280SL Restoration Underway

[Ed Cave]

Fellow member Brian Peters of Motoring Investments is currently underway on a restoration of a 1971 280SL that I recently purchased. He has added a link on his website that leads to some interesting documentation of the restoration process. Brian is adding to and updating the information as he progresses.

Brian welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions. I think most members of this group will find what he has written to be of interest. Go to www.motoringinvestments.com enter, then select 280SL Restoration Page. Give it a look and you will quickly recognize his passion for the W113 and his trade. Enjoy.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1971 280SL
1964 356C

[hauser]

I think this is a great idea and congrats on the car.  I have never seen a center speaker with tweeters until now.  As for the paint on the hood I can believe it may have been resprayed at the factory.  I had an M.B. bodyshop tell me about this a few years ago.  At the factory if a car were to roll out with defects in the paint it would go through the process all over again.  When some of theses cars would come in for body repairs and the sanding process began one could see double layers of paint rings.  These paint rings would be similar to the rings of a tree stump.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.

[Douglas]

I'm glad you posted this link. It's a fascinating chronicle for Pagoda enthusiasts. For one reason or another, it seems white cars seem to have the best chance ot surviving unmolested. I guess that was the most durable paint color (certainly beats silver or anything metallic for durability). Also, the fact that white is considered the safest and most visible color probably doesn't hurt either.

As the values of these cars continue to escalate, we'll see more and more of these kinds of restorations. I'm positive future enthusiasts undergoing this same kind of project will refer to Brian's site for guidance/encouragement.

Personally, I'm curious about seeing your car in bare metal. That should reveal something about why the hood was repainted.

Finally, I'm glad to see Brian Peters' shop discussed in this forum. As some of you know, he rcently sold my last 280SL on my behalf and it was a pleasure dealing with him. If anyone in this group is looking to consign an SL with a dealer, I highly recommend a conversation with him.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[hauser]

Doug, after your post I went back and took a look at your car. Wow! That is a nice car.  I don't know if I would have ever parted with it.  I remember Gernold saying it was a very nice car shortly after your sltech post.  If I knew of this car at time of sale I wouldn't mind purchasing it.

1969 280sl 5 spd        1999 ML320          Gainesville,Fl.