The official Mercedes-Benz Club Founded 1952

Gazette
March 2013
The official Mercedes-Benz Club
Founded 1952
In this month’s issue
France and Italy
in a 220A
Imports from Japan
R129 heater repair

Board of Directors
Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Ian Keers OBE
Vice Chair and Membership Services Director
Rosemarie Maslin
Finance Director Maurice Stapleton
Company Secretary Phil Greaves
Marketing Director and liaison with
Mercedes-Benz UK Michael Chapman
Technical Director Jeremy Stevens
Internet Services Director Kenny Ooi
Regional Development Director Trevor Mitchell
Club Services Director Tony De Frates
Correspondence for Club Directors should be sent
to: The Mercedes-Benz Club, PO Box 284,
Stamford PE9 9BY
Honorary President John Surtees OBE
Honorary Life Vice-Presidents
Tina Bellamy, Erika Gupwell, Jacqueline White,
Roger King, Vic Harris, Mike Powell and Chris Cloke
Founder R H Johnson
Past Presidents G C Monkhouse (1952-1971),
Interregnum, Roger King (1989-1992),
Tina Bellamy (1992-1995), Interregnum
Past Chairmen C W E Kerr (1955-1963),
A J Ray Whiteway (1963-1970), John Barley (1970-
1975), Gerald Coward (1975-1982),
Dr Herbert Ochs (1982), Roger King (1982-1989),
Jacqueline White (1989-1996), Mike Powell
(1996-2003)
Mercedes-Benz Silver Star Winners
Ron Cushway (deceased), Tina Bellamy,
Roger King, Gordon Hoey (deceased), Jacqueline
White, Maurice Stapleton,
Vic Harris, Mike Powell 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.
Help for Heroes
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 the February 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
May closes March 8
June closes April 11
Published by the Mercedes-Benz Club Ltd
4 PubMeets DiaryDates
7 Forthcomingevents
9 InvitationsReceived
10 News&Views
15 YourLetters
22 ViewPoint
25 ClubMerchandise
Features
26
26 Alfred Neubauer – part two
33 Car of the month
34 Pas de grease
38 F1 news
40 Portugal via Spain
45 Go east young man!
TechnicalCorner
49 R129 blower motor
regulator fix
52 Spares register
53 W123 rear sub-frame
problems
54 190 diaries
56 Smart MHD intermittent
starting
59 RegionalReports
72 Special notices/Back numbers
73 NewMembers
78 CarsforSale
Contents
40
53
54
56
Editorial Office: Chris Bass
94 Connaught Road, Brookwood,
Woking, Surrey GU24 OHJ.
Tel: 01483 481836.
E-mail: chris.bass@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
Advertising, Design and Production:
Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios,
Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton
Gloucestershire. GL2 9LN
Tel: 01452 730770
E-mail: ads@hinemarketing.co.uk
Gazette distribution queries:
Rosemarie Maslin,
PO Box 284, Stamford PE9 9BY
Tel: 01780 482111
E-mail: rosemarie.maslin@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
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
■ 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
For membership and general enquiries telephone 0845 6032660
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 3

Judges Geoffrey Hunter and Vic Harper at work at last year’s
Concours.
National Concours Day, MBUK
Milton Keynes – Saturday June 22
Plans are in progress for this year’s Club Concours competition which
is being held, once again, at the UK headquarters of Mercedes-Benz in
Milton Keynes on Saturday June 22.
The 2013 Concours will, as usual, provide Members with an
opportunity to display some of the best cars in the Club. A major benefit
of the Milton Keynes location is that all the entries will be parked on
‘hard-standing’ and there is enough space for any final preparation of
your car without you getting covered in grass or any offending matter.
The Judges also have an easier time in inspecting the cars. In addition
to the competitive classes we will again be looking to offer some key
displays.
With a relatively central location and good weather, the turn-out has
been very good in the last few years and we hope for the same this time,
so you are advised to book early, although every effort will be made to
accommodate late entries.
We will be continuing with the ‘Exhibition’ class (Class 0). This is a
non-competitive class aimed at those Members who have rarer or unusual
vehicles, do not wish to take part in the judged classes of the day but
would like to attend and display their vehicles. For 2013 this will be open
to vehicles over 40 years old and any pre-war vehicles would be very
welcome. Eligibility for this class will be at the Club’s discretion.
There are two 50th anniversaries being celebrated this year, the W113
Pagoda SLs and the glorious 600 series, and there will be special displays
for these models, depending on entries.
All entrants are requested to bring their Club membership cards
to facilitate registration on the day. As in previous years all competing
cars must be driven to the event under their own power, any vehicles
that arrive on trailers will not be eligible for the judged sections of the
competition. The decisions of the judges on the day will be final and no
communication will be entered into after the prizes have been awarded.
We are pleased to continue with the ‘Enthusiasts’ class, which has been
expanded this year to accommodate an ever-increasing number of entries:
1a. Four-door cars under 10 years old (post-2003)
1b. Two-door cars under 10 years old (post-2003)
2a. Four-door cars between 10 and 20 years old (pre-2003 to post-1993)
2b. Two-door cars between
10 and 20 years old (pre-
2003 to post-1993)
3a. Four-door cars over 20
years old (pre-1993)
3b. Two-door cars over 20
years old (pre-1993)
Cars will need to have
covered a minimum of
10,000 miles to satisfy the
entry criteria (which is the
case for all competitive
Concours classes) and
Club Rally to Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart – plus
The massive Mercedes-Benz factory at Sindelfingen.
Forthcomingevents
Star of the Exhibition Class in 2012
was Paul Murray’s 170 ‘woodie’.
engine bays will not be inspected in the Enthusiasts class. This has now
become the most popular class and encourages a high level of participation
from people who enjoy the day but do not wish to spend too much time
preparing their vehicles. We expect this trend will continue and we would
encourage yet more of you who have never entered before to come along
and give it a try. It is a great day out.
The cornerstone of the competition remains, the ‘Concours
d’Elegance’, which is aimed at cars in very good condition and is divided
into several classifications according to model types. We are once again
reviewing the classes for 2013. This section of the Concours competition
is for those of you who look after your cars carefully, have won in
previous Enthusiast Class competitions or have a car that you believe
is in very good condition and worthy of entry. The team of Club Judges
will be looking not only at bodywork but also engine bay, interior and
accessible underside. They will also be reviewing originality and vehicle
documentation where time permits, so we recommend that you bring
service books and MoT certificates.
Previous winners in Concours d’Elegance over the last three years
are invited to enter the ‘Master Class’. This is the pinnacle of the
competition and may also require mechanical and electrical components
to be checked, depending on the time available to the Judges, as well
as all aspects covered in the Concours d’Elegance competition. This
section of the competition is aimed at the very best cars in the Club. The
competition will be judged in two main sections, awarding prizes for best
four-door and best two-door cars. The highest scorer in the Master Class
competition will be awarded the coveted ‘Best of Show’ prize.
The Club award for the region that scores most collective points in
the show (the Ivor Lyons Trophy) will again be available and this will be
presented to a representative of the winning region later in the year.
Entry forms will be available shortly and we hope that, once again,
as many of you as possible will join us for a fun day out with a little
competitive spirit.
The full rules for the Concours competitions are available on the
Club’s website forum.
Malcolm Franks, national Concours Manager
Following discussions with Daimler AG we have confirmed arrangements
for a Club to visit the Sindelfingen factory, a few miles outside Stuttgart, on
September 10. The exact agenda has still to be finalised but if it is anything
like a previous visit we made a few years ago, we may be lucky enough to
see areas not normally open to visitors, for example a drive around the test
track.
Our programme will of course include more than just the factory visit
and we plan to include trips to the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Classic
Centre to name just two. To some extent it will also depend on how many of
you would be interested in this event. We would spend three or four days in
Stuttgart with say, two or three days getting there, taking in some German
hospitality on the way, and a couple of days driving back to Calais.
To enable us to finalise the programme, sort out the hotels etc, we would
ask you in the first instance to express your interest to Catherine Barlow via
catherine.barlow@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk or 01780 482111.
Rosemarie Maslin
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 7

