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Spike's Boxing Day Sales Merc


spike60

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On the run up to Christmas I went to see an old Merc, made an offer, got knocked back and received a text counter offer. Then on Boxing Day when I was in the area i texted back and we batted back and forth for a couple hours until he accepted my final offer.

 

This is it!

 

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It's a 1985 SEC 500 Lorinser, same family for 30 years, garaged for 20 years, off the road for 15 years but with a current MOT.

Yesterday I went up to collect it and had minor chew trying to tax it, but other than slightly sticky rear caliper

 had a pleasant run back for about 30 miles until......

 

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About halfway back it decided that was quite enough for it's first trip in years and I coasted onto a slip road off the A19, engine dead. 10 minutes of checking fuses etc brought nowt so for the first time ever I called the AA. The shame! The Traffic wombles appeared pronto and I got a call saying it was priority so would be uplifted with the hour. It was.

  When we got back the bugger started instantly and sat idling beautifully!

So this it

 

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It's got 120k, despite the badge is a 500, and is good original condition (I think), has minimal grot for a 34 year old car, is wet in the boot and rear footwell and has the central locking pump missing. 

I know nowt about Lorinser so I don't know if just wheels and a body kit or whether there's more to it, it's too low to drive onto my old ramps. I was told it was Lorinser from new and it has a matching spare, any info much appreciated.

 

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Proper AS colours inside though I'd prefer black myself!

 

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Working seat belt butlers, amusing for about 2 mins then a nuisance. God knows how they've survived.

 

Any thoughts on the cut out followed by refusal to restart then an hour later running fine are appreciated, at the mo I aim to replace pump relay, fuel pump and filter with pattern ones. Conking out not that much  of a surprise after it's long lie in.

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Oh that's hot as hell, r.e. the leak I'd be checking under the rear screen from the inside for rot.

 

Lorinser where one of the better Merc tarter uppers and the parts are quite valuable, steering wheel circa £300 i'd hazard a guess 

Thanks, I've had a 126 saloon so am aware of some of the rot bits. I've been there, got the T etc for anti roll mounts under the battery and wishbone(?) mounts inside the front arches. This looks fine inside the boot as did my saloon but you can only check so much on somebodies wet gravel drive. Still not been under it, it's too low for ramps etc.

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That steering wheel is heroically offensive, but is of a piece with the rest of the 1980s 'conspicuous consumption chic'. I'd start by whipping all the relays and fuses out, cleaning all the non-shiny bits until shiny then reinserting. This really needs to be accompanied with a double-brested suit(or a blazer with lairy buttons) and Gucci loafers. How much extra bunce did the captain of british industry who bought this shell out for the Lorinser bits over a standard ordinary SEC?

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