October The official Mercedes-Benz Club Founded In this month s issue. AMG Day Spain and Portugal Rally W124 W124 heater regulator

Transcription

1 Gazette October 2017 The official Mercedes-Benz Club Founded 1952 In this month s issue AMG Day Spain and Portugal Rally W124 W124 heater regulator

2 Board of Directors Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Ian Keers OBE Vice Chair, Membership Services and Events Director Rosemarie Maslin Finance and Internet Services Director Kenny Ooi Company Secretary Phil Greaves Technical Director Jeremy Stevens Regional Development Director Trevor Mitchell Club Services Director Tony De Frates Marketing Director Michael Morrison Correspondence for Club Directors should be sent to: The Mercedes-Benz Club, PO Box 284, Stamford PE9 9BY Honorary President: Rob Halloway Honorary Life Vice-Presidents Tina Bellamy, Erika Gupwell, Jacqueline White, Roger King, Vic Harris, Chris Cloke, Nicky Porter and Michael Chapman Founder R H Johnson Past Presidents G C Monkhouse ( ), Interregnum, Roger King ( ), Tina Bellamy ( ), Interregnum, John Surtees CBE ( ) Past Chairmen C W E Kerr ( ), A J Ray Whiteway ( ), John Barley ( ), Gerald Coward ( ), Dr Herbert Ochs (1982), Roger King ( ), Jacqueline White ( ), Mike Powell ( ) Mercedes-Benz Silver Star Winners Ron Cushway (deceased), Tina Bellamy, Roger King, Gordon Hoey (deceased), Jacqueline White, Maurice Stapleton (deceased), Vic Harris, Mike Powell (deceased) and Steve Emeny. This is a rarely made award from the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart to club officers who have made a particularly long and distinguished contribution to their club. Member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs The RNLI is the Mercedes- Benz Club s adopted charity The Good Garage Guide and contact details for all Club Officials can be found in the Club Directory distributed with this Gazette. The password for access to the Members pages of the Club website is no longer required as this is now controlled by membership number. Advice and recommendations in the Gazette are given in good faith by the authors concerned, but neither they nor the Mercedes-Benz Club Ltd will accept responsibility for any direct or consequential loss or damage resulting from persons acting on such advice or recommendations. Reproduction of any part or whole of this magazine is prohibited, unless written permission has been obtained from the Editor. Gazette copy dates December October 13 January 2018 November 17 Published by the Mercedes-Benz Club Ltd Editorial Office: Chris Bass PO Box 284, Stamford PE9 9BY Tel: chris.bass@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk Advertising, Design and Production: Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton Gloucestershire. GL2 9LN Tel: ads@hinemarketing.co.uk Gazette distribution queries: Catherine Barlow, PO Box 284, Stamford PE9 9BY Tel: (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) catherine.barlow@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk 22 4 ClubPubMeetings 4 DiaryDates 7 News&Views 13 YourLetters 22 ViewPoint 25 ClubShop Features 26 Car of the month 27 From deep in the Archive 29 Rob writes AMG Day 32 BTCC 35 F1 news 36 Club trip to Spain and Portugal 41 With an SL320 to Portugal 44 Techno-Classica, Essen part two TechnicalCorner 46 W124 heater blower regulator replacement 49 Spares register 50 RegionalReports 72 NewMembers Membership benefits First ever Mercedes-Benz Club founded 1952 Only UK club recognised by Mercedes-Benz Monthly Gazette Technical support Free access to the Mercedes-Benz Electronic Parts Catalogue and Workshop Information Service Discounted insurance Club shop Special notices 73 Back numbers 77 CarsforSale Contents 44 Local, national and international events Discounts from many MB dealers Members website forum Free subscription to Mercedes-Benz Classic magazine Discounts from parts suppliers Discounts from hotels and ferry operators Unique archive of photos, brochures and technical literature For membership and general enquiries telephone , (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) or see OCTOBER

3 News&Views Former Club car wins at Pebble Beach A car that was owned by the Club s founding Patron and then re-bodied and raced by one of its great unsung heroes has won this year s Pebble Beach Concours the event seen by many to be at the pinnacle in its field. There would appear to be some confusion over the car s exact identity however. Pebble Beach s website describes it as a 1929 S once owned by Earl Howe. However it would in fact seem to be a /220, which was indeed owned by the Club s first Patron, Earl Howe. The confusion might have arisen because Howe owned two similar cars. The one shown here was soon sold to H E Jack Rohll who basically ran the Club for many years after its Founder, Ronald Johnson, handed over the reins. The other car was a /250 which Howe kept and used, both on and off race tracks, for many years. You can read more about these two outstanding Club Members and the concours-winning car in From deep in the Archive. Chris Bass The winning Mercedes photo courtesy of Pebble Beach. Concours of the future? Also on show at Pebble Beach was the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 cabriolet, said to define the ultimate in luxury of the future and pay homage to the glorious automotive haute couture of hand-finished, exclusive cabriolets. Designed as an electric car, it has 550kW (750hp) power unit with a range of over 200 miles. Vision 6. These badges can be supplied with either provision for mounting on a bar or on a grille. Car badges Car badges are available from the Membership Office. They come in two types grille or bar fixing and are approximately three inches (76.2mm) in diameter plus the base for the bar version. The badges come with fittings enabling them to be mounted on most radiator grilles. The bar type require a clamp to affix the badge to a bar (not supplied). The cost is 25 for either type. These prices include postage and packaging. Please specify your car model when ordering. To order your badge please contact Catherine Barlow on or catherine.barlow@mercedes-benzclub.co.uk Tony De Frates Insurance matters The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 cabriolet was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d Elegance event in California and has exposed what the manufacturer has in store for car fans. The sleek design resembles a luxurious speedboat, but is powered by four battery-operated motors. Modern features include a voicecommanded concierge, digital displays, touch-sensitive controls and an interactive calendar that links with a mapping function. Yet, Mercedes has decided to keep real needles for the gauges in the dashboard. It is nearly six metres (19 feet, six inches) in length, of which at least a third is the massive bonnet before you get to the plush white leather interior with rose gold trim. Many drivers are now calling for affordable electric cars to help save the planet, but it will be interesting to see what this cabriolet sells for. Tesla is currently regarded as the leader in the electric car market, but it looks like Mercedes-Benz is set to give Elon Musk a run for his money if this wonderful Maybach is anything to go by. Insurance companies are also keeping an eye on the future, with Adrian Flux casting its eye even further ahead than Doctor Who by creating a policy for driverless cars. Whilst we are some distance from these becoming a regular occurrence on the roads, Mercedes may have struck the perfect balance of new and old with this cabriolet. This Maybach has wooden flooring and finishes in its boot and the bonnet and the exterior is painted in nautical blue metallic. OCTOBER

