Retrosound Model 1 re-installed

after checking all the connections, the Retrosound Model 1 is now back in the E-Type and I also replaced the cigarette lighter while I was at it. The cigarette lighter had rusted internally and was no longer working – and on longer drives the battery in the GPS was not cutting it. Replacing the cigarette lighter was fairly easy, although the replacement had a shorter collar which I needed to extend with a piece of pipe from the hardware store.

It is good to have a working radio in the car. While on the test drive, the glass cover […]

2014 NSW Mercedes Benz Club Concours

I attended the Mercedes Club Concours this year. It was a lovely day, 18c and a great turn out of cars. Also got to talk to some interesting people and hear about their cars. Unlike the last time I went in 2012, the older cars are starting to come back, they seemed to stay away for a few years, for one reason or another. Regardless It’s good to see them back. There are still a surprising number of late model cars entered, which personally I don’t see the point of a 2013 car in a concors event, but each to […]

Troubleshooting the Retrosound Model One

The Retrosound Model One I have in my Jaguar had stopped working – symptoms were that the display was lit up in every possible place (i.e. like a digital watch showing 88:88). This had happened before, and the cause turned out to be one of the 12v lines was not connected. The Model 1 uses two 12v and a ground – one that is always live and one that comes on with the ignition. In the Citroen, I have wired up a dash switch so I can listen to the radio without the ignition on as it does not have […]

DS Oil Service

It was time again for another service for the DS. Last time, the gear oil in the transmission was quite dirty so even though it didn’t need to be done again, I thought it would make sense to change the oil in there too. I also had a tip from the forum that using Castrol VMX with the Nulon gearbox additive makes for very good shift in the D. There is some truth to it as the shifts were better than the previous gear oil I used (also with the Nulon).

Last time, I also ended up with more gear […]

E-Type brake overhaul

The brakes on the E-Type have been somewhat problematic since I got it. When the brakes got hot, they would not always release fully. Over the last 4 years I have tried a number of things to fix the problem but it has always come back to some extent.

When I still had the car in the USA, it was worse, the brakes would decide to lock on, and they would get to the point where the car was immobile for 5-6 minutes until they finally decided to release. I was stuck by the side of the road on quite […]

280CE coolant flush and M110 thermostat change

The 280CE had been performing well on the road after being put back into service, but the most obvious issue was that it never got up to operating temperature. Running too cool is not good for the engine and also results in higher fuel consumption. As they say, overheating an engine might kill it instantly, but underheating it will kill it slowly. The theory was that the thermostat had jammed open, which is the most common failure point. Despite what you hear, the car should never be operated without a thermostat. Some people in hot climates drill a few holes, […]

DS door contact switch and shift gate

The DS door contact switch that controls the interior lights based on the doors being open or shut had disintegrated, which meant that the interior lights were always on. Not the most helpful feature if you want to be able to restart the car after leaving it parked. The actual switches are easy to remove and install, but the problem is that since the switch had disintegrated, the wiring was hard to get to. after a few questions on the aussiefrogs forum and a few different tries, the best option turned out to be a right angle dentist pick and […]

SLC Steering wheel options

Mercedes SLC models (280, 350, 380, 450, 450 5.0, 500) had three different steering wheels in their lifetime. All three steering wheels were large (around 19″) and made from plastic. This was a big departure from the elegant wheels of the 60’s and the nicer leather covered wheels from the mid 80s and 90s.

These wheels also do not fare well in the sun, so many owners wish to replace them. The first type of SLC steering wheel was from 1971-1972. These wheels are easy to identity as the horn press is in separate buttons on the sides of the […]