This car was restored by the previous Sydney owner in the 1980s, but then was stored for a long time as a deceased estate before I purchased it in late 2010. I purchased the car specifically because I am a Mercedes enthusiast, and wanted one made in my birth year, 1958. I fitted new tyres to it, did some mechanical work and treated the sumptuous leather upholstery (front seats are bucket seats from a 'Finnie' 220S installed by the previous owner for comfort and all new leather) before enjoying the car for a short while on its NSW registration in 2011 before transferring the car to club registration in mid 2011. The first photos below show the car at this time.
The cylinder head soon proved to have some corrosion, so the head was removed and I purchased a donor car at great expense from West Australia. However, I was taken in by a dishonest seller, and the cylinder head on that car was so corroded I couldn't even remove it. The rusty donor car remains in my yard as garden art. It is, however, a source of many body trims and mechanicals.
In late November, 2018 I located a very good cylinder head, so this old girl was eventually - in mid 2024 - brought back to life, with attention to brakes, electrics and the cylinder head.
First photos are of car as I drove it on previous NSW plates in 2011 just before putting onto club registration
Following photos are of the car 25/11/2018 in the garage where it sat, covered, for 7 1/2 years, before a move, in March, 2019 to a new location in central Victoria (see Sheds link for full details).
Below is the parts car that eventually offered up some components. Largely complete, but rusty.
Fast forward to July 2024. Brake hydraulics have finally been completely rebuilt/re-sleeved/reconditioned, and a good replacement cylinder head (purchased late in 2018) has finally been prepared, valves lapped, camshaft aligned, and all carefully assembled. There have been many distractions and other big projects in the intervening years.
Finally, 15th July 2024, the car drives off the workshop hoist, under its own power, and stopping by its own brakes, for the first time in about 13 years. The engine is running exceptionally sweetly, and the brakes are rapidly bedding in on the first, tentative test run, photographed below.