4 GLC63 4-Matic+ GLC63 coupé and SUV. The Mercedes-AMG GLC63 4-Matic+ is now available to order, with prices starting from 68,920. The more powerful S variant costs 75,670. As well as the SUV model, a coupé is also available for 71,410, with its S model at 78,160. All models come with a four-litre bi-turbo V8 petrol engine mated to an AMG Speedshift MCT nine-speed sports transmission as standard. Non-S variants produce 476hp and 650Nm of torque and can sprint from nought to 62mph in just four seconds. The S models an output of 510hp and 700Nm and can reach 62mph in 3.8 seconds. All models have an electronically limited top speed of 155mph, although this can be increased to 167mph or 174 mph (S). Standard specification includes a high-performance braking system, sports suspension, a mechanical rear axle differential lock, Comand on-line, sports seats with leather upholstery, ambient lighting, a memory package for the front seats, steering wheel and exterior mirrors and 19-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels in titanium grey. S variants add 20-inch, five-twin-spoke wheels, performance seats, a Track Pace app and an electronic rear axle differential lock. Also available is the Edition 1 at 90,824 ( 93,219 for the coupé). This comes with selenite grey magno paint with yellow decals, ceramic brakes, a performance exhaust, 21-inch crossspoked wheels in black with yellow rims, a Burmester sound system, performance seats with a diamond design and contrasting yellow stitching, a Night package and a Keyless-Go Comfort package. Some of the Edition 1 equipment is available as options on the other models. News&Views Kim Colls It is my sad duty to report the untimely death of Kim Colls on August 18 following a long illness, bravely fought. At car shows Kim was normally to be found at her husband Mike s side supporting him in his work running the Club Shop and her untimely death will be deeply felt. We send our heartfelt sympathy to Mike, their family and friends at this very sad time. Tony De Frates, Director Club Services New Model Register Captain I am very pleased to announce that Clive Henderson has been appointed as the new Model Register Captain for the R129 SL. This is a very popular model both in and outside of our Club and is now a rising star, as was its older brother the R107 SL. Clive is already a very popular and well respected Club Official and I am sure he will carry the R129 well into the future for the benefit of us all. I am also sure everyone will give him the help and encouragement he requires in this new role. If you own an R129, are looking to buy one or perhaps you just have a question about it, Clive can be contacted via clive.henderson@mercedesbenz-club.co.uk Red Mackinnon, Model Register Co-ordinator Book reviews Rudolf Uhlenhaut Engineer and Gentleman Father of the Mercedes 300SL by Wolfgang Scheller and Thomas Pollak, published by Dalton Watson ( ISBN , (free shipping). I always like to think that Rudi Uhlenhaut was the real power behind Mercedes-Benz s great racing successes in the 1930s and 50s, the 300SL Gullwing super-car and the later innovations that made the marque its industry leader and that of course he was, essentially, English. As this book reveals he wasn t very English. His mother was but Rudi only spent the first eight years of his life here but those are the formative years and that he retained strong bond with the country was revealed by his work with the British forces in Germany at the end of the Second World War. And whilst he was undoubtedly instrumental in the activities of Mercedes-Benz I have mentioned, he seems to be someone who didn t want to be seen as a leader, very much a team player. However, his abilities must have been exceptional because only five years after joining the company he was Technical Head of the Racing Department. Uhlenhaut s self-effacing nature and his clear desire not to seek personal publicity has made this book hard work for its authors. They have clearly conducted very thorough research and the text has been carefully translated. Over 208 large format pages 296 photos have been included and in places these seem to have been used in place of text just because the subject kept himself to himself. As far as I am aware this is the first book on Uhlenhaut and it is a fascinating read. Mercedes-Benz SL & SLC 107 Series 1971 to 1989 by Brian Long, published by Veloce ( ISBN First published in 2010, it is perhaps a measure of its usefulness that this book has now been reprinted. As I said in my original review, it is a comprehensive, well illustrated chronicle of the development, production life, specifications and marketing of these long-lived models across the globe. If you are restoring, maintaining or considering buying one of these cars it would be a very useful asset. Chris Bass OCTOBER

5 The opinions expressed are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect Club policy. The Editor reserves the right to edit letters if necessary. They should be sent to the editorial office at 2 Riverside Close, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey GU24 0AP or chris.bass@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk Letter of the Month As a thank you (and as an incentive for even greater efforts) we like to choose a letter of the month. Meguiar s have kindly agreed to sponsor this and the Member whose letter is selected receives a Wash & Wax car care kit. BTCC Dear Chris, The August 13 British Touring Car Championship meeting at Knockhill saw me make the journey over from the west coast of Scotland to watch my first BTCC race; and I wasn t disappointed. Although one of the shorter tracks that host the championship, Knockhill does not fail to deliver the setting of the track commands views from the Trossachs across to Edinburgh, something which I m sure the competitors were not admiring as they constantly jostled for position and fought for the quickest line. The whole BTCC circus is an exciting and colourful spectacle but my allegiances naturally lay with the two A-Class cars, driven by Adam Morgan and Aiden Moffatt. Adam s car was easily identifiable in red with the MAC Tools logo prominent, whilst Aiden s Laser Tools sponsored car provided flashes of electric blue as it tore past. The second race of three ended in disappointment for Adam as his A-Class began to fall behind trailing a plume of blue smoke, to finally expire at the bottom of the circuit. The commentator announced Adam s retirement due to a steering pump failure. Despite the frustration no doubt felt by Adam, his skill at the wheel had not been found wanting. Other drivers were not so adept, with the race being held up at one point due to a massive shunt, a total of 10 cars failing to finish. Between races it was possible to walk amongst the racing team garages and witness the skill of the engineers in getting the cars ready for the next race with no more than 90 minutes to perform miracles. Adam s car received a replacement steering pump whilst Aiden s benefited from the replacement of its front braking components. I take my hat off to the engineers working under such a tight time constraint, all this with enthusiasts crowding around the garages and invited guests of the sponsors getting under their feet. The final race was again riven with accidents and the ensuing interventions of the safety car, but nonetheless both Mercedes drivers excelled and clawed their way up the field with Aiden battling against the Honda Civic of Matt Simpson whilst Adam ground his way past Brett Smith to challenge his ICD team-mate Jack Goff. An absolutely thrilling finale. Prior to my visit to Knockhill my interest in motor sport rested at banger racing level, but the thrill of watching the BTCC has given me a different perspective and perhaps now I ll do more than skim-read Paul Kelly s Gazette contributions. The BTCC teams demonstrate the meaning of the word team, all equally important and all working together to get their driver on to the podium. If the BTCC circus rolls into your town I thoroughly recommend that you pay it a visit and get behind Adam and Aiden by cheering them up the grid. Chris Phelan, via The Ciceley Motorsport team at work on Adam Morgan s......and Aiden Moffatt s cars at Knockhill. YourLetters Waxstock 2017 John Cummings with his awards and SLK. Dear Chris, This has been an extraordinary year for me thus far, full of mixed emotions and, as each week passes, ever busier and as good, if not better than the last! Some may recall that I was on Cloud Nine after my first visit to Essen and Germany earlier this year, and following the terrible attacks in Manchester and London, the very same weekends that I was attending and enjoying the SLK Day at Gaydon and the AMG Anniversary at Mercedes-Benz World, I find that I am again on Cloud Nine for the second time! This is due to an unexpected success at the Ricoh Arena Coventry in Waxstock 2017, Europe s premier detailing show. After two days of being judged by the professional judges I made it to the top 16 on the Saturday and on Sunday, came third overall, winning a trophy and trade products to a value around 100! Needless to say, I am feeling on top of the world winning this trophy, but the main reason I am writing is to thank the many Members for their messages of congratulations and support, I stopped counting when they passed over 100, and they still continue everywhere I go! The other clubs I am involved with from the UK, Italy and Germany, plus my Facebook page, have responded similarly, but I have been a Member of this Club for the longest and it is the dearest to my heart. John Cummings, Manchester 30-year warranty Dear Chris, Is this worth raising in the Gazette? I have a friend who lives in Spain and was recently diagnosed with dementia. She bought from me in May 2004 [when Eamonn was working at a Mercedes-Benz dealership] a CLK500 Elegance convertible in special paint (chalcedony blue) with almost every option costing over 50,000. The car has covered just 27,000 miles and has been stored in an underground car park from day one. Around 18 months ago I took it for a drive (which I have done to keep the battery charged and so on). After the drive I took it for cleaning and dried off the drip marks to find a line of rust coming through at the bottom of the passenger door. I took the car back to MB Hertford who basically said, Forget it as they [MBUK] no longer honour such things. The car has been serviced when notified by the in-car indicator, but Mercedes says it hasn t an uninterrupted history. Any views or suggestions on how I might get some action, surely always garaged and with only 27,000 miles this shouldn t be right? In my dealership days I saw many old E-Class saloons with rusting boot lock surrounds repaired without question. Please advise if you can. Kind regards, Eamonn Dempsey, via Editor s note: This is really a matter for MBUK. I would suggest Eamonn ensures it has been properly brought to the company s attention and not, perhaps, just dismissed by a dealer employee who doesn t want to take the trouble to follow it up. OCTOBER

