Newsletter No.071 Four post hoists, Wheels 2004
Newsletter Number 71
8th March 2004
Welcome. This newsletter we have a quick report on the Shannons Wheels 2004, a reminder about the Victorian Mercedes-Benz Club Concours next weekend, some important info for 60's model owners, and the usual line up of jokes and interesting cars.
Thanks John Green.
Shannons Wheels 2004.
Wheels has now been and gone for another year and once again it was a great success. The weather looked like it was going to put a damper on the proceedings but held off long enough for the show to go on. Whilst numbers were down on last year, the quality certainly was not. If you look here you will find a list of the pictures I took on the day.
The picture above is of the W107 line up. The 450SLC in the front is my everyday car at the moment.
What the?
Any ideas what Mercedes-Benz model this picture is from?? Or maybe it is a shot taken inside the Space Shuttle?
If you think you know what car this is from, send me an e-mail.
Cars for dismantling
The following cars have arrived fot dismantling:
240D sedan 1981, 4 speed manual transmission, good engine but with very rusty body.
280E sedan 1981, same thing, good mechanicals but with a very poor body.
Talking about W123's we still have the very good blue cloth interior from a 1983 230E. It was taken out of the car this last week and the first one in with $400.00 can have it!
Mercedes-Benz Club of Victoria
Concours d’Elegance
One week to go! We will have a trade stand at the Concours and would invite all our Newsletter readers to come along and say hello. The Mercedes-Benz Club of Victoria will once again be holding their annual Concours d'Elegance on Sunday 14th March in conjunction with the AOMC British and European Motor Show. Contact Brian Billing on 0409 501 677 for more information. You can download the application form here (180k), and the rules are here (150k). This is certainly one of the major highlights on the Mercedes-Benz calendar for the year and should not be missed by any keen Mercedes-Benz fanatic. If you check out our Newsletter number 59 you can see the report from last years event. This year promises to be just as good.
Why do? Why does?
Do you own a W110, W111, W112, W108 or W109 chassis Mercedes-Benz? Does your favourite repairer lift your car on a two post hoist so the wheels hang free? If so, they are running the risk of damaging the front subframe mounts. Here is a posting that I sent to the Mercedes Veterans list a few weeks back in reply to a question about the correct method of lifting these models:
The problem is with the front suspension. When you lift the car with the front wheels hanging in space the entire weight of the engine/transmission and front suspension is supported by the front subframe mounts (sometimes called tower mounts), the front shocks and the flat spring at the front of the cross member. The pressure this puts on the subframe mounts can tear the rubber away from the steel with the result being that almost all the weight winds up being put on the shocks.
If you don't believe this just try it one day. Put your average fintail on a two post hoist with the arms under the sills and look at the strain on the subframe mounts as the front wheels leave the ground. If any of my staff
ever lift a Fintail on a two post hoist they get a rather firm kick in the #$%.
The other thing that I have seen happen is that as the radiator is attached to the body and the engine to the subframe if you lift it on a two post hoist the engine can drop enough for the fan to foul on the bottom of the
radiator cowling. I know a guy who did this and then started the car. End result was that the cowling broke and piece went into the radiator!
Now, having said all this, you can get around it for long term projects by bracing the bolt that goes trough the subframe mount direct to the body with a 1/4 inch thick steel plate. However, this a lot of work for quick
jobs like say brake pads. Also just to confuse the situation you can lift these on a two post hoist if the subframe mounts are OK. ,But in most cases the "old" mounts are fine until somebody lifts the car on a two post hoist. ,Due to the design of the mount (two cones with rubber in-between them) they don't tend to self destruct unless they have some pressure put on them. So you are just better off not using a two post hoist!
Joke of the week.
We have often thought of having some catchy sign or slogan to put up in our office but have never really come up with something that I was happy with. Here are some signs that have been reported to us:
Sign over a Gynaecologist's Office:
"Dr. Jones, at your cervix."
On a Plastic Surgeon's Office door:
"Hello. Can we pick your nose?"
On a Plumber's truck:
"We repair what your husband fixed."
In a Podiatrist's office:
"Time wounds all heels."
On a Plumber's truck:
"Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber.."
At an Optometrist's Office
"If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the
right place."
At a Proctologist's door
"To expedite your visit please back in."
Pizza Shop Slogan:
"7 days without pizza makes one weak."
At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee:
"Invite us to your next blowout."
At a Towing company:
"We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."
On an Electrician's truck:
"Let us remove your shorts."
In a Nonsmoking Area:
"If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take
appropriate action."
On a Maternity Room door:
"Push. Push. Push."
On a Taxidermist's window:
"We really know our stuff."
On a Septic Tank Truck in Oregon:
Yesterday's Meals on Wheels
On a Septic Tank Truck sign:
"We're #1 in the #2 business."
On a Fence:
"Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive."
At a Car Dealership:
"The best way to get back on your feet -- miss a car payment."
Outside a Muffler Shop:
"No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."
In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
"Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"
At the Electric Company:
"We would be delighted if you send in your payment.
However, if you don't, you will be."
In a Restaurant window:
"Don't stand there and be hungry, Come on in and get fed up."
In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
"Drive carefully. We'll wait."
At a Propane Filling Station,
"Thank heaven for little grills."
And don't! forget the! sign at a Chicago Radiator Shop:
"Best place in town to take a leak."
Links of the week.
Bit short of links this week, if any of you have some good ones please send them in!
Meanwhile go here and practice your German. This is the website of the "Official" Mercedes-Benz Veterans Club. If your German is letting you down use the bablefish translator found here. If you subscribe to the site they send you an e-mail every few weeks telling you what new stories are on their website. Here is a copy of the e-mail I received from them last week:
Schlagzeilen:
Headlines:
Recht und Ordnungs-Fragen 01.03.2004
Questions of law and order
Sonderkarten Techno Classica für Mitglieder 02.03.2004
Discountcards Techno Classica for members
Eingelenk-Pendelachse 03.03.2004
Onehinge-swingaxle
AutoTräume der 50er 04.03.2004
Cardreams of the 50\'s
HISTORYWORLD als Plattform für alle 05.03.2004
HISTORYWORLD as platform for all
Briefmarken-Auto-Werbung 06.03.2004
Stamps-car-advertise
Völlig ausgebucht! 07.03.2004
Completely booked-out!
Further information: Weitere Info: http://www.mvconline.de/
Heaps of action in the car sales department this time! Firstly, we have four new cars for sale. These include what must be the best 280SE 3.5 sedan in Australia. The car belonged to a collector who used it as his everyday car for the last 17 years. It has been fully restored over the 17 years and maintained with absolutely no expense spared. The car has won a heap of Concours trophies and comes with a huge inventory of new parts including a set of fully restored headlamps and a new grille. If you are interested in this car give me a ring on 0419 295 458 and I will give you more details.
We also have a 1996 C200 Classic with a rare 5 speed manual transmission, a very neat 280E that is so good it has Concours potential and a 320E. The 1986 230E has been sold.
Click here to see all the cars for sale.
The following cars have been sold:
The following cars have recently arrived for sale:
Also in stock we have:
Collection of three factory Stretch Mercedes-Benz's
So that's it for another newsletter. Hope you liked what you saw. If you have any ideas or want to contribute any articles, pictures or other material please e-mail me here. Also, don't forget that you can check out the old newsletters here
Thanks, John Green.
