1963 Mercedes Benz 190DC Fintail. On the road.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Thanks everyone.

Talked directly to the mechanic yesterday who was going to work on this and he promised me that they would put all old parts in a box for me so just have to trust that.

Gasket sets for wheel cylinders are available, but whether they fit is another matter. And I wouldn't trust the wheel cylinders if I had worked on them and I feel I can't expect the garage to do all the extra work to overhaul them.

The brakes worked well and I didn't get any comments on them at the MOT, but the problem is that the brake fluid needs to be changed and all the bleed nipples are completely rusted solid. So the thought process was now to just go through the brakes properly and not need to do anything more with them or worry about them for many years to come. But of course I messed this up.

And the cost is what it is, I just have to live with it. 

[riek]

Your determination to get things done properly is admirable. Do it right, do it once.

[artdjones]

34 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Thanks everyone.

Talked directly to the mechanic yesterday who was going to work on this and he promised me that they would put all old parts in a box for me so just have to trust that.

Gasket sets for wheel cylinders are available, but whether they fit is another matter. And I wouldn't trust the wheel cylinders if I had worked on them and I feel I can't expect the garage to do all the extra work to overhaul them.

The brakes worked well and I didn't get any comments on them at the MOT, but the problem is that the brake fluid needs to be changed and all the bleed nipples are completely rusted solid. So the thought process was now to just go through the brakes properly and not need to do anything more with them or worry about them for many years to come. But of course I messed this up.

And the cost is what it is, I just have to live with it. 

They look like standard cup seals so should be easily obtainable.

Overhauling a wheel cylinder shouldn't take long, even getting the nipples out if they are soaked overnight in diesel.

[Dyslexic Viking]

The mechanic called me just now and he has managed to loosen the rest of the bleed nipples and wondered what we should do with the front brakes and we decided that we will take them later since they work. 

And everything with the rear brakes is going well, it's just left to assemble them and testdrive.

[Jenson Velcro]

Great news and a sensible approach 

[juular]

1 hour ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

But of course I messed this up.

I don't think you messed anything up here. The raison d'etre of an old car is that it flings obstacles in your way at every step. You're doing the best anyone can do, which is to curse, get annoyed, but keep at it. 

Fingers crossed the brakes are now nearly sorted!

[Yoss]

17 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Thanks, and is not fair that I am complaing I see this and should stop as I am lucky to own this. It's just a bit much at the moment.

Getting the car back on the road will probably help my head a lot.

You're doing really well. We all have low points with cars where you wonder if it's all worth it but you end up learning to be patient. Everything always takes longer than you hope is the most important thing I've learnt over the years.

I once had a misfire on the Triumph and it ended up like this.

I took the head off hoping it would be the head gasket or a burnt  out valve. It turned out to be broken piston rings so the engine came out. So I thought while it was out I would fit the 1500 gearbox I had lying around as they are stronger than the original 1300 ones. So then the subframe came off because that too was slightly different for the 1500 , it had holes in for the an anti roll bar too which was a bonus. Then we started poking the body around and it turned out to be no where near as good as I thought it was. I'd owned the car about three years at this stage and it was all nice and shiny when I bought it but it had obviously been painted and you never know what that is hiding.

I'd bought a pair of inner wings some years before. I never thought I'd use them but they were something nice to have. But my friend who is a truly talented welder, painter and everything else said that would be the best way to go so the car ended up being chopped back to the front bulkhead. This all took place in my friends garage and at one point he wanted to go on holiday and my car was blocking the way of his caravan so he made an attachment between the subframe mounting points a big hand trolley he had lying around so we could move the car in this state.

 

It took a long time because my friend did it between other jobs and I then had to put it together in between trying to keep my other cars running which were also Triumphs or Landcrabs of a similar age.

It took over five years in the end and there were times I honestly thought it would never be finished. I would lie awake at night trying to put all the jobs I had to do on all the cars in to order of importance and think this is never going to get done but my friend had done such a good job on the bodywork (he put it back together far better than Triumph ever built it in the first place) that there was no going back.

I still own the car 25 years later (and 28 years in total) and whilst the paint has deteriorated again I know it is still one the best 1300s out there bodily and mechanically so it was worth it. I recently spent eight months rebuilding the gearbox but the time doesn't bother me any more. It'll get done when it gets done.

 

[Dyslexic Viking]

It is back!

I was lucky and got my favorite mechanic on this one and he did a great job from what I can see. He changed the wheel cylinders on both sides at the back and also had to replace the brake pipes on both sides. The brake shoes were in good condition so he did not change them. Fortunately, he also managed to loosen the stuck bleed nipples.

It pays to let the pros do some jobs, he spent under 3 hours I would probably have spent at least 3 days and had a miserable time while doing it. And this was not expensive either.

He cared so much that he not only put the old wheel cylinders in the car but also wrapped them in the wrapping paper the new ones came in and put them in the box the new ones came in.

So now this has also received new brake fluid and the only fluid in the car that has not been changed is the coolant and that is planned to be changed also.

They also got all defects from the MOT approved and removed the driving ban and I have only left to show it to the authorities for the seat situation and it is an MOT pass if it goes well. I have an appointment with them in 2 weeks.  So let's hope it goes well.

And it was fantastic to drive it again, this and everything positive that has happened today has done wonders for my mood and mind.

I also got the new brake connections covered in wax after I got it home, which should prevent them from rusting together.

 

So a good day this. And a big thank you to everyone here for help and encouragement I really appreciate it.

[artdjones]

https://www.niemoeller.de/en/w110/w110/B010/19

Sorry, forgot the parts link in the post above.