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, Birmingham – March 17
This parade is held every year in the centre of Birmingham and on
the last few occasions has been attended by a claimed two million
people. This year should be bigger and better than ever, with pipe
bands, displays on floats and side-shows for everyone to enjoy. I
would like to organise 20 classic Mercedes-Benz cars to drive in it
InvitationsReceived
– about a five-mile round trip – where all the roads are closed off to
normal traffic. If you would like to attend please e-mail a123pat@
hotmail.co.uk or telephone 0121 427 3643. You can see more details
of this show on www.stpatrickbirmingham.com
Patrick Mcinerney
mercedes190.co.uk meeting,
Ansty – Saturday May 25
The mercedes190.co.uk internet group is again inviting Club Members
to its annual meeting at the Sparrow pub, Ansty (near Coventry),
postcode CV7 9JP, from 12.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday May 25.
This is primarily a W201 190 meeting, but all Members and any
three-pointed-stars will be welcome. For more information contact
Robbie Mangat via mangatmotorsport@mail.com or 07956 882552.
Part of the line-up at the 2012 mercedes190.co.uk meeting.
190SL Day, Mercedes-Benz World – Sunday May 26
Anyone who has attended one of the international 190SL
meetings held in Europe over the past five years will appreciate
the pleasure of seeing a large number of these beautiful touring
cars assembled in one place, and the enjoyment to be had from
making new friends and exchanging ideas and information with
like-minded enthusiasts. While a number of owners are already
Members of the Mercedes-Benz Club, there has been a view for
some time that it would be good to try to organise a gathering
specifically for 190SL cars to include current non-Members in a
similar way to those which take place for, for example, Pagoda
and (W198) 300SL owners. Thanks to the support and hospitality
from the team at Mercedes-Benz World, we have been offered the
opportunity to hold a 190SL Day on May 26 at Mercedes-Benz
World, Brooklands, Surrey. Although this venue favours owners
from the central and southern areas, the site is readily accessible
from the M25 and there are several reasonably priced hotels in the
immediate vicinity for those who (hopefully) would like to attend
from further afield.
Included in the programme will be a technical session with
experts Gavin Edwards (Roger Edwards Motors), Brian Gunney
(Redcastle Classics) and Parry Chana (Hilton & Moss) who
have all kindly agreed to give their time and expertise to answer
questions on issues related to individuals cars. In addition, there
will be a Street Concours competition, a presentation of individual
cars in front of MB World and, we hope, the opportunity of track
time for our cars on the MB World circuit, as well as ample
opportunity to chat to fellow participants. Rob Durrant, MB
World’s Curator, will guide us through their current exhibition
and for any of those attending who are more interested in golf
than cars, the opportunity will be available for time on the new,
computerised golf simulator recently installed on the site! F1
supporters will be able to keep up with the Monaco GP which
will be showing on the large screens indoors and the Brooklands
Museum is only a short walk away, where there are always
interesting displays of historic cars and aeroplanes.
Refreshments will be available in MB World on arrival and
there is a range of eating facilities on site, so participants will be
free to make their own lunch choices. Of course all Club Members
will be very welcome but the success or otherwise of this venture
will depend on the presence of a critical mass of 190SLs. This is
a unique opportunity for 190SL owners to get together so come
along and, better still, bring your car as well!
Please put the date in your diary and, if you are thinking of
attending (or want further information), I would be grateful if you
could let me know so that we can plan numbers accordingly. The
e-mail address for contact is 190sl@timothy.se
Adrian Timothy
190SL owners in particular, but also all Club Members are invited to
MB World
88 x
on
130
May
Merc
26.
Gazette advert 14/12/11 11:13 Page 1
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 9

News&Views
Ian Keers
re-elected as
Chairman for 2013
At the Board Meeting on January 27 Ian
Keers was unanimously re-elected by the
Club Directors as Chairman for 2013.
Board appointments are approved at
Annual General Meetings but the Board
elects a Chairman from within its own
ranks for each year. Ian commented, “I am
proud and privileged to lead the Club for
another year. Following a very successful
60th Anniversary Year in 2012 we now
have the opportunity to take stock and
to consider ways to continually improve
the Club experience and facilities for our
Members”.
Revised E-Class saloon and estate.
More on the E-Class
updates
Ahead of their UK introduction in April, the
new E-Class saloon and estate pricing and
specifications have been released. The new
model line-up will consist of just SE and AMG
Sport trim and equipment levels, replacing
the current SE, Avantgarde and Sport models.
The new SE will have more than £4,000 of
additional standard equipment for a £2,280
increase over the previous model and there will
be almost £3,000 of added standard features in
the new AMG Sport for a £575 increase over
the previous Sport.
The SE will be offered with three diesel
engines – 220 CDI, 250 CDI and 300 hybrid,
and two petrol engines 200 (saloon only)
and 250. The AMG Sport will have the same
engines plus a 350 petrol. The E220 CDI will
be the only engine with manual transmission
and the new four-cylinder petrol engines, as
well as the E350, will meet the forthcoming
EU6 emissions requirements. There will also be
significant CO emissions improvements across
²
the range, with reductions of up to 20g/km.
Styling changes include new headlamps
plus new rear lights and bumper. Active Park
Assist with Parktronic will be standard, which
measures potential spaces to the left and right of
the direction of travel up to 20 mph. If a suitable
space is detected, and reverse gear is engaged,
the vehicle can be automatically steered into
the parking space, with the automatic braking
function active throughout. There is also an
automatic exiting function to leave the space if
Active Park Assist was used to park.
Prices will start from £32,400 for the SE
and £34,895 for the AMG Sport.
Increase in subscriptions
The Club’s policy is to give value for money and run the whole organisation at minimal
cost. After great discussions it has now been decided that we need to increase the level of
subscriptions to keep up with costs. Subscriptions have been at their current rates since January
2009, while postage alone, for example, has increased by more than 50 per cent.
It is proposed that we increase the subscriptions for all Members by £5; therefore UK single
membership will increase to £38 per annum. Joint membership will remain at an additional
£5 per annum for a second person living at the same address. EU membership will increase to
£43 per year and worldwide to £48.
We will continue to give all Members paying by direct debit a discount of £3 per payment. All
Members who currently pay by standing order will be required to ensure that their existing standing
orders are updated to the new rates. The proposed new subscription rates will come into effect from
April 1 2013, thus giving Members plenty of time to adjust their payments accordingly.
Payments by cash, credit
card, cheque or bankers’ draft
Payment by direct debit
or standing order
(UK sterling accounts only)
One-year Two-year One-year Two-year
Single UK membership £38 £68 £35 £62
Joint UK membership £43 £78 £40 £72
Single EU membership £43 £78 £40 £72
Joint EU membership £48 £88 £45 £82
Single worldwide membership £48 £88 £45 £82
Joint worldwide membership £53 £98 £49 £92
We would urge all Members paying by cash, credit card or cheque to change to direct debit since
all other forms of payment result in the Club incurring additional bank or credit card charges.
We feel that we are still offering good value, especially when you compare our subscription
rates with other car clubs. For example, the Porsche club’s single annual subscription is £70,
the Lamborghini club’s £72.00 and the BMW club’s £45.
We trust you will all understand our reasoning behind this increase and hope you all
continue to enjoy membership and the benefits of the Club.
Rosemarie Maslin, vice-chair and Membership Services Director
The new Road Hawk
HD – £269.95
The new Road Hawk HD…
For the past few weeks I have been testing
the latest Road Hawk, described by its
manufacturers as ‘the most powerful black-box
camera system on the market’. The clarity of the
picture is a vast improvement on the previous
model, giving sharp vision when re-viewing.
Many Club Members have purchased the
Road Hawk I wrote about last year, one has
even written in to our Editor about problems
Car mats
The manufacture of Autostyle overmats has
agreed a 10 per cent mail order discount for
Club Members. This company has patterns
for both classic and current Mercedes-Benz
cars. The list price is the same for all models
– saloons, estates, coupés and roadsters – for
complete car sets in original quality velour
£60 or ribbed £50. The Club logo can be
embroidered on the driver’s mat at no extra
cost. UK post and packing is £7.00. For further
information, orders and overseas shipping
costs see the website www.autostyle.co.uk
or call Peter Altena on 01908 222113. When
ordering please quote your Club membership
his camera captured whilst his car was being
MoT tested. This shows what an asset it can
be – to you and your insurance company – if
you are unfortunate enough to have a mishap.
I can inform you that the same discount
will continue to be given if you purchase
directly from Road Hawk UK using code
MBRH 10.
James Lloyd
…and its display.
number and vehicle series type (‘W number’),
eg W124, Rl07 etc (from the first three digits of
the chassis number).
Michael Chapman
10 per cent off Autostyle car mats.
10 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

News&Views
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
Notes from a small Forum
Well, here we are again, looking back at the last month or so on our
Club website Forum. Having searched every item posted (honest) for
items to inform, educate and entertain you, it strikes me that I might
have to change the name of this column. You see, our Forum is really
rather large and it is getting bigger. It is especially nice to see new
Members come in just to say hello. In the past we have tended to
acquire new Forum members when they needed help and, naturally,
we helped them. Now it seems that Members are coming on board just
to say hello, we seem to have become a destination rather than part of
a journey. Are you coming to join us too?
Pssst, wanna see a ‘special interest’ video?
A Member recently picked up on two things we have mentioned
here previously. We all know that we have the Technical Library at
our disposal and we have already acknowledged that our American
cousins are very good at making short technical videos as they do
jobs. The suggestion was made that we should do the same. Not a
bad idea, let’s see how it develops. Remember you heard it here first!
Smoke but no mirrors
Smoke leak detector and fittings.
This little gem really shows
the ingenuity of one of our
Members. He was faced
with a problem that occurs
on many older cars, right
across the model range. He
had a leaky vacuum pipe and,
whilst it doesn’t sound much,
it can drive you to distraction
when the various gizmos
operated from the car’s
Brazed fitting.
vacuum system start to play
up. His novel solution was
to smoke-test his pipe-work. No, he didn’t set fire to his car, although
those of you who have had this problem must have been sorely tempted
at one time or another. What he did was to make a smoke leak detector
using a DJ’s portable smoke machine, a compressed-air line, a handful
of fittings and a small nozzle. The only hard bit was brazing a fitting that
nature never intended onto the fog machine. Best left to a professional
metal butcher if you don’t fancy it yourself.
The smoke, incidentally, is a special non-greasy water-based fluid.
It goes into the heated chamber of the smoke machine and after a few
minutes warming up it emerges from the machine. With the cunning
compressed-air adapter connected, smoke can be forced into any pipe
you like (except fuel, of course). It can even be used to find leaks in
your exhaust, using a somewhat large conical adaptor. As ever, much
Have you registered
on the Members’ Forum?
• Fast response to technical queries
• Share your own technical advice
with other Members
• Model-specific discussion areas
• Information on Club events
• General discussion area
• Mercedes-Benz cars and items spotted on Ebay
Log-on to www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk click on ‘Log in’, enter
your membership number, follow the instructions for ‘First time logging
in’ and choose your own password. The password given in the Club
Directory is no longer required.
If you have diffi culties e-mail kenny.ooi@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
and he will try to sort it out.
more information can be found on the Forum, so come on board and
have a look for yourself.
Easy when you know how
A Member needed to change his ignition
switch, which is attached to the back of
the steering lock. He took various bits off
the car and shifted things out of his way,
including the tumbler mechanism, but try as
he might he could not get the whole locking
mechanism out. Convinced he must be
missing something he turned to the Forum
for help.
As we have come to expect by now,
the answer came back within the hour. The
reason the lock wouldn’t come out was that
there was a small pin engaged in a hole on
the side of the steering shaft. All that was
needed to free the locking-pin was to turn
the part inside back to position one to draw
the pin out of the hole and, hey presto, the
whole assembly could be taken out. As I
said, simple when you know how and most
of the time, the Forum does know how.
So far but no further.
Taking the hiss
Another short and sweet one for you. A Member asked if anyone could
think why his vacuum-operated central locking worked perfectly
apart from the driver’s door. It was suggested that if he could hear
a hissing sound when locking the door it was likely that a pipe had
come off or a connector was perished and the vacuum was being lost.
He listened carefully and sure enough he could hear a hissing sound.
With a little bit of work the vacuum was quickly restored and we had
another happy Member.
The Three-Pointed Star Bar and Lounge
We have had our usual fair share of lively chat this month, ranging
from the deep and meaningful to those that can best be described
as flights of fancy. Our Prime Minister’s hokey-cokey about EU
membership caused a stir, as did speculation that Elvis is alive and
well (and come to that not aging) in Wales. Just in case that isn’t
enough to make you dig out your wooden spoon and join in, we have
also resurrected our world famous caption competition and it is crying
out for your wit and wisdom. Now, how can you possibly manage
without becoming part of this?
Maurice Saunders (Forum name Maurice)
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 13

