Nik Fisher

Finally concluded the deal after 12 months…

but what a find! Dry stored in dry climate the last 16 years! Full mercedes history up to that point..

got it up on the ramps for the first time since getting it back and apart from the exhaust, its an incredible sight



really looking forward to getting all the small bits done, i was going to respray but i think its good enough to leave as a original paint, probably repaint the bodykit, thoughts?

refurb wheel, replace fuel lines, refurb brakes and suspension..

190Efan

It does look to be in remarkably good condition. You really did find a unicorn and a needle in a haystack. The W201 2.5-16v is a very rare W201. I think only 5,700 were built. I wouldn't repaint it either. Given the condition of the car, I think a top notch professional detailing with a dry ice treatment for the undercarriage is all I would do to it cosmetically. It's in the level of condition that would make it well worth a top notch professional detailing. I would also change all of the fluids and anything rubber. I just had to change out all of the rubber bits on my W201 a couple of years ago.. My bank account will no longer speak to be but that's another story. Keep us posted on your progress.

dolucasi

Super! A great find indeed. I will nit-pick a little:

Someone replaced the muffler (silencer) at some point and welded the new one in instead of using a clamp. All the exhaust system is put together with flanges or clamps on these cars. Yours was welded in and eventually corroded. If the muffler itself and the resonator is in OK shape, I would just weld in a new pipe at the corrosion spot. If either one is decrepit you should replace them as a set and not have them replaced in. Good luck finding OE mufflers/resonators though I am pretty sure they are NLA.

The diff should be bone dry, it looks like it is leaking just a bit, check the level if you have not done so. I'm not sure if there is a remedy for a leaking diff. It is not common to have leakage on a standard diff in these cars at such low mileage except you have a special diff, so make sure it is not leaking from a sensor which will be an easy fix of replacing the o-ring.

I would not re-paint this car either, there is great value in having the original paint, if there are minor dings use a PDR (paintless dent repair) shop and for chips use doctor colorchip the repair those. It turns out great! I am probably preaching to the quire here.

Congratulations!

Nik Fisher

Thanks guys..

yes, had noticed the exhaust, lower front ball joints need replacing due to rubber corrosion, the LSD has a warning light on dash so i assume the sensor itself is ok, could well be the o-ring as you say, leaked enough oil to set the sensor off? Rear hydraulic suspension has zero damping, somthere’s an issue there, i’ll investigate..

Nik Fisher

Does anyone know of a specialist in europe that can deal with the SLS system on the car?

190Efan

Try the MB Classic Center in Germany. The U.S. location has helped me many times with my car. They're very knowledgeable about the W201.

Nik Fisher

I have contacted them, so fingers crossed.

i would also like an independent company that offer a rebuild service if possible, the spheres are fairly easy to replace and the rest of the system is fairly simple from what i understand..

rebuilding the shocks should get me well ahead in dealing with the system though the SLshop seem to offer rebuild for other sls models so ive contacted them…

190Efan

I would think that most of what needs to be replaced will be rubber. I went through that a couple of years ago on my more mortal 8v. You want to rebuild your SLS system. Removing it will significantly lower the value of your car. You also need to understand that the only W201 varieties rarer than your car are the EVOs. Only 5,700 W201 2.5-16vs were built making them extremely rare. That's most especially true for one like yours with such low mileage with all of the service records.

Nik Fisher

Thanks, its what i want to do but its just proving much more difficult finding someone to deal with the system, i will persevere as there’s no rush.. heritage mercedes got back to me and gave me details of the person who’s in charge of the particular 190e 16v section so hopefully i’ll have further contact and progress this week.

do you have a schematic of the system that I could learn from? or link to a workshop manual that i could purchase?

190Efan

Try www.books4cars.com to see what they might have for your particular W201 variety. Years ago, I bought the books for my W201 8v so I don't know if they still have anything for the W201 or not. The MB Classic Center in the U.S. has begun to put their parts inventory online. Maybe there might be a diagram in there. I know that there's an additional factory MB parts source and for the life of me I never remember the info about it. Any time I need parts I just run to my friend at the U.S. MB Classic Center. I wish that I could be more helpful. You might also want to purchase the book "W201" by automotive journalist James Taylor. It's all things W201 all in one place with an in-depth documenting of how the W201 came to be and all of the various W201 varieties. I have a copy and it's a great book.

Nik Fisher

Thanks again 190, i’m persevering and have found 90% of the parts needed but before i order the shocks i want to check numbers as i dont have a parts manual & couldnt find..

these are available and the part number for oem sachs units seems to be A2013201613

this place (most are out of stock in europe, inc. german side of heritage) has them in stock but i think thats a library image as i dont see a place for the hydraulic system to connect up, thoughts?

https://www.piecesauto-pro.fr/sachs-782035

dolucasi

Like most places that stock old parts, you will most likely find out that they are also out of stock. But you will never know until you place the order.
I wonder if other model absorbers can be retrofitted (like R129, W124 wagon, etc.) Even the manufacturers sometimes will do this for you. I know of a case in which bilstein retrofitted their existing shock to fit a 1966 Datsun Silvia. A super rare car, even more so than the Cosworth. It did cost a lot from what I know.

BTW, these cars have a very finely tuned drive system. Everything is balanced and dampened with rubber. I know how the cars drove 35 years ago when brand new.
And I have finally achieved that after I replaced my engine mounts, transmission mount, center bearing, etc. Even what appeared to be a backlash in the rear differential turned out to be these rubber bits. So like 190Efan mentioned make sure you order all these bits from the dealership before they go NLA. Sometimes they look OK from just appearance but they are not.

Good luck with the SLS shock search!

190Efan

Since my W201 is a far more ordinary 8V, my car doesn't have the the SLS that your car has so I'm not sure if the shocks you're considering will be compatible or not. The MB Classic Center should be able to give you the OEM part number and also be able to tell you if the shocks you're considering will be compatible. BTW, I've learned through experience that the MB Classic Center has much better parts availability of parts for our cars than the regular MB dealers have. I also don't know if shocks from other MB models will fit or not. All of the MB models vary from each other in varying degrees. I totally agree with Dolucassi that you should also replace all of the rubber bits because of the age of your car. Rubber does deteriorate over the years. I went through such a comprehensive rubber replacement with my W201 a couple of years ago. My bank account still won't speak to me but that's another story. Please continue to keep us posted on your progress and we'll continue to try to help you.