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Issue 387 Contents

http://msa.mercedes-benz-clubs.com The Star

It is hard to believe, but here we are already in the second month of 2016. I hope that you all have had an enjoyable festive season, and have recuperated from your various exploits. Now it’s back to normal! In addition to my last musings about the presidents meeting in Stuttgart I would like to provide you with a few more facts and figures. Dr. Jens Tiemers, Vice president of marketing, advised that Mercedes Benz is currently selling some 188 000 cars every month, resulting in ~36 Billion Euros for the company. Juergen Wittman, in charge of archives and car-collection, informed us of the successes of early model sport cars in times gone by; and the current highlight of the C 111 and the 540K Streamliner on display at the museum. The museum itself intends to have special celebrations in 2016 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the museum. There might be more about this elsewhere in this magazine. The press-communications manager Ralf Glaser disclosed that more than 3000 Journalists are guided through the museum each year; plus that there are over 70000 requests for group tours. He also advised us of the museums sponsorships of various other activities, like sport, fashion, art, etc. 580000000 (that is, 580 million!) spare parts for historic and classic cars are currently being held in store by Mercedes Benz. In Mercedes Benz’s terminology a car is considered “historic” some 15 years after the manufacture of a model range is discontinued. Where some spares need to be re-

manufactured the 3D printing process is to being considered beneficial. Probably not for us Aussies, but never the less of interest, is the forming of a new “Travel Club”, where members can hire classic cars (W 113 Pagodas, or W107 SL’s) for 200.00 Euros per day, but it also requires a once only joining fee of 2 000.00 Euros. If successful the scheme is planned to extend to the States and Eastern Asia as well; Australia is not on the list. Time will tell whether the ides will take on. I think that I now have mumbled on enough about the president’s conference 2015; it will not be long before preparations for the next one need to commence. On the social side of our club there have been some encouraging activities during the last few weeks. Although we presently do not have an official social coordinator, three keen ladies have put their heads together and established a (proposed) calendar of events for 2016. My personal thanks are extended to them. The first event, the pre-meeting bbq at the club rooms on Australia Day appears to have been a full success, with about 50 members attending. Thanks are in order to the ladies preparing the salads; and to the gents doing the cooking. Disappointingly not all members stayed for the meeting; it is considered though, to have an event like this more often. We also managed to sign up new members on the day. For February it is planned to visit Hindmarsh Valley Winery for wine and cheese tasting, followed by lunch at the Corio Hotel at Goolwa. �

THE STAR

ISSUE 387: March - April 2016 The bi-monthly publication of the official Mercedes-Benz Club of South Australia.

PO Box 393, Edwardstown SA 5039

Print Post Approved PP 100019177. CIRCULATION - 300 Magazines Per Issue, 6 Issues Per Year

Printed by PRESTIGE COPYING & PRINTING 4 Albert Street, Thebarton SA 5031 (see advert Page 26)

Cover design by Lauren Knight. Cover photographs courtesy Daimler Global Media Site & Awesome Photography: Models of the W123 Series & 40

th Birthday Convoy in McLaren Vale.

While every care is taken in the publication and printing of articles, such articles, advertisements and views expressed within this publication are the responsibility of each author and are not necessarily those of the Mercedes-Benz Club of South Australia Inc. Technical information is intended as a guide only.

DATES FOR NEXT MAGAZINE (#388)

Deadline for article/advertisement submission:

Tuesday 12th April 2016 Publication / Release Date:

Tuesday 26th April 2016

Presidents’ Report .......................................................... 3 - 4 Magazine Advertisers’ Index ................................................4 Newsroom ............................................................................5 Torque Back / Letters to the Editor .....................................6 40 Years of the W123 Series ........................ 7 – 11, 15 & 16 Trivia Quiz / Heritage Topics / Target Puzzle ................... 12 Club Events ....................................................................... 13 The Honour Rolls ............................................................... 14 Upcoming Events & Event Invitations ............................... 14 Christmas Lunch 2015 ...................................................... 18 Market Place & Club Merchandise .................................... 19 Australia Day BBQ & Milang Power Rally .......................... 20 Just for Laughs & 2016 Club Survey ................................ 21 Electric Mobility for Daimler Management ....................... 22 Febryary Informal Run ....................................................... 23 ‘I Drove The Wife’s Magna Into the Merc’ .................... 24-25 Historic Registration – 3 Yearly Inspections List............... 27 Historic Registration ......................................................... 28 New Members ................................................................... 29 Membership Fees & Club Contact Details ........................ 29 Members Page .................................................................. 29 Executive Committee Members & Office Bearers ............. 30

WANTED: ALL THINGS MOTORING/MERCEDES-BENZ!

We are always looking for LOCAL SA content for the magazine – so please contact the editor (details page 30) to submit your

story / article / classified ad.

Presidents’ Report (continued)

Issue 387

On the First Sunday of the Month outing

in January about 20 members attended

and choose to drive in convoy to the

beach café at West Beach, where we

spent quite some time; some members

even stayed for lunch.

February saw a similar number of

members driving via some scenic roads

to Meadows (where some of us got

lost!) and then on to Victor Harbor. Due

to the late arrival we missed out on the

Swap Meet, but made up for it at the

fish and chips shop on the Esplanade;

probably the best serve of fish and

chips I’ve ever had. It was good to see

such a number of members attending

on these outings, especially after the

disappointing roll-up of only two cars in

November and December.