The opinions expressed are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily refl ect Club policy. The Editor reserves the right to edit letters if necessary.
They should be sent to the editorial offi ce at 94 Connaught Road, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey GU24 0HJ 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.
YourLetters
A-Class
Dear Chris,
I first saw the new A-Class at the Goodwood
Festival of Speed and thought oh dear – it looks
like a glorified Ford Focus. I now see that it’s like
a less-than glorified Focus that you have to lie
down to get into and then can’t easily see out of
the back! So I don’t like it – I don’t like it at all.
I’m the owner of an original A-Class,
which is short, roomy inside, economical (A170
diesel), pretty comfortable despite a bumpy
ride, has a nice high driving position and is very
easy to get into. Great for older people. I’ve had
a series of E-Classes, a C-Class and a 280SL
Pagoda, so am committed to Mercedes – our
A-Class is now 10 years old with a gazillion
miles on the clock, but I’m left with nowhere
to go Merc-wise. What do other older Members
with confined parking living in a city think?
Erik Johnson (left) presenting his cherished photo to Stirling Moss.
Neubauer
Dear Chris,
Reading the excellent and thought-provoking Tim Imrie piece on Neubauer (February
Gazette) reminded me of when ‘Don Alfredo’ visited these shores to present the first Alfred
Neubaur Trophy to Honorary Club President John Surtees. The occasion was the opening
of the 1965 Racing Car Show at Olympia. John was the first recipient of an award which,
I believe, kept the memory of Mercedes-Benz motor racing successes alive during the
‘lean years’ when there was little or no sporting activity emanating from Stuttgart. Yes,
Bohringer won the Liege-Sofia-Liege rally, but this was just one bright light in otherwise
unrelieved gloom. We kept the trophy going through into the 1970s and notable recipients
included Jackie Stewart, James Hunt and Niki Lauda, to whom I presented it at his own
Speed Show in Vienna.
To mark Mr Neubauer’s visit, we threw a dinner party for him to which Fleet Street
motoring correspondents and notables from the world of motor racing were invited. I still
have a copy of the menu signed by many of them, including Raymond Mays, Bunty Scott-
Moncrieff, Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks and Bill Boddy, long-serving editor of Motor Sport,
together with his continental correspondent and significant contributor to Moss’s1955
Mille Miglia win, ‘Jenks’ (Denis Jenkinson).
One of my treasures, with which I have only recently parted, was a picture taken
at the very moment of that victory on May 1 1955. It shows Moss and Jenkinson, their
faces blackened by brake-dust, celebrating with
Rudi Uhlenhaut and Alfred Neubauer. I got
them all to sign it and it hung over my desk at
Mercedes-Benz for many years. It is now the
property of the British Racing Drivers Club
at Silverstone, Stirling having accepted it from
me on their behalf.
I have retained one last link to the occasion of
Neubauer’s visit – a photo of ‘Jenks’, Neubauer
and Stirling holding the original picture of the
Mille Miglia celebrations, taken at a lunch after
Mr Neubauer had opened the Racing Car Show.
It’s not for sale!
With every good wish.
Yours sincerely,
Erik Johnson, Poole
Editor's note: Erik was for many years PR
manager for Mercedes-Benz in the UK.
Autographed menu from the
Neubauer dinner in 1965.
Yours aye,
nick Francis, Bath
Parts and repair
recommendations
Dear Chris,
I would like to recommend Portishesd
Motorcare car parts and accessories for the
‘Good Garage Guide. Barry Fitchett who
runs the business bent over backwards to get
engine and suspension parts for my W126.
The address is 4 The Precinct, High Street,
Portishead BS20 6HA, telephone 01275 848
838, www.portisheadmotorcare.co.uk
I would also like to update my
recommendation for Autospec Mercedes
Specialist which has carried out extensive
engine work on my W126 420SEL. Steve,
the mechanic who worked on the engine, is
one of the old school and worked tirelessly
to get it ‘just right’. What a change to most
garages these days. Autospec is at Unit 206
South Liberty Lane, Bedminster, Bristol BS3
2LY. Contact Craig Hall on 01179 539559.
Best regards,
Colin Brandling, via e-mail
Coat for Christmas
Dear Chris,
Santa brought me a new coat for Christmas. It
is red and has ‘Mercedes-Benz Classic’ sewn
into its front. I have been wearing it in all
weathers, whilst out with the dog. There are
pockets for the mobile phone, pooh bags,
dog treats, torch etc. The coat is really warm,
breathable and dry. It wasn’t a lot of money
either. I wanted to let Mercedes-Benz know I
am very happy with their product.
If I could change one thing though, I
would make the back slightly longer so my
bum would be covered. If readers also want
to acquire one it can be purchased via the
Mercedes-Benz Classic website, as well as
via Father Christmas.
Jane England, via e-mail
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 15

Photo Quiz
Where and when
were these photos taken?
Answers at the end of the article.
1
ViewPoint
by Ian Keers
Winter tyres – update
Last month I mentioned that I had a set of
Michelin Alpin winter tyres fitted to my
W211 E320 CDI. As I wrote that piece we
were experiencing very mild, wet weather
and I feared we might be going to have a
mild winter and my money would have been
wasted. I needn’t have worried, within a few
days we were gripped in the fiercest of winter
weather with a good dollop of snow and
freezing conditions for days on end during
January. I can now report that the E-Class
has been utterly transformed! I have not had
the slightest problem in negotiating any road
condition I have met, nor have slopes and
hills caused any difficulty at all. By being
careful on the throttle, the tyres have found
grip every time and for the first time in my
life I have really learned how much difference
tyres can make. I have been driving E-Class
Mercedes as daily drivers for over 20 years
now and, whilst I love them, I have always
dismissed them as totally useless in snow and
icy conditions, but I never realised it was all
about tyres – put the right ones on and the
cars work! Instead of slip-sliding all over the
place with the ESP warning light flashing like
Blackpool Illuminations, the car just ploughs
steadily on and I have barely seen the ESP
light blink once. I have an old Mitsubishi
Pajero which I normally turn to when the
weather gets really bad, in fact two winters
ago when we did have a great deal of snow,
I left the E-Class unused for nearly two
weeks and drove the Paj, but not this year, the
E-Class has been out every day.
2
I would recommend winter tyres to
anyone who has to use their car in all
weathers and in future I will have mine fitted
when the clocks go back and removed when
the clocks go forward. There is the initial
expenditure of course, but after that you are
only using the same amount of rubber as you
would normally as the summer tyres sit out
the winter and vice-versa during the warmer
months, definitely the way to go.
Hard-tops
I hate winter, always have done and the classic
car hobby really does suffer at this time of
year, the cars always look so sad and dull.
22 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

Available from the Club website
All prices include UK post and packing
More detailed clothing descriptions, sizes and colours shown on the Club website shop.
ClubMerchandise
Sports-bag/holdall in black with silver
Club logo. £24.50
Lap-top bag in charcoal with silver
Club logo. £35.00
Conference/document bag with
silver Club logo. £18.00
Keyring, oval metal doublesided
with Club logo. £8.00
Medium weight jacket in
navy with silver thread
Club logo. Please state
size when ordering.
£55.00
Body-warmer in navy
with silver thread Club
logo. Please state size
when ordering.
£33.00
Keyring, oval black with
Club logo. £7.00
Titanium coloured alloy tax disc holder
(twist-off back) with Club logo. £23.50
Suit carrier in charcoal
with silver Club logo.
£25.00
Baseball caps in navy,
black or red with silver
Club logo. £12.50
Polo shirts in red,
navy or burgundy
with silver Club logo.
Please state size when
ordering. £23.00
Buy on the Club website
Visit our Club website shop. Orders can now be made via
the site with payment by credit card, Paypal or cheque.
Log onto the Club website and start shopping the easy way. Please
make cheques payable to S Evans. Paypal payment address:
sales@seceservices.com
All orders will be despatched within 24 hours, if there is
a problem we will contact you. UK post and packing is now
included in all prices, please ring or e-mail for overseas rates.
Goods found to be faulty through design flaws or postage
damage will be replaced free of charge.
Short sleeve shirts in
white, red or black
with silver Club logo.
Please state size when
ordering. £34.00
Rugby shirts in navy,
black or burgundy
with white Club logo.
Please state size when
ordering. £36.00
Sweatshirt in burgundy
or navy blue with Club
logo. Please state size
when ordering.
£25.00
Contact details
Steve Evans, 131 Balmoral Way, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset BS22 9DJ.
To order please ring 01934 418545
If we are unable to answer the phone, please leave a message on the
answer-phone and we will call you back.
The e-mail address is sales@seceservices.com
Sorry, but due to bank charges,
we have had to introduce a minimum order value of £5.00.

