Fuel Line route

[230SL]

Has anyone have any pictures of fuel line routing? Mainly the firewall and lines behind the fuel pump.  The car was stripped a few years ago and the pictures used for future restoration are lost.

[merrill]

check this site,  you will find many photos of various sl's

http://www.motoringinvestments.com/MainPage.htm

there is also a complete restoration at this link
http://www.motoringinvestments.com/MainPage.htm

[230SL]

Wow very detailed still though i need a picture of right underneath the power steering box and above rear differential.

[Naj ✝︎]

Wow very detailed still though i need a picture of right underneath the power steering box and above rear differential.

naj

[thelews]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for.

[Jordan]

John and Naj, I am so totally jealous.  The undersides of your cars look clean enough to eat off.  They must have taken a lot of time and effort and certainly something I hope I can achieve.  I'm never going to part my car next to yours.   Do you guys actually drive these cars on a regular basis.
Best
Marcus

[thelews]

Do you guys actually drive these cars on a regular basis.
Best
Marcus

Put 1200 miles on it last summer.  Had it up to 95 mph for a stretch and regularly over 80 when I can.  Car has 150K miles on it.  Previous owner had it for 37 years before I got it in 12/07.  He never "restored" it, but, kept it in meticulous condition and cosmetically refinished parts as he performed maintenance on them.  He was also a major stickler for originality.  The muffler system, as you see it, is over 20 years old.  He would put rags in the exhaust pipes whenever he parked the car for the day so the system would not absorb humidity and develop condensation inside.  It was repainted 35 years ago using original Herberts signal red as the factory did.

[Naj ✝︎]

John and Naj, I am so totally jealous.  The undersides of your cars look clean enough to eat off.  They must have taken a lot of time and effort and certainly something I hope I can achieve.  I'm never going to part my car next to yours.   Do you guys actually drive these cars on a regular basis.
Best
Marcus

Pictures are of a 230 SL rebuilt by Mechatronic and was conveniently on display on a lift at last year's Techno Classica in Essen.
My car looks nowhere near like this nor do I wish it to 

naj

[230SL]

thelews Basically yes just want a closer up picture especially of the front end to see where the brake and fuel lines go.  I saw a little space between the power steering box and the fire wall was wondering if thats where the tubes go and also is there fitting near front of engine and individual tubes go up the rest of the way?

A 72 MB 280SL has a individual line that runs next to the firewall and has a fitting to attach it to the rest of the return line under the car.

[thelews]

Hope this helps

[tel76]

When i removed my steering box it was obvious that it had not been removed previously and i found that the brake pipe goes up the narrow gap between power steering box and chassis frame (there is an indentation in the frame at this point).This would suggest that the lines in the above vehicles have been changed at some stage(making it easier for renewal in the future,but not correct) also my brake and fuel lines that have not been off the car before, they were mounted in the opposite way,this way it makes for a more natural path for the brake pipe to take to go up between PS box and chassis(hope this makes sense).
Also where the brake pipe went between the PS box and chassis there were two rubber tubes acting as buffers fitted over the pipe , thus stopping the pipe from chafing.
I replaced the new brake pipe this way.

[230SL]

Thank you for all members that replied, I did however find pictures very detailed about the lines and finally, had a chance to start them.  tel76 i also thought that was the initial route mercedes used for the lines, it made sense and protected the lines, however i decided to use the route that thelews picture had for easier access and if needed to remove also another plus.  I am also working on the floor so making bends and placement is important for me since the car is not mine and i am restoring for friend. 

I did however wonder where i can get the rubber buffers that go between the fuel lines and brake line screwed to the undercarriage?? Mercedes seems to not supply these rubber pieces anymore

[merrill]

I bought new metal brackets and rubber separators thru K&K MFG.

I would be surprised if they were not available from MB. 
I believe the same type of rubber separator was used on MB's thru the 70's

[ja17]

Hello John,

Truely an amzing preservation!  I think it is the only W113 I know of that has the original exhaust still on it. Notice that every connection is welded from the factory and all the asbestos heat insulators sheets are at each rubber ring connection. The transmiission case is the correct green olive color. There is some great documentation of the paint inspection marks, the chassis is painted the same as the body color with the rockers a semi-gloss black. Notice the location and type of the four clamps on the rear axle tubes.

Also I see that the car is correcty supported on the four arm lift. Two on the trailing arm/chassis connection and two on the heavy frame members next to the transmission bell housing.

Another item nicely documented: some of the many chassis water drains are clearly visible in these photos (see green arrows)


Thanks John,

[thelews]

Thanks for the compliments, Joe.  This was Vince Canepa's car, he owned it for 37 years.  I bought it in 12/07.  It is quite remarkable.  Vince was a real fan of originality.  The exhaust is not original, but was replaced 22 years ago.  Vince did it with MB parts and exactly as the factory did it.  The underside is original, Vince did wash off the cosmoline, he didn't like it.  The rocker panels are not really black, but more of a grey.  They have never been touched.  Where Vince did maintenance work on the suspension and drive components, he first documented with pictures and then refinished the components while out of the car and duplicated the inspection marks and fasteners.  The drain holes are clear, although never used with me.  The car has not seen water since at least 12/07, either rain or wash.  However, Vince did relate a story of driving it 1K miles in the driving rain from a car show.  Car has 150K miles on it.

Thanks for noticing that I properly support the car on the lift.  

If you click on the link in my signature below, you will see a lot more pictures.

I pulled the steering box last night.  It was leaking.  Off to www.blackforestllc.com to replace internal seals.

[knockmacool]

The car has not seen water since at least 12/07, either rain or wash.  

Wow. How do you do that? Do you live in a bug free zone? And yes, it is a VERY nice car!

Drew

[thelews]

Wow. How do you do that? Do you live in a bug free zone? And yes, it is a VERY nice car!

Drew

Not really hard, and no, we have lots of bugs here in Wisconsin, especially on a summer night!  I drove the car 1200 miles last summer, so, it's not a daily driver.  

Basically, if it's a really buggy situation, when I get home, I'll wet a clean rag with warm water, fairly damp and wet, but not quite dripping, and loosen up all the bugs on the front of the car and windshield area while they are fresh and not yet baked on.  Then, follow up with a clean damp cloth over the entire car.  Then spray detailer to finish up.  This assumes the car is clean to start with and has a good coat of wax.  I will confess to using a hose and bucket of soap on the wheels and tires once per summer to get rid of all the brake dust.  

The basic idea is to make sure the car is clean when I park it after a drive.  Sometimes that means just turning it off, other times, the process above.  I use a California Duster for dusting the car off.

John