Adala, my 1988 W126 300SE

[HYM]

why not some of us go there and have a big photoshoot out??

that is actually not a bad idea leh

[owm]

My dream is to always have all generations of the S-Klasse lined up and shot together There are some nice scenic spots in Nusajaya other than Kota Iskandar.

I am all for the photoshoot but many people are hesitant to drive enter MY

[owm]

Should be able to fit at least 20 cars easily if lined up properly

Huge roundabout and practically empty on Sunday.

[owm]

All rightie, the following parts have arrived from overseas and I hope to install them myself on Sat or Sun (after the breakfast run with SGMerc (if I am attending):

1. Odometer gear set

2. Chrome gearshift surround and instrument gauge rings

3. Chrome side mirror covers

4. New side mirror assemblies

Will update with pics when done!

[owm]

Completed everything except holding off on the chrome gearshift surround till my better condition zebrano gearshift panel arrives.

The chrome gauge rings quality is a bit meh...looks rather tacky but I still need some bling in the cabin so can tolerate...for now

Does look better under dim or no light conditions:

[benzw124]

Nice car and glad to see a fellow DIYer on the forum. I own a W124 and also do most of the work by myself like you do. I hacve a few questions. The first of which is where did you manage to find such a nice set of AMG Pentas? Also, where did you get the small wedge bulbs for the switch knobs? The ones i found and using now are all clear and are too hot for the switches. The chrome cluster rings look out of place IMO on a modern classic like yours but they do add some bling if you are looking for that. Feel free to take a look at my aluminum pedal upgrade thread on the E class stickies. You can add more bling to your pedals for very little money while still keeping the stock feel.

[owm]

Hi there,

Yea, I realized not many DIYers around but I reckon could be due to space constraint, SG mentality of just pay and enjoy else lack of interest due to complexity of modern machines

I got the AMG 5 spokes from Roland of MB Young Classics Germany who is a new sponsor here:

http://www.sgmerc.com/forum/83-mb-young-classics-germany/

He can hook you up with anything your W124 requires I believe.

The wedge bulbs I bought from G-Performance at Permas Jaya JB. They are 1.2W which I feel is a bit on the high side as well but still manageable/tolerable.

Yea, I may take out the chrome rings in the future. Not really happy with the look. I am actually looking for brushed aluminium pedals but have to fit the W126 dead, brake and accelerator pedal. Also looking for stainless steel door sills but so far no joy.

You should join MYBenz and check out the W124 forum. Many DIYers there as well. I am more active there because of this

[owm]

An impulse buy. I have since found a better, safer way to remove the instrument cluster:

Still, the tools can be used to remove other head units plus the ignition barrel tool is useful should I need to service the ignition system of the W126:

[benzw124]

The ignition removal tool will come in useful as the barrels dont last very long especially if you have keys dangling off it while driving. I made my own using some thick wire I had lying around. There is no original aluminium dead pedal though so you will have to get an aftermarket one. I like the original aluminium pedals as they do not require drilling which looks very cheap. The original ones fit over the pedal assemblies nicely.

Thanks for the link to the site sponsor. Parts for our modern classic mercedes are becoming increasingly difficult to source and he will definitely come in useful in the future.

Heres the link to the pedal upgrade for you the peruse in your free time:

[owm]

Yea read about that issue thus I have zero additional weight other than the key and a small talisman

The pedals no biggie can probably custom make a pair when I have time. Have read the thread already, thanks!

Parts for the W124 and W126 are still abundant since MB still manufactures them plus there are lots of used parts in scrap/junk yards and online so I am not unduly worried. Only sad to see that such cars are disappearing off the road in SG due to COE and road tax else being passed over by fancy 'playstation' models that don't age well in terms of design or durability.

[DIY_MERC]

Wah this W126 is the towkay car I remember as a young boy ! This is should be chauffeured rather than driven !!

[owm]

Haha wish I could hire a driver! Actually I will if I need to enter SG using this car

[owm]

Right...the clock has finally decided to die on me. And I thought I had the instrument cluster all sorted out!