Feature
Neubauer in his element – a race track, a big crowd… and some strong braces.
Alfred Neubauer 1891-1980
Part two
Neubauer had spent the war years innocuously
enough, administering from Berlin the
‘K-Werken’, three huge repair shops set up
inside Russia and the Ukraine to service trucks
and heavy transport for the Eastern Front.
Being Neubauer, he even managed to secure
himself a bit of luxury, getting a billet in the
magnificent Kaiserhof hotel with its excellent
wine cellar and almost un-rationed kitchens.
When the Kaiserhof was eventually hit in an
air raid, Neubauer claimed he was temporarily
put up in Hitler’s study in the Chancellery
across the street and there helped himself to
the Führer’s drinks cabinet. This is certainly
nonsense. Dictatorships depend on an almost
26 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
by Tim Imrie
mystical separation between leader and led,
so there is no way refugees would ever be
permitted to doss down on the Great Man’s
sofa and rummage around his schnapps bottles.
(And anyway, Hitler was teetotal.) What the
story does show, however, is Neubauer’s
rather self-aggrandising imagination and
highly developed sense of the theatrical.
By May 1945 though, all luxury was but
a memory. Germany, and Mercedes-Benz,
were at Year Zero. Neubauer was now back
in Stuttgart as the company slowly, painfully
rebuilt itself, servicing American army
trucks and ploughing the proceeds back into
materials to build the 170V, a humble but
robust little saloon whose patterns and diecasts
alone had survived the bombing. The
very idea of motor racing would have seemed
absurd. Yet hard work, self-sacrifice and a bit
of Marshall Aid worked miracles; by the early
1950s the Silver Arrows were ready to rise
phoenix-like from the ashes, and Don Alfredo
would rise with them: “I’m never likely to
forget May 2 1952, the day my second youth
began, the day Mercedes-Benz returned to
racing for the first time since 1939. (Not quite
true, but Neubauer understandably preferred
to gloss over its abortive appearance at
the 1951 Buenos Aires GP with two out of
condition pre-war W154s.)... I was in my
element again, organising, planning, juggling
with stop-watches, keeping the mechanics on

Car of the month
Geoffrey Hunter’s 280SE 3.5
Geoffrey writes: “This W108 has
always been, to me, an affair of
the heart. If I had first viewed it
with my head, seven years ago, I
would have walked away. It had a high price,
on account of its exceptionally low mileage,
and little did I know (then) the detrimental
effects that lack of use brings to an old car,
both to the mechanical systems and to the
under-body. Now I understand that indoor
condensation wreaks as much havoc on mild
steel as rain outdoors; then, I accepted too
readily that it had ‘a few cosmetic details
that you might want to improve over time’!
All manner of faults came to light as the car
was brought back into use. But they were all
resolved, relatively easily, and every year I
grow to love it more, as it acquires so many
happy memories of weddings and tours and
events with the Club; it brings me pride and
satisfaction when onlookers, everywhere,
express their enjoyment at seeing it.
As the initial expenditure recedes into the
past, my head has also come to admire this
car, and actually the ongoing running costs
are low. There is a strong case to regard this
model as the perfect classic – it has every
admirable quality, from good looks to great
comfort, to very acceptable performance.
The relatively modern, small-block V8
is perfectly capable in present-day traffic
conditions, and the car’s ride and handling
are superb. I have driven it in phenomenally
wet weather and its exemplary ventilation has
kept all the windows perfectly clear of mist. I
have driven it in appalling traffic congestion
and it has neither overheated nor complained.
I offer my family a choice of transport for a
weekend trip and they reply, in unison, ‘the
Wedding Car’. Some of my Club friends
know it as ‘Miss April’ after the MBIG (one
of the German clubs) pictured it in their
calendar for the year after my first Ponton
Rally. Its light colours and extensive chrome
and bright-work always make me smile,
and I climb into it every time with unfailing
enthusiasm, certain in the knowledge that it
will perform to its customary high standards,
whether I am driving it to the local shops or
to the south of Germany.
Last year we celebrated its 40th birthday.
It left the factory on July 19 1972, one of the
last of its line, and it was first registered on
November 2, after the launch of the successor
W116 S-class, to a Yorkshire factory-owner
who used it sparingly, perhaps considering
it too grand to be driven in the sight of his
employees. In 1992, at around 45,500 miles, it
passed to his son, who, maybe for sentimental
reasons, put it into storage for 11 years, before
getting it MoT tested again in 2003 to 2005. I
bought it at 45,900 miles in 2006 and I drive
it regularly, up to 2,000 miles per year. After
a few months of ownership I realised this was
a car that I would keep indefinitely, so I gave
it its dateless registration number, which I
purchased from a fellow Club Member for
whom it had meant ‘Ultimate German V8’. I
would not claim that title for it, but it is a fine
car that has taught me most of what I know
about Mercedes-Benz and about classic car
ownership, so I owe it a good home.
I don’t commute in it, since it is large and it
returns around 19mpg; I use it only for pleasure,
which it always delivers in huge quantities.”
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: Chris Bass, 94 Connaught Road, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey GU24 0HJ or chris.bass@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 33

Feature
Aidan Corless’s 220A relaxes in France
en route to Italy.
Pas de grease
(French for ‘Why a 1954 220A cabriolet
needs some grease’)
by Aidan Corless
A
1954 Mercedes-Benz 220A with
me at the wheel left Dublin on
July 12 on a journey that covered
4,473km (2,796 miles) and
tested the car’s tolerance to torrential rain
in Paris, the steep climb of the Alps, many
tunnels, extreme heat, Bergamo traffic, highspeed
motorways – sometimes sandwiched
between two juggernauts at 130kph (81mph)
with no seat-belts and a soft-top – and
received admiration with horns blowing in
France and hand-waving and shouting in
Italy. With the car well prepared and polished
before start off, I left Dublin for the port of
Rosslare to cross to sunny France and Italy.
Only 10km (six miles) into that 158km (99
miles) journey the rain came in buckets, but
I was happy that France would be different.
The 18-hour boat journey to Cherbourg
was pleasant, although 45 minutes late
disembarking at 5.50pm. The weather was
dry at least and I was ready for the 392km
(245 miles) to Paris. I set my sat-nav course
and looked forward to the jaunt. I decided to
keep my speed at 100km (62mph) with the
roof up. After four hours I was on the outskirts
of Paris, driving in torrential rain, with poor
lights (six-volt system) when my sat-nav went
down. I knew the cigar lighter connection did
not work but I thought the battery would last
longer. Now I was on my own. I pulled in to
refuel and ask for directions. I got the fuel,
but no directions. I gave myself directions
the old way; I looked at my map, and drove
into Paris, knowing that my destination was
a further 148km (92 miles) outside the city.
After a few wrong turns, poor visibility
and many phone calls to my hosts for the
night, the rain got stronger and I got more
tired. I arrived at my destination at 12.45am
Saturday morning, 1½ hours later than I
anticipated, but to a fantastic Irish welcome
of food and wine, my hosts John and Carole
patiently waiting. With the car parked in the
barn, John said he had not expected me for a
few weeks, as he thought this old car would
not make it out of Cherbourg, “You must be
mad,” he concluded. Maybe he was right.
On Sunday July 15, after checking oil
and water, I gave the car a wash and returned
to Paris to pick up Tony from London, a
travelling companion who had flown in to
join me for the craic. Adrian Quinn was to
have joined me from Dublin, but he decided
to go in for a ‘nip and tuck’ instead and would
meet me in Modena.
We left Paris for a lovely town called
Beaune, 365km (228 miles), and en route
we saw our first bit of sun. We stopped in
Macon and had a superb lunch. The car drove
perfectly and at one stage it reached 150kph
(93mph), much to my companion Tony’s
amazement and discomfort (no seat-belts).
The next day we travelled ‘topless’ the full
233km (146 miles) to gorgeous Annecy,
which is well worth a visit. On arrival I
checked the oil and water and both levels had
not changed, no topping up required.
The next morning we drove to Aosta,
153km (96 miles), crossing over the Alps into
Italy. As we queued at the border I noticed
the car temperature gauge rising above 90
degrees (after all we had just climbed Mont
Blanc, the highest mountain in Western
Europe). Suddenly the car conked out, as it
was my turn to approach the border control. It
would not restart. I left the car and walked to
pay the toll. After a short wait the car started,
however the temperature gauge showed 95
and I was worried. I drove through the long
Alpine tunnels and slowly the temperature
dropped back to 80, all was fine again.
Bergamo
In the afternoon we advanced to Bergamo,
268km (167 miles). On entering the city we
were in one of four lanes, bumper-to-bumper,
for an hour. Sitting in the traffic I was fixed
on the temperature gauge which was now
rising towards 95 degrees again, (it was 35
outside) and once more I became worried. As
I feared, the car conked out and would not
restart. I raised the hood and redirected the
heavy traffic around us. About 20 minutes
later the temperature gauge was back to 80,
the car roared into life again and off we went,
only to find ourselves in the same situation 15
minutes later. I quickly decided that it was in
my fellow motorists’ best interest (and mine)
to keep moving and use the emergency lane,
passing all the traffic. Some minutes later a
truck saw us coming and decided to block our
progress, but he was too big and cumbersome
for my nifty 1950s car and we overtook him
on the other side, it was great fun.
All was well, the temperature gauge
was back to 80 and I was ahead of schedule.
Again my sat-nav powered-off but we got
34 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

