#makeovermonday - How to restore a Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda? - part 4
From the exterior and the interior to the special equipment: The process of the restoration of our classic cars takes different steps until we can deliver you a perfectly restored Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda. But what exactly does a classic car-restoration look like? We look forward to giving you an insight into our classic car manufactory and professional restoration. A look behind the scenes, at the craft of the passionate and experienced automobile lovers of our Arthur Bechtel Classic Motors Manufactory-team: this is what awaits you in our #makeovermonday series.
Part 4 - The rebuild
Rebuild of the classic car
After the centerpiece of our Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda has been restored and installed with most of the underbody components in the vehicle, the next steps are the detailed assembly of all renewed and revised elements.
Even while working on the bodywork and vehicle technology, the team of the restoration dedicates itself to the original parts. This step has been running in parallel since the dismantling (The undressing - #makeovermonday part 1), so that after the completion of the centerpiece (The heart - #makeovermonday part 3) the assembly of the vehicle can be continued immediately. The value retention and value development of your classic car is a decisive criterion for us in our restoration work - so we strive to preserve all original parts. Only damaged or missing parts are replaced by Mercedes-Benz components.
The assembly
We are moving into the final of the restoration: At this point all vehicle parts have already been restored. The team at the manufactory is now starting with the assembly: Once all the parts are ready, the manufactory begins assembling the vehicle: In the first step, we glue the new set of carpet requested by the customer onto the sound insulation, assemble the heating mechanism and ventilation controller and complete the dashboard with a large number of parts. When assembling the dashboard, we take care to ensure that the interaction between the given shape of sheet metal and the natural materials wood and leather creates a harmonious picture. Our manufacturing team attaches great importance to the accuracy of the fit and the appearance.
In the next steps, the instruments, pedals, chrome ventilation nozzles, fresh air flaps, shift levers and chrome strips are mounted on the A-pillar. As soon as all work on the dashboard has been completed, the new windshield is installed. As soon as this is installed, our team completes the steering wheel with the combination levers for indicators, windscreen washer fluid and lights. In addition, the newly revised seat construction is installed in the interior and the new seats are pushed onto it.
In parallel to the work on the interior, chrome parts, trim strips and bumpers are attached to the exterior of the classic car, as are the front and rear headlights, which are then also equipped with light sources. In the further process, the exterior mirror on the left and the interior mirror are installed and the antenna for radio reception is installed and adjusted.
In order to complete the work on the doors of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda and to make all the adjustments to the windows, the fully assembled hardtop is required. This is first put on, whereupon both window panes are set on the hardtop. Once the setting has been fixed, the next step is to adjust the soft top linkage to the pane. At the end of the assembly, the soft top is adapted to the existing conditions and sewn on. In the last step, the classic car receives a complete set of new tires in the desired design.
Preliminary result
Engine, interior, exterior - all elements of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda have now been countered through the restoration process. But what is still missing? We look forward to present you the final features of the restoration next week (on October 11, 2021). We are looking forward to another insight into the restoration of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda: "The final touch" - in our #makeovermonday series.
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Learn more on our in-house restoration in our shortmovie!
