All W126 models have an insulation pad under the bonnet to protect the paintwork and reduce engine noise. Over time, the W126 bonnet insulation degrades and starts crumbling down onto the engine. At this point most owners simply remove it. I own two W126 models with the remnants of their insulation pads. A few months ago, I purchased W126 bonnet insulation to...
The second Shannons auction of 2019 for Sydney is just around the corner. As usual, I stopped by on my lunch break to view the lots. There were a few cars that caught my eye: Gold Medal: Lot 59: 1953 Jaguar XK120 Drophead This was the standout for me at the Auction. The XK120 was one of Sir William Lyons best creations and...
Last September, the electric fan on the E-Type stopped working. This is a particular problem in the E-Type as there is no mechanical fan. At the time I assumed the coolant temperature sensor had failed. It would seem that many people have trouble with these sensors. I knew the coolcat fan was fine, as it roared into life when I applied 12v directly to...
My Traction Avant is now sold and is migrating north. Like many before it, it is crossing the tweed for a new life in Queensland. My experience selling the car wasn’t too bad. I advertised the car on carsales.com.au and in ‘The Chevrons’. ‘The Chevrons’ is the magazine of the Citroen Club of NSW. In the end I had four interested parties and...
Recently the E350 wagon has been playing up. It started out by occasionally losing power, then progressed to stalling. At the times this would happen, the check engine light would be illuminated. After a while the check engine light would be on around half the times the car would be driven. In order to diagnose this, I plugged in my scanner to the...
Yesterday I visited a friend’s workshop where he is restoring three Rover P5 Coupes. He is a real P5 enthusiast having owned a number of the models over the years. There are three cars under restoration, supported by two parts cars. The first car under restoration is a 1964 MKIIA model. It was originally delivered 26/6/1964. Unusually for a car delivered in Australia,...
My old Rover P5 Coupe is being stripped for parts. This is not a bad thing as it is ensuring that three more Rover P5 Coupe restorations can be completed and three cars put back on the road. I purchased the car from the Flynn collection auction for only $230. Nevertheless, the car managed to drive from Canberra back to Sydney. The drive...
This evening I took my 450SLC for a drive up the old Pacific Highway. I wanted to check the impact of re-connecting the vacuum advance on the distributor. I had discovered the line was broken when doing some maintenance. With the advance enabled, mid throttle response seems a lot better. I do get a little pinging when cruising on the motorway, so I am...
I am currently in the USA and had a few hours to spare in Cincinnati Ohio before I headed out to the airport. When I lived in the USA, I used to go to the self service junkyards to grab bits and pieces. These junkyards are larger in the USA and they have standard price lists for parts, no matter what car you...
My latest rental car was the 2018 Chevy Malibu. It is probably the best rental car I’ve had for a couple of years, but that is not really saying much. The Malibu is the latest in a line of cheap ‘full size’ cars that used to be the mainstay of the big 3. With buyer preferences moving to SUVs and raised hatchbacks,...
My 560SEC had a problem where it would emit a puff of smoke after idling. This was rather embarrassing taking off from the lights. It did give me the advantage of keeping people back who got too close. My assumption was that it was cause by old valve stem seals. As the seals get old, they get hard and allow a small amount of...
UPDATE: 30/4/19 – This car is now SOLD. My Traction Avant Light 15 is for sale. It will go up on carsales in a couple of weeks. The asking price will be $22,500. The Light 15 was built in 1954 in Slough. As an English built Traction it has more luxuries than the cars built in Paris. It also has 12v Lucas electrics. More...
The Shannons Sydney Autumn Classic Auction for 2019 happens Monday next week. I work close to the display centre, so I went down to check out the collection during my lunch break. As usual, they had a nice range of interesting cars on offer. Also as usual, there were offerings to suit most budgets. The lots that I will be keeping an eye on...
The Timing chain replacement is almost finished on the 560SEC. The new chain is installed, guides fitted and valve stem seals replaced. I stopped by the workshop to pick something up that I had left in the car and I was able to see it almost done. The photo shows the new chain in place with all new guides. They are a much...
The 560 is the ultimate M117 engine. This family of engines was introduced in 1969 with the 3.5l M116 and was followed in 1972 with the 4.5 M117. The M117 is a longer stroke version of the M116. Both engines share a SOHC design, 2 valves per cylinder and always had fuel injection. These engines evolved over time with the final iteration coming between...
Most Mercedes from the mid 50s to the late 60s had a similar set of controls for the heater. There are four horizontal levers controlling the amount of heat and the direction of the air flow. At least on the W111, the lever on the top left controls the amount of outside airflow. The top right controls the direction of the airflow. The two...
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