Yesterday I received in the mail a dash pot for the accelerator linkage I order from Ebay. The pot was specifically advertised as a 230sl unit.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221715392972?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITTaking it out of the box and comparing it side by side my damper it was instantly obvious it was the wrong one.
Before I went back to the vendor I decided to see if I could make it work. The replacement pot had a shorter stud out the back by almost 20mm and the plunger pin is also shorter by about the same length. So to make this fit in the 230sl bracket I needed to extend the bolt out the back. So down I chug to the local hardware store. The extra stud and nut are strangely both UNC. Came home and cut down the bolt to the correct length and then screwed the dash and the new stud together against a nut.
Fitted it up and quickly discovered it simply wasn't going to work. There is not enough adjustment in it now as the improvised nut now prevents the pot from moving. Also because the dash pot has a much shorter plunge pin the unit must sit much closer to the linkages and comes extremely close. If they ever interfered than the throttle could jam open which is an obvious safety hazard. I am guessing that Mercedes got the supplier to lengthen the front pin for this exact reason.
Another example of being sent the wrong stuff and it consuming hours and hours of effort to put right.
Contacted the vendor and was told that I could make it fit by bending my bracket. I sent an email back indicating that I didn't think that would work and restating that the item was not correct for a 230sl. Was told in no certain uncertain terms that it was correct and that he had one installed in his very own 1964 230sl. A photo was provided. The one I put up in my previous post. To my eye it is not a 230 and looks more like a 280 engine. The brackets and linkages are different and its got the plastic sleeve over the breather hoses. All sorts of details that I don't recognize on my 127 engine. Perhaps the late 127 engines were different. I would be surprised.
I wrote back to the vendor and pointed this out. I also asked him why if it was his own car, and he had to bend the bracket would he think that the part is correct. I also asked him if he would provide another photo a bit zoomed out showing that it was indeed an early 230sl and also provide me with the VIN. I have clearly told him that if he demonstrates to me that this part is in fact correct for any standard factory version of the 230sl I will happily go away and lick my wounds. Other than statement like 'it is correct' no tangible evidence has been put on the table. The more evidence I put on the table to prove my point of view just seems to be met with anger,accusation and denial.
I tried before purchasing this to obtain the correct part through MB and was told its NLA. I asked SLS and Buds and neither carried it. It would seem that it incredibly rare. I am now wondering if what has actually happened here is the vendor has procured some similar dash pots from another model or even brand of car thinking it might be ok without actually doing the due diligence to make sure.
The value that the vendor put on this part, and that I paid, reflects the rarity. If this has been taking advantage off and something much more available but not quite right is being passed off then I am pissed.
The vendor has offered to take back the part but is not willing to pay for the shipping. The fact he isn't even interested to investigate if he has got it wrong kind of tells me all I need to know.
I probably will end up trying to cut it up and carefully weld bits on it to make it work. That annoys me because I paid a small ransom not to.
Interested in everyone's thoughts.
