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Sorry for the belatedness of posting updates. I hit a bit of a snag as I wanted to use Bosch Quietcast rotors (for their corrosion resistance) at all 4 corners and used their online configurator to order them. Unfortunately, their tool recognized the C36 as a pedestrian C Class. So when it was time to put on the front rotors, we realized the 11.18in rotors would not replace the 12.6in rotors which were on the car. I also could not order rotors for a MY96 C36 as those rotors are different (unidirectional) and 12.44in in diameter.
I thought I could be a bit crafty and order the Bosch Quietcast rotors for the SL600 of that same year since this car was always advertised as being a homogolation withbthe SL600 contributing the brakes. Good news is the diameter was perfect but the bad news was the offset was too much and sat 0.25in proud in height over the rotors which were on the car.
So I ended up buying the OEM rotors from Mercedes (which are 3x the cost for that extra 1.42in of diameter) and getting them Nickel plated to resist corrosion everywhere but on the braking surface.
i also had the same issue with Akebono on the pads. What their tool had for front pads was for a single piston caliper while the C36 has 2.
As for other progress, the engine is getting pulled and a new insulation panel forward of the fire wall but behind the engine will go in (not before the engine bay is cleaned).
I have a new PC valve cover ready to go on as well as a new wiring harness. The MAF sensor plug wire seems to be degrading from so many heat cycles or a bad choice of materials so it will be replaced too.
You can see in the pictures the 18in Monoblocks and the Euro headlights which I think give the car some more character.
Thanks. It has been a fun process and a learning experience.
i purely am doing this restoration to enjoy as well as preserve the car. I believe this is historically significant with it being the first model sold in MB dealerships with the AMG touch. Before this, cars were bought and then taken to AMG for everything which was to be changed.
if you want to keep the car and pass it on, I think a restoration which addresses current shortcomings before they become permanent issues is warranted. Also keep in mind that more and more parts will become NLA over time so addressing mechanical issues will be important too.
Sorry for the belatedness of posting updates. I hit a bit of a snag as I wanted to use Bosch Quietcast rotors (for their corrosion resistance) at all 4 corners and used their online configurator to order them. Unfortunately, their tool recognized the C36 as a pedestrian C Class. So when it was time to put on the front rotors, we realized the 11.18in rotors would not replace the 12.6in rotors which were on the car. I also could not order rotors for a MY96 C36 as those rotors are different (unidirectional) and 12.44in in diameter.
I thought I could be a bit crafty and order the Bosch Quietcast rotors for the SL600 of that same year since this car was always advertised as being a homogolation withbthe SL600 contributing the brakes. Good news is the diameter was perfect but the bad news was the offset was too much and sat 0.25in proud in height over the rotors which were on the car.
So I ended up buying the OEM rotors from Mercedes (which are 3x the cost for that extra 1.42in of diameter) and getting them Nickel plated to resist corrosion everywhere but on the braking surface.
What an encouraging restoration! Bravo! You are certainly looking over every detail. BTW - did you also paint the hood release lever satin black to match the grille? ;-)
Question about the brakes - If Bosch QuietCast rotors were unavailable, was Zimmerman Coat Z available? FWIW I use Zimmerman Coat Z and have found the coating on the rotor hats and the edges of the rotors to be quite satisfactory, if not as nice as nickel plating.
May I ask - who does the nickel plating? And are you using Renewed Finishes for the PC on the brake calipers?
Thank you so much. It has been a really fun project to undertake in which the results come together right in front of me. Yes, the hood release lever was also painted. When you go to this level, you go all the way! ;-)
On to your questions:
The Zimmerman Coat Z rotors were not available for the 95 MY. Much like other parts on the car, 95 was a unique configuration to the 3 year run. The first year C36 had directional 12.6in rotors while the 96 & 97 MYs had unidirectional 12.44in. In this case, the only option was to go with OEM rotors and get them nickel plated.
On the nickel plating, any shop which does chrome plating should be able to do nickel plating as in the process of chroming a part, it must first be nickel plated before moving on to chroming. I actually found a small company which nickel plates parts for rockets and satellites in the aerospace industry. They were very accommodating and appreciated what I was trying to do. I've now done 3 complete sets of rotors with them,
The brake calipers were done by Renewed Finishes. They paid particular attention to the embossed AMG logo to ensure it would not lose its edges when the PC was applied.
