car parts

Disassembly is fun – when you don’t have to assemble it again..

How do you fix a car that is almost at light restoration level? Well you strip it down piece by piece and the hardest part is  categorizing every washer, nut and bolt and storing it in a safe place so they don’t get lost. And even harder, figuring out where it all goes in when you are about to assemble it all together again. If 300 bolts are left after  you put the car together, then stop and try again!

So what part do I have to take off? Well the list is long… I have to remove everything that is in the way of the welding areas and that might catch on fire. I have to remove all the mechanical parts that I have to replace and for disassembly and replacing of bushings. Mercedes has a million rubber bushings in the “complicated” suspension system for ride smoothness, and they wear with time and the ride will feel loose or be rock hard. It can even be a safety concern if your suspension will move in directions they shouldn’t.

So here is the list:

  • Interior such as seats and carpets
  • Body trim, lights, bumpers
  • Front fender panels
  • Exhaust system
  • Parking brake cables
  • Drive shaft
  • Rear axles
  • Differential
  • Rear suspension assembly with both trailing arms
  • Rear stabilizer bar
  • Fuel Lines
  • Fuel pump and filters
  • Rear Brake Calipers
  • Might have forgot something though…

So how does the car look like then when it is assembled?

Car shell 280CE
The Ghostly remains of a car

You might have noticed that the car shop is in a barn? Well it is not luxurious, but it’s the best I can do for now. Quite cold in the winters though (sometime -20°C) and not optimally lighted, actually light is the biggest issue over temperature.

Stripped 280CE front
Notice I keep the wheel on in the front. The car is jacked up enough in the rear so it is enough clearance
Stripped car 280CE front
Where is my lights?
stripped interior 280CE
Interior pretty much removed

So let get to it, fix all the things!!

fix all the things

By Robs

Passionate about vintage Mercedes Benz where driving, maintaining and learning new things and teaching others on the black arts of car maintenance.

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