Feature
The 2013 Mercedes being unveiled in Jerez – with Hamilton and Rosberg plus a couple of SLS AMGs in attendance.
F1news by
De la Rosa
Ex-McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa has
signed with Ferrari to be a development driver
alongside Marc Gene. The Spaniard was a
popular member of the McLaren team between
2003 and 2009 as a test and stand-in driver.
Oliver Turvey
Current McLaren test driver Oliver Turvey has
signed for Joya Sport to race in the European
Le Mans Series in addition to his F1 testing
role. Gary Paffett will also continue to test for
the team, as well as aid the development of the
road-going MP4-12c.
3D Systems and Force India
Force India has signed a new, stronger
agreement with 3D Systems for the 2013
season to aid the development of wind-tunnel
components. 3D Systems is the market-leader
for rapid prototyping technology and the
relationship should enable faster development
of the 2013 car.
2014 Mercedes engine
In January, Mercedes released the first images
of the 2014 V6 turbo 1.6-litre power plant.
Static dyno-testing of the engine is taking place
in the Brixworth factory and early indications
are that the engines will sound just as exciting
as current units, despite losing the emotive
V8 configuration. The turbo is likely to spin
at around 125,000rpm, but the power will be
similar to the 2013 engines at around 700bhp.
A larger portion of the power will be created
from new energy recovery systems – the
Simon Place
current KERS currently produces 80hp for
6.7 seconds per lap, while the new ERS will
deliver 161hp for 33.3 seconds per lap, making
the management of this power key to overall
success.
Air Berlin
Niki Lauda has stepped down from the board
of Air Berlin in order to fully focus on his new
non-executive chairman role at Mercedes F1.
Toto Wolff to Mercedes
Executive director of Williams, Toto Wolff,
has signed with Mercedes as head of motor
sport. An entrepreneur, investor as well as
motor sport manager, he will retain his share
interest in Williams and his connections with
Mercedes in DTM.
Brawn to stay for 2013?
A question has arisen over the long-term
Hamilton at the wheel of
the new car in testing.
future for Ross Brawn at Mercedes GP. The
new motor sport chief, Toto Wolff, is keen to
see him stay, as are Rosberg and Hamilton,
although the Mercedes board may wish a
change in management following the relative
poor results since the team’s inception.
Di Resta confirmed
Di Resta has been confirmed by Force India
for its first race seat. He completed a run in
the 2013 VJM06 at Silverstone following the
launch of the new car.
New McLaren
The 2013 MP4-28 was unveiled at the team
headquarters in late January as planned.
Button and Perez also demonstrated past
racing cars in a drive-by around the lake to
celebrate the team’s 50th anniversary.
No double DRS
McLaren has elected not to develop a
double DRS system for its 2013 car,
despite it being widely expected that
front-running teams would do so. The
reliability risk and complicated installation
have resulted in the team looking for
aerodynamic benefits in other areas of
the car.
38 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

Portugal via Spain
by Ken Snowdon, photos by Sarah Myners
I
have to admit that, despite all my
efforts, it was my wife who saw them
first. It started with one quick flash of
sleek grey but it was all over too fast. Then
it happened again, but there were more this
time, all slashing in and out of the water in
small graceful arcs. What is it about seeing
dolphins that gladdens the heart? On this
occasion it was made all the more pleasant by
observing them from the deck of a Brittany
Ferries’ ship.
Once again we were sailing to Spain
on the excellent Pont Aven, but this time to
explore Portugal. However, to get to Porto
from Santander you have a choice. Drive the
400 miles in one go, rest-up and continue
from there, or take your time and explore a
little. We chose the latter.
A late evening arrival reinforced our
choice. Our first stop was a hotel not too far
from Santander. Heading south, we made for
La Cavada, eventually picking up the CA261.
This picturesque, winding mountain road
gave us a fun drive but we also had to stop to
take a look. Puerto de Alisas is 640m above
sea-level and the view was spectacular. Just
as surprising was the absolute silence, apart
from some distant goats’ bells clanking. We
continued on to the Hotel Palacio Torre de
Ruesga in the small village of Valle, in the
Alto Asón region of Cantabria. The building,
set in lovely gardens, is a renovated 17th
Ken Snowdon with his trusty 350SL in Portugal.
century palace on the banks of the river Asón.
Inside are stone walls, heavy beams and
splendid 19th century frescos by the Catalan
painter León Criach. Our room was in one of
the towers, all polished wood and stone, with
a living room below the mezzanine bedroom.
The next morning we drove north on the
N629 which we shared with a lot of keen
cyclists, undeterred by the mountainous
inclines, dark tunnels and tight twists and
turns. Again the scenery was magnificent
all the way up to Colindres, after which we
used the A8 and the A67 motorways heading
west before jumping back onto the side roads.
The CA131 took us to the seaside town of
Comillas for a tapas lunch overlooking the
beach before we resumed our journey along
the delightfully picturesque CA131, which
took us over bridges and estuaries with super
sea views until turning inland shortly after
San Vicente de la Barquera. We were heading
for the Cabranes region of Asturias through
tiny villages, past horreos – like a shed on
brick pillars used to store grain where the
rats can’t get to it – along tiny roads and up
small Spanish country lanes. Our goal was
the Amada Carlota Hotel set between the
Sierra del Sueve, the Redes Natural Park and
the Picos de Europa mountains. This modern
building is built into the side of a hill and the
views from it are breathtaking, the silence
golden and the hosts, Carlos and Yolanda,
welcoming. Looking out from the balcony
next morning, the mist was caught in the
valley and it all looked picture-perfect.
It was a great drive away from the
Amada Carlota (although we were sad to
leave) through more mountain villages up to
Villaviciosa. We were so deep in the Spanish
countryside, when the birds weren’t singing it
was completely silent. After a blast of speed
west on the A8 we nipped up the N632a for
a twisting, winding but beautiful drive via
Santa Marina, Ballota, Canero and Luarca
before re-joining the N634 and the A8 to push
on to our next stop, the Parador at Ferrol.
Fiesta bagpipe band.
Bagpipes
Paradors are historical buildings maintained
and operated as hotels by the Spanish
government, and they have a certain style;
large, traditional, comfortable rooms, heavy
40 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

Two of the R129 SLs from Japan Alan Howells had in stock – one left-hand-drive, one right-hand-drive.
Go east young man!
by Peter Hampson
A
popular message in the 19th
century was for young men to
seek their fortunes by ‘going west’
– meaning head for the American
frontier, where riches could be found.
Today, enthusiasts wanting a pristine, classic
Mercedes have also been used to looking
west – to California because of the climate,
which means that cars do not rust. But there
is an alternative. Japan has an equally mild
climate (at least the southern part) and what
is more they drive on the left, as in Britain.
One man is exploiting this – Alan Howells
of Mayfair Cars in County Durham. He has
established a connection with car auctions in
Japan and is able to source absolutely mint
condition cars. Nowadays he mostly brings in
R129 SL500s and W124 280 estates, but he
has sourced other models from time to time.
I visited Alan at his warehouse near Durham
Another R129 imported previously.
and saw the quality of the cars. He had two
left-hand-drive SL500s and one right-handdrive,
plus a W124 280 estate. He says
he sells the LHD cars in Germany. As the
Japanese drive on the left it might be thought
odd that he is importing LHD cars. The truth
is that in Japan ‘face’ is everything and if
you import a very, very expensive German
car you want to make sure that anyone who
sees it, who might not recognise the make, is
clear that it is imported and therefore rare, as
a result many of the cars are LHD.
Good imports
Japanese cars make good imports for two
reasons. One is the climate, which south
of Hokkaido (the northern Island) and the
northern tip of Honshu (the main island)
is frost-free. In fact the further south one
goes the hotter it gets – which can cause a
few problems. The second reason lies in
the Japanese passion for order. Cars are
meticulously serviced and standards of
control are high regarding safety. Mileage is
also guaranteed as it is recorded as part of the
Japanese equivalent of the MoT test. From
my own experience of selling in Japan I know
just how ‘picky’ they can be – there is no such
thing as ‘near enough’ – it has to be spot-on.
Coming back to Tokyo on one occasion on
the Shinkansen (bullet train) there was an
announcement, which caused my Japanese
companion to be most upset. When I asked
why he said that the announcement was that
the train would be five minutes late arriving
in Tokyo – it was not good enough! So, when
that degree of perfectionism is applied to cars
they tend to be good – even used ones.
However, actually getting one is not that
simple. Alan buys from the Japanese auctions,
where they sell thousands of cars every day.
The auctions are not like ours. All across the
country they are linked up, so you can sit at
a computer screen and view cars nationwide.
You can also weed out what you want to
see. Alan has access to this system and has
selected which auctions he is interested in –
none from the north for example. He can also
put in filters for which make of car and which
models he wants to see.
Look at the form
When he fires up the software he has to put in
his name and password – arranged via a contact
in Japan – and, depending upon his filters, he
gets photographs of all the cars that meet his
criteria. If he is interested he can see a couple
of additional photos, usually including one of
the interior. There is also a form, in Japanese,
which gives additional data. Obviously the
writing is in Japanese Kanji characters, but
the numbers are Arabic, the same as ours.
One key point he looks for is that the cars are
assessed and given a rating from nought to
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 45

