111 project underway

[perry113]

Hi Peter,

I have some images from my coupe engine compartment, Please let me have your email address so I can forward them to you,(files are too large for the forum)
I just want to remind you that my car is a Euro model not sure if there is any thing different between the two!

Thank you for your help. My email is www.pperry444&juno.com

Here are a few shots of the car including the very last traces of the 3.5 firewall.

[perry113]

Battery box in, engine compartment and front and rear suspension painted. Looks great. Car will be a roller this weekend and going to my shop.

[w113dude]

WOW Peter,

I'm Impressed!

[perry113]

As of Friday night project 111 became a roller again. It took 2 1/2 hours to install the front suspension, steering box, tie rods etc. and rear suspension. We trailored the car from Ensign's to my shop.
After 3 hours of organization, parts everywhere, I was able to reinstall the wiper linkage and am now in the process of sizing up the heater core assembly. Need to clean it up and replace all hoses. Once I get this in order along with the ducts I can layout the wiring harness.
Lot's of work ahead, but am feeling good about it.
Happy holidays to all that have helped me move this along.
PDP

[glenn]

(This may have been covered)   Low hood?  Putting a straight six in?  Hydro rear compensator?  Manual tranny?  A/C?

[perry113]

(This may have been covered)   Low hood?  Putting a straight six in?  Hydro rear compensator?  Manual tranny?  A/C?

Has someone else gone through resurrecting a victimized 3.5 coupe used for its V8 parts by going to 6?

Yes my car is a low nose car, I believe all 3.5's were low nose.

The car's rear end I put in does not have a hydro rear compensator, just a spring, it came out of the 70 Cabriolet.

The driveline from the same Cab is an automatic and it does have AC.

The hardest part of this project is the re-installation of the wiring harnesses which again came from the 6 cylinder 70 Cabriolet. I will have the assistance of the guys who took the cars apart to do the 3.5 conversion. Aside of that its pretty straight forward.

PDP

[glenn]

Does the 6 fit under the low hood?

[wwheeler]

There were a small number of 6 cylinder 111 low hoods made. They changed the body to the low hood just before they installed the 3.5 V-8.

[perry113]

I wanted to update my progress with the 280SE. The wiring was the biggest hurdle for me getting this project going. Luckily, part of this car deal was having George, the man that engineered the cabriolet 3.5 conversion to come down to the shop and start laying the harness' (many) back into the car. Both cars were fully documented and everything labeled. Thank God George took detailed shots of the cabriolet under the hood. The pictures have helped tremendously. Without this I or anyone else would be lost. We are probably 75% done getting it all back in and wiring the fuse box. It's a game of connecting the dots. The car has really come a long way. But there is so much more to do. I had all the calipers rebuilt and reinstalled. I need to replace all the brake lines. Ones out of the cabriolet are kinda suspect. As for the motor the cabriolet was running well. I will end up replacing the waterpump and alternator while its on the bench. Need to do lots of detail work and get it ready to put it in.

Wish me luck as continue down this long road.

Here are a few pictures.

[dtuttle123]

Peter - a labor of love!  I would have been lost months ago - electricity is still my strong point.    In spite of all the steps I take to disconnect power, I still get those 'zaps' that make my ears ring!

[w113dude]

Looking Good Peter!

[perry113]

I really came far tonight with the wiring. I'm out of the woods. George came down and completed the fuse panel wiring. All harness's are back in the car. I have made an order for some missing fasteners. Lot's of checking and little details. Next order of business will be to put the steering column/ignition, gauges and radio.

It's so wonderful to see the harness fall back in like a glove. I only had to drill 3 holes total. Whether its a 2.8 or a 3.5 the provisions are there.

All the thanks goes to George. He's a genius.

More pictures will be posted shortly.

[w113dude]

Peter,

I hope you'll have it ready for a w111 get together at Lake George! maybe in May?

[perry113]

We may have to make it a 113 party in May. The 230SL is ready to roll.There's so much more to do on project 111.

Here are a few more pictures.

[wwheeler]

Peter,

I noticed in your last picture that the oval fuse box is below the dash on the far left side. Is that the original location for your car? My '68 111 fuse box is in the engine bay on the firewall on the far left side. I didn't know they were different?

Great job on the car! I admire your courage in taking on this project. Can't wait to see more pictures as it progresses.

[w113dude]

I noticed in your last picture that the oval fuse box is below the dash on the far left side. Is that the original location for your car? My '68 111 fuse box is in the engine bay on the firewall on the far left side. I didn't know they were different?

The low grill w111 coupes had their fuse box inside in the leg compartment, I think it was changed early 69.

[perry113]

Peter,

I noticed in your last picture that the oval fuse box is below the dash on the far left side. Is that the original location for your car? My '68 111 fuse box is in the engine bay on the firewall on the far left side. I didn't know they were different?

Great job on the car! I admire your courage in taking on this project. Can't wait to see more pictures as it progresses.

Shaun is right. Sometime in 69 they moved the fuse panel to under the dash. The 1970 2.8 and 3.5 have the fuse panel in the identical locations. Had the Cabriolet been an earlier 69 high nose the whole project would really never had worked.
I referenced a 69 coupe recently and found everything was different. Wiring, relays, ac unit under dash. There were some big differences.

[perry113]

I'm trying to identify these rectangular like washers.
Can anyone identify?

Cheers
PDP

[w113dude]

Peter, I don't think these parts belong to a w111, as I have never seen them.

[wwheeler]

I have never seen them on my 111 as well. But, I have not been through the whole thing (yet).

[perry113]

Those washers came out of that car. Trying to jog George's memory.

I made the 2 rear axle brake lines as the old ones are cruddy. I wll end up fabricating all other metal lines.

[jacovdw]

I'm trying to identify these rectangular like washers...

Peter,

Those look a lot like the washers used to fix the taillight cluster assembly of a W114/115 to the body (4 per side).

[wwheeler]

Jaco may be on to something.

My 111 just came from the body shop and the guy there is knowledgeable about these cars. He was putting the taillights back in and he noticed that the washer and nuts that secure the lens and frame (4 studs) to the body were missing. The only thing holding the light assembly in were the (4) large plastic nuts. He said that is a problem because you cannot fully tighten the lens to the body with those plastic nuts thus preventing leaks.

Is it possible that these oval washers are the ones for taillight lenses? The holes in the body are somewhat oversized so a large washer would be called for.

Something to look at.

[w113dude]

My 111 just came from the body shop and the guy there is knowledgeable about these cars. He was putting the taillights back in and he noticed that the washer and nuts that secure the lens and frame (4 studs) to the body were missing. The only thing holding the light assembly in were the (4) large plastic nuts. He said that is a problem because you cannot fully tighten the lens to the body with those plastic nuts thus preventing leaks.

Is it possible that these oval washers are the ones for taillight lenses? The holes in the body are somewhat oversized so a large washer would be called for.

Hi W,
There are little washers & I think 8mm nuts that mount the tail lights to the body, the plastic knobs that get mounted to the same studs are there just to hold the back housing are only used to replace bulbs. That's the way I have always seen them.

Cheers,

[wwheeler]

Bad news on the oval washers. Looked at mine tonight and there is a definite ROUND washer impression on the back panel so those oval washers don't fit there (at least on my year). Those holes in the body are large probably 10mm and the studs are 4-5mm so decent sized washer is needed.

Shaun is correct about taillight mounting hardware. It is amazing how much stuff gets left off in a car's life like the nuts and washers for the taillights. I have had some water get behind that rear panel and cause some minor rust. Some of it probably came in around those loosely held taillights.   

Good luck on those washers and let us know if you find out what they were for!