On the administrative side of our club I

can report that our treasurer Malcolm

suggested and succeeded in acquiring

the necessary equipment to enable

members to pay any dues by Credit

Card. Other news is that membership

applications by prospective members

must now be lodged in person at a

General Meeting. This will enable

committee, and members, to meet the

applicants.

This will be the last magazine for those

going to the National Rally in NSW before

leaving our shores. I believe that about 20

people have booked for the event; some

drive in convoy, some on their own

accord. I wish all of them a safe and

trouble free journey; it will be in excess of

3 000km, and a test for some of the older

cars.

In closing I wish all of you...

Happy Benzing

- Georg Eigen

MAGAZINE ADVERTISERS INDEX Below is a list of the sponsors who

support our club and where their

advertisments can be found in this issue.

Their generous support makes the

publication of this high quality magazine

possible. Please support them as they

have supported our club and be sure to

mention that you saw their advertisement

in ‘The Star’ magazine!

Name of Advertiser .................................. Page

Adelaide Tyrepower (Mile End) .................. 23

Corjay Automotive (Lockleys) ....................... 9

F Wann Motors (Edwardstown) ..................... 7

M&C Vehicle Trimming (Hindmarsh) ......... 26

Mainstyle Motors (Adelaide City) ............... 23

MB Auto Repairs (Findon) .......................... 20

Meinhardt Consulting Engineers ................... 4

Mercedes-Benz Adelaide .......... Inside Covers

Mercedes-Benz Authorised Repairers ............

....................................................... Back Cover

Mercedes-Benz Service Plans .................... 17

Olaf Zaworski MB Specialist (Bowden) ...... 11

Power Brakes SA (Gilles Plains) .................... 9

Prestige Copying & Printing (Adelaide) ...... 26

Shannons Insurance ..................... Back Cover

Willshire Motor Trimmers (Richmond) ....... 16

Newsroom


Mercedes-AMG S 63 4MATIC Cabriolet "Edition 130": Limited Special Anniversary Edition Affalterbach: Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler

invented the automobile in 1886. In so doing,

they established a tradition of constant further

developments and innovative new creations

that continue to this day. Mercedes-Benz's

sports car and performance brand are now

celebrating this 130th anniversary with the

exclusive special edition Mercedes-AMG S 63

4MATIC Cabriolet "Edition 130". Distinguished

by particularly exquisite appointments, the

special edition premiered at the North

American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The high-gloss special colour "alubeam silver"

paint finish, the Bordeaux red fabric top and

the matt black 20-inch 10-spoke wheels with

high-sheen rim flanges presents an exclusive

version of the open-top four seater.

The exclusive designo nappa leather

upholstery in Bengal red/black or optionally

crystal grey/black as well as the trim elements

in AMG carbon/piano lacquer black also

underscore the special position of this limited

edition, of which there are only 130 available.

Brake calipers painted red and floor mats with

Bengal red or crystal grey edging round off the

visual impression.

The non-binding list price in Germany is

226,457 Euros (including 19% VAT). Market

launch begins in April 2016.

Aside from the expressive design of the

exterior and interior, the four-seater cabriolet

offers the brand's hallmark Driving

Performance. The 5.5 litre V8-biturbo engine

with 430 kW (585 HP) output and 900 Nm

maximum torque, the performance-oriented

4MATIC all-wheel drive, acceleration from 0 to

100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and the high

performance composite brake system leave

nothing to be desired.

Mercedes-AMG S 63 4MATIC Cabriolet

“Edition 130”

Displacement: 5461 cc

Output: 430 kW (585 hp) at 5500 rpm

Peak torque: 900 Nm at 2250-3750 rpm

Fuel consumption combined: 10.4 l/100 km

CO2 emissions: 244 g/km

Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 3.9 s

Top speed: 250 km/h Electronically limited.

Mercedes-Benz plant Tuscaloosa starts the production of the GLS

Jason Hoff (in front in the middle), site manager

of the Mercedes-Benz plant Tuscaloosa, with his

team during job number one of the new GLS.

The luxury SUV celebrated its world premiere at

the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2015.

“Here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the new GLS is

built on one assembly line alongside the GLE and

the GLE Coupé”, says Hoff. In 1995, the plant

Tuscaloosa started as the first major passenger

car facility of Mercedes-Benz outside Germany

and is considered as the nucleus of the

automotive industry in Alabama. The plant is the

traditional production location of the SUVs in the

global production network of Mercedes-Benz

Cars. In 2015, Tuscaloosa built more than

303,000 vehicles – an all-time record for the

plant, which celebrates 20 years of production in

early 2016.

Demand for the SUVs from Mercedes-Benz

continues at a high level. Sales in January were

62.5% higher than in the prior-year month and

rose to the new record of 53,966 units. In 2015,

Mercedes-Benz renewed almost its entire range

of SUVs. The new models have had an excellent

reception from the customers: Sales of the GLC,

the updated GLE and the new addition to the SUV

portfolio, the GLE Coupé, were at record levels.

The GLS, the "S-Class among SUVs", once again

raises the bar in its segment. The only full-

fledged seven-seater in the European premium

SUV segment boasts ample spaciousness and

combines luxury with impressive levels of

comfort, agile dynamics and also best-in-class

safety. Whether put to everyday use or venturing

off the beaten track - the GLS meets all

requirements effortlessly and comfortably. For

customers in the US the new GLS will be

available from now on, the market entry in

Europe follows in spring.