TechnicalCorner
Plug to heater
blower motor
regulator.
1. Three-pin plug connection to the blower regulator.
R129 blower motor
regulator fix
by Dave Crowle
The problem
The automatic heating system on my 1995
SL500 Mille Miglia started to play up
intermittently. Everything was working OK
when the car was cold but after a period
of time (say 10 or 20 miles), the blower
defaulted to its lowest speed setting and the
four fan-speed switches were unresponsive.
The other switches directing the air-flow and
temperature thumbwheel were still working
OK. Occasionally it would suddenly ‘wake
up’ and work OK for a short period of time,
usually after going over a bump. I had some
correspondence with Jeremy Stevens and
he suggested it could be the blower motor
regulator. The independent specialist I use
agreed but also suggested I check the control
panel inside the car. The fix turned out to be
quite a cost-effective and elegant solution,
and Jeremy suggested I write an article.
Diagnosis
To determine if the problem was in the control
panel or the regulator was quite an easy check
to do and required minimal dismantling. On
an R129 there is a three-pin plug connection
to the blower regulator wiring, which is
conveniently located just behind the brake
servo unit under the bonnet (photo one).
The three wires are coloured black, red and
yellow; the last being the control wire. The
blower motor regulator is located on top of
the blower motor cowling inside the plenum
chamber and this is down against the front
bulkhead underneath the windscreen wiper
assembly. However, to observe the fan, only
the filter cover and filter need to be removed
(photo two).
When the system was working OK I
checked the output voltage between the black
and yellow wires using a voltmeter and by
partially removing the plug. The voltage
changes with fan speed. I waited (and waited)
for the fault to show and then repeated the
exercise with the voltmeter. In summary,
I found that the voltages were exactly the
same, which meant (thankfully) that the
control panel inside the car was working
properly and it was the regulator. The motor
itself was found to be OK.
Not being an electrical person at all, I
understand that this regulator is basically a set
of resistors and a small printed circuit board
encapsulated in resin. I call it a ‘resistor block’
and it is bolted directly to an aluminium heat
sink on the fan cowling, so it can obviously
get quite hot. Being intermittent, the fault
was probably solder fatigue and because the
whole thing is encased in resin there is not a
lot of options in terms of repairs.
Next step
Mercedes-Benz does not sell the resistor block
on its own, nor does it sell the section of wiring
(including the resistor block) between the
three-pin plug and the terminals on the blower
motor. It sells the complete unit (including the
clip-on cowling and heat-sink) as part number
A129 821 3351 and it retails at about £380.
There are aftermarket products in the USA
that consist of just the regulator and wiring for
about $100, including delivery to the UK.
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 49

Avantgarde
Classic & Contemporary Mercedes-Benz
www.avantgardecars.co.uk
SparesRegister
A FREE Service For ALL MEMBERS
NB Complete cars for sale must be advertised in the classified section.
All Spares Register entries should be limited to 40 words maximum and sent to
Melvyn Meloy, 65 Fircroft Crescent, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16
3HS to arrive by the 26th of the month preceding publication. All correspondence
should be by post or e-mail to benz.w112@btinternet.com
In emergencies only, telephone or fax 01903 772435.
300SL Auto 1989G 45,000 miles, FMBSH,
midnight blue, grey leather, navy soft top, air
con, cruise, rear seat, heated orthopaedic
seats, original Becker Mexico, every possible
option, most desirable colour combination,
immaculate .....................................£28,995.
SL500 Silver Arrow Auto 2001’51 57,000
miles,FSH, silver arrow, black/silver leather, black
soft top, panoramic hard top, climate, cruise,
heated memory seats, xenons, M-B 6CD, 1 of
100 in RHD, fantastic condition ..........£20,995.
500SEC Auto 89F 27,000 miles, FSH, surf
blue, cream leather, aircon, cruise, electric
heated seats, electric sunroof, exceptional
example with low mileage............... £17,995
SL60 AMG Auto 1998S 53,000 miles,
FMBSH, brilliant silver, red leather, black
electric soft top, factory hard top, climate
cruise, heated memory seats, rear seats, 1 of
49 RHD, stunning ...........................£24,995.
300SL Auto 88F 48,000 miles, signal red,
cream sport cloth, black soft top, factory hard
top, 15-hole alloys, illuminating vanity mirrors,
very beautiful example. .................. £19,995
300SL Auto 86C 69,000 miles, FSH, signal
red, black sport cloth, black soft top, factory
hard top, cruise, 15-hole alloys, HLWW,
superb. ......................................... £15,995
For sale
W113 Pagoda SL Hard-top chrome mouldings, new off-side inner wing, rear lamp
lenses and surrounds, all four types of headlamps (right-hand and left-handdrive),
chrome caps for B-pillar, reconditioned brake servo with 12 months’
guarantee, new door seal, off-side red flasher lamps, oil cooler vgc, king-pin
kits, trunnions, track-rod ends and drag-links to suit most models, inner cover
sill mouldings, front sub-frame mounting kits. 01773 835462.
Hard-top hoist For W113, R107 and R129 £175. Made to measure cover for
W113, dark blue £30. 02084 678116 or douglass.peebles@btinternet.com
Bromley.
W108 Front bumper complete £120, bonnet £90, stacked headlights £300, rear
lights £75, white steering wheel £90, time clock £40. W111 Fintail offside
rear door £90, windscreen with rubber and chrome £90. Selection of wheels
POA. W115 front bumper sections £40 each. Fintail front bumper in two
halves, needs re-chroming but no rust £150. Headlights for W111 and W108
£85 each. W113 rear bumpers (one needs slight repair) £300, two rear light
chrome rims £100, headlight chrome rims £125. Pair of Zenith carburettors
£190. W123 estate parcel cover and dog guard £75. W115 four-cylinder petrol
engine £200. W126 body parts, 1988 bumpers, interior. Ponton, W108 and
W111 grilles £150 each. Chrome wheel arches for W111 coupé £475. Power
steering boxes and pumps for all models POA. Breaking 1986 190, good trim
and panels, auto, all mechanical parts electric windows and leather seats. Sony
MD/CD changer control £55. Panasonic cassette player/radio £50. Lear Jet
Stereo 8 AM/FM £50. Two Road Star three-way bass reflex speaker systems
RS-9700 £30. 1960s eight-track tapes, some unused, all in original boxes,
approximately 58 in all – offers. Four new 15-inch hubcaps £50. Vic 0208 890
3220 Middlesex.
Breaking 1991 500SEL, 420SE, W123 280 coupé, W124 300 diesel estate, W220
600 Business Edition, 560SEC, W210 E240, W140 S320 and 500, W111
220SE coupé. Parts off the shelf for W108, W111, W123, W124, W126 and
the 190 range. New old stock W114/5 panels. Mail order. Dave 07710 672986
or retrodave111@aol.com (no text messages please).
W113 Pagoda SL hard-top Cream, no rust, never been repaired, off a US car
£1,500 ono. Justin 07989550767
200 Gazettes From 1993 to 2012, in good condition £25. Collection from York or
north London by appointment. 01904 425166 or jjamccarthy@aol.com
W211 E320 CDI Sport estate 2004 (55), all in perfect condition – deep boot-tub as
new- £50, genuine Mercedes roof bars £50 and set of genuine black carpets as
new £20. 01555 660399 or jim@patersonclan.com Central Scotland.
R107 service manuals Chassis and body volumes one and two, V8 engines M116
(3.5-litre) and M117 (4.5-litre) £45. 01773 812635 Nottinghamshire.
W124 and some W126 spares Fairly priced to clear, including panels, lights,
grilles, small trim items, filters, plugs etc. Call or e-mail for list, offers
considered for job lot. 0208 891 6525 or geoff.holden@gofast.co.uk
Middlesex.
R107 Later model chrome B-post cover, driver’s side, part number 1076930435.
01283 812439.
SL320 Edition Auto 00X 39,000 miles,
FSH, designo mystic blue, black leather,navy
electric soft top, hard top, climate, cruise,
electric heated seats, M-B 6CD, gorgeous low
mileage limited edition.................... £14,995
230TE Estate Auto 1985C 72,000 miles,
champagne metallic, date cloth, 7-seats,
sunroof, 4 electric windows, rear headrests,
rear load cover, original Blaupunkt Melbourne,
outstanding example ..................... £11,995.
300SEL Auto 1991H 31,000 miles, pearl grey,
grey leather, cruise, electric sunroof, rear blind,
rear footrests, original Blaupunkt, serviced by
supplying main dealer from new, 1 previous
owner, rare and immaculate ........... . £11,995.
S320L Business Edition Auto 1998R
54,000 miles, FSH, briliant silver, black
leather, electric heated seats F & R, M-B Nav,
electric rear desk, rear blind, wood/leather
wheel, superb condition ............... . £10,995.
Tamworth, Staffs
Call Jonathan 07968 694448
or 01827 288177
Wanted – Similar high quality, low-mileage Mercedes
Email: sales@avantgardecars.co.uk
Wanted
R129 SL280 (1994) Electronic control unit to operate the hood. Brian Thorley
01253 884361 or info@ccti.co.uk
Have you tried the Club website
Reference Library?
Before you write to the Gazette or call one of the Club’s
volunteer Technical Advisers try the Club website. All
past technical queries and technical articles have now
been posted on the Club website in the Members’ pages
Reference Library.
They are fully indexed and there is a Google-style
search facility to help you find exactly what you need.
The website address is www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk To access the
Members’ pages click on ‘Log in’, enter your membership number and
follow the instructions for ‘First time logging in’ then choose your own password.
The password given in the Club Directory is no longer required. Then
click on ‘Reference Library’.
If you have any difficulties please e-mail
kenny.ooi@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
52 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