Seems the main issue is the 2 electrolytic capacitors that are worn out. Have purchased 2 new units (100uF 35V) and will be soldering them in over the weekend to rectify this.

My zebrano-trimmed steering wheel, gearshift panel, Infinity speakers and AMG rims are also on their way so looks like my weekends are gonna be busy for the foreseeable future

[benzw124]

Cant wait to see pictures of your new stuff!

[owm]

^^Haha sama sama...some of them have arrived in SG so will be DIYing this weekend.

Already gotten my clock fixed as detailed in another thread here. Finally my instrument cluster is working 100%.

[owm]

Zebrano/leather combination steering wheel:

Tried to do the change on my own but got stuck trying to loosen the 10mm allen bolt following the guide here:

MB non-airbag steering wheel removal guide

Thus brought to my friendly neighborhood workshop to borrow the appropriate hex extension socket and breaker bar to get it out!

Also switched out my gearshift wood panel:

Can you guess which is the new one?

Vacuumed and wipe down the exposed areas to remove bits and pieces accumulated over the years:

Really worth the effort. Now the car interior looks tip top (well externally that is ):

Very close match with the rest of the dash trim:

Also changed out the front dome light housing (detailed in another thread) and also installed the new Infinity Kappa 4x6 front speakers. Wanted to take more photos but the weather was a killer, was dehydrating under the sun and I had to take out parts of the dash to pull out the extra wiring and old cross over units.

So all I have is this, after installation:

And I am not happy with the results as the speaker bracket was too large for the opening. Had to trim off sections of it with a hacksaw (and the foam baffle as well) and am unable to securely mount the speaker to the dash plus I cannot put the OEM speaker cover over. Bugger....Have to design a new cover to hide the exposed recesses and speaker cones.

As for sound quality, there is an immediate difference to the old speakers. Richer tonally yet dynamic and clear. The head unit is the weak point now though since it is driving these speakers. I have no idea why the amp is not doing the job.

In any case, going to re-visit this another time. Ran out of time to do the rear as I believe I will have to rip out the rear bench, passenger front seat (where the amp is supposedly located) and pull out even more unwanted wiring.

[owm]

Was given a very good idea by a fellow W126 owner from MYBenz which is to under mount the speakers. This will allow me to use back the OEM speaker cover but will entail more effort to squeeze the speaker unit from under the dash into position. Will likely attempt this next weekend.

[owm]

Right, my replacement head unit to take the place of the old crappy Kenwood has arrived.

Have opted for a Nakamichi:

Going to keep my ICE simple so will run my Infinity speakers front and rear through the HU rather than the power amp I was thinking of previously. Should prove an interesting install as I have to remove all the extraneous wiring and cabling from the car necessitating removal of the front passenger seat, rear seat bench and back rest. Also hoping the wiring loom is simple and doesn't require an adapter.

Also going to replace my spoilt telescopic steering wheel motor so I can get back functionality of this option.

[Lcohol]

Fwah! You are the man! Respect the passion you have for your ride!

[owm]

^^Thanks but I am really not doing that much to the W126 compared to my MX-5 which is heavily modified:

or my bike:

[Odessus]

:goodjob:

[HYM]

NA MX5! my first love! did you wield on the hardtop? Are you on 13" wheels?

[owm]

Nope, the hard top is an OEM removable option for the car. I do have a 4 point roll bar and extensive bracing throughout though. My wheels are SSR Type C in 15x7.0J 4x100 PCD +35mm offset:

[HYM]

My wheels are SSR Type C in 15x7.0J 4x100 PCD +35mm offset:

I used mine for a bit of fun, and if you can, might want to experiment with 13in wheels. some hardcore numb nuts in the US swear by them for club events. i didn't believe them, but tried - works surprisingly well.

[owm]

You still have your MX-5? Are you part of our club?

I cannot use 13 inch wheels as my brake rotors and calipers are the NB sports type. Too big, no clearance