Anniversary at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Hungary: Kecskemét plant produces 500,000th passenger car Kecskemét - Laid end to end, the 500,000

Mercedes-Benz models produced at the

Hungarian plant would stretch from Kecskemét

to the lead plant in Rastatt, Germany, and all

the way back again. 500,000 vehicles have

rolled off the production line since the plant

opening on 29 March 2012. The five hundred

thousandth passenger car from Kecskemét is a

cosmos black CLA, which is going to a

Hungarian customer.

The Kecskemét plant largely contributes to the

international success of Mercedes-Benz with

its production of the B-Class, the CLA and the

CLA Shooting Brake. The CLA and the CLA

Shooting Brake are produced exclusively in

Kecskemét for all markets worldwide. The

compact cars are continuing on the road to

success at Mercedes-Benz: In January, 45,840

customers decided to buy an A-Class, B-Class,

CLA, CLA Shooting Brake or GLA, representing

a 35.9 percent increase in unit sales compared

with the same month last year. One year ago,

the number of compact models delivered to

customers worldwide increased by 25.8

percent, to a total of 582,531 passenger cars.

The Mercedes-Benz plant Kecskemét is part of

the compact-car production network. In

addition to Kecskemét, the compact-car

network includes the lead plant in Rastatt

(Germany) and BBAC in Beijing (China), where

the GLA compact SUV is produced for the

Chinese market. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz

Cars uses the Finnish contract manufacturer

Valmet Automotive to produce additional A-

Class models. Last year, the plant Kecskemét

produced over 183,000 passenger cars.

The Kecskemét site is currently investing 15

million euros in an innovative logistics

concept. The plant's logistics hall is being

expanded considerably to supply parts directly

to the production line. This expansion is

greatly influenced by the digital

transformation: the new shopping cart-based

logistics system has brought about visible

changes in the plant's assembly section as

there are now no shelves filled with boxes and

parts to be seen anywhere on the production

line. The associated logistical supply processes

have likewise changed almost beyond

recognition: the previous transport routes

became free, and driverless transport systems

take the shopping carts from the picking zone

in the logistics centre to the assembly line

automatically. Here the employees remove the

parts from the shopping cart at the relevant

workstations and install them in the vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations is responsible

for passenger car production at 26 locations

around the world involving round about 70,000

employees. Mercedes-Benz Cars produced

more than 2,059,000 Mercedes-Benz and

smart passenger cars last year, marking the

fifth record in a row.

'Torque Back' - Issue 387

Issue 387

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST

CAR? 1948 wasn’t such a good year for cars, most models being a rehash of pre-war products. So it was with my first ‘jalopy’; a 1948 P3 Rover sedan. An interesting innovation to this car was ‘freewheeling’ which, when engaged, allowed you to change gears without depressing the clutch. Handy, but it had a distinct disadvantage. No matter which gear you were in, the engine would not slow the vehicle down…. so you needed very effective brakes; no discs in those days, all hydraulic ‘stoppers’ with still some ‘mechanicals’ getting around in the none-too-affluent post-war years. This was 1962. Today, you would have little hesitation in buying a well-serviced 2001 Mercedes Benz; say an S320. ‘As new’ may be its advertised condition. But my Rover, although only 14 years old, was far from new and it was almost ‘agricultural’ to drive. But I loved it. Some innovations were quite novel, such as the single chrome bar that one used to raise/lower the driver’s side window. It also had a blind to cover the rear window, raised by way of a cord above the driver’s door. But the ‘crowd’ favourite was the hand-operated sunroof. None of my passengers could resist standing up through the roof to make their presence known at the ‘drive-in’. Remember them, the drive-in

picture theatres? There must have been fifty or more, dotted around Adelaide’s suburbs and our country towns. No more. But, back to the brakes. I was broke in those days and ‘maintenance’ amounted to topping up the radiator and occasionally changing the oil. One day, this lack of attention to detail caught me out, in a most ‘exciting’ way. At the corner of West and North Terraces, I turned left into the start of Port Road, where the new hospital is now being built. As I passed the Thebarton Police barracks, the brake pedal fell off….. a bit disconcerting. Fortunately, traffic was much lighter in those days and, with no median strips in place, I managed to heave on the handbrake while swerving right into a ‘No Entry’ gateway at the entrance of Bonython Park. I drove gingerly home using the handbrake to slow me down…. no free-wheeling this time. The brake pedal shaft had rusted through. So, as one did in those days, I carried out rudimentary repairs. Long story short, I cut off the rusted end and bolted the remainder of the shaft back in place…. worked perfectly, but I traded that car in, ‘real sharpish’.

- Alastair Henderson

FROM THE EDITOR I still have my first car – a 1964 Morris Mini 850 which I bought for $475 in 1998 at the

tender age of 14 – thankfully I resisted the peer pressure and temptation as a P-plater to hot up the motor and try to turn it into a Cooper replica and now I have one of the few original 850s in existence. It certainly makes for an interesting shed mate to the Fintails – the W110 and W111s are on another level entirely when it comes to

technical innovations, build quality, safety and comfort but they could never match the little Mini through the windy hills roads!

