[W126 Coupe] Not again !! (Update)

[Day . Ralph]

I for one went with the 215 CL55

Ralph D. Day
Senior Program Manager/ASQ LSS Certified Black Belt
MDA Master Black Belt
Dynamics Research Corporation
(301) 275-9030 (cell)

From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of John Poole
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 4:29 PM
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Subject: [W126 Coupe] Not again !! (Update)

Hi everyone and thanks for the replies to my tale of woe last week, sorry not have replied sooner but my back stiffened up a bit and I`ve been in lie down or stand up only mode :-)
The car is still waiting for an insurance assessment but I expect it to be written off, assuming it is I`d imagine it will be entered in a salvage auction, QED I won`t be able to take the tasty bits off it (anyone knowing the insurance industry please correct me if I`m wrong), to answer specific queries:

Axel, the wood looks superb, it can`t be replicated at the price I paid because the ex RR craftsman that did it spent over 40 years breathing in polyester resin (completely illegal in the U.S I think) and about a year ago his body decided enough is enough and gave him hideous migraines whenever he tried to work. Mick had no option other than retire, he is now working as a delivery driver for the biggest RR breakers in England and is having the time of his life. Having said all that, what side is your steering wheel on ? (mines on the right)

Jim, the aluminium bellows works, but being honest I don`t know if I have the technical knowledge to get it out of the engine (plus I don`t have a rubber one to replace it with). When I first saw it I was a bit dubious as I`ve seen plenty of bananas straighter than the (so-called craftsman made) bellows I`ve got, when I showed it to Martin (my mechanic) he immediately thought it would`nt work, but was`nt too bothered as he knew a company that could make a perfect copy of the M-B rubber one from a block of solid aluminium using a laser/computer/cutting machine (I did`nt ask a price !), however he had a think and we ended up putting the Nowak bellows in his wifes oven at gas mark 9 (very hot), waiting for it get a bit soft and carefully screwing it down flat while still malleable, (sorry Jim but this is a long-winded way of saying I don`t think it would be reusable even if it were available).

After eight years of W126 SECs I rather fancy a change, does anyone here have any thoughts on the W140 coupes ? (other than that they`re horribly ugly compared to the 126 SEC, I already know that :-)

Regards, John



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