Sorry I have been quiet for a bit. The restoration took a bit of a hiatus due to unforeseen circumstances. The good news is that the car is almost completely restored!
The latest work surrounds the motor. I had the motor pulled in order to (a) service it (vacuum lines, plugs, gaskets, seals, tensioner, belts, etc.), clean the motor itself as this presents 360 degree access to all of the areas, and (c) clean up under the bonnet before the motor goes back in.
I had some picture taken so show the condition of the motor prior to servicing and they are impressive.
This car moved from left coast to right coast and is currently getting restored including sanding and a "windows out" repaint in the Imperial Red color and an acrylic clear coat. All exterior hard bits (i.e. handles, nozzles, window trim, etc.) are being replaced with new OEM parts.
This is a one owner car which lived in the Pacific Northwest before moving to Northern California. The 55K miles on the odometer are correct and there is no evidence of accidents. The shop handling the repaint indicate there is no rust anywhere on this example.
Interior wise, the car exhibits the cracking on the wood but no wear anywhere else on the interior except the parcel shelf which is being replaced.. The radio is going back to Becker to be serviced and get a new Radio Card to go along with the manuals in the owner's pouch.
When this car is complete, it will look and be original as it did when it rolled off the assembly line (except with 18" Monoblocks, Euro headlights, and W202 late model taillights).
Bump
Hey so about your Becker radio....my 98 c43 has one that looks the same but Im not sure weather its Bose or Becker. I guess Ill have to pull it.
Can you shed more detail on what exactly they did to restore it and the cost?
Why not just buy a used one in good shape? Its not like they are tied to the vin...
Hey so about your Becker radio....my 98 c43 has one that looks the same but Im not sure weather its Bose or Becker. I guess Ill have to pull it.
Can you shed more detail on what exactly they did to restore it and the cost?
Why not just buy a used one in good shape? Its not like they are tied to the vin...
I believe MB moved to Bose starting in 96 with the C36 so your C43 should be Bose through and through. Becker Autosound recertifies the radio as well as cleans it. Radios delivered with MB cars have an antitheft code which can be retrieved by Mercedes by calling their customer assistance number and providing the last 8 digits of the cars VIN. If you replace the radio, the code which unlocks that radio you will need to have (and store in a safe place).
I believe MB moved to Bose starting in 96 with the C36 so your C43 should be Bose through and through. Becker Autosound recertifies the radio as well as cleans it. Radios delivered with MB cars have an antitheft code which can be retrieved by Mercedes by calling their customer assistance number and providing the last 8 digits of the cars VIN. If you replace the radio, the code which unlocks that radio you will need to have (and store in a safe place).
Yeah but there are decoding programs you can download to generate the code
Yes. Thanks for asking . There are a few updates. The engine has been thoroughly gone through and the valve cover was replaced by another one which I had properly prepped and repainted. Apparently, the magnesium alloy MB originally used is very porous and, if not prepped properly, will blister under a number of heat cycles. The new one was put on along with a new gasket.
The wiring harness was trash due to the age and MB using biodegradable materials. After my efforts to politely ask MB to build a new one (since they are NLA and year specific - no C36 wiring harness is forward or backwards compatible with another year’s C36) as well as appealing to Tobias Moers (CEO of AMG) to not let a car with this historical significance to AMG fall into disrepair, I had one built by a guy who builds harnesses for F1 cars take up the task. He sourced all new bits from Delphi and Bosch for the ends and then replaced all of the wiring. Not a cheap undertaking by any stretch but probably the last harness this car will ever need.
Lastly, while the engine bay was being cleaned up (the engine will also be cleaned before being put back in), we saw the transmission tunnel insulation was looking a bit rough due to age. We sourced a new one from Germany which will be here this week. FYI - At the time of this post there are now 27 left before this part becomes NLA.
I expect the car will be finally back together in November. After that, it will be off to get the entire front clip covered with a clear bra and then put UV blocking tint like 3M Crystalline which will darken the windows every so slightly but not look tinted.
It looks good for an antique plate registration on 1 January when it turns 25.
Im curious whether MB has gotten back to you at all??
Feel free to share more pictures.
