buzzk1ll

Here's the story:
Girl/Seller: I just got a newer benz and I gotta sell the old one.
Me: Great (since I need a beater)! Is it that '96 c220. I'll give you $500 for it no questions
Girl/Seller: Done deal.

A Month Later....
Me (while driving the car home): Oy vey... What have I done...? First things I notice, the paint is a perfect faded clear coat, gas gauge bounces from empty to full to 3/4 to empty, headliner (HAHAHA), sharing the drive with friendly ants.... But hey I can do an engine swap. After undercar review car has issues, but the body and panels have no rust. The car had lived in Arizona most of its life.

After researching this and other sites I discover the number one issue and yes I need a new engine harness. Hence the engine and tranny swap.

I just keep telling myself "it was $500" and the other half says "you get what you paid for."

I have budgeted half the funds for beer, bandaids, and a psychiatrist.

Here's to good times...

Here's the ol'girl

The ultra rare Faded Clear coat paint:


Cracked driver lens:


Trim shrinking. Anyone know how to recondition rubber trim like this (this one I am replacing)?


Driver side rocker panel and fender:


Flooring needs replacing: Links or leads for this would help


Headliner, previous owner attempted to paint it on. Also there's an extra plug where the overhead lights are. Any ideas?


Arizona sun:


The heart beats, but not for long. Thinking LSx something or Benz


How I see it ending up:

aquinob

You picked an appropriate user name, cause I'm afraid my two word response is "money pit". In pristine condition the car is worth what, 3-4k? (it does have over 200K on the clock, right?). Body work, engine, interior work? Go for something that has some life left in it and can be brought back without blowing a wad of cash and time. You will never see it back in terms of resale or miles on the road.

maksi

i totally agree.

C280 Sport

Yikes! Seats can be done over. Carpet may be able to bring back to clean with lots of chemicals and time. Headliner... you need the headliner. The body needs a paint job. New light needed. That clip molding may be able to be superglued down. Big project on your hads for sure. Hope it all works out for you

buzzk1ll

So update on the what I now call the "BluLyte Spechul." Like what I did there? Yes , very hip!

Well, thanks to this forum and Youtube University, I have begun cleaning it. Stripped the interior to find the smell. This Smell should get it's 10 part miniseries. Mixture of baked in cat urine, Dr. Pepper and 4yr old gel AirScents (yeah, they ultimately smell bad).

Recently found a 98 c280 at my local junk yard. It was only missing the radiator. Was able to get the entire interior trim, seats, door cards, gaskets. If it was inside, I got it and all for $200. I will have a future post with pics of parts I am selling since I was able to get some other parts.

This is what your car looks like naked.

Tip: When taking apart a car I use cardboard and masking tape. As I remove screws, bolts I plunge them through a piece of cardboard then run a piece of masking tape over them and name it with a sharpie.





Here is the carpet that came with the car. I junk yard carpet was worse. Notice those dark spots (you'd have to be blind, I get it) 1st brushed & vac'd, then pre-soaked in Amazing, rinsed, then applied Oxy-Clean paste. Looks great to me since it started as a black stain.

aquinob

You're an ambitious guy I'll give you that. So far so good, I never got the carpeting off, interesting to see what it looks like down to the floorboards. Good luck, keep the pix coming.

MB_Fahrer

This thread brings back many memories of my C220....none of which are all that good. I will agree that you're very ambitious! Subscribed for more!

danlnyc

looks like lots of fun!

BMWguy325is

You should *******ise it with a BMW engine LOL

buzzk1ll

One more day and more pieces coming together. Found out that baking soda fixes all.

Carpets are back in.


Headliner is done. How does one put the rearview mirror back? That spring is not springy.

buzzk1ll

You have no idea!

And making it better is a heat index of 100f and humidity around 80%.

aquinob

Looks good. Mirror is tough, push hard and twist, it will go in. You may want a little bit of grease on it to help. Headliner looks great. Have you done the c pillars yet? Love to see pix of those.

Bucs23

May I suggest fabric paint to cover up the carpet stains that would not come off?

Subscribed as well.

buzzk1ll

Thanks for the tip Bucs23. Aquinob, used the tip and mirror is back on. Thanks.