TechnicalCorner
Corroded W123 rear sub-frame.
W123 rear sub-frame
problems
by Mark Cosovich
W123s go on forever,’ or so
‘
we’re led to believe. Well
maybe in warmer climates,
but here in the British
Isles and Western Europe, with ever-stricter
ministry tests, this is no longer the case.
The damp climate and salted roads destroy
most mild steel cars, few survive from the
1970s except our old friend the W123.
Superbly engineered and designed with
substantial build strength, they have seen
off all competitors, sadly now even they are
suffering the ravages of the British weather.
Salt and water builds up under the vehicle
and runs into the cavities the rear springs sit
in. Although water can exit, over time even
the heavy construction of these components
rusts away, leaving the metal thin enough
to fracture.
These rear control arms also carry the
hubs and wheel bearings. Being a major
suspension component, fractures such as
those in the photos are an instant MoT test
failure. Removal and replacement is the only
answer, as attempting to weld thin metal is
only a temporary measure. The design of the
spring mount is curved to accept the end of
the spring and it would be very difficult to
replicate. These mountings were designed
at a time when the springs were made to
last. Springs on all newer models are much
thinner and most are not curved at the end.
Consequently broken springs are changed
regularly on all newer models, but W123
springs, being nearly as thick as your finger,
rarely fail – even though they are also almost
30 years old. The Daimler-Benz engineers
working on the W123 made every effort to
ensure broken springs didn’t happen, but due
to the passage of time springs do break on
W123s, although with much less frequency.
If you do have a broken spring, a
Mercedes-Benz dealer is your best option if
the ‘magic carpet’ ride of your W123 is to
be retained. Factor suppliers won’t have the
correctly weighted spring – there are seven
options on W123s, everything was critically
weighed, even the sunroof. Also, both springs
must be replaced, to ensure an even ride.
The sub-frame is still available
new, without wheel bearings or brake backplates,
at over £1,400 last time I checked – so
a good used one is a sensible answer. Here’s
the problem, many used ones are in a similar
condition, so extensive searching is required
to find ones in good order, preferably from a
vehicle which has not seen much road use.
As the vast majority of W123s in poor order
have now been exported, and these major
suspension items are not easy to remove, it’s
my intention to bring this to the attention of
all owners – check for rust in this area before
replacements disappear.
Removal and reassembly must be done
with specialist Mercedes-Benz tools to
replace the hub bearing and brake backplates,
which are usually rusted. When in
place the spring height and shock-absorbers
must also be checked with special tools if you
want the car to ride correctly. New sub-frame
mounting bushes are usually also required.
For a very long time, on W123s I’m
restoring, I have been removing all these
components, bead-blasting them clean and
powder-coating them for future longevity,
as I realised there would be problems in this
area soon. The factory finish paint was OK
when waxed and has lasted nearly 30 years,
but now it’s time to have a good look at your
rear sub-frames and check for rust. I’ve
had numerous enquiries over the last year
regarding problems in this area. Once fully
restored, I’m sure it can be made good for
another 25 years, to ensure W123s will ‘go
on forever’.
Club Technical Director Jeremy Stevens
adds: Whilst road springs do fail on the cars
that followed the W123, in my experience they
also failed on that model. I well remember,
on a family holiday in the North Yorkshire
Moors, a bang from the front of my then
W123 240D followed by a nasty graunching
noise. A roadside investigation revealed a
broken front road spring which had distorted
and was now rubbing on the body. A
convenient piece of timber by the roadside
was hammered between the spring and the
body, enabling us to reach the local dealer in
Pickering. I had both front springs changed
at a cost of around £180 from memory and
that was probably 18 years ago.
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 53

TechnicalCorner
Gill Gardner’s ‘new’ A-Class with Will’s 190E.
190 diaries
by Will Gardner
Over the last few months, a fair bit
has happened with the Gardner
Mercedes fleet. My wife Gill had
been running a 2005 A150 Classic
since 2006 and as her business mileage is quite
high this was fast approaching the 100,000-mile
mark. For some time I’d been keeping an eye
out for a replacement A-Class. As is our usual
way, I had been looking at nearly-new models
and this time round, a diesel.
I thought it would be good to include a
few reflections on the out-going car. Overall
it was very reliable, breaking down only once,
due to clumsy removal of the HT leads during
servicing. (This was at the last service carried
out at the dealer, during the warranty period!)
The main issue that affected our ownership
was quite severe corrosion appearing in the
door seams, resulting in the door bottoms
rotting right through. This was first noticed
when the car was nearly four years old. Jeremy
Stevens directed me to the right person to speak
to in Mercedes-Benz Customer Services after I
initially drew a rather disinterested blank. The
problem was apparently a known issue, due to
a failure of the seam sealant used. In less severe
cases an approved repair involved replacing
the sealant and painting. In our case though
the resultant repair involved replacement of all
four doors and respraying of both sides of the
car. Had we continued with dealer servicing
prior to the discovery of the fault, MB would
have picked-up the total cost, but as it was
they offered an 80 per cent contribution. A
quick calculation revealed that the savings on
maintenance through not using a dealer was
just about equal to our contribution to the repair
cost, so swings and roundabouts in this case.
All this left us with an £800 bill, which
we were not too thrilled about – not because
of Mercedes not picking-up the full bill, but
mostly because it is a bit galling to think
that a four-year-old quality car would need
such extensive corrosion repair. I remember
reflecting that our Kia Picanto, bought new
in 2004 and not so fastidiously washed, was
entirely rust-free… Anyway, once we had
swallowed that particularly bitter pill, we
put the episode to the back of our minds and
normal reliable service resumed. And to look
on the bright side, the car did come back with
the benefit of a superb valet!
Overall, throughout our time with the car,
fuel consumption was always between 36 and
37mpg, which was quite acceptable. Other
than normal service items (and a respray!) the
only other parts to fail were a couple of door
lock solenoids. One was replaced during the
warranty period, one I replaced. I did also
replace both rear dampers as one developed
a slight ‘creaking’ noise, but as they were
otherwise OK this was not strictly essential.
Overall we were pleased with the car, and Gill
was happy to replace like with like.
Savvy
Considering myself to be quite savvy when it
comes to the black art of buying and selling
cars, I was keen to find a good deal. During
some internet research I found a 5,000-mile
black A160 CDI Blue Efficiency for sale at
what was apparently a Volkswagen van centre.
More research showed that, along with most
other ‘prestige’ franchises, Volkswagen dealers
are not able to sell other makes as used vehicles
on their branded car sales forecourts – hence
they sell used vehicles from other marques at
their commercial vehicle franchise sites, where
apparently this is not an issue. The price was
very tempting, so we made an appointment
to view. The car was two years old and came
with the necessary full service history and was
spotless in every way. Gill and I set a rather
cheeky maximum price to change, based on the
Rather dirty stainless steel exhaust.
54 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

TechnicalCorner
1. The original wiring to the alternator.
Smart MHD
intermittent starting
by Jeremy Stevens
I
discovered by accident that there is a
known problem with some Smart MHD
models equipped with the Valeo starteralternator.
The symptom is that the engine
does not re-start in ECO mode or sometimes
2. Mercedes-Benz modification kit.
fails to turn on the key. This problem affects
chassis WME 451.334, 451.380 and 451.480
up to chassis number WME451.380 2K
352084. In the affected models the signal
wiring harness to the starter-alternator is
too short and as a result the wires to the sixway
connector can fracture due to vibration
and general movement of the engine (photo
one). There is a modification kit available
from Mercedes-Benz, part number A132
150 00 33, which comprises an assembled
connector complete with six pre-assembled
wires, butt-splice crimp connectors and heatshrink
sleeving (photo two). As our Smart
falls within the scope of the affected vehicles
I decided to fit the approved modification kit
myself and send the car down to Brentford for
the associated upgrades to the firm-ware of
the starter-alternator ECU and ME engine and
control unit.
Fitting of the kit took me about 20
minutes. A soldering iron, solder, crimp tool,
wire cutters, a scalpel and a hot-air gun are
3. Extracting the wires from the loom.
4. Old connector removed.
56 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

Anglia – South
Christmas lunch
Left to right: Tony De Frates, David Bellamy, Tina Bellamy, Carole
Barrack and Linda De Frates at the Angel.
Our annual Christmas bash this year was in Suffolk, at the Angel
Hotel in Bury St Edmunds, a hotel right in the centre of town and
easy to find. Parking can be difficult close to the hotel as only short
stay parking is allowed. However, a team of staff were delegated to
help us and within no time all the cars were safely parked. We were
26 strong and met at about 12.00 mid-day for a glass of prosecco and
spent a happy hour or so reminiscing before moving to our private
dining room overlooking Angel Hill for a tasty three-course lunch
with coffee afterwards. The raffle this year was in the form of spot
prizes so Carole Barrack and Tina Bellamy had a break from selling
tickets. It really was a very enjoyable lunch and thank you to everyone
who came along.
New Year’s Day lunch
A Club lunch table Jim, but not as we know it…
Brian Finch and Daphne Phillips’ lovely black and red 170V on
the left with some of the VSCC cars at the Queen’s Head.
Our first event of 2013 was a trip to the Queen’s Head, a 15th century
pub, off the beaten track and set in the village of Hawkedon, Suffolk
which has the advantage that it hosts the New Year’s Day meeting of
the VSCC (Vintage Sports-Car Club), principally for cars built before
1931. The VSCC cars were magnificent. On show were jaw-achingly
beautiful examples from Alvis, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti and
Frazer Nash to name but a few. There were plenty of other makes
to see, including a wonderful Vauxhall saloon and plenty of Austins,
Morrises and Fords, all lined up for inspection.
17 Club Members and guests turned out and eventually we tore
ourselves away from the cars to enjoy lunch in the excellent company
of members from other car clubs. A very good way to start the New
Year. Those attending were Dave and Jean Shynn, Alan and Vera
Jupp, Michael and Judy Peters, Tony and Christel Richardson, Simon
RegionalReports
Murton, Brian Finch and Daphne Phillips, Roger and Jean Wyncoll,
Colin and Pat Skyrme, Linda and myself.
Tony De Frates
Classic car insurance talk at pub meeting
More than 25 Members braved sub-zero temperatures to enjoy a talk
by Peter Best, managing director of Pester Best Insurance Services,
about insuring their classic cars. This was the second in a series of
talks at our monthly Prested Hall pub meetings.
Aide-memoire
Our pub meeting at Prested Hall on March 13 will feature a talk on
‘Fakes and forgeries’ by Tim Turner of Sworders Fine Art Sales and
Auctioneers. Don’t miss it!
We are equally looking forward to our Saturday morning visit
to Clark and Carter at Cressing near Braintree on March 16. In
business for 30 years, this company, which specialises in restoring
and maintaining classic cars, has added Mercedes-Benz to its list
of Porsche, Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars it has become famous
for. The client list includes a number of 600 and W198 owners.
Because booking is essential please let me (Colin Skyrme) know as
soon as possible if you would like to join us. There are numerous
restaurants available in the Braintree area and I will be pleased to
make recommendations nearer the visit.
Our regular pub meetings
We meet at Prested Hall, Feering, Colchester CO5 9EE on the second
Wednesday of the month. Have a meal or just a drink with likeminded
enthusiasts and get details of other planned events. For further
information contact me via colin.skyrme@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
or 01279 730480.
E-newsletter
If you are not receiving the Anglia – South e-newsletter it’s possible
your e-mail address on the Club database is not up to date. If you
would like to receive a copy of the e newsletter please contact Roger
Wyncoll via roger.wyncoll@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
Colin Skyrme
Brentwood pub meeting
We always meet on
the first Thursday
in the month at the
Plough in Brentwood.
For Christmas we
arranged to order from
the pub’s Christmas
menu so we could
make a combination
of a pub meeting and
a Christmas meal in
December. We have
Christmas at the Plough.
done this for the last
three years now. Everyone is always welcome and the landlord kindly
stood on a chair to take our photo.
Six of us booked up for the Christmas dinner in Wales with Dave
Rees and Howard Thomas the following weekend, as we did last year.
We had a meal with music and dancing and the next morning we
wanted somewhere to visit before we headed back to Essex. Howard
planned a lovely route for us to see Chepstow Gate, the Valleys, Iron
Bridges, Tintern Abbey and the Water Mill on the A466, where we
had a ginger ale tasting, mince pies and sweets – all complimentary
as the shop always provides these at Christmas time. Mike Crone did
a wonderful job in leading our cars, following the route and stopping
at all the places of interest. So we all had an eventful week and made
new friends.
See you at the next pub meeting.
Monica and Gerry Blood
www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • MARCH 2013 • 59