6 Some of the cars on our Club stand. A beautiful day at the Stamford Classic Car Show. ViewPoint by Ian Keers Give me a brake! I am a great believer in preventative maintenance and not being stranded at the side of the road in a car that is failing to proceed, in fact, throughout all my Mercedes cars, classic and modern, I can only think of two occasions when this has happened and one of them was due to a faulty after-market immobiliser system on an R107 SL, so not a Mercedes fault as such. My first venture into classic cars of any kind was with a S Fintail which I bought with much naivety in It had bits missing, the brakes juddered and pulled sharply to the left, the steering was all over the place, but I just thought this was how all old cars felt to drive and in any case I was far more impressed with the white steering wheel! It was the owner of a very wellknown independent Mercedes specialist who informed me (whilst presenting me with a hefty bill), that in fact, with correct maintenance, classic cars could be made to drive and operate as they did when new and, furthermore, the only way to truly enjoy classic cars is to have complete faith and confidence in them. When you have that confidence you can take them anywhere and enjoy them. He was of course, absolutely right! Mind you, getting them to that point can be a lengthy and costly process, but once arrived at, preventative maintenance should hold the car there. The only slight drawback to a preventative maintenance culture is that sometimes it can take you into areas of unexpected expenditure, which is what happened to me recently. It was the turn of my 500SEC to have its annual service, there were no known faults, so the plan was to do an oil and filter change, air filter, new plugs and a check round everywhere with wheels off and the car on axle stands. Now, before I describe what transpired, I must explain my attitude to this car. My best cars, the 450SEL 6.9 and 300SEL 6.3, are pampered and get the best of everything, but I regard my pleasantly scruffy 500SEC as a cooking classic and, whilst I want it to run well, it only gets essential expenditure, Halfords own brand oil etc, so I was a bit dismayed when Doug s careful checking revealed a problem I was unaware of. He did all the top-side work first and then jacked the car up and put it on axle stands, but when removing the front offside wheel he noticed it was binding quite a bit. He tried to force the calliper pistons back and whilst one moved the other was firmly seized and refused to budge. His inspection also revealed that the front flexible brake hoses were looking well past their sell-by date too. Everything else passed inspection and we took the car out on road test and whilst everything felt OK to me, the offside front wheel was hot to the touch when we got back, a calliper refurbishment was the only answer, so back on axle stands and the calliper was off. Calliper refurbishment There are several companies offering this service but I had heard very good reports about Bigg Red in Worcester, in fact they are listed in the Club Directory and offer a 10 per cent discount to Members, so I rang them. They quoted less 10 per cent for a complete overhaul and re-paint in my choice of colour (special finishes cost extra) and a two-to-three-day turnaround, which I thought was very reasonable. You can post your callipers to them and they charge 9.90 for return postage, but I decided to have a run over to Worcester and drop mine in. I then ordered new front flexible brake hoses from Mercedes. A couple of days later I received a call to say the calliper was ready and went over to pick it up. I had asked for a simple matt black finish as the callipers on my car 22 OCTOBER

7 Available from the Club website Post and packing is not included in the prices shown More detailed clothing descriptions, sizes and colours shown on the website ClubShop Baseball caps in navy, black, red, burgundy or bottle green with silver Club logo Keyrings from 5.00 Club sweater, now in Burgundy plus other colours Softshell jacket in various colours Barrel bag in various colours Lightweight team jacket in navy or black Padded body-warmer with Club logo Athleisure Gymsac in various colours Gazette binder 11 Buy on the Club website Visit our Club website shop where all items can be viewed. Orders can now be made via the site with payment by credit card or cheque. Log onto the Club website and start shopping the easy way. Please make cheques payable to Mike Colls. All orders will be despatched within 14 days, if there is a problem we will contact you. Post and packing is not included in the prices given above. Goods found to be faulty through design flaws or postage damage will be replaced free of charge. Contact details Mike Colls To order please ring If we are unable to answer the phone, please leave a message on the answer-phone and we will call you back. The address is sales@mercedes-benz-club-shop.co.uk Sorry, but due to bank charges, we have had to introduce a minimum order value of Coolplus polo in long or short sleeves, ladies or gents in various colours OCTOBER

8 Car of the month Anthony Morris s 190D Anthony writes: XNT 211 is a Young Classic of 25 years, first registered in November I purchased it in January 1994 when the mileage was 24,561. It s now on 193,000 miles and, would you believe, still with its original clutch. The second battery and exhaust system, fitted 17 years ago, are still in good shape with exceptional mileages, exceeding 108,000 and 105,000 respectively. I am so pleased with this car. It has proven to be truly remarkable, hard-working and reliable. It was built with quality. The seats have plenty of room in the back and the ride is very quiet and comfortable. It is always a pleasure to drive and extremely economical. In 23 years of ownership I have kept a logbook recording every item of expenditure. The costs (excluding insurance and road tax) over 168,500 miles are diesel 14,000, service and parts 16,000, bodywork 1,700, tyres 1,400 and MoT tests 600, making a total of 33,700. This equates to running costs per mile of 20p or, including depreciation 28.9p. Fuel consumption (16,117 litres or 3,576 gallons) has been 47.12mpg. Sandown in Poole (previously Jacksons) has always serviced my car and their Platinum Elite Programme for owners of Mercedes over nine years old is a tremendous benefit in keeping costs down. Labour is discounted by 40 per cent, stocked parts by 15 per cent and MoT tests are just 10. XNT owes me nothing. It s reliability in all weathers has been extremely comforting. I have looked after it over many years and it has in return looked after me and my passengers, taking us wherever Quickly Quietly and Comfortably an expression used by my Police Driving Instructor when I took the Advanced Driving Test. XNT cost me 15,000. I believe the purchase price new was about 19,000. A friend tried to advise me to buy a new Vauxhall Cavalier a popular car at the time. I m so pleased I didn t. I am now approaching my mid-80s. It s going to be a very sad day indeed when I have to find XNT a new owner. Finally. I would like to express my appreciation to our Editor Chris Bass for the honour of selecting XNT 211 as Car of the Month. If you would like your car to be a Car of the month, please send a good photo (conventional or digital) and a few details to the Gazette Editorial Office: PO Box 284, Stamford PE9 9BY or chris.bass@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk 26 OCTOBER

9 Feature Jack Rohll at the wheel of the ex-earl Howe 36/220. From deep in the Archive by the Archive Team This is not a usual From deep in the Archive article. As you might have read in News and views, it is the story of a valuable Mercedes-Benz sports car a tale which involves a peer of the realm, a long-time stalwart of the Club and success in one of the highest awards in the classic car world. Thanks to meticulous research by our esteemed Editor Chris Bass and the Club Archive Team, backed by the unrivalled knowledge and records of Dieter Dressel, a Member of our Club and Chairman of the German Kompressor Club a fascinating story has emerged. This tale begins with XV 3314, a /220, winning this year s Pebble Beach Concours d Elegance Best of Show trophy. The car s original owner was Francis Richard Henry Penn Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, CBE, RD, PC ( ). In a glittering career Earl Howe was a Royal Navy officer, a Battalion Commander of the Royal Naval Division fighting in World War One s major land battles till 1918, becoming an aide-de-camp to King George V during this period. In the 1918 General Election he stood as an MP, winning the Battersea South seat. Following his father s death in 1929 Francis Curzon ascended to the title Earl Howe, making him ineligible for Parliamentary reelection. Howe then became involved in motor racing, becoming a very successful driver (he was elected President of the newly formed British Racing Drivers Club in 1929 and, among his many successes, won the 1931 Le Mans 24-hour race in an Alfa Romeo). In 1952 the 5th Earl Howe became the Mercedes-Benz Club s founding Patron. Now, back to the car. In 1933 Howe sold XV 3314 to H E Jack Rohll. The car s second owner, like its first, was a man of many achievements, including running his own business servicing, repairing and restoring Mercedes-Benz. During the quarter century he owned XV 3314 Jack Rohll raced it extensively, including at Silverstone competing with it in VSCC and other races and hill climbs. Indeed Jack had a hut dedicated to his memory at Shelsley Walsh in recognition of his hill climbing days. Also, during his ownership, Rohll completely rebuilt the car in his own workshops. Rohll was also a founder and pivotal Member of the Mercedes-Benz Club. He was the kind of untiring volunteer on whom all car clubs depend. Appointed Club Treasurer in 1955, he also took on the tasks of Secretary and magazine editor producing the Club s Gazette until All this was achieved despite running his own business and maintaining a large country house. Jack Rohll died in 1981 and in a tribute to him the then Club Chairman, Gerald Coward, wrote: I always thought of Jack as being the best organiser I ever knew. He would rise early, stoke the boiler and mow the lawns before breakfast. His evenings were spent in correspondence or editing or wrapping parcels or putting Gazettes in envelopes. His weekends were spent at motoring events here, there and everywhere. When I took over as Secretary we also had to bring in a Treasurer and an Editor. A little later I recruited a Membership Secretary. So, in all, it took four of us to do the job he had done single-handedly. Jack Rohll sold XV 3314 in 1958 for 975 to a Mr G W Huguely Jnr in Washington DC who kept it until 1967 when it was reputed to have been sold to an Indianapolis Museum. The car is now in the ownership of collector Bruce McCaw of Bellevue, Washington DC. So there we are, a unique tale of one Mercedes-Benz and its history over the last 86 years. The Mercedes-Benz Club s digital archive is having new material added every month and now includes thousands of items. If you haven t yet done so please take a look by registering. It s a simple process, just go to: co.uk and follow the on-screen instructions happy browsing! If you would like to dispose of surplus Mercedes-Benz literature or photographs please let us know. Whether it s one brochure or a car-load your surplus material will benefit Club Members. Even early Gazettes are welcome, although the Archive does have a full collection of the later A4-format editions. Please contact the Archive team: Jon and Lynne Bell, Phil Reed, Sophie or Andy Holmes (archive@mercedesbenz-club.co.uk). If you do not use please telephone and leave a message. Rohll campaigned it extensively here it s at the 1951 Bentley Drivers Club meeting at Silverstone. OCTOBER