Another Saturday adding interior pieces. Not the greatest upgrades but in comparison to I had before it's an upgrade to me. Seat are in good condition, but they need to be repainted. All seats had a good rub down with Bag Balm. Real soft, but go easy. I am enjoying this but next time I'm going with BMW.

If you want to remove carpets. This is what I did.


Driver side with center console is in. Seats were from a 98 C280. I do have parts I will be posting for sale soon.


Okay, so this the rear deck and the thingy-ma-bobbers that go here broke. I really tried being gentle but they were too old and dried. Anyhow, how do I get some of these? What are they called and part numbers would really help.


Both front seats in. Notice the OLD door cards? No power switches. The seat is power, so next week I install the wire loom and swap door cards. Imaginary driver is ready to go.


Back seat is done and I have my imaginary kids buckled in.

jc1kz

WOW 3 kids...REALLY....I have a boy (age 2) and he is a handful!!!

Oh by the way your car is comming along great....

pinkfloydfan810

I love projects like those. Looks good now!

buzzk1ll

Afternoon everyone. I was able to pull some codes from the Climate COntrol. ANy help would be nice. What are they tied to and what do they mean. Thanks in advance.

I put the [ / ] separate the numbers I got on the 2nd time I checked or, as in the Engine codes, the first numbers didn't change.

CLimate Control
01 95
02 79/ 40
03 88/ 41
05 77
06 138/ 186/ 192
07 06*1
08 80
09 33
10 245
20 00
21 040
22 000
23 000
24 12.1
6A5
50 78
51 72
52 35
54 OFF


ENGINE
22.6
23.1/2/3
41.6/7/9
45.1/2/4/5/6/7/8

buzzk1ll

It has a been a while so here are some updates to the car. The interior from the 98 C280 is done. prefacelft doors are different. The door panels/cards are being he in place on rivets alone since the.

Also the window switches from the 98 are very different and cannot be used.

Before we do that though, just need some help with some questions.
1. Where is A/C location line so I can recharge the A/C?
2. Passenger now has power seat. I can adjust the driver and passenger seats with front doors open but if I close both no adjustment can be made. Only after we get the car moving can this be done. What gives?
3. WHat is the idle rev for a 96 c220?

Driver and left rear door need the wood replaced.



Passenger sides are good to go with functioning power seat.



Here is how the wiring started and the went on a diet then had to be rigged to get power.


Only needed the green and purple you see here from the donor harness. This is in my car.


These 2 wires, orange and green stripe are what powers the driver side and run to the fuse box. I just spliced to borrow juice when needed.


Blue and Black stripe wires are from the passenger side.


Here are the 4 plugs left of the harness I fished thru the door.


Until we meet again...

pinkfloydfan810

Any new updates?

buzzk1ll

Wow I forgot to update this thread. Well here goes...

I been busy with the holidays but recently I posted some parts for sale to fund this. Go here to view PARTS

Got the antenna fixed GO HERE

Also worked on the power mirror adjuster fixed and cleaned it. GO HERE

Just waiting for spark plugs, air, fuel, cabin, belt damper, child lock switch, and belly pan to say I am done.

Oh.... trying to get the bigger speakers into the doors.


Thennnnnnnnnnn done.

Thanks for checking... Everyone buy parts.

buzzk1ll

Wow I forgot to update this thread. Well here goes...

I been busy with the holidays but recently I posted some parts for sale to fund this. Go here to view PARTS

Got the antenna fixed GO HERE

Also worked on the power mirror adjuster fixed and cleaned it. GO HERE

Just waiting for spark plugs, air, fuel, cabin, belt damper, child lock switch, and belly pan to say I am done.

Oh.... trying to get the bigger speakers into the doors.


Thennnnnnnnnnn done.

Thanks for checking... Everyone buy parts.

pinkfloydfan810

Post some pictures of it when it's all done. I love that kinda stuff.

buzzk1ll

Currently working on the stereo. I have the stock tweeters and rear deck. The speakers pictured here are from the donor car. The do the job and at this point its what I need them for.

These go into the front doors. The passengers are a bit tougher but completed. Pics soon to follow.

aquinob

Very cool. Inside looks nice. What's the outside looking like?

buzzk1ll

Nothing done to the outside. That takes more money than I currently have.