CarsforSale
206d Campervan 1974. 97,000 miles. MoT until 28/09/13.
Tax until 31/08/13. Cream colour, sound condition, comes
with Protec cover, full awning and 12 years current history.
£4,500 ono. Tel: 07930 615949 (Herts) (03/13 07)
A 500 PW
420SL August 1987. 77,000 miles. Two
owners, automatic, cruise control, Tracker,
signal red. MB-Tex, rear seats, always
garaged, full history, hard and soft tops,
excellent condition. £12,950
Tel: 01965 452425 (East Yorks) (03/13 09)
Currently on W123 200D,
ring Mark Cosovich, to clear, best offer
secures, no sensible offer refused.
Tel: 01792 846888 (03/13 12)
CL420 1998. 99,000 miles.
Taxed. 12 months MoT. Silver
pillarless coupe, grey leather,
every conceivable extra,
double glazed, part MB
history, pres owner 9 years,
ex car number not inc.
£3,750 ono
Tel: 01204 302445 (Lancs)
(03/13 10)
190E 1987. 81,000 miles. MoT/tax
to June. 2.6, manual, RHD, white,
blue cloth interior, service history,
original handbook, purchase invoice
from Germany, A/C, e/windows, cent/
lock, bodywork extremely good with
exception of a couple of patches of
surface corrosion, interior all good,
drives as it should. £3,995 ono.
Tel: 01903 742076 (Storrington)
(03/13 12)
SL320 1996. 45,800 miles. Glass roof,
rear seat, heated seats, magazine featured,
mostly main dealer service history a few
specialist, rust free, best available. £9,895
Tel: 01423 500246 (Harrogate) (03/13 13)
E200 1995. 149,000 miles. MoT 12
months. Auto, black, sunroof, new batt and
braking system, in excellent condition.
£1,600 ono Tel: 0208 9320964 (Ealing,
London) (03/13 14)
SL500 1999. 58,968 miles. 600 miles
from last service/MoT in April 2012. Really
nice condition, great car, azurite blue, grey
leather, panoramic roof, sat nav, CD player,
documented history. £9,250
Tel: 07802 214185 (Surrey) (03/13 15)
280SL Pagoda 1968. 75,800 miles.
Owned 23 yrs, 2 previous, complete
strip, top quality paint original blue, full
engine re-build, new s/top, excellent h/
top, PAS, s/s exhaust, pvt. Plates,
manual, exceptional. £42,500
Tel: 0115 9118900 (Notts) (03/13 16)
THe PreFereD oPTioN To SuPPly A cArS For SAle ADVerTiSeMeNT
iS ViA eMAil. PleASe See PAge 79 For FurTHer DeTAilS
THe DeADliNe For receiViNg A cAr For SAle ADVerTiSeMeNT iS THe BegiNNiNg oF THe MoNTH
i.e. 1ST MArcH 2013 For THe APril 2013 eDiTioN
NAME
DAYTIME TEL NO
MEMBERSHIP NUMBER
❑ NON MEMBER
THIS SERVICE IS FOR MEMBERS’ PRIVATE SALES ONLY. TRADERS MUST USE DISPLAY ADVERTISING.
ADDRESS
POST CODE
Please print wording below (up to 30 words)
MODEL
YEAR
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: 01234 567890
PRICE
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Please either complete your credit card details above or call us for added security. Alternatively please make cheques
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Please tick as appropriate: Single Boxed Advert: Members £18 inc VAT Non-Members £36 inc VAT
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Tel: 01452 730 770 eMAil: ads@hinemarketing.co.uk
78 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

SpecialistServices
AIR CONDITIONING
CAR STORAGE
SERVICING SPECIALIST REPAIRS
AIR NOT WORKING? Motor Climate UK Ltd.
re-charging service, diagnostic reports,
(UV leak detection) installation, R12/R134
conversions, friendly service
Tel: 0121 766 5006
Vehvac
Classic
Units 1 & 2 The Wiles Centre, Commerce Way,
Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6ED
Tel: 01732 868080
email: info@vehvac.com
Air conditioning, repairs, service and installations
Mercedes Mats
Classic
BODYWORK See also Repair and Restoration
Mercedes Mats
P J Smith
Classic and modern paint and bodywork Ltd
Unit 2, Manor Park,
Windsor Rd, Bedford MK42 9HW
Tel: 01234 341410
Accident repair and restoration specialists
Classic
Mercedes Mats
CAR MATS
Classic
Mercedes Mats
Classic
Mercedes Mats
Classic
Mercedes Mats
VANleigH CoACH WorkS
Unit 7, Central Ave, West Moseley,
Surrey KT8 2QH
Tel & Fax 0208 783 1212
All aspects of repair & restoration undertaken
to the highest standard at competitive rates
richard Thorne
The Courtyard Garage, James Lane,
Grazeley Green, Reading RG7 1NB
Tel: 0118 9831200 Fax: 0118 9831414
www.rtcc.co.uk
Dehumidified, alarmed storage.
Transport from anywhere, MOT.
M4 J11 3 miles.
HARD TOPS, STANDS &
ACCESSORIES
Mercedes Sport hard tops for sale, all
models. Tel: 01322 669081 or 07836 250222
INTERIOR WOOD TRIM
SPECIALISTS
City Polishers ltd
156 Broadgate, Weston Hills Spalding
Lincs PE12 6DQ.
Tel/Fax: 01406 380984
www.nicholas-martin.co.uk
MERCEDES DISMANTLERS
Mercman ltd
Unit A, St Erth Industrial Estate
Rose An Grouse, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 6LP
Tel : (+44) 01736 757777
email Parts@mercman.net
www.mercman.net
Mercedes parts from 1960 to 2009
BreAkiNg
Mercedes Sl & SlC
Tel: 01322 669081 or 07836 250222
PERFORMANCE CARS
PCS - Milton keynes
54 Barton Road, Water Eaton
Milton Keynes MK2 3BN
Tel: 08000 265201 Fax: 01908 366088
For more details see our website at
www.pcs-mk.co.uk/mercedes
AuTo ClASSiCo ltd
The Barn Henfield Business Park
Westerleigh Road Henfield Bristol BS36 2UP
Tel: 01179 569115 Fax: 01179 566109
email: autoclassico@yahoo.co.uk
Servicing, repairs, restoration, bodyshop
for all classic Mercedes. Insurance work
undertaken.
SERVICING SPECIALIST REPAIRS
H a m p s h i r e M e r c e d e s S e r v i c e s
www.classicmercedesmats.co.uk
CAR STORAGE
TO ADVERTISE
YOUR BUSINESS HERE
CAll 01452 730770
OR EMAIL
ads@hinemarketing.co.uk
FOR DETAILS
REPAIR & RESTORATION
P J Smith
Classic and modern paint and bodywork Ltd
Unit 2, Manor Park,
Windsor Rd, Bedford MK42 9HW
Tel: 01234 341410
Accident repair and restoration specialists
Radford Road, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7NQ
Service & repair work, body work repairs,
used car sales, MOT’s, A/C servicing, valeting,
collection & delivery. Nottingham’s alternative to
main dealer service at an affordable price.
www.mercserve.co.uk
Bristol & North Somerset
Top marques specialist
Comprehensive Insurance
07776 196796
pvsemail@msn.com
www.premiervehiclestorage.co.uk
Restorations
We do full or part restorations on all Mercedes-Benz cars.
Virtually all work is done in-house by our own qualified
staff at one of the lowest labour rates in the UK.
We also stock used as well as new parts for classic MB’s.
Worldwide collection and delivery service.
Although we do all classic Mercedes-Benz cars, we
specialise in Prewar and early Postwar cars.
www.classicmercedesbenz.co.uk
Tel: 07850 983128
80 • MARCH 2013 • www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk