#makeovermonday - How to restore a Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda? - part 3.4
From the exterior and the interior to the special equipment: The process of the restoration 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 3 - THE HEART
THE CENTERPIECE OF A CLASSIC CAR - PART 4
What would a vehicle be without its engine? Of course, the centerpiece plays a very special role in the restoration of our classic car. In addition to the engine block, there are a few other elements that are being revised during the restoration of our Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda, such as the front and rear axles. But what does this step of the classic car-restoration look like in detail?
Front axle
The front axle will also be completely dismantled during the restoration work, all parts are cleaned, sandblasted and the basic body of the front axle ground from below. The laminations are bulged, all steel parts are painted and all threads are recut. Here the small parts are also cleaned, blasted and galvanized. In addition, we are replacing the upper wishbones and the kingpin on the right and left with original Mercedes-Benz spare parts. The bushings in the steering knuckle are renewed and adjusted to the nominal size. The upper and lower, right and left wishbone bearings, the leaf spring bearings, the stabilizer bearing, the front axle cross support and the upper and lower wishbone stops and the spring pads are also renewed. In the last step, the front axle is then reassembled and is ready for assembly in the body.
Rear axle
After we have removed the rear axle from the vehicle in the dismantling process, we send it to our mechanics department. First, the rear axle is completely dismantled, after which all add-on parts are cleaned and blasted. Housing, support tubes, brackets and struts are painted according to the factory specifications and all small parts are cleaned, blasted and re-galvanized. The main work includes the repair of the pendulum bearing, whereby the bushes are renewed and rubbed out to the nominal size. At the same time, the tubular spacers and the rear axle sleeve are renewed and the center bearing including the holder are adjusted.
It continues with the drive shafts: the wheel bearings are renewed, the drive shafts are blasted, painted and sealed, and the oil return on the drive shafts is reworked. It is important for us to restore the original laminations, to use the new handbrake cables, handbrake shoes and thrust strut bearings at the front and rear as well as the spring plate on the rear axle on the right and left.
Preliminary result
The restoration work on the heart of our Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda has now been completed: After extensive work on the engine, the reconstruction of the classic car is now going on. We are pleased to present you next week (on October 4th, 2021) another intermediate step in the restoration of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda in our #makeovermonday series: "The rebuild".
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Learn more on our in-house restoration in our shortmovie!
