Use this harness plug adapter instead of splicing into the original MB harness.... Just my 2cents.....

I just saw the photo of your oil change unit, and it helps me explain a question I have.
At the front of the engine, there is a black cover, and you can see a rad hose to the left side, and just below the cover.
Just above the rad hose, there are a couple of thin vacuum lines (I believe one is brown, and the other is white). that seem to feed into the back of the black cover. I noticed yesterday when I was under the hood, that the white vacuum line is not connected to anything, just an open tube end. There is nothing obvious as to where it connects. Can you pop your hood and give me an idea of where that line goes?
Thanks.

Here ya go. Sorry it took me a few days to remember to take the photo for ya.

I appreciate you taking the time to send the photo. I pulled off the cover to access the vacuum lines, and they just sort of crumbled from age and heat.
I did manage to replace them.
FYI, and not on any topic list, some AH clipped my drivers mirror last night going about 60 miles an hour, and the mirror shattered.
Needless to say, I was some pissed, but I just left it overnight to deal with in the morning.
Big surprise, as the chemical for the self dimming behind the mirror glass dripped down the door, and actually etched the clear coat. I spent 20 minutes with a power polisher to try and buff it out, and managed to get about 70% of it, but that is a powerful chemical. So if your mirror ever breaks, watch out......

I replaced both my mirrors with some used versions, I don't think the driver side is self dimming anymore. There was an extra connector to the mirror itself in addition to the heating and I figure that was probably for the dimming function. As it was, the connector crumbled when I pulled it off the mirror so it probably wasn't functioning. I can't say I ever noticed it dimming either. Gotta love these hit and run butt heads. Hopefully karma is a ***** for him.

good job!

i thoroughly enjoyed your DIY's on your ride.
please post some more documentations on the "resurrection" of your baby.

again, good job!

Hi aquinob,
I have been loving what you have been doing to you car! I was looking at putting a Magellan RoadMate 1700-LM in my C230. I am curious how did you attached it to your cigarette lighter? I have all so done a lot of work on my audio system. Did you know you have places about the side air conditioning vent for tweeters? I took mine out a while ago they're very small and hardly do anything.

Thanks for your help and work!

When I installed it I tapped into the power lines for the lighter and then made the connection and buried it in the console and ran the end of the connector wire out through a small hole in the little rubber tray. I also ran the connector for the video camera out that same way, makes for a very neat appearance.

BTW, I actually bought another of the LM1700 units for my truck to replace an old Lowrance unit that was having reliability issues. The lowrance used an external antenna and I had it pretty low in the cabin mounted on a RAM mount on the transmission hump. I wasnt sure the Magellan would do well that far down, especially since the truck does not have a sunroof, but its worked out very well picking up signal. I made an adapter plate to attach to the slide in mount that comes with the gps and then mounted the ram ball mount and it is all nice and steady and tight. These are nice units for the price (less than 100 bucks) and work well for backup camera video.

I just wanted to comment on this because I had removed my C230's headliner and then taken it to an upholstery shop to be redone. That metal frame was twisted when I pulled it out and I ended up scrapping it as a result.