I have to admit I’ve been a little unfaithful to the 3-pointed star brand of late, playing around with Trabants, White Vans and a few other non-MBs that I dismantled for parts. The latest purchase is another German, but once again very different to the Finnies. I’ve been toying with the idea of replacing the white van with something a bit more ‘classic’ – while very practical it is the epitome of a ‘whitegood’. Mercedes Benz vans prior to 1995 don’t really exist here in Australia, so about the only choice you have for a van you can put on historic is a Kombi. So I started looking around for a late 70s Kombi, thinking I could find one for a few thousand. Nope. Not even close! In the past few years the price of Kombi vans has gone through the roof! Not just the split window and low-light early 70s models but for a basic ‘bay window’ 75 onwards model you are paying $5k for a wreck and at least $8-10k for something drivable with moderate rust. Pop top campers are upwards of $15k and 21 window splitty buses are now fetching over 6 figures!!! So when I saw a 1975 VW Passat station wagon advertised for a mere $500, I was instantly curious. Compared to the price of a Kombi or Mk1 Golf, it seemed almost too cheap. Went to have a look and it started, drove, was complete and the body was straight with only minimal rust. It had been on the market for 3 months but not sold… until now. While not as capacious as a van, the towbar, roof racks and rear seat folded down should be more than enough to transport all of my car parts, furniture, firewood and whatever else in outrageous 70’s style (it’s VERY yellow!). So the past few weeks have been spent on servicing and attending to all of those ‘new car’ fix it jobs. Whenever I buy a car I like to give it a ‘birthday’ service where I replace every consumable, filter, fluid, belt, hose etc etc so I know it’s mechanically sorted. I still have a fair bit of polishing and cleaning ahead of me though! And don’t worry; I’m still driving the Finnies at least once a week to keep them happy! So until next time, say hi to your Benz for me!

- David Knight

If you would like to send a letter or anything for inclusion on this 'Torque Back' page, please contact the editor (details on page 30). Left: Cartoon courtesy Alastair Henderson

40 Years of the W123 Series


I was a little nervous when putting this article

together for the magazine. How does one sum

up the history of one of the most popular and

well-loved Mercedes-Benz models ever made?

This model series is the 2nd most popular

model in our club and is regarded by many car

enthusiasts as ‘the finest saloon car of the

20th century’. Ask anyone to draw a picture of

an ‘old Mercedes’ and they will probably either

draw an SL or a W123. With over 2.7 million

produced, more people have probably been a

driver or passenger in a W123 than any other

Mercedes-Benz model. Over the next six pages

I can only hope to capture some of the history

of this landmark model.

In 1968, just months after the launch of the

W114/115 ‘stroke 8’ series compact models,

engineers began to

draw up the

specifications for the

new model series.

Greater safety,

improved comfort

and better

serviceability were

the demands made

of the Mercedes-

Benz design

engineers. In the

early stages of

development new

design sketches

were repeatedly

thrown into the ring – there was a wide spectrum

of design studies ranging from attempts of a

gentle facelift of the existing model series to

futuristic visions with sharp edges, roofs with

huge overhangs at the back, steep rear windows

and massive rubber bulges around the body. But

by 1973 the shape of the W123 had been

virtually finalised. Preliminary prototypes had

been completed by 1974 and safety tests began

with impact tests in the summer of 1974.

In developing the new model the design

engineers set particular store on an even higher

level of safety for the occupants. This was a topic

of increasing debate in the 1970s and resulted in

new regulations. On January 1, 1976, the Federal

Republic of Germany made the wearing of seat

belts for front seat passengers compulsory. In

keeping with this trend,

vehicle development

focused on restraint

systems and passenger

compartments

designed to minimise

sources of injury.

Mercedes had

previously started work

on the development of

airbags and the W123

would be the first

model in the E-Class

lineage to be equipped

with airbags in 1982.

In technical terms the

123 series was an

entirely new design, but

was modelled both on

its predecessor

(W115/114) and the

new S-Class of 1972

(W116). Other features

borrowed from the S-

Class included the

double-wishbone front suspension, in which

the steering swivel axes of the wheels were

aligned so that their imaginary extension

coincided with the contact patch of the tyre on

the roadway. This neutral setting (zero scrub

radius) ensured that the wheels would not be

deflected inwards or outwards during braking.

The double-wishbone front suspension meant

the elimination of the subframe, which had

been introduced in the "Ponton" and presented

the engine, transmission and front suspension

as a unified whole. At the rear was a diagonal

swing axle, which had proven its value in the

W115/114.

Occupant safety was served particularly by the

combination of an even sturdier passenger

compartment with large crumple zones: the

front and rear ends of the vehicles were

designed for controlled deformation in a

collision to absorb appreciably more impact

energy than was the case in earlier designs.

The central section of the body, the so-called

safety cell (patented in 1951), had even more

stability owing to the incorporation of stronger

box sections in the roof frame and the six roof

pillars. Stronger door beams ensured better

impact protection.

The steering column of the 123 series was also

optimised with a view to the driver's safety: a

corrugated tube connected the jacket and the

steering gear with each other. In an accident,

the corrugated tube could buckle in different

directions. This reduced the danger of the

steering column penetrating into the

passenger compartment (lance effect). This

and the rigid passenger compartment with

crumple zones were inventions of Béla Barényi,

the pioneer of passive vehicle safety at

Mercedes-Benz. The W123 marked the

premiere of the safety steering column,

patented in 1963, as a complete system.

The place of the new model in the product line-

up was recognisable at a single glance. Like

the S-Class W 116 and the new SL of the 107

series, the W123 had horizontal headlamps

instead of the earlier upright configuration. The

majority of models featured round headlamps

in pairs behind a common rectangular lens.

Only the top-of-the-range versions 280 and

280 E had rectangular halogen wide-band

headlamps (see picture below).