10 Feature Tony s coupé. Rob writes... by Rob Halloway Making a good first impression Uncle Barry s car was big and blue and German. It also had very shiny black leather seats, upon which my then-also-12-year-old cousin Keith and I would slide, slip and slam as Uncle Barry ratcheted the parking brake and skidded around the enormous gravel car park. It was summer in the mid-1980s and a regular family weekend at our grandparents place in Selsey, West Sussex. I didn t really know much else about Uncle Barry s car, apart from that it was called a something bends. Fast forward a couple of years to an after-school job, where I washed cars for my Mum s bosses, just so I could afford to buy all the latest car magazines By this time it was the late 80s and the insurance market in which Mum s bosses operated was booming. Peter and Terry (the bosses) drove big and shiny and brand new German cars, always with propeller badges on their long bonnets. Until one day, when Terry changed for a different big black German car, which was a little like Uncle Barry s something bends. Terry s car was much easier to clean than all the propeller ones my sponge pretty much flew over the bodywork, and its paint was so thick and flawless the wax polish coating I gave its flanks made the slick saloon look practically perfect. Thirdly, a few years after I d hung up my bucket, my friend Dan s Dad, Tony, took us out in his car for lunch in a village pub. Tony s car looked a bit like the other two, but had half the number of doors. I squeezed into the back seat, inhaled the incredible aroma of early 1990s leather and mentally recorded every second of that glorious journey. I had no idea whether I d ever get to ride in a Mercedes-Benz again. All three cars were, as I m sure you ve already correctly guessed, W124-series an estate, a saloon and a coupé. They were incredible machines for the time and each of them left me wide-eyed and hugely excited. That wide-eyed wonder has stayed with me pretty much ever since. After joining what was DaimlerChrysler UK in 2001, I enthusiastically jumped in and learned as much as I could about this fantastic company. Of course I know I ve been very fortunate in the past 16 years to have spent literally thousands of hours in Benzes, spanning the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Travelling in cars costing 600 to those worth thousands of times that amount, and along the way I ve met many tremendous people too. As part of the position of Honorary President of our wonderful Club, Messrs Bass and Keers kindly offered me the chance to write in the Gazette each month. So in future issues I will write a little more. It ll be my own impressions and thoughts about selected highlights of my time with the company stories, characters and of course fantastic cars. More next month. OCTOBER

11 Feature Lining up ready for the track. AMG Day by Red Mackinnon On Sunday June 4 at Mercedes- Benz World, Brooklands, Members celebrated 50 years of AMG with the Club s biggest gathering of AMG vehicles to date. Just over 60 cars were there, ranging from the very earliest 3.2 V6 models cars through 43, 55 and 63 V8 examples all the way to the In the heart of the packed AMG parking area. SLS gullwing coupé and the newer four-litre and 5.5-litre V8 bi-turbos and a 6.0 V12. We had estates, saloons, coupés and cabriolets of varying ages and models showing off the very large and diverse vehicle range that AMG has come to offer since its early days in The day was a very full one with all attendees arriving promptly around 9.30am and gathering in the specially provided parking area at the track-side and then, with their commemorative AMG tickets, booking in at the hospitality marquee. Once this was complete they collected a specially commissioned AMG 50th anniversary souvenir and were also given an AMG history and information DVD. The exact content of this DVD would become known to them later on in the day. Entrants were also able to book in with MB World staff for a guided tour that had been arranged especially for them. Having parked, booked in and collected their goodies they made their way to the S-Class Suite in the main building where, after a welcome speech from me, they were given an a short safety briefing about their impending parade laps to be held later that day. With this complete, half of the Members then left to take the first of the MB World tours whilst the rest remained to watch a film I had put together about AMG s roots, its racing history and about Alfalterbach, the home of AMG, and a tour of the factory. This was given to all entrants on the DVD mentioned above and it included Chris Harris, now of the new Top Gear fame, driving a Hammer (AMG W124 coupé) plus the original Spa-winning Red Pig (W ) on track with an SLS. Once this was completed, some 40 minutes later, the groups swapped places. 30 OCTOBER

12 Feature BTCC round seven, Knockhill Scott Stringfellow I had a chat recently with the BTCC official safety car driver Scott Stringfellow. Many of you will be familiar with Scott s surname. He is the son of legendary night club owner Peter. Scott has been in motor sport 35 years, with some success. Although he told me his first race at Snetteton ended off the track in a turnip field! His first sponsor was his dad, who financed his first foray into racing. During his career Scott has managed to win two Formula Ford championships, the Star of Mallory and the Champ of Oulton. He did Formula Three for three years and later made a living as a racing driver instructor, which landed him his current role as TOCA safety car driver for the BTCC. You will see Scott on the track many times on race day. He drives in the Porsche Carrera Cup, F4, in Ginetta races and in the Renault Clio championship. Away from the track he assists his dad in the day-to-day running of the famous Stringfellows club in London. That would be an interesting Club visit indeed! Many thanks to Scott for his time, I just grabbed him for a couple of minutes as he was preparing to go out for race two at this meeting. Adam Morgan and the Ciceley team arrived at Knockhill in the Kingdom of Fife desperate to turn around the misfortune they had suffered in the last three rounds. Free practice went well for the Lancastrian sixth in the first session, 12th in the second. Qualifying was a nervous time. The session was wet and red flagged after 15 minutes. Ciceley kept Adam in the pits because they were struggling to find a competitive wet set up on the A-Class. Then sent him out for the last four minutes as the track was drying rapidly, and so just a 32 OCTOBER couple of flying laps, to get the Mercedes up from 30th. On his fastest lap Adam came up behind the sister A-Class of local hero Aiden Moffatt, who held Adam up briefly, and a possible pole position lap turned into 10th place, so close are the times in the BTCC. Jason Plato claimed his 50th career pole position in the Subaru Levorg. Aiden ended up a lowly 27th. Race one From the off Adam kept his grid position, chasing Gordon Shedden s Honda and Senna Proctor s Vauxhall. On lap five he passed Shedden going into the terrifying Duffus Dip to take ninth. Adam set about catching Dave Newsham in the Norlyn Chevrolet Cruze, bumper to bumper by lap 21 of 24, getting past again at Duffus on lap 23, holding off a hard-charging Mat Neal in the Halfords Honda to cross the line eighth. So some points at last and a good grid position for race two. The race was won by Jason Plato in his Subaru. Aiden was 23rd. Race two Terrible luck again as Adam s A-Class pitted on the warm up lap with failed power steering. Fortunately the race was red flagged before the end of the first lap after a multi-car accident at turn one, Duffus Dip. Everyone involved was unhurt and the delay gave the Cicelely crew time to repair the car and get it out for the restart, a blown O-ring having allowed power steering fluid to escape. The Mercedes had to start from the back of the grid. As racing resumed the A-Class once again pitted with the same problem, so a race ruined for the sake of a 10p O-ring! The race was won by Ash Sutton in his Adam on Morgan on two wheels through the chicane at Knockhill. by Paul Kelly Subaru, questions still being asked about their superior performance! Aiden finished 16th. Race three From 26th on the grid Adam was flying around the track, making great progress up to 24th on lap six, 18th by lap 20, and chasing the pack in front. The safety car came out for the second time (keeping Mr Stringfellow busy!) after Will Burns crashed head-first into the barrier at the final corner in his Passatt CC. Racing resumed on the penultimate lap, Adam managing to progress one more place to 17th, two places shy of Aiden in the other A-Class, which took the last point! The race was won by Tom Ingram in the Speedworks Toyota Avensis. Again another poor outing for the luckless Ciceley Motorsport team with 11 races without points. At this level one nonpoints finish can hamper title hopes, 11 totally destroys it! TOCA Safety car driver Scott Stringfellow.

