mr & Mrs Jones... 
Ugh!!
Alec D


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dick Spellman" <spell.yy at verizon.net>
To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] peeling woodwork



> Hi Alec:

>

> Well you have the 500euro and if the SEC is in nice condition, why not 

> keep it for 20 more years?  At least that was my attitude when I started 

> on the SEC's.  I use MB in-line 6 cylinder sedans for daily drivers and 

> just keep the SEC for sunny days.  Anyway, Gorilla is a brand of urethane 

> glue that's fairly common at US stores.  The Becker Radio can be 

> completely repaired and updated if you like the original radio.  Steve 

> Nirvig has a lot of information on Becker's on web pages he maintains for 

> MB.  Send a MBCoupe email with subject Becker and perhaps Steve will reply 

> if he's lurking on the net.

>

> A lot of coupe types have changed receivers, amplifiers, speakers etc as I 

> have on all but one MB.  It's a matter of taste and a function of costs 

> and effort to fix the Becker gear and it's independent amplifiers vs. just 

> buying an after-market gear and re-wiring the whole car.

>

> Take care and enjoy your SEC.

>

> Dick

>

> .Divov wrote:

>> Hey Dick,

>> What a great web page!

>> Photos not fuzzy at all.

>> You did a great job on your interior.

>> I was thinking of a quick fix in situ but your article has inspired me to 

>> do a proper job.

>> I am blessed in that my car has been "mothered" all its life and spent 

>> very little time in the sun so I have none of the problems you faced on 

>> your restoration.

>> (Dash cracking, hood lining etc). African sun I guess must be like your 

>> Arizona or Texas sun - darn harsh!

>> Other than the veneer starting to lift, my interior is still mint 

>> original condition. Even the leather looks like new and free of any 

>> cracks or discolouring.

>> I always look at other SEC's and a sure sign of spending too much of 

>> their life in the sun is evident from the piping on the rear head rests 

>> going all wobbly.

>> My pipings are all still dead straight as my car always lives in a garage 

>> all the time and when it is rarely parked outside, say on a trip, then I 

>> cover the whole interior with a space blanket. (aluminium foil blanket) 

>> plus these front & rear windscreen sun shields.

>> I am somewhat surprised that the veneer is lifting on my molly-coddled 

>> car?

>> You are probably the right guy to ask my next question.

>> The car still has its original Becker Mexico radio / tape. It has a quirk 

>> in that the memory doesn't work anymore and after switching off the car 

>> and restarting, I have to reprogram all the pre-selected stations. Also, 

>> upon restarting the volume is on full blast. Any ideas?

>> Regards

>> Alec D

>> 84 500SEC Euro

>>

>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dick Spellman" <spell.yy at verizon.net>

>> To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

>> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 3:19 PM

>> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] peeling woodwork

>>

>>

>>> Hi Alec:

>>>

>>> I've done 2 MB dashes where I've just repaired the lifting as you 

>>> describe on sedans.  I tried just doing the minor fix with wood in place 

>>> and this has never held up for more than 6 months or so.  Next time the 

>>> weather shifts hot to cold or visa versa the pieces start lifting once 

>>> again and often in new places.

>>>

>>> Removing that long piece with the ignition surround and headlamp bezel 

>>> is not too bad.  I'll include the link to my fuzzy photos of my dash 

>>> work that may help.  If you go the route of removal and repair, clamping 

>>> just requires a strong piece of wood or metal as a backing so the wood 

>>> strip is held straight and square.  I'd use a dozen spring loaded clamps 

>>> to set the piece with fresh urethane (gorilla) glue.  Make sure you wipe 

>>> it clean on the finish surfaces and use some protection where the clamp 

>>> teeth meet the finished side.

>>> <http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2mwm9/mercedes380secinteriorrestoration/id7.html> 

>>> dash

>>> <http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2mwm9/> index to the rest

>>> Regards and yes some classical or jazz music helps!

>>>

>>> Dick

>>> Divov wrote:

>>>> Hi Dick,

>>>> It is the very thin veneer on the dash stuck on to an alloy base.

>>>> Of course, where it is still stuck (the majority of the area still) it 

>>>> doesn't want to come off & I'm afraid to break it.

>>>> Also, even if I got it off, there is nowhere to attach any clamps.

>>>> It is lifting around the key hole & a few other places.

>>>> I have visions of squirting some epoxy behind with a syringe or 

>>>> something and then sitting there applying pressure for 20 minutes till 

>>>> the glue sets....

>>>> Mindless pursuit.

>>>> I had better put on some nice soothing classical music!

>>>> No easy fix?

>>>>

>>>> Alec

>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dick Spellman" 

>>>> <spell.yy at verizon.net>

>>>> To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

>>>> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 1:20 AM

>>>> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] peeling woodwork

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>> Divov wrote:

>>>>>> The veneer on my dash is starting to lift in places.

>>>>>> Before I climb in with super glue or epoxy, I figure I should rather 

>>>>>> ask advice from other members who have been down this road.

>>>>>> Help please!

>>>>>> Alec D.

>>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>>>>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>>>>>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>>>> Hi Divov:

>>>>>

>>>>> The best way requires that you remove the wood trim from the car 

>>>>> first. Then use urethane glue following the container directions and 

>>>>> clamp overnight.  Wipe off any excess that expands from the glue 

>>>>> joints before it drys.  Wear protective gloves and place in a well 

>>>>> ventilated area during the cure process.

>>>>>

>>>>> Should last many years.

>>>>>

>>>>> Regards,

>>>>>

>>>>> Dick

>>>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>>>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>>>>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>>>

>>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>>>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>>>

>>>

>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>

>> The MB Coupes Website!

>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>

>

> The MB Coupes Website!

> W126 SEC Mailing List

> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.