At its launch in January 1976, the Mercedes-

Benz 123 model series offered a persuasive

combination of elegance and multiple technical

innovations. �

40 Years of the W123 Series (continued)

Issue 387

Initially, only the saloon was available. The new

intermediate-class saloon was presented by

Mercedes-Benz to the specialist media from

22-28 January 1976 at the Paul Ricard Circuit

in southern France. A train specially chartered

for the purpose from the Deutsche

Bundesbahn (the German Federal Railway)

transported the fleet of test and demonstration

vehicles from Stuttgart to France. Mercedes-

Benz was able to introduce nine different

models, from the 200D to the 280E, with a

broad spectrum of equipment and

appointments – in total 33 variously appointed

and equipped vehicles from the 123 series

made their public debut to the motoring media

under the Mediterranean sun.

Technically, there was nothing particularly

revolutionary about the W123 - features such

as the self levelling suspension, independent

rear suspension and the engines and driveline

had all appeared in previous models – but it

was the way that the model seamlessly

integrated all of its features in such a

streamlined and ergonomic way that caused a

sensation (in much the same way the W126

would when it was launched).

A strong emphasis was placed on safety - not

only through the strength and safety features

of the car itself but by the ergonomics of the

car, which promoted a ‘relaxed driving style’

and therefore safer driving through comfort

and keeping the drivers’ eyes and mind on the

road. The W123 was ergonomically superior to

any previous model, with large chunky knobs

and dials arranged intuitively, instruments that

were curved to face the driver and weren’t

obstructed by the steering wheel. It wasn’t all

talk either – you could sit in a W123 with a

blindfold on and operate all of the controls

with ease. All round visibility was excellent and

the car was highly manoeuvrable with

predictable handling and superb ride comfort.

The design philosophy of the car was

promoted as being that ‘the function dictates

the form’ – with the large tail and indicator

lights (ribbed to prevent dirt from obscuring

them) being touted as examples of this. Small

touches such as the little ‘tongue’ bonnet

release that popped out of the grille and the

bonnet that opened up to 90 degrees were

examples of the extreme attention to detail

that had been put into the design. It really did

seem that the engineers at Mercedes-Benz had

thought of everything. Combine this with the

exceptional build quality and the choice of

engines that had proved popular in previous

models and the response from the media was

consistently positive – for the car's

engineering as well as for its design.

Simply put, the buying public went ballistic: as

a tribute to the car's instant popularity (and

possibly to the caution built into the

production schedules), the first year's

production sold out completely shortly after

the launch. 9 months later a ‘black market’

had developed in Germany for Mercedes-Benz

W123s available for immediate delivery.

Customers willing to order new cars from their

local authorized dealer for the recommended

list price faced waiting times in excess of twelve

months, while models that were barely used and

were available almost instantly commanded a

premium over the new price of around DM 5,000.

Perhaps the initial public reaction to the new car

could best be described in the picture below

which was taken for the cover of the sales

brochure – in the sunbeam Talbot diagonally

behind you can see the driver with his mouth

wide open and pointing enthusiastically to the

new car – showing just how much of a stir the

W123 created when it first hit the streets in ’76.

The lines and shape of the saloon were very well

received – while the W116 gave a more imposing

impression with its wider and lower stance, the

W123 was beautifully proportioned with short

overhangs, excellent visibility and an excellent

balance of chrome and bright work, contrasted

with black trim. A testament to how the

designers ‘got it so right’ is the fact that the

exterior styling of the W123 was not changed at

all during its entire model run, unlike the models

before and after which received significant

facelifts and sheet metal changes midway

through their model cycles.

At the premiere of the new model the W123 was

offered not only as a saloon, but as a chassis too,

in keeping with Mercedes-Benz

tradition. Mainly Binz (Lorch) and

Miesen (Bonn) built ambulances on

this basis; hearses were created by

Pollmann (Bremen), Rappold

(Wülfrath), Stolle (Hanover) and

Welsch (Mayen). The chassis with

standard wheelbase (2.80m) was

given the series number F 123 and

were initially offered as the 240D and 230. The

extended chassis with a wheelbase of 3.43 m

(VF 123) was initially available for the 240D,

300 D and 250.

The first W123 models fell back on proven

technology for the engines - the only new

engine variant was the 2.5-litre six-cylinder

single overhead cam M 123 for the model 250

(95 kW/129 hp). All of the other eight engines

had previously been available in the

W114/115 ‘stroke 8’ series: the carburetted

in-line four-cylinder M 115 was used in the 200

(69 kW/94 hp) and 230 (80 kW/109 hp); the

top-of-the-range 280 (115 kW/156 hp) and

280 E (130 kW/177 hp) models were amply

powered by the M 110 in-line six-cylinder (as

carburettor and injection engines). The diesel

models 200D (40 kW/55 hp), 220 D (44

kW/60 hp) and 240D (48 kW/65) featured the

four-cylinder engine OM 615/616; the 300 D

model (59 kW/80 hp) was powered by the

five-cylinder 3.0 litre OM 617.

In 1977 three additional body variants were

introduced to the W123 series: the coupe, the

long-wheelbase saloon, and for the first time in

the brand’s history a factory-built station

wagon, demonstrating the versatility of the

new model series. Compared with its

predecessor, the coupe was much more

independent in its design and the station

wagon inaugurated an entirely new body

variant in series production at Mercedes-Benz.

In March 1977 the coupe caused excitement

at the International Motor Show in Geneva.