MB did get back to me through an executive escalation center. The first time they said they would check to see if there were any in the company (I knew that answer), the second time they said I should contact Rhode Island Wiring Service (who I called and they laughed that the newest cars they worked on were 1955 - not 1995), and then the final time MB recommended I reach out to RestoreYourMercedes.com as they have a video on the home page showing a C36 upper wiring harness being rebuilt. I spoke with Victor at RestoreYourMercedes and his response was “I can do it but it is not worth my time as it takes so long to recreate these. It will cost $3000-$3500.”
Thanks for the updates Ntrepid. Loving what you're doing here. Did you just sell the black C36 on BaT?
Who is the guy who did your harness? Mine (original!) is still fine but I'm curious.
I just got a clear "tint" on my C36 as I also wanted to protect the interior from UV/IR/etc. I ended up going with Autobahn Air Ceramic 80. Pretty much undetectable which is what I wanted I chose that brand because it is what the best local shop carries; I'm sure you can't go wrong with 3M.
Also, who revalved your Bilstein shocks? When I asked Bilstein (America) about doing it about a month ago I got this response:
Unfortunately we do not service original equipment shocks. We only service aftermarket components. You may want to reach out to these general shock rebuilders who may be able to assist with servicing your OE Mercedes shocks:
Thanks for the updates Ntrepid. Loving what you're doing here. Did you just sell the black C36 on BaT?
Who is the guy who did your harness? Mine (original!) is still fine but I'm curious.
I just got a clear "tint" on my C36 as I also wanted to protect the interior from UV/IR/etc. I ended up going with Autobahn Air Ceramic 80. Pretty much undetectable which is what I wanted I chose that brand because it is what the best local shop carries; I'm sure you can't go wrong with 3M.
Also, who revalved your Bilstein shocks? When I asked Bilstein (America) about doing it about a month ago I got this response:
Unfortunately we do not service original equipment shocks. We only service aftermarket components. You may want to reach out to these general shock rebuilders who may be able to assist with servicing your OE Mercedes shocks:
The harness was done by Blue Ridge Mercedes (https://blueridgemb.com). The process was pretty tedious and all new connectors were ordered. If you need a 1995 harness, they have the schematic based on mine to build you another. Might be a good insurance plan.
Bilstein did the work. It was not as simple as filling out the form and sending it in. I actually called and spoke to someone and explained these were Bilstein. That seemed to do the trick. I’m not sure if they have changed anything since I had mine done.
The harness was done by Blue Ridge Mercedes (https://blueridgemb.com). The process was pretty tedious and all new connectors were ordered. If you need a 1995 harness, they have the schematic based on mine to build you another. Might be a good insurance plan.
Bilstein did the work. It was not as simple as filling out the form and sending it in. I actually called and spoke to someone and explained these were Bilstein. That seemed to do the trick. I’m not sure if they have changed anything since I had mine done.
I talked to bilstein, they confirmed that they stopped rebuilding oe shocks, even bilstein ones, in the last couple years. I think I will look into deltavee doing it.
I guess another option is getting oe C280 sport package rear shocks. I know the spec is a bit different but probably pretty darn close, no?
Man I still cant get over the fact that I was on my way driving to get this car with cash in hand and the seller texted me he sold it even tho I told him Id be coming down.
He was kind of a difficult guy to deal with.
I would have owned two red w202s now.
Either way its in as good of hands as it can be in seems like.
Thanks for the updates Ntrepid. Loving what you're doing here. Did you just sell the black C36 on BaT?
Who is the guy who did your harness? Mine (original!) is still fine but I'm curious.
I just got a clear "tint" on my C36 as I also wanted to protect the interior from UV/IR/etc. I ended up going with Autobahn Air Ceramic 80. Pretty much undetectable which is what I wanted I chose that brand because it is what the best local shop carries; I'm sure you can't go wrong with 3M.
Also, who revalved your Bilstein shocks? When I asked Bilstein (America) about doing it about a month ago I got this response:
Unfortunately we do not service original equipment shocks. We only service aftermarket components. You may want to reach out to these general shock rebuilders who may be able to assist with servicing your OE Mercedes shocks:
The C36 world is a small one. I’m the seller of that black C36 and as stated in the comment thread, I’ll be doing a similar resto on a red ‘95. It’s getting dropped off at paint next week.
Ntrepid: great to see I’m not the only one seeing the future potential of these. Check your PM.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
I chose that brand because it is what the best local shop carries; I'm sure you can't go wrong with 3M.
