Author Topic: Drivability Improvement Items (Read 19069 times)

JimVillers · « **on:** June 09, 2009, 20:25:21 »

I will be giving a presentation at Blacklick (PUB) on "Drivability Improvements" and though it would be good to ask for suggestions. I have a reasonable list of items that I presented two years ago but would like to add to this list with suggestions from Forum members. I will post my complete list of improvements after PUB.

Almost anything that you added to your car will qualify from radios, coco mats or electronic ignition modules.

Klaus · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2009, 00:52:40 »

My biggest drivability improvement were the 205 tires.

glenn · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2009, 01:48:35 »

Rear disc brakes on 230SLs??

JimVillers · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:40:19 »

Glen .... I installed carbon-Kevlar brakes on both the front and rear of my 230SL and the results were impressive. I no longer think on disks for the rear. Better braking and no fade. The coefficient of friction of carbon-Kevlar is about 0.45 verses the value of 0.35 for standard pads.

Peter van Es · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2009, 11:35:07 »

Comfort improvements:
- Wind-shield (one of those black ones behind your head)
- Buzzer to warn when you've left your lights on
- Driving lamps (Classic Hella's) for night-driving in dark environments

The best driveability improvements for ride and handling I had were:
- new shocks and springs (Bilsteins and standard springs)
- replace all rubbers
- kingpins redone

For performance the best improvements I got were:
- rebuilt FI pump
- 123 ignition

Peter

mdsalemi · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:19:23 »

Quote from: JimVillers on June 10, 2009, 10:40:19

Glen .... I installed carbon-Kevlar brakes on both the front and rear of my 230SL and the results were impressive. I no longer think on disks for the rear. Better braking and no fade. The coefficient of friction of carbon-Kevlar is about 0.45 verses the value of 0.35 for standard pads.

Jim, I remember your presentation and look forward to it again.

Can you refresh my memory as to where you purchased the Carbon/Kevlar brakes and what brand they were? I'm planning on changing them shortly and wish to get the set prior to PUB.

graphic66 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:20:43 »

The best $80.00 I spent on non standard improvements were my H4 headlight conversions with 100/55 watt bulbs. What an improvement, these headlights are amazing! I agree with Vanesp on the windscreen, it really expands your top down experience. Kind of a standard non standard improvement I made was to put the old R12 in my AC unit. The new r134 stuff doesn't cool near as well.

JamesL · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:41:21 »

Mike

They are Carbotech brakes.

I dealt with Mike Puskar who (with Naj's help) found me the right pads for my 280SL
CT45s front and CT31s rear. Love mine.

"The Ferrodo numbers and the dimensions given make me comfortable with the CT45 and CT31 pads for your car. They are nothing like the CT4 pad. The CT45-1521 (street) is $122 and I have 2 sets in stock and the CT31-1521 is $119 and I have 1 set in stock. I would need you to call or email with a credit card number, VISA,MC or Discover are fine and we could get them out USPS tomorrow. Your total for one set of front and rear pads would be $$241. The freight would be between $45-$65 usps. The phone number is 877-899-5024."

That shipping was to the UK and this was for my 280

I did the 3.46 rear axle, Koni shocks, w123 alloys amd the brakes at the same time and it's a much more pleasant car to drive!

Jim, anything that can be done to make a solid fix to the side windows!

ghenne · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:15:10 »

Install the heavy duty compensator spring from John Olsen. It really cuts down the dive when breaking hard, and seems to keep the back end in better shape when cornering.

Bob G ✝︎ · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2009, 05:18:55 »

For safety purposes I have planned to add the following Items to my 1968 280SL

1) headrest stock Mistassini's

2) better brake pads for front and rear clean brake fluid

3 John Olson progressive rate springs already have

4 Marchal H4 headlights

5 New Dot with amber tunsignals taillights

6 updated seatbelts from Mistassini's

7brighter bulbs for gauges night time driving.

8 blue tooth speaker phone system for mobile phone

9 good selection of emergency tools and membership to triple A premium toe service.

10 Bosch tire inflator emergency kit

11 check list before driving to make sure every thing is up to OK condition.

Bob Geco
1968 280SL

seattle_Jerry · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2009, 07:57:51 »

Who is Mistassini? Or where are they?

Richard Madison · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2009, 10:02:48 »

Jim:

I ride on 205 tires and have Cocomats. The Beige mats liven up the Dark Brown interior but also make cleanup a lot easier. Dirt falls to the solid rubber bottom of each mat and a quick shake gets the dirt out...don't have to vacuum or brush the carpets since the dirt never gets down to the carpets.