Whereas the coupes of the "Stroke 8" series

very closely followed the styling of the saloon,

the new 230 C, 280 C and 280 CE models

were distinctly more autonomous in character.

Particularly the wheelbase, 8.5 cm shorter

than that of the four-door version, in interplay

with the lower roof and the sharply raked

windscreen and backlight, gave the car a

stockier, sportier look. The developers also

improved the vehicle safety: a stiffened roof

frame structure with high-strength roof pillars

and reinforced doors resulted in an even

sturdier safety passenger cell. The C 123 also

profited fundamentally from the body design of

the saloon, with its front and rear crumple

zones designed for controlled deformability.

The coupe also shared the suspension

(diagonal swing rear axle and double-wishbone

front suspension with zero scrub radius) and

brake system with the four-door cars.

Appointments of the two-door versions were

on par with the top-of-the-range 280 & 280 E

saloons. For all three coupe models this

included wide-band headlamps, chromed air

inlet grilles in front of the windscreen and

chrome strips under the taillights. �


Issue 387

In August 1977 the long-wheelbase sedan hit

the roads: the wheelbase of the V 123 (3.43m)

was 63 cm longer than that of the saloon

(2.80m). That provided enough space for a

third seat bench and made the car a

comfortable taxi, company car or hotel limo for

seven passengers. The 250, 240D and 300 D

models were offered with long wheelbase and

had the same engines as in the W123.

Despite its imposing proportions, the long-

wheelbase saloon was not intended as a

limousine or luxury transport as indicated by

the sales which were mostly diesel engines

against the 250 petrol model. Rather, this body

variant served as a sophisticated touring car

for several passengers. Operating for hotels

and trade fair companies and as a large-

capacity taxi, the V 123 impressed with its

high degree of ride comfort and great

spaciousness. Many characteristics of this

body variant were adopted by well-equipped

vans.

Mercedes-Benz station wagon conversions had

previously been available through

coachbuilding firms, such as Binz, Miesen and

IMA – the most popular of which had

previously been the W110 and W111 Fintail

‘Universal’ series wagons which had been built

by IMA in Belgium – a chassis minus the roof,

rear doors and rear sheetmetal was delivered

from Mercedes-Benz to the coach building

firms who then completed the rear bodywork.

During the design phase of the W123 there

were still reservations about a station wagon

as a fully-fledged member of the model family.

The reason for this negative attitude was

mainly to do with the reputation station

wagons had at the time. The critics warned

that this body type was too reminiscent of

industry and the trades. They felt this was

incompatible with the claim staked by a car in

the Mercedes-Benz upper mid-range.

On the other hand, market research conducted

during development of the concept for the 123

series showed there to be a definite demand

for a sporty, luxurious five-door from quite a

different segment of the market: the station

wagon was well on its way to becoming a

family and leisure car. The Board of

Management realised this too and gave the go-

ahead for the project in 1975. In the German

market, though, the new Mercedes would not

bear the typical German name for a station

wagon, Kombi, and in 1975 the former

designation Universal also failed to gain

approval. At first the

designation Station

wagen was

considered meaning

that instead of "250

K" or "250 U" the small six-cylinder variant with

the load compartment would get the label "250

St" on the tailgate. Finally, it was decided that

the suffix "T" should indicate the new variant, the

letter standing for Tourism and Transport (the

unusually high demand following its launch also

suggested it stood for "Trendy"!). Only the

internal series designation still recalled the term

Station wagon: the model was coded S 123.

The S 123 was introduced at the Frankfurt Auto

Show in September 1977 and series production

commenced at the Bremen plant in April 1978.

Technically the vehicle conformed to the saloon:

drive system, brakes and suspension were

identical, as were the exterior dimensions

(length, width and wheelbase). But the rear end,

with the high trailing edge of the roof and the low

sill of the load compartment, made the new

model variant a true spatial miracle. Even when

the standard seats were occupied by the driver

and as many as four passengers, the station

wagon still offered 523 litres of space for loading

up to the window line. And with the rear seat

bench folded down, the load compartment

capacity was 879 litres up to the window line.

The concept additionally offered a number of

options for flexible configuration of the interior.

As an optional extra, the rear seat bench could

be supplied with an asymmetric split. As

required, one third or two thirds of the backrest

could then be folded down. Additional folding

seats facing the rear of the vehicle and stored in

the load compartment floor were also available

on demand. These features made for particularly

flexible stowage space – appropriate for a well-

appointed vehicle for family and sports, tourism

and transport.

Automatic hydropneumatic level control made for

a high degree of ride comfort irrespective of the

load carried. This could be as much as 45

percent of the station wagon’s kerb weight,

which tipped the

scales at 1500

kilograms. As an

optional extra, the

station wagon could

be equipped with 15-

inch wheels,

alternative springs

and shock absorbers,

and a stronger brake

booster, in which case

the safe load capacity

of the station wagon

rose from the

standard 560 kilograms to 700 kilograms.

Further options included a child bench seat in

the load area and chromed roof rails. The rails

became standard equipment in the summer of

1978. All station wagon models were fitted

with carpeting throughout, i.e. in the cargo

area too. Unlike in the station wagons of other

manufacturers, different materials were not

used in order to distinguish between

passenger and cargo areas. The attention to

detail, ergonomic design and the high standard

of finish in the rear underscored the success of

the T-model and reinforced the impression that

it was a fully integrated station wagon design

and not simply an adaptation or conversion of

a sedan.

