I had planned on rebuilding my engine. Since I had no clue in that department, I asked Joe to show me how it is done by rebuilding one engine completely from start to finish. I bought two engines from someone on MBZ.org in the US and had them sent to Joe's place in Blacklick. Now we have scheduled the timeframe to do the rebuild in and it will be right before the tech session in June. We will document everything on videotape, I will take lots of pictures and I will write a manual on how it is done, so this information with all the specific tips and tricks, will be captured for posterity. The Haynes manual is pretty light on the topic, as are the other publications. I decided to do this, because too many Pagoda owners are presented with high bills for work that is, although well-intended and usually done with integrity, simply not up to standard when it comes to engine rebuilding work.
Needless to say I did not manage to do this project this winter. What I DID manage: installed a VDO quartz clock, wrestled big-time with my exhaust system which kept/keeps coming loose, and I installed a replacement (used) idle speed solenoid so now the idle on my car is the same, whether the automatic is in "neutral" or in "drive".
I also got my wheels aligned and the tires balanced. I installed a hands-free kit for my mobile phone and installed new under-dash panels (like Tom did). Last but not least: I re-organized the garage, putting in lots of shelving etc. It makes a big difference when things are accessible and organized. I had wanted to put in 3-point automatic seat belts which I bought last fall in Germany, at the Veterama, for a little over $100 for the pair (brand new, made in Germany, and looking very high-quality including all the hardware - point being I thought it was not expensive considering the improvement in comfort and safety) but this week I saw that the best way to do this will require a bit of welding (which I learnt how to do in 8 easy lessons this winter!) so I will do this when I get a chance, probably sometime in the spring.
With each minor improvement, the car is running and looking better and better - probably there are a lot of cars out there with minor things wrong that can be easily fixed, but that the owner is simply unaware of, because he cannot compare to other cars. It would be good to start compiling a list of such "common ailments" with a short diagnose & fix description.
Cees
white 1969 280 SL