Becker Ipod connector...allows a device with a headphone to be played through the car radio. Becker supplies the cord with two male ends to connect the device to the radio.

The 3mm hole can be installed alongside the Volume knob and is hardly noticeable or can be fed from a rear radio connector to the glove compartment so nothing can be seen. Cost about $50. A nice to have feature when driving through radio dead areas or when you want to hear your own selections.

Richard M

ja17 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 13, 2009, 22:09:47 »

Hello Jim,

Stainless steel and glass replacement fuses are made by "Bussman" to replace the troublesome ceramic/metal fuses. They are the correct length and have the pointed ends. They do not look original, but they never corrode and fail.

ja17 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 15, 2009, 04:22:11 »

Hello Naj,

The part numbers I have for these Buss (Bussman) fuses are;
GBC 8 (8amp)
GBC 16 (16 amp)
GBC 25 (25amp)

Also the special short fuses GBF 25 (short 25 amp)

Naj ✝︎ · « **Reply #14 on:** July 15, 2009, 06:48:12 »

Thanks, Joe.

naj

Naj ✝︎ · « **Reply #15 on:** July 15, 2009, 18:15:06 »

An interesting driveability improvement I have recently made on my 280 is to put the ignition timing back on vacuum advance.
It started out as an experiment (with the Technical Director of the UK MB Club) to see if a later original MB distributor could be adapted to run the M130 engine as new replacements are NLA and used reconditionable ones are becoming thin on the ground.
A distributor from an M110 twin cam six cylinder engine was chosen. The distributor body and cap is a lot bigger in diameter but would just fit. The drive shaft and body very long but a bit of machining would do the job. An interesting feature of the distributor is that is has a vacuum cell with attachment pipes on both sides of the diaphragm. Therefore it can do both advance and retard.
First, the distributor was modified and installed together with the ECU, blue coil, ballast resistors etc. and the car run for a few weeks on the usual vacuum retard. Ran just as well as on the 051 distributor with crane electronic ign.

A throttle body from a 220 SE/ Early 230SL was also sourced to run the vacuum advance. This changed the driving characteristics and the engine has more 'lugability'. Engine can pick up speed in top gear from around 2000 rpm.
To give it back the timing retard, the vacuum test port was used together with a vacuum valve operated by the automatic transmission switch on the throttle body.

It ran very well on a recent 1200 mile trip around Germany and the fuel consumption has improved somewhat as well.

naj

JamesL · « **Reply #16 on:** July 15, 2009, 20:42:50 »

Sonds like you and Jeremy have been busy. Can you make it all come in a box with step by step idiot proof instructions.?

Naj ✝︎ · « **Reply #17 on:** July 16, 2009, 07:51:49 »

yes, Jeremy has plenty of upgrade ideas. Should see what he's done to his 170. Most of it has been covered in Gazette articles.

Plenty of M110 engined cars being broken so ignition system parts fairly easily available. Throttle bodies not so easy to find but could consider drilling and modifying existing body. Also machining in this first instance was not cheap. Kills the idea dead compared to a new 123 distributor $:-\$

naj

JimVillers · « **Reply #18 on:** August 14, 2009, 15:52:43 »

I noticed that the head light warning buzzer that I showed at Blacklick is currently on eBay for $15 plus shipping. These are getting harder to find so this is a good opportunity.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VEGA-CAMARO-FIREBIRD-HEADLIGHT-REMINDER-BUZZER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem5633b4c2d7QQitemZ370234671831QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_2844wt_1049

CraigD · « **Reply #19 on:** August 14, 2009, 17:13:09 »

Jim,
Thanks for the tip - just bought one of these. Sorry to miss Blacklick, for sure. Any particular tips on the installation of this buzzer?

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #20 on:** August 14, 2009, 18:28:34 »

By adding a relay and some wiring you can activate the flash to pass function and headlight high beam low beam switching from the turn signal stalk.

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=3711

Especially good for manual transmission apps.

Peter van Es · « **Reply #21 on:** August 15, 2009, 06:48:45 »

Driveability improvements from the last PUB (2009) are now here: http://www.sl113.org/wiki/PUB/Start

Peter

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Author Topic: Drivability Improvement Items (Read 19069 times)

Klaus

glenn

graphic66

Bob G ✝︎

seattle_Jerry

jeffc280sl