The new body variant was initially offered as

the 230 T, 250 T and 280 TE models, as well

as the 240 TD and 300 TD. For all models

light-alloy wheels were available as an optional

extra, but only the 280 TE model had

rectangular headlamps. The station wagon was

built in Bremen. Only the models shown in

Frankfurt and the first 100 vehicles of the

series were produced in Sindelfingen. Seventy

workers from the Bremen plant came to

Sindelfingen for intensive training in the

production of the new station wagon series,

during which time 40 specialists from the

parent plant of the W123 put finishing touches

to the production facilities for the station

wagon in North Germany. Such painstaking

preparations were largely responsible for the

tributes that would later by heaped on the S

123 for its precision craftsmanship. �



In early 1979, the diesel models power output

was increased; power rose from 40 kW/54 hp

to 44 kW/59 hp in the 200D, from 48 kW/64

hp to 53 kW/71 hp) in the 240D and from 80

59 kW/79 hp to 65 kW/87 hp in the 300D; at

the same time, the 220D ceased production.

The first Mercedes turbo diesel production

W123 appeared in September, 1979. This was

the 300 TD Turbodiesel, available with

automatic transmission only. In most markets,

the turbocharged 5-cylinder 3 litre diesel

engine (Type OM617) was offered only in the T

body style, while in North America it was also

available in saloon and coupé guises.

In September 1979 the W123 series received

its first major facelift, although from the

outside the changes were indistinguishable.

The interior received a major revamp with new

seat coverings and revised trim colours. The

‘cow horn’ headrests were rounded off and the

seat texture and pattern changed. Many of

these changes were in line with the

introduction of the W126 series and used the

same components.

The ‘Tabacco’ (dark brown), ‘Parchment’ (off

white) and ‘Moss Green’ upholstery colours

were deleted and replaced by ‘Siena’ (a

brownish red), ‘Cream’ and ‘Olive’. The pattern

of the seat fabric and shape of the headrests

was also changed to reflect those of the W126.

The instrument cluster was revised, with

symbols replacing text on the gauges and arrows

eplacing the triangular symbols for the indicator

warning lights. The steering wheel was replaced

to match the W126 as was the switchgear for the

power windows and centre console controls.

Models with air conditioning gained a

thumbwheel control instead of the large knob on

earlier models. All of these subtle changes

helped to give the interior of the W123 a more

modern feel and cut ties with its 70’s origins.

Around 1981 the self-levelling suspension was

phased out from the sedans in favour of

conventional springs in the rear and a vacuum

operated headlight adjustment system which

allowed the headlights to be aimed lower or

higher depending on the load in the rear. At the

same time the diesel engine cars benefitted from

revised glow plugs which cut cold start waiting

times from 30 to 8 seconds – the older models

had low voltage glow plugs wired in series

whereas the new system used individual 12 volt

glow plugs wired in parallel for faster heating.

Many of these changes were introduced as

‘running changes’ throughout the series 2

production run – for example many cars around

the 1979/80 period left the factory equipped

with both SLS suspension and the vacuum

operated headlight adjustment.

During production of the W123, the output of

various models was improved on several

occasions and new models were added. June

1980 saw the introduction of new four-cylinder

petrol engines (Type

M102 which would

eventually power the

new W201 190 series).

The new 2 litre four with

shorter stroke replaced

the old M115 in the 200

and a fuel-injected 2.3 litre version of this

engine (in 230E/TE/CE) replaced the old

carburetted 230. Both engines were more

powerful than their predecessors

(80kw/109hp in the 200 and 100kw/136hp in

the 230E). In 1980/81 the carburetted M110

280 versions went out of production; the fuel-

injected 280E continued to be offered.

In October 1980 the turbodiesel models were

made available for the German market. At its

1980 launch, with a basic price of DM 37,200

the Turbodiesel was almost the most

expensive production model of the 123 series

(only the 280 CE cost more). The turbocharged

diesel models had the more upscale

appointments, including rectangular wide-band

headlamps and chromed air inlet grilles in front

of the windscreen.

The third and final facelift was carried out in

September 1982. The rectangular headlights,

previously fitted only to the 280/280E, were

standardized across the board, as was power

steering and headrests for the rear seats.

Since February 1982 an optional five-speed

manual transmission was available in all

models (except the automatic-only 300

turbodiesel). Inside, the rear panel of the front

seats was contoured to provide extra legroom

for rear seat passengers. These 3rd series cars

were generally better equipped, typically with

woodgrain trim and more options (power

windows, cruise control etc).

A new range of exterior colours was available

with the series 3 cars – with 15 new colour

choices introduced from 1982-1984. �

Continued page 15

Below: Series 1 (top) and series 2/3 (bottom)

version centre console arrangements.

Trivia Quiz

Issue 387

130 Years Ago: March 8 1886: Gottlieb

Daimler orders a carriage from "Wilhelm

Wimpff & Sohn" in Stuttgart. Later that year his

high-speed engine is fitted into the carriage at

Maschinenfabrik Esslingen - thus creating the

first Daimler four-wheeled motor vehicle.

March 25: Gottlieb Daimler is granted Patent

DRP 36811 for his surface carburetor.

125 Years Ago: March 2 1891: Daimler-

Motoren-Gesellschaft is recorded in the

Commercial Register of Companies. William

Steinway's "Daimler Motor Co." starts to

manufacture America's first working motor car

engine under license in Hartford,

Connecticut/USA, according to Gottlieb

Daimlers original blueprints. Karl Benz

embarks on the design of the four-wheeled

"Victoria" car - turning his back on the three-

wheeled design used hitherto.