13 Feature F1news by Will Gardner Return F1 s return after the summer break began with speculation that title challenger Vettel might be planning to leave Ferrari at the end of the season and join Mercedes. Hamilton was quick to respond, saying that he doubted Vettel would want to be in a team where there is no clear driver hierarchy, a reference perhaps to the Ferrari team s approach of using Kimmi Raikkonen to protect Vettel s championship lead, although Kimmi might well disagree about his role! Spa Part two of the season got under way over the bank holiday weekend at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium s Ardennes Forest. Qualifying saw Hamilton make good use of the Mercedes straight line speed to take pole position in his 200th race, ahead of Vettel with Bottas third. Sadly the Mercedespowered Williams team continued to slip, with its drivers lining up 15th and 16th, Massa crashing heavily in Friday practice. Force India managed better, with Perez taking eighth slot ahead of team mate Ocon. Hamilton held the lead through the first corner, with both Force Indias coming together against the track wall. Sadly, not content with this near miss, the drivers came together again on lap 30, leaving Perez with a puncture and Ocon needing a new wing. The incident led to a safety car and neither Force India scoring any points their loss being Massa s gain as he secured eighth place, enabling Williams to hold on to its fifth place in the constructors championship, just ahead of the resurgent Haas team. Hamilton went on to take a superb win, running the slower, soft tyre against Vettel on the super-soft Pirelli. Alonso Fernando Alonso has made little secret of his frustration with the McLaren-Honda...and takes the lead at the start in Monza, which he kept to the finish. this season and is rumoured to have put his contract extension (said to be worth a barely credible 31 million in 2018 alone) on hold until he is convinced the team can be competitive next year he retired in Spa, yet again, with an engine failure. If he doesn t sign the extension he will be a free agent at the end of the year; he is apparently seeking expert advice from Swiss engineering experts to evaluate the team s likely performance (and no doubt gauging options with other teams), before making a final decision. Meanwhile McLaren has indicated that there could be an announcement about its 2018 engine supplier ahead of the Singapore race, with rumours suggesting it will finally end its association with Honda with a deal to run the Renault engine seen as the most likely outcome. Currently though the Renault team is struggling near the bottom of the championship table, being soundly beaten by their customer Red Bull, so another leading team using their engine to beat them might not be too appealing. Italy Just a week after Spa, Monza saw Hamilton break Michael Schumacher s record to take his 69th pole position in a wet qualifying session. A host of grid penalties left both Red Bulls demoted and Lance Stroll found himself in his Williams on the front row next to Hamilton, with Bottas starting fourth and Vettel taking the sixth grid slot behind teammate Raikkonen. Alonso s woes continued, having been awarded an impossible 35 grid slot penalties for multiple changes to the car, although he didn t actually start last as Roman Grosjean crashed in qualifying, leaving him not classified and at the back of the grid. Hamilton took a commanding lead from the start, with Bottas making his way up the field to hold second place and protect his team-mate s lead. Meanwhile the Force Hamilton celebrates his win at Spa... India of Ocon and both Williams slipped down the field, having no answer to the Ferraris or Ricciardo s Red Bull. Despite Stroll regularly throwing his Williams alongside Ocon s Force India, he was unable to find a way past, showing Force India s upper hand as the dominant Mercedes customer team. Hamilton took the win, followed by Bottas, giving the Brit the lead in the drivers championship albeit by just three points for the first time this season, with Vettel taking the final podium slot. Ocon held on for a strong sixth place finish, ahead of the Williams, with Perez taking ninth slot on the sister Force India, meaning that all the Mercedes-powered cars took points. Once again both McLarens retired, with Vandoorne suffering engine failure and Alonso retiring on the penultimate lap to allow the team to change a faulty gearbox without incurring a grid penalty for the Singapore race. Engines Mercedes engine supply contracts treat customer teams equally in terms of providing upgraded power-plants as soon as they are ready, but neither Force India nor Williams has the latest version that the factory team has been running since the Spa race. Mercedes has cited manufacturing and quality issues as the reason for the delay and is now offering the teams one upgraded engine each for the next round in Singapore. Force India has voiced its disappointment strongly at this not perhaps relishing the task of deciding which of its feisty drivers will get the upgrade, although Perez is the most likely beneficiary. Oil consumption limits have been introduced and the old Mercedes power-plants are limited to 0.9 litres per 100km, (you d be in a sorry predicament if your road car used oil at that rate!) meaning that Williams and Force India have had to run cautiously to ensure these limits are not exceeded F1 engines burn the most oil at higher revs and under continued high power running. OCTOBER

14 Feature Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. Club trip to Spain and Portugal May by Viv and Debra Leithhead Day one departure We began our trip as a group at Portsmouth where we boarded Brittany Ferries Pont Aven at around 4.00pm in the afternoon. We were bound for Santander, Spain along with 41 other Club Members cars on the overnight voyage. Departing at 5.15pm, it was a smooth crossing through the Bay of Biscay, however there was rather wet weather all the way, especially after leaving the UK with pleasant spring sunshine! Was this a taste of things to come, we hoped not. Details of the trip and many handy tips had been given to all participants during the preceding months by Rosemarie and Peter Maslin, the organisers. On-board we were given a very extensive Route Book and Guide providing us with all the information needed and only one stipulation Enjoy yourself. Day two northern Spain Having had a relaxing day sailing, we arrived in Santander at 6.30pm. The rain was still with us as all the cars made their way off the ferry and down the motorway for approximately 1½ hours to our first Parador stay of the trip. This was on the hill-top location of Cervera de Pisuerga, Palencia a wonderfully charming hotel where we gathered as a group for the first time to meet each other, with around 50 per cent of the Members being first-timers on a Club trip. Day three Castilla y León On the move once more, we made our way at a leisurely pace along Spain s A67/A62 motorway to our next stop of Parador de Salamanca, a distance of approximately The rally guide and goodie bag. Members cars at the hotel in Salamanca OCTOBER

15 Feature The cathedral in Salamanca... Alison Bond at the Roman bridge into the town. With an SL320 to Portugal by Frank Bond...and an astronaut in its carvings. It s up there with divorce and bereavement. We had had our home of 46 years on the open market and after two years a satisfactory sale was concluded. We will have nearly a year in a one-bedroom annex while a smaller house is converted. A month of house clearance, and storage was completed two days before sailing away with for the Club trip to Spain. Hectic chaos was followed by a more orderly confusion of packing and last minute repairs to the front door lock. After 40 years it had jammed. I spent 30 minutes of fettling to lock the door to be sorted on our return. We then took The elephant in the Plaza Mayor. a quick walk down to the river, where our broody swan was sitting on seven eggs. At least I remembered to throw my very special Mercedes beret onto to the back shelf. The traffic from our home was nonexistent, so we called into the Portsmouth Marriott for an expensive cup of tea and scone. It was the most expensive tea and scone I d ever had, as the car park is not part of the Marriott hotel group. When we returned home, we had a 60 parking fine. No barriers or obvious signs had warned us. Letters are flowing! Anyway, we left after 45 minutes and queued for the Brittany ferry behind various Mercedes. Next to us were a couple of Ferraris and a McLaren, each with a regulation dishy blonde in the passenger seat. Perfection is elusive and not necessarily a good idea. We found our cabin, which had a porthole what s it called on the other side of the ship? We had forgotten our night case. I was coerced into retrieving it from the car. I returned to the sixth floor, passed through the metal door onto the car Mercedes beret awarded for a misdemeanour, but worn with pride by Frank Bond. deck and grabbed the small bag. Suddenly many of the car alarms and flashers struck up in unison as the deck heaved under the motion of the ferry s powerful engines. We were leaving. Thump went the security metal sliding doors between the cars and passenger decks. Thump went my heart as I realised I was marooned alone with millions of pounds worth of cars, a handful of sweets and a bottle of lukewarm water. I really do not know why, but I tried to force the submarine-like metal door open. I could visualise the lights being turned off next. About five feet from the door was a dirty green button. I pressed it, half expecting the Royal Marines to descend. Nothing much happened; then the door gave a pneumatic grunt and slid open. I skipped through the hatchway, over the ledge and returned to my cabin. Was I on every security CCTV camera imaginable? A gin and tonic brought sanity back into my life as we had the very pleasant experience of meeting fellow Club Members from previous holidays. All thoughts of planners, estate agents and lawyers vanished with the gentle roll of the ship and settling of the tonic. A route book as good as any I have seen was given to us. This was the prospectus for a very finely planned road trip to Portugal. Being a sea-faring folk, no-one suffered from the Bay of Biscay crossing. Those who walked the promenade deck were rewarded by the sight of hundreds of dolphins and a whale frolicking around the deep sea trenches north of Spain. Mist and light rain was the forecast for our first day s driving. They got that one right. This obscured the view of the lake outside the Parador hotel, which had far too difficult a name to remember anyway, we were on the other side, overlooking the car OCTOBER

