Couln't be a more timely response. Thanks for the "Looks Great" now, I really want to paint the grill black, and I think I know how it comes apart. I bought all new chrome inserts for the slats for when it is black but here is the question:

What paint do you use on this type of material? Does it need to be sanded first, or just cleaned really well? Has anyone actually painted theirs, or did they buy a new black one?

I hope to get this done this weekend, so if there are good suggesitons I am open to them.

Thnaks

 

Painted mine. Really simple procedure.

Take it off the car, remove the chrome, clean it with a solvent or something (if you wish).

I sprayed it with Rustoleum High Temp Grill Paint in flat black. I did about 4-5 coats of this allowing for drying in between coats.

After that, I used Rustoleum clear finish. This was also around 4-5 coats.

 

Love the euros! I'd get them if I could use my headlight wipers.

 

I actually plan on reinstalling my wipers. Someone posted a teaser that you can swap them from left to right on the euros so they park correctly. I checked the pinouts and they are different, so I am going to see if i can reroute the entire harness to swap sides and make it work. If it does, i will post instructions and pictures.

 

So this is the big junk yard weekend for me. I grabbed all my tools and two hand carts, loaded it all up in the old Suburban and am going to hit as many places as I can. I will let everyone know all the goodies I find for the restoration.

 

Keep an eye open for any 400E's/E420 or late E320's (The ones with the big 4pot front brakes) as I am looking for some Lower control arms. Let me know if you see any and I'll try to go and get what I need. Nobody ever needs LCA's so not worried about it being gone. Got my trusty spring compressor too

 

I will watch out for them and the third brake light.

I may have to hit you up for that trusty spring compressor when I decide what lowering/wheel/shock combination I want to go with.

 

I'll be heading to the Wilmington places as well. Look for the tallest guy you've ever seen with a white 4ooE. LoL

Ps2cho- there is a 4ooE at the San Bernardino Pick-A-Part.......I've been to 8 places so far and that's the only 4ooE I've seen.

 

Ps2cho - no 400, 320, 420Es. I went to the two out in Stanton/Anaheim again and got some goodies, but not everything I wanted or needed. I will update later when I get it all out of the car and can snap some pictures.

 

So while I was in the Staton Pick-Your-Part dismantaling the interior of a poor 92 300E I saw two other 300Es in the parking lot. One was black with grey cladding, the other was blueish paint with some missing on the hood. Are you members here? Someone actually stopped by to chat but I was under a seat and not very chatty. I am curious who else haunts the junk yards.

 

Here are a couple of the goodies I grabbed ysterday. Does anyone know if the two wood pieces should look the same color? I also grabbed a new looking complete grill so I can paint it and swap so I don't have to worry about paint drying time or number of coats.

 

The center shifer piece I am going to attempt to refinish. I bought the stripper and clear finish. I have researched several other peoples threads on this and it seems like it just take extreme patience.

ps2cho - did you ever finish yours? Did you like how it came out? Do you have a final pic of it reinstalled?

 

I didn't...its in a box right now. I was having major issues getting the clearcoat to look half decent. The stain came out awesome, but the clearcoat was tough getting in flat on those small sections.

 

Ok so these two went into the car tonight ...



No more rough idle or hard starting !!!! best $4 I have ever spent.

 

I almost forgot ... i took apart the new grill I got and scrubbed the center insert. I am going to paint it black as soon as it dries completely so stay tuned.

 

Use plenty of coats as little rocks and stones will go through fast if you only do 1 or 2 coats. (personal experience).

 

I am planning on 5-6 coats of black and then 5-6 more of clear. Does that sound like enough?

This is kinda my experimental one, I plan to work out all the kinks this go around and then redo my insert with what I learn. I will drive with the new one in the mean time so I don't have a missing grill.

 

Sounds perfect.

As for the wood....the center piece USED to look like the other two you got, but the sun fades the color really bad. I can tell by the very bottom of it what the original color was because that section never gets hit by the sun. See how it has a far more rich orange instead of that faded "brown" the top has.

 

Yeah. I thought all of my wood looked pretty good, no major cracks or really bad marks ... until I brought that piece home and lined it up with the car. Now its all getting replaced.

If I can redo the wood correctly, I will replace all of mine with the new pieces and then redo my old wood for spare or sale.

We will see how it goes.

 

Grill update - disassembled, cleaned and first coat of paint on. Will post picks tomorrow.

Center wood - Cleaned, all plastic pieces removed (what a PITA!!) and ready for stripper. i will try that one tomorrow.

Car - running great now with a new (to me) ICV. New issue ABS light doesn't work in the dash ... wonder how long that hasn't worked?

 

Might just be the bulb. If it doesn't turn on when you put the key to accessories then the bulb's gone. They all should shine.

 

Its probably the bulb. It does not light up when you turn the key before you start the engine.

I am just wondering how long its been out ... I had the original style OVP in there that I just replaced, and it has never locked up the wheels on me, but it makes me wonder. The PO and the shop the car was at did some really funky things to this car before I owned it.

 

what is that other thing you picked up along side the ovp? and 4$!?! your kidding me!! haha and also how much was the grill around?

haha and funny story.. my abs light was on, so the last owner actually took the bulb out.. who knows whats going to happen if i get a new ovp ;p

 

The thing next to the OVP is the ICV (Idle Control Valve)

I had the hoses go bad that attach to it (they split in half) so after I replaced them it worked fine for awhile. When I started having hard-starting and bad idle issues again I checked the hoses, when those checked out I grabbed another vavle just to check and voila! it runs great now.

The grill was about $30 USD and I really just wanted it as a spare while I repair and paint mine. It has turned out to be my test run for my painting skills (which are not very good anymore). I will post some pics of the process tonight.

 

i need to go get a grill asap haha and maybe an icv as well... but im in LA no junkyards near here