[DSdriver]

Where he has put used units in new packaging mark them as being used because when you find them again in 20 years time you will have forgotten that they are not new parts. Ask me how I know.

[juular]

48 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

It is back!

I was lucky and got my favorite mechanic on this one and he did a great job from what I can see. He changed the wheel cylinders on both sides at the back and also had to replace the brake pipes on both sides. The brake shoes were in good condition so he did not change them. Fortunately, he also managed to loosen the stuck bleed nipples.

It pays to let the pros do some jobs, he spent under 3 hours I would probably have spent at least 3 days and had a miserable time while doing it. And this was not expensive either.

He cared so much that he not only put the old wheel cylinders in the car but also wrapped them in the wrapping paper the new ones came in and put them in the box the new ones came in.

So now this has also received new brake fluid and the only fluid in the car that has not been changed is the coolant and that is planned to be changed also.

They also got all defects from the MOT approved and removed the driving ban and I have only left to show it to the authorities for the seat situation and it is an MOT pass if it goes well. I have an appointment with them in 2 weeks.  So let's hope it goes well.

And it was fantastic to drive it again, this and everything positive that has happened today has done wonders for my mood and mind.

I also got the new brake connections covered in wax after I got it home, which should prevent them from rusting together.

 

So a good day this. And a big thank you to everyone here for help and encouragement I really appreciate it.

Brilliant result. Has cheered me up no end as well!

[Dyslexic Viking]

4 minutes ago, DSdriver said:

Where he has put used units in new packaging mark them as being used because when you find them again in 20 years time you will have forgotten that they are not new parts. Ask me how I know.

Yes, I have marked them. I have also marked all the parts for this one, so I have everything under control.

[Rocket88]

20 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Yes, I have marked them. I have also marked all the parts for this one, so I have everything under control.

Heroic work….😄

[captain_70s]

54 minutes ago, DSdriver said:

Where he has put used units in new packaging mark them as being used because when you find them again in 20 years time you will have forgotten that they are not new parts. Ask me how I know.

My old Volvo 740 (F940 SRT) came with a boot full of spare bits. 95% of which was rusty junk that'd been put in the box of the replacement part - Which was now, also, rusty junk.

[DSdriver]

37 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

My old Volvo 740 (F940 SRT) came with a boot full of spare bits. 95% of which was rusty junk that'd been put in the box of the replacement part - Which was now, also, rusty junk.

Well that wasn't one of mine 😁

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, DSdriver said:

Where he has put used units in new packaging mark them as being used because when you find them again in 20 years time you will have forgotten that they are not new parts. Ask me how I know.

not as old as yow

 

[rusty_vw_man]

I think if you don’t fantasise about setting fire to  your car at some point you’re probably doing it wrong!! 

You have my sympathy, whenever I order ‘all’ the parts I need I always miss something, or something else that looked solid turns to dust when it’s touched! 

Great to see it on the move again, it’s a beautiful thing  

[somewhatfoolish]

5 hours ago, DSdriver said:

Where he has put used units in new packaging mark them as being used because when you find them again in 20 years time you will have forgotten that they are not new parts. Ask me how I know.

Even that's a bad idea; rebuild them with new seals, then put them away in the box. Otherwise it's the least enjoyable game of pass-the-parcel ever when you open the box to see a grubby rusty mess where there ought to be a spare ready to go.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Today is a perfect autumn day, so I took this for a good drive. And I don't know if I'm imagining this, but the brakes feel much better now with new brake fluid.

And the car ran perfectly.

[hairnet]

git

[Datsuncog]

Magnificent!

[JMotor]

Superb! 

Glad to see you've got drive it too.

[Dick Longbridge]

On 9/17/2023 at 11:32 AM, Dyslexic Viking said:

Today is a perfect autumn day, so I took this for a good drive. And I don't know if I'm imagining this, but the brakes feel much better now with new brake fluid.

And the car ran perfectly.

Fantastic to see the car back up and running again. Result!

[Rocket88]

If weather permits, use it as much as possible. All cars hate not being used, and develop weird faults just to spite you

[Dyslexic Viking]

There hasn't been much driving this week as the weather has been bad. But took this for a drive now and had it filled up with diesel. And that's probably what I can manage today as I'm in not feeling that good. 

It had done 413 km since the last diesel fill up and used 26.8 liters of diesel on that distance. Happy with that.

[Rocket88]

About 40 mpgees….. not bad!

[Dyslexic Viking]

24 minutes ago, Rocket88 said:

About 40 mpgees….. not bad!

Yeah, it's not bad. It is slightly higher than last time. And it probably has to do with a lot of idling in connection with the MOT and the tester and the mechanic who has driven it doesn't know it .

[Rocket88]

Secret of good economy in old diesels is to get into the sweet spot in the rev range….. and stay there…….

[Dyslexic Viking]

Noticed during the drive on Saturday that the fan belt started making noise and it turns out that the bushings I made for the altenator mount have now failed completely. So there is a lot of slack in the alternatormount now, I can't get this fixed before my appointment on Thursday so I have tightened the fan belt as much as I dare and that has helped and taken the slack out of the mount. Hope this can work for a bit.

I have also checked the tire pressure and it was low on all and one in particular so need to check it more often and that may be part of the reason for a slight increase in fuel consumption. I've taken this for a drive and tested the fan belt and it held together so hopefully it will on Thursday as well. Because in the early hours of Thursday morning, this and I have an appointment with the authorities for the deficiency from the MOT regarding the seating.

[Sham]