16 Feature Techno-Classica, Essen part two First impressions by a supercar, automobile exotica and Mercedes-Benz enthusiast The reason for this second report (following that in the June Gazette) is to give a taster of, as well as Mercedes-Benz, other automobile exotica and super-cars about which I am also passionate. In contrast to my first report I will attempt in the main to let the pictures tell the story and also demonstrate why the show is considered to be one of, if not the, best of its kind! There is no particular order of importance in the following examples, John Cummings (left) with Fabio Lamborghini with its proud owners. by John Cummings all of which I personally found equally impressive in their own way, but there was an unexpected highlight for me on the second day of my visit when I saw a very powerful tractor and met the nephew of the great man who, after building it, went on to produce his very own brand of supercar. Have you guessed who it is yet? None other than Ferrucio Lamborghini and his nephew Fabio! The Lamborghini super-car marque followed the success of the company s tractors. Another Lamborghini to catch my eye was a beautiful example of the Miura A Lamborghini tractor where it all started! P400SV, in gold, restored by Polo Storica. Another superb restoration was by Porsche Classic a S in champagne yellow, or maybe you would prefer the 190SL! Then there were three very different examples from Mercedes-Benz the litre AMG nicknamed the Red Pig, a silver 2007 CLK DTM and a maroon Rosier coach! Plus, of course, lots of older Mercedes. Amongst them was a , complete with its owner and family dressed to impress. If you were feeling blue, maybe you would like to have considered a Bugatti! There were also much older Bugattis in other colours In one of the halls I discovered a rare maroon Jensen CV8 MKII, produced in 1964, this had a glass-fibre body and aluminium doors with an original Motorola radio with Jensen displayed on its tuning dial. Elsewhere there was a stunning white one-off 1948 Lancia Aprilia Farina convertible, previously in the sole ownership of a lady for 17 years and then left neglected until a recently completed restoration. This car first appeared at the Turin Motor Show in An outstanding 1947 Westland Healey in gold was another one-off, recently it has enjoyed much success in the Miglia Mille retro event. Quite a selection, from a wide range of marques, and something to please everyone I am sure you will agree. It was an outstanding experience for me, especially as it was my first time. I am definitely committed to return again in 2018! This visit to Essen has focused my mind and prompted me to decide to pursue some new roads and new challenges. The past seven years as a Member of this amazing Club, which is up there with the best, has been a blast and I will always continue to be a Member. Here s to more great times ahead. 44 OCTOBER

17 TechnicalCorner Heater blower connection Servo 1. Climate control output to blower regulator connection. W124 heater blower motor regulator replacement by David Brewster Heat Sink My 1994 W124 E320 estate is fitted with the relatively unusual full climate control system. This means that unless the low or high fan speeds are manually selected, it automatically chooses the fan speed and vent settings it views to be best for any particular set of conditions. This generally works well, although I d love to be able to send all the heat to my feet whilst driving on a crisp day with the sunroof fully open. The car is used throughout the year as a second car, somewhere below my bicycle and my wife s car in the pecking order for use. It therefore took me a little time to work out that at some point over the winter it seemed to have lost the will to run the blower motor at full speed. The automatic climate control system varies the speed of the fan by sending a variable voltage (one to six volts) to the blower regulator, buried deep under the blower fan. So the chances were the problem was either a faulty control unit (like most parts of a W124 it is relatively easily replaceable, but at a cost) or the blower regulator. The blower regulator controls the speed of the blower fan motor. Conveniently, it is easy to check whether the climate control unit is producing the right signal. Mounted horizontally on the bulkhead (below the under-windscreen plastic trim behind the brake servo) is a three-pin plug, which connects the climate control output to the blower regulator (photo one). It also provides the power to the blower motor itself. There are three wires yellow for the control signal, red for 12 volts and black for earth. It is possible to check the operation insitu with a multi-meter by sliding thin probes into the plug alongside the wires (positive to the yellow signal wire, negative to the black wire). It should be possible to measure one volt on the low setting, between 1.4 and 4.7 volts on the auto setting and above six volts on the high setting. Happily, I found all to be as it should, so the next stop was the heater blower motor regulator. My car is fitted with cabin air filters, which are located above the blower motor. Blower motor regulators differ on these cars, having a rectangular finned aluminium heat-sink. With a replacement engine wiring loom on the cards for this year, I decided to go for a cheaper after-market alternative, rather than a Mercedes-Benz part. The MB part (A ) was 290 after Club discount or an original equipment type Hella unit (5HL ) about 160. The unit selected was a Smart Sense from Ebay seller svx-online at with a three-year warranty. It arrived promptly, but whilst awaiting it I dismantled the many plastic and rubber parts which sit Original Regulator Front Front 2. Motor and regulator revealed. 3. Heat-sink aperture modified. 46 OCTOBER

