Ready for the trip to Blacklick!

[DavidAPease]

Well, after months of work, I am leaving the SF Bay area for Blacklick tomorrow.  I've done almost all of the "little things" that I've been putting off doing for years, as well as some bigger projects (like side windows and the heater core valve).  A couple of things I thought might be of interest:

I had a Becker Mexico TR refurbished by Becker NA, and had them supply a 1/8" jack input adapter.  I wired an XM satellite radio into this, and stealing an idea from another member, wired it through the ashtray, so that I can unhook it and stuff the wiring totally out of sight.  I also wired my "new" old Hirshmann antenna so that I can keep it down when listening to the satellite radio, but raise it for AM and FM.  Here's a photo of the installation:
 
http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/davidapease/2005722191228_View3.JPG

I also received the Multivex mirrors that I wrote about before.  I made some plexiglass blanks that same shape as my outside mirror glass, and mounted the convex mirrors to these blanks (so that I can put back the original mirrors in a minute).  The mirrors are not aesthetically a thing of beauty, but they sure help in traffic!  Here's a photo of the right one - you can see the aspherical shape in the reflection.

http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/davidapease/2005722191321_View4.JPG

Finally, here are a couple of shots of the car looking beautiful, just in case it doesn't look as good by the time I get to Blacklick!    Note the plexiglass wind deflector, and the new hub caps (in place of the wheel covers that were on it when I bought it).

http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/davidapease/2005722191550_View1.JPG

http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/davidapease/2005722191129_View2.JPG

"Blacklick or Bust"


-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[Ed Cave]

David:

Your car looks great and road worthy! Enjoy the tunes on your trip, nice job!

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430

[bpossel]

David,

Your car looks great!  I still have a few items to do before I leave.
Looks like you're taking your time by leaving tomorrow.  Doing any sight seeing on the way?
Have a safe trip!
See ya in Ohio.

bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320

[mdsalemi]

Godspeed and see you in Blacklick!

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[JimVillers]

David .... Have a wonderful trip.  I drove my 190SL from Virginia to Sonoma California last year so I understand the benifit of something like satilite radio.  

My only advice would be to install a cruise control. They are available from JC Whitney for about $120 and can be installed without cutting any wires, drilling any holes (and removed).  I would not leave home without mine.

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[hauser]

David the car looks great!  

The satellite radio...  Where did you mount the antenna?  Normally I have seen them mount on the dash but I cannot find yours.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Douglas]

Gorgeous car, David. I am #291 (dark olive green) with envy about everyone who's making the trip. Sorry I can't be there, but I hope many of you will mtake lots of pix for the rest of us.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[Tom]

David,

That's one good looking ride!  I like your enhancements.  Looking forward to seeing you in Backlick again this year.

Jim Villers, maybe we can catch up at the tech session and you can explain how the cruise works and how easy it is to install/remove.

Best,

Tom

1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
1970 280sl Deep Red (Project Car)

[ja17]

Hello David,
Car looks great! See you in Blacklick.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Dick M]

David..
Have a great trip... see you in Blaclick.

Dick M
1970 280SL

[DavidAPease]

Thank you everyone for the good wishes!  I hope to have time for some sightseeing, we'll see how it goes.  (I'm staying mostly on US Highways rather than the Interstates, so I'm not sure what kind of time I'll make.)  

Jim, I too would like to hear more about cruise control.  Too late for the trip out, but back...?

Hauser, my XM antenna is on the black support panel for the wind deflector.  Its hard to notice there.

Doug, I'll try to take lots of photos, both at Blacklick and along the way.  Who knows, maybe I'll have enough interesting experiences to write a "trip report" for Pagoda World.


-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[JimVillers]

David .... It might be a little harder to install on your car.  Mine has a manual transmission and I am able to pick up the speed sensor from the distributor.  I don't know if using the coil negative for a speed sensor will work with your automatic.  The kit comes with magnets that you can put on your drive shaft to sense the speed.  

The system uses vacuum that I tapped from the power brake line.  The electrical connections are negative battery, ignition positive, brake switch (both sides of switch), coil negative (for speed sensing).  I ran the control wires under the rug and let the control switch just sit on the rug next to the shift lever.  The vacuum control unit just sits loose under the coolant reservoir and pulls the throttle through a flexible cable.  To answer Tom's comment, it can be "easily" removed without a trace but not something that is taken off for shows and put back to drive home.  That might be possible with a hidden connector but that was not my approach.  

Installation would take an hour or so as the lower dash panel needs to be removed to access the brake switch, fish wires through the firewall etc.  I can bring a unit along if you would like to try installing it in Blacklick.

This is the unit:
    http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/showCustom-0/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2001597/c-10101/Nty-1/p-2001597/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10101/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=cruise

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[Jonny B]

Very nice indeed, looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the group in Columbus next weekend!

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto