Practically Classics Forum

Hello there, managed to get my hands on a '72 W115 middle of last year. Absolutely love classic mercs, and im hoping to use it as my wedding car!

anyway here's a pic...good working order, got through its MOT earlier this year, runs a little rough, but am learning as I go along! looking forward to reading more posts from you all and picking the brains of you knowledgeable folk.


Things that need addressing before I use this on my wedding :-

- Rust (bottom of doors, nothing massive, but need addressing, advice welcomed on this
- Carb, car isn't idling great, have ordered diaphragm (pierburg 175 cd carb) will have a go at doing that.
- have already given the car a good clean, but will give her a proper detail once I get the above issues sorted.

Thanks for reading chaps.

Thats a nice project!

IMHO the W114 and W115 series Mercs are the prettiest of them all.

I shall own one someday...

Cheers,

Looks like a good buy.

Look forward to seeing and hearing more about the car as you progress through the recommissioning.

Mal.

That looks like a lovely car. I look forward to reading your updates.

Very nice machine Harry!
Door bottoms: Be prepared for it to be worse than it looks! If you can see rust through the paint, there's much more underneath. Several possible approaches varying in severity. The esasiest will last the shortest before needing to be re-done! Replacing the door skins is probably the very best approach, but should last as long as cutting the bottoms off & welding in new metal. Has the driver's door been resprayed before? in the photo it looks like it might be a slightly different colour?

Nice car, I just finished painting my 76 W115 300D and I'm about to start on a major welding effort on a W114 280CE. I love those old cars, the looks are classic but they handle, brake and (in the case of my 280CE) go very well.

Watch out for rust, these cars will rust in the desert.

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated...

Update : engine is running a lot sweeter now, changed diaphragm, cleaned up contact points...engine is good to go now for the big day (10weeks left! ), one thing I am in desperate need of is a new front drivers side caliper...other one is beyond repair...anyone know any places to get Merc parts? or best to just try dealer/google search?

next job...have a go at the paint work...

pryantcc wrote: Door bottoms: Be prepared for it to be worse than it looks! If you can see rust through the paint, there's much more underneath.

i suspected this to be the case, im unsure how much involved i want to get with the rust bits at the bottom of the doors, wouldn't want to make it worse...possibly best to leave until time & effort is in plentiful supply

Several possible approaches varying in severity. The esasiest will last the shortest before needing to be re-done!

i suspect the least severe may have to be the case, as time, and more importantly skill is lacking

Has the driver's door been resprayed before? in the photo it looks like it might be a slightly different colour?

the whole car looks to have had a respray in mid-late 90's (i managed to find a photo, but the previous owner had no info) but as i said next job is to get the bodywork looking half decent, I've clayed it once in October last year, but time to give it the proper detail that it deserves. Machine polish and all the full works coming in the next 2 months!

thanks again for the advice/pointers, looks like a good site this is, credit to you all...plus this weeks PC mag has a spread about wedding cars for the royal wedding...mine doesn't quite fit into that league, but it'll do for me

I just picked up a pair of rebuilt front calipers from rock auto for about $60 ea US for my 76 W115 300D which I suspect has the same calipers as your car. I'm not sure if they ship to the UK, but you may want to try them.

HTTP://www.rockauto.com

Be sure to change the hoses (something that I also just did).

Afternoon,

Thought i'd update you guys on how the '72 merc performed as the wedding car at my wedding. Got back from honeymoon couple of days ago, and hadn't driven anything for a month! couldn't wait to jump back into any car and drive! Anyway everyone loved the merc! and it looked great as a wedding car (biased i know) a few pics taken by friends and family...nothing special but here they are anyway
A couple of days before, last drive before the day

wedding morning

younger brother getting in on the action with his 1983 E21

the youngsters approved also

Didn't forget about the VX220 either, although a 2 seater car is no good at an indian wedding...not enough seats lol


now I need to get a white SL to go with the w115

Lovin' the extremely shiny E21. Is that in your family too, or is it just that all of your friends share your great taste in classics?