18 SparesRegister A FREE Service For ALL MEMBERS FOR SALE Breaking W coupé; 1998 C250 CDI estate; 2000 W208 CLK cabriolet; W D multi-valve estate, good vented wing; W SEL, good engine and box; W SE. Parts off the shelf for W111 coupés and Fintails, W108, W123, W series, W124, W126, W202 C-Class and W210 E-Class. Please phone or text on or retrodave111@aol.com Dave West Yorkshire. Workshop manuals, parts catalogues, special tools, owners handbooks and sales literature too numerous to list. These are all original (not reproductions), factory-printed books for all post-war models up to Contact me with your requirements. Geoff Marshall marshall.geoffrey@gmail.com Dismantling W SE coupé Many mechanical parts available including complete engine, auto box, limited-slip rear axle, some air suspension parts, bonnet, boot-lid, doors, radiator, wooden dash, instruments etc. No bumpers, wings or interior trim. k.schroeder683@btinternet.com north Hertfordshire. Breaking W E Complete W E panels W complete W D complete. Set of four wheels and tyres from SLK. Charlie Essex. W111/112 coupé Chrome mouldings, good front grille and mesh inserts, rear bumper parts, lots more, too much to list. Melvyn Meloy benz.w112@outlook.com Sales brochures R R129 SL (hardback) 25. Limited Edition covering Atlantic, Almandine and Silver Arrows 10. R230 SL (hardback) 20. R170 SLK (face-lift edition) 20. R171 SLK 15. W E 10. W202 C-Class 5. All prices include post (within UK) and packing. Michael W123 engine four-cylinder petrol, less than 90,000 miles, with fourspeed gearbox and 4:1 differential, excellent condition, choice of Weber or Stromberg carbs, Powerspark ignition, all ancillaries. Chartered engineer owned and maintained. Good upgrade for W115, Fintail or Ponton. Also W SE 3.7:1 differential and drive-shafts, believed 75,000 miles only. Tim brentnalltim@gmail.com Cumbria. W123 estate Chrome radiator grille, front bumper, headlamps and rear lamps. W108 set of MB-Tex seats and carpets. Derek or London E16. W201 body parts Bonnet, boot-lid, lights, brake callipers, wheel trims, exhaust. Derek Devon. Breaking 2004 W220 S430 All parts available, engine Guildford. W113 Pagoda SL Front and rear bumpers, original used, good condition. David Derbyshire. W215 Left-hand fog-light unit 20. Full leather light grey steering wheel in good condition, complete with air-bag 30 a simple two-screw fixing job. Peter Willmer pandbwillmer@blueyonder.co.uk West Midlands just off M42, junction five. Cruz roof bars To fit C-Class four-door saloon Two CRSX-120 Cruz Optiplus 120cm bars, CR5456 fitting kit, CR set of four locking barrels 30. Jeff Gregory jagbandit@icloud.com R107 SL Original Mercedes-Benz nearside front wing in very good condition. Used but no dents or rust, in primer ready to paint and fit, collection only (due to size and easy to damage) from Yorks/Lancs border 200 ovno. Tony tony.roper@talktalk.net W124 Top box securing cross rails. In used but good condition and in original wrappers 20 ono. Can be delivered by post. Please for photos michael.colm.obrien@gmail.com SSKL model By Burago in die-cast metal, 1/18 scale in original box 35. SSK model 30. Both in as-new condition and incredibly detailed. I would consider a price for both together. Postage for either (or both if bought together) Please for photos. michael.colm.obrien@gmail.com S M engine For rebuild or spares 250. Numerous engine ancillaries including twin Solex carbs, inlet and exhaust manifolds etc. Contact me for full list and other parts for Ponton 220S. Chris mercman@ tinyonline.co.uk Wiltshire. All Spares Register entries should be limited to 40 words maximum and sent to Bob Coxshall, 55 The Avenue, Bengeo, Hertford SG14 3DS to arrive by the 26th of the month preceding publication. All correspondence should be by post or to bob.coxshall@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk In emergencies only, telephone NB Complete cars for sale must be advertised in the classified section. Mercedes-Benz telephone module With Bluetooth, wireless. Bought four months age ( 300). Will except 175. Comes with instruction booklet and pin number. Barry bazappleby@btinternet.com Derbyshire. W113 Pagoda SL Hard-top, wing, door and sill (inner and outer) mouldings. Rear panel mouldings. B-pillar chrome caps. Door swan-neck mouldings. Brake calliper repair kits. Suspension wishbone link kits. David R107 SL hard-top stand Good condition, 75 buyer to collect or maybe able to deliver if local. Alan abtt@blueyonder.co.uk West Midlands. W124 In-board wiring harness, unused old stock with air con and auto, ref , fits chassis , 022, 028, 029, 032, 042, 052, 079, 082, 088, plus postage. Phil phmiller@hotmail.co.uk W113 Two SL UK sales brochures with spec sheets, very good condition, some 110 each, Bosch fuel injection pump 750. W original sales brochure, very good condition 150. Price list, small folded card c , 230, 230S, 250S, 250SE, 230SL, 300SE and or free if you buy a brochure. 600 limited edition collectors book, 724 of 750, perfect condition 150. Engine gasket set, part number Roger and Diana King rogeranddiana67@gmail.com Becker Map Pilot sat-nav Universal plug-in model, little used 170 plus post and packing. Matthew Swann matthew.swann@btinternet.com W115 Doors, bonnet and boot-lid for face-lift saloon (August 1973 onwards), including side windows, plus door trims in blue. Full set of front and rear bumpers. paul@marshall.uk London ML250 Set of four five-spoke 8 x 18 alloy wheels with Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme tyres 255/55 R18 plus tyre pressure monitors, purchased new in 2016, very little mileage 780. Mike mikelloyd47@mail. com Whitby. W203 Schatz gear change lever in Laurel, as-new condition 55. John Lincoln. W113 Air louvre chrome grille surround, new indicator switch, used speedo head (MPH, left-hand-drive), headlamps and covers, rear lamps, lenses and surrounds, rev counter and fuel gauge. David R129 Front left-hand wing in good condition, no rust. Left-hand door in good condition, no rust. Right-hand door with one edge slightly damaged, easy repair, no rust. Photos available. toby123@talktalk.net WANTED W201 Zebrano gear lever surround from a manual transmission car with holes for four electric window, hazard and mirror switches, part number A Andrew Barnett theoldvillagestore@gmail.com 1996 R SL One AMG alloy wheel BBS HWA JX18/H2. Must be in good order. davidowens006@aol.com R107 SL hard-top Must be rot-free but I am not worried about condition of paintwork nic.allwright@btinternet.com R107 hard-top Colour unimportant, but reasonable useable condition. John North Yorkshire. R129 SL320 Interior light unit, part number peter@ write2mills.net 1999 R129 SL320 Wind deflector cover for use when deflector is stored in the boot. Ideally in dark blue but may consider another colour. Jim Robinson jimajb@gmail.com 1994 R129 Original period cassette or CD. Also wooden gear selector for five-speed. Tony tonydaforno@hotmail.com R129 SL Amber indicator lens, nearside front. Also a bonnet pad in good condition. 3rdmacedon@gmail.com W113 Cylinder head for SL. Brian , Ireland R129 SL320 Hazard triangle (fits in boot-lid). Mike Phillpotts mike. phillpotts@gmail.com R107 Star for front radiator grille, in prime condition (no chips or scratches). Neil Blackburn nab@ingredis.org OCTOBER

19 RegionalReports Anglia North When we look back at the events we have organised for 2017, it has certainly been a compendious selection, ranging from bluebells at Blickling to bombers at Buckenham, not to mention everything and everyone at Ely Cathedral, which was certainly our largest and most ambitious project so far. As the season begins to draw to a close we have one more motoring event for you, which is the Anglo-German club meeting at Sandringham Park, the Queen s Norfolk residence, plus of course our legendary Anglia North Christmas event. Anglo-German club meeting, Sandringham Park Sunday October 8 Dr Livingstone I presume? Andrew Brogan giving guests a tour of the garden from his bamboo safety cage. Interesting plant life. More bamboo shoots than a Chinese restaurant. Members cars at Sandringham on a previous occasion. This event is being organised by the Rover Owners Club and is an informal meeting in the grounds of Sandringham Park, which amazingly are still free to enter, although entrance to the house and gardens involves purchasing a ticket. If you would to see if there is a last-minute chance to come along to this leisurely day please contact Paul Jobling via paul.jobling@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk or Daphne Davy, followed by husband Rex, making their way back to civilisation. Alan and Doreen Betts with their R230 SL500. The legendary Anglia North Christmas event Sunday December 3 Our year will end on a high note as always with our Christmas event. Watch out for full details in our e-newsletter and a future Gazette. In Anglia North everything grows (even the children), so we have no shortage of great horticultural venues to visit, with lovely blooms of every description, as well as apples, wheat, barley and other crops, so we thought we d seen it all, until we saw nothing less than bananas growing in the fine county of Norfolk, as well as bamboo, which Paul hadn t seen growing in the wild since he saw it holding up the Chinese economy in 2015 when he visited Guangzhou. It is amazing what you can find on your door-step at Henstead Exotic Garden. Henstead Exotic Garden Saturday August 5 Members enjoying lunch at Livingstones Bar. John and Lynn Patterson with their SLK250 CDI. This was a new event for our 2017 calendar arranged by Richard Lee- Warder. It was a rare opportunity to see these gardens, which are only open 28 days a year, and a chance to step from the A12 into nothing short of a tropical rain forest, complete with rain! Described by Alan Titchmarsh (who might know a thing or two about gardens) as Belize comes to Beccles, this corner of Norfolk grows plants which it simply should not in our east of England climate. But first we assembled at nearby Livingstones in the unlikely named Hungry Hogz restaurant and enjoyed a very acceptable bar Regional Officer Paul Jobling stops for a breather with partner Tsende. Gary Carlton takes a closer look at the foliage, with his wife Carolyn in background. meal, where the assembled rain foresters included Ray and Sue Felton, Alan and Doreen Betts, Rex and Daphne Davy, Dave and Sylvia Best, John and Lynn Patterson and John Durrant along with Regional Officer Paul Jobling and his partner Tsende ( Sindy ). Dr Livingstone I presume? We were met at Henstead by our very own Dr Livingstone in the form of Andrew Brogan who is responsible for this ecological miracle near Beccles. Starting from scratch about 18 years ago, he began planting amazing plants from all over the world, including eucalyptus trees (with fragrant bark), broad-leaved rain forest palms and even a Thai garden, but most surprising of all were banana trees complete with tiny Egyptian-style bananas and of course bamboo. Being a rain forest, it rained, although no-one got wet because the broad leaves caught all of the rain so we were able to enjoy our tour sheltered by nature s umbrella. Andrew gave us a most interesting talk focused around how he has the only garden in the UK capable of growing strong, tall bamboo makes it unique and gave us some very interesting natural shelters. The day concluded on a sweet note with Dr Livingstone-Brogan providing us with coffees and teas as well as a selection of cakes. A very interesting event which we may consider repeating in the future. Although the rain forest at Henstead covered the sky, that was certainly not the case at our other big summer event, Old Buckenham airshow, where the sky was beautifully clear and sunny for an excellent aerial display. 50 OCTOBER

20 CL500. Year Brilliant silver with blue/ grey leather interior. Full service history. 99,000 miles. Very nice condition all round. MoT. Was damaged and repaired by main agent but shows C cat on V5 hence 3,350. Tel: (Guildford) (10/17/05) 54 TOM 28 TM Registration numbers for sale Sensible offers to Eamonn Dempsey. e.dempsey@sky.com Tel: (10/17/08) The best policies for either classic or modern Mercedes-Benz SL500. June 2002 (UK). Low mileage, top spec example. Obsidian black/black leather. Outstanding. 24,000. Tel: (Herefordshire) (10/17/07) 300SL Nautic blue/cream leather. FSH. Cruise/outside temperature gauge. Superb condition. Thousands spent. 144,000 miles. MBOC valuation 26,500, accept 21,500 ono. Tel: (West Yorks) (10/17/09) E350CDI Estate Blue Efficiency Sport Tiptronic Auto 5 door. Black leather interior. Comand with radio. 6CD/DVD changer. 6GB Hard Drive and Media Interface. Privacy glass. 18 AMG alloys twin spoke. Iridium silver. Full MB SH plus one specialist MB. MoT 11 months. Second owner. Bodywork immaculate. Mileage 38,964. Car located near Bodmin, Cornwall. 15,500 ovno. Tel: (Cornwall) (10/17/11) SLK FMBSH. 86,000 miles. Silver. Garaged, MoT 4/ ,750. Tel: (Hampshire) (10/17/10) Gazette example 190 Ponton 1957 Black, low mileage, original car, full service history from new, full length Webasto roof, 2 owners from new, MoT Jan 13, tax Jan 13, lots of documentation. POA. Tel: Members 18 inc VAT Non-Members 36 inc VAT Advertise your Mercedes-Benz or number plate or sale with a colour photograph from only 18 inc VAT. Double Box 36 inc VAT. The deadline for receiving your details is the beginning of the month Tel: ads@hinemarketing.co.uk Call for a quote today MERCEDES-BENZ SL63 AMG ROADSTER 6.2 V8-2008/08-34,995 For more photos, please visit: M: +44 (0) T: +44 (0) CarsforSale WANTED...WANTED... VERY URGENTLY WANTED PLEASE PHONE NOW, ALL MERCEDES SPORTS, ANY YEAR ANY CONDITION & ALL CLASSICS, INSTANT SETTLEMENT WE TRAVEL IMMEDIATELY ANYWHERE, TOP CASH TOP SERVICE, PLEASE PHONE ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT PETER JARVIS TEL: MOBILE: pjarvis646@aol.com Colour: Obsidian Black Interior: Flamenco red leather and complimented by black ash wood trim. Mileage: 28,500 Full Mercedes-Benz service history showing nine stamps including its 2017 service carried out on 26th July at 28,179 miles. Excellent condition, no expense spared. The Mercedes embossed leather wallet contains all manuals, and both keys. With 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, this is an opportunity to purchase an extremely well equipped SL63 AMG its specification and factory fitted optional extras total c 6,000: Parktronic - audio and visual parking aid AMG drivers package - 1, AMG performance steering wheel Front seats - comfort ventilated Panoramic glass vario sunroof - 1, Tyre pressure monitoring DAB digital radio Surround sound system - Harman/ Kardon LOGIC AMG floor mats CHARLES IRONSIDE SPECIALIST IN MERCEDES-BENZ CARS Alton, Hampshire (40 mins from J10 M25) WANTED 107-series cars 300/420/500 SL LOW MILEAGE, EXCELLENT EXAMPLES PLEASE sales@charlesironside.co.uk website: Tel: Mobile: SALES HIRE PARTS SERVICE & RESTORE CALL US ON We urgently require Mercedes-Benz SL s Of interest are high calibre models Please call us if you are thinking of selling We can offer outright purchase or sale on behalf of VISIT US AT OCTOBER

21 SpecialistServices ACCIDENT & BODYWORK REPAIR P J Smith Classic and modern paint and bodywork Ltd Unit 2, Manor Park, Windsor Rd, Bedford MK42 9HW Tel: Accident repair and restoration specialists VANLEIGH COACH WORKS Unit 7, Central Ave, West Molesey, Surrey KT8 2QH Tel vanleigh@virginmedia.com All aspects of repair & restoration undertaken to the highest standard at competitive rates CAR MATS Classic Mercedes Mats CAR STORAGE Richard Thorne The Courtyard Garage, James Lane, Grazeley Green, Reading RG7 1NB Tel: Fax: Dehumidified, alarmed storage. Transport from anywhere, MOT. M4 J11 3 miles. INTERIOR WOOD TRIM SPECIALISTS Nick Martin, The Workshop at No 39, 39 Albert Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2LD Tel: nick@nicholas-martin.co.uk SERVICING SPECIALIST REPAIRS ADAM S AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Tel: Fax: adam.pointer@btinternet.com With over 40 years experience in restoration, we are Mercedes specialists maintaining and restoring these cars to customer requirements with Historic event preperation and modification as part of our services. Please remember we also cater for other main marques from 1900 to 1972 and that we are agents for Penrite oils. We look forward to your enquiry! Steve Redfearn Motor Co Ltd 169 Gladstone Rd, Wimbledon, SW19 1QS Tel: Fax: redfearn@nascr.net Specialising in Mercedes Benz repairs & servicing. Full test & report facility available before you purchase your new car Hindsight Restored Vision for Convertibles Treat your screen before it splits JOSEPH JOOS Over 50 years experience Specialist service, repairs and overhauls Quality second-hand spares ~ Open 6 days a week ~ ( or Fax: Redcastle Classics Limited 19 Sir Alfred Owen Way, Pontygwindy Industrial Estate, Caerphilly, CF83 3HU Tel: Mob: mail@redcastleclassics.com Specialists in 190SL restoration, servicing & repairs Also Pagoda 113 series, Fintail, Ponton etc. 1950s-1980s Restores clarity by removing scuffs and opacities Lubricates & protects from frost Reduces risk of splitting Avoids replacing rear screen Particularly effective on SLs Restores milky acrylic head/tail lights Renovo Fabric Hood restoration products also in stock Tel: hindsight.asp world-wide shipping SilverStar Garages Limited Lazarus Court, Woodgate, Rothley, Leics, LE7 7NR Tel/Fax From classic to modern all MERCEDES BENZ vehicles serviced & repaired, MERCEDES Trained Technician, full workshop facilities available, free quotations and friendly advice Discounts for club members. SM Auto-Care 19 Enterprise Way, Thornton Dale Ind Est Pickering, N Yorkshire Y018 7NA Tel: Fax: All repairs carried out on Mercedes models by trained technicians W.D.M. Cars Ltd Independent Mercedes Specialist Aldridge Rd Perry Barr Birmingham B42 2TP Tel: Sales: Fax: Specialising in all aspects of servicing, mechanical repairs and sales of Mercedes Benz T W NEALE MOTORS 65 School Road Himley, NR Dudley West Midlands DY3 4LG Tel: Fax: INDEPENDENT MERCEDES BENZ SPECIALISTS EST REPAIRS AND OVERHAUL + SERVICING. T.M. Motors Unit 8, 24 Central Avenue, West Moseley, Surrey KT8 2QH Tel: Fax: Limited Established 15 years Hindsight miraculously removes scratches and opacity, and is environmentally friendly Mercedes Gazette By far the best screen cleaning product I ve tried Editor - Classic & Sportscar Merc-Care has been established since 1988 with fully equipped Mercedes workshops and fully trained technicians. We at Merc-Care offer a personal service to your vehicle with all the latest Star computer diagnostics and Mercedes special tools. NO JOB IS TOO BIG OR SMALL. All types of body repairs and insurance work undertaken ONE CALL AND MERC-CARE DOES IT ALL! Specialising in Mercedes-Benz servicing & repairs Unit 1, 28 Send Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks RG4 8EH Tel: starmotorservice@aol.com SEC SHOP Mercedes Specialists run by a genuine enthusiast Charles Wells with over 37 years experience. Mercedes 107,123,124,116 and 126 Coupe and Saloon Models Servicing, MOT, inspections, restoration, waxoyl and parts. Check out our website or call or info@sec-shop.com anytime to discuss your particular requirements. 80 OCTOBER