Author Topic: More Bring a Trailer entertainment (Read 2426 times)

john.mancini · « **on:** January 12, 2024, 01:08:13 »

I just found a new way to make easy money. First, buy a complete W113 tool kit from Authentic Classics for under $700.00. Then, sell it on BaT for $2,600.00. Dim witted bidders are driving W113 prices out of sight. Can't help myself

Jonny B · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2024, 02:44:01 »

I must admit, I was watching the end of this auction. I was amazed, as was John, some one ________ (fill in the blank as you see fit) enough to pay $2600. It was fun to watch and marvel at their ________. (Again fill in the blank with a word of choice)

john.mancini · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2024, 03:26:24 »

It is entertaining

.

ja17 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2024, 04:43:40 »

It's all about correctness and completeness. So many kits are in poor condition, incomplete, and not correct.

John Betsch - "SADIE" · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2024, 17:53:05 »

Hey John, the Tech Manual notes the following, Is that incorrect and changed?

"A fuse puller (not pictured), made from black plastic, the original design had spring loaded balls inside the handles, part no 000 581 0338, replaced by a tool without the spring loaded feature, part no 000 581 0438, as the spring loaded balls tended to break."

JB

john.mancini · « **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2024, 18:43:59 »

Hi JB, I know that the 230SL and 250SL parts catalogs do not show plastic fuse pullers. I do not have a 280SL parts catalog at this time to check. Maybe it's in there??? The plastic fuse pullers may be in some later 280SL tool kits. I've owned many, and never saw a plastic fuse puller. In fact, I once owned a 280SL that had all of the tools still wrapped in original plastic. There was no fuse puller and the original owner claimed he never used a single tool. Am I 100% certain about the fuse puller .........NO. I'm just not certain that the fuse pullers came with our tool kits or were added by owners later on.

mmizesko · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2024, 21:01:37 »

Dr. Mancini.

One of my tool kit compadres sold this kit. As much as i like George at Authentic Classics, you are comparing apples and oranges. Correctness is the key to value, and this kit was pristine. Reproduction bags and tools are not valuable. I know for a fact that George does not have any Heyco 300 water pump pliers with the tri-stars forged in.

To each his own, but if i were judging a concours event, which i am not qualified to do, by the way, i would notice that a tool kit was inadequate. Some folks are more OCD than others. Don't make them feel bad. Most of us strive for ultimate originality with our Pagodas. I still remember all of us chastising the Rockefeller kid in Arkansas for cutting holes in the trunk of a 9,000 original mile 280SL for stereo speakers. While we are on the topic, how are your hose clamps?

By the way, BAT charged him both commission and a listing fee of $250.

Mike

MikeSimon · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2024, 21:11:09 »

Quote from: john.mancini on January 12, 2024, 18:43:59

Hi JB, I know that the 230SL and 250SL parts catalogs do not show plastic fuse pullers. I do not have a 280SL parts catalog at this time to check. Maybe it's in there??? The plastic fuse pullers may be in some later 280SL tool kits. I've owned many, and never saw a plastic fuse puller. In fact, I once owned a 280SL that had all of the tools still wrapped in original plastic. There was no fuse puller and the original owner claimed he never used a single tool. Am I 100% certain about the fuse puller .........NO. I'm just not certain that the fuse pullers came with our tool kits or were added by owners later on.

My parts list in the VDA catalog section 58/1 is rather inconclusive. It does not show the fuse puller, but it shows the wheel alignment tool and it does not show any open end wrenches. So much for that.
I stopped going to BaT. Several comments I tried to make were subject to "review by BaT" and never showed up. After I heard the same thing happened to one of my business associates, we compared notes and it seemed that BaT censors comments/feedback which may be critical of sellers and the way they represent their stuff. I decided to delete my shortcut to BaT, It has become a joke.

mmizesko · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2024, 21:28:09 »

John Mancini,

I am concerned that you would say that the seller would misrepresent the tool kit. I've reviewed and cannot find any misrepresentation. He even has the 20a stubbies in the fuse kit. Please clarify.

Mike Mizesko

MikeSimon · « **Reply #9 on:** January 19, 2024, 18:40:36 »

Why is the tool kit on BaT again?

Vander · « **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2024, 19:26:43 »

Quote from: MikeSimon on January 19, 2024, 18:40:36

Why is the tool kit on BaT again?

It's a different tool kit.

MikeSimon · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2024, 20:17:35 »

I just saw that. Amazing. That seller may have a secret source for these. Makes me think....

mdsalemi · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2024, 22:28:06 »

Is there really any "one" correct tool kit? Over the years, I've accumulated a bunch of MB wrenches from the tool kits and they are all a little different, some different manufacturers, some different data etc. I have what I think is a correct pouch, but others have indicated the pouch material may have differed by what was "hanging around the plant" or wherever, at the time the tool kits were assembled. Did every single Heyco 300 water pump pliers that was in an MB tool kit have the three point star? I don't know.

Mind you these are rhetorical questions. I do not know the answers. I have a reasonably complete tool kit but like my beautiful, wonderful dog--I think it's a mutt!

Pawel66 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2024, 23:08:38 »

Quote from: john.mancini on January 12, 2024, 18:43:59

Hi JB, I know that the 230SL and 250SL parts catalogs do not show plastic fuse pullers. I do not have a 280SL parts catalog at this time to check. Maybe it's in there??? The plastic fuse pullers may be in some later 280SL tool kits. I've owned many, and never saw a plastic fuse puller. In fact, I once owned a 280SL that had all of the tools still wrapped in original plastic. There was no fuse puller and the original owner claimed he never used a single tool. Am I 100% certain about the fuse puller .........NO. I'm just not certain that the fuse pullers came with our tool kits or were added by owners later on.

No, there are no fuse pullers in the late parts kit. My supposition is, backed by what I read here, it was never there form factory. Certainly I do not know for sure. I am not well-off enough to spend this kind of money on a tool kit. Seems to me even if I were, I would not. Just does not turn me on. I collected mine piece by piece and I have repro bag, but I made sure I have proper rivets in it. Took me a couple of years. Happy with it.

I do have those bloody fuse pliers with balls....

ejboyd5 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2024, 11:51:33 »

Quote from: John Betsch - "SADIE" on January 12, 2024, 17:53:05

Hey John, the Tech Manual notes the following, Is that incorrect and changed?
"A fuse puller (not pictured), made from black plastic, the original design had spring loaded balls inside the handles, part no 000 581 0338, replaced by a tool without the spring loaded feature, part no 000 581 0438, as the spring loaded balls tended to break."
JB

Simply to illustrate the above, here's a picture of a male fuse puller:

zoegrlh · « **Reply #15 on:** January 20, 2024, 16:55:45 »

Probably could make those pullers on a 3D printer. Call Jay Leno he has a printer. Or my library has one. Looks easy to print, the. You can sell on eBay for maga bucks.

BobH · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2024, 17:57:59 »

Authentic Classics have these early pullers if anyone needs them

https://www.authenticclassics.com/Fuse-Puller-for-Mercedes-p/auth-003744.htm

MikeSimon · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2024, 18:18:43 »

Maybe here is where the seller on BaT gets the parts for the $2600.- tool kits:

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=36080.0

john.mancini · « **Reply #18 on:** January 21, 2024, 14:43:05 »

Like Michael, over the years, I have accumulated a lot of extra tools that were found in various MB tool kits. You can find them on eBay and other sources for a lot less than we are seeing on Bring a Trailer. You can "build" your own tool set, with authentic MB tools, for a fraction of what these unsuspecting bidders are paying. The BaT seller is very fortunate to find complete tool kits that all have the plastic fuse pullers. Pretty amazing. If, in fact, these are all original fuse pullers, then my skepticism, and I, stand corrected.

News:

Author Topic: More Bring a Trailer entertainment (Read 2426 times)