120 Years Ago: April 2 1896: Benz & Co. open

a branch in Stuttgart.

115 Years Ago: March 25 – 29 1901: A 35 hp

Mercedes wins the Nice - Salon - Nice race

(distance: 392 km). At the wheel is company

driver Wilhelm Werner, who also wins the Nice-

La Turbie hill race at an average speed of 51.4

km/h. The new car is so successful that Paul

Meyan, secretary general of the French

automobile club, subsequently wrote: "Nous

sommes entrés dans l'ère Mercédès" (We have

entered the Mercedes era).

105 Years Ago: April 23 1911: At Daytona

Beach, Florida/USA, Bob Burman in "Blitzen

Benz" clocks up an average speed of 228.1

km/h for the mile from a flying start - the highest

speed ever achieved by a road vehicle and a

world record which remains unbeaten until 1924.

85 Years Ago: April 12 – 13 1931: The 1,000

mile race in Brescia, Italy (1,635 km) is won by

Rudolf Caracciola and Wilhelm Sebastian in a

Mercedes-Benz "SSKL" at an average speed of

101.1 km/h. Caracciola is the first non-Italian

winner in the history of the "Mille Miglia" race.

80 Years Ago: March 4 1936: Zeppelin airship LZ

129 "Hindenburg" makes its maiden voyage. With

its four Daimler-Benz DB 602 (LOF 6) aero-

engines each producing 1,050 hp, it makes three

trips to South America and ten scheduled

journeys to North America, covering a total

distance of 308,000 kilometers.

65 Years Ago: March 1951: The introduction of

the O 6600 H marks the complete separation of

bus and truck chassis construction. April 19 - 29:

At the Frankfurt Motor Show the 6-cylinder 220

(W 187) and 300 (W 186 II) are launched.

50 Years Ago: March 1966: The Düsseldorf plant

produces its 100,000th power steering unit.

45 Years Ago: April 14 1971: Presentation of the

new 350 SL sports car (107 series), fitted with

numerous safety innovations. April 20: Four and

a half years after production began, the

1000,000th 309/310 series van leaves the

assembly line at the Düsseldorf plant.

35 Years Ago: March 5 – 15 1981: At the

International Motor Show in Geneva, Daimler-

Benz becomes the first automobile manufacturer

to present the SRS airbag and seat belt

tensioners as important elements of passive

safety. March: The new customer delivery

center in Sindelfingen opens its doors. March:

As part of a project supported by the Federal

Ministry for Research and Technology and

entitled "Alternative Propulsion Systems" two

O 305 busses are put into regular service in

Berlin to test methanol driven engines. At the

same time a fleet test gets underway involving

30 methanol powered 280SE cars.

30 Years Ago: March 2 1986: The first 6 km of

the suburban regular service O-Bahn network

in Adelaide are completed. The O-Bahn buses

glide, without steering, along the specially built

guideway using their lateral guide wheels at a

speed of up to 100 km/h. Daimler-Benz

supplies the 92 buses (of which 51 are

articulated) and also has a significant say in

the construction of the guided busway track.

March 17: The new T2 (507 D - 811 D) series

Mercedes-Benz large van is unveiled in Rome.

25 Years Ago: March 7 – 17 1991: The new S-

Class (140 series) featuring the 300 SE/SEL,

400 SE/SEL, 500 SE/SEL and 600 SE/SEL

models, makes its debut at the Geneva Motor

Show. May: The corporate representative

office in Washington is officially opened.

20 Years Ago: March 7 – 17 1996: At the

Geneva Motor Show Mercedes-Benz presents

three new world innovations as part of its

product drive: the new C- and E-Class station

wagon models (202 and 210 series) and V-

Class MPV (638 series) are all unveiled to the

public.

While we are concentrating on the W123 in this

issue, Mercedes-Benz has just launched a new E-

class generation (pictured far right) which will be

featured in our next magazine.

� How many previous generations of the

E-Class have been produced?

� In which country is the E-Class the top

selling large luxury car of all time?

�

How many words of two or more letters can you make using only the 9 letters in the squares

shown? Each word must contain the letter in the middle/black square. No plurals, proper nouns,

names or hyphenated words. There is also one automotive-themed word for you to find that uses

all nine letters (9 letter word hint: synthetic material). Solution in next magazine (#388). GUIDE -

30 good, 35 excellent, 40+ outstanding

Solution to Issue 386 Target - 9 Letter Word: CRASHTEST; arch, art, arts, as, char, chart, chat, crash, hart, hat

Rat, star, starch, tar, tart, that, tract, trash, tsar. There may also be more solutions depending on which

dictionary you used!

� How many engine choices will be

available in the new model?

� Which models does the new E-Class

take styling cues from?

Stay tuned for the answers and more in

issue 388!

Club Events


* There may be additional events in May / June – details in the next magazine.

• CLUB MEETINGS are held at the Combined Car Clubs (Triple C) Clubrooms, Glandore Community Centre on the corner of Clark Avenue and Naldera Street, Glandore SA 5037. Enter via the car park on Clark Avenue.

• EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS are held at the same venue. Members are welcome to attend if you wish!

• Please inform the executive committee or social coordinator if you have any ideas for future events that members could partake. We welcome any members wishing to organise and coordinate a club activity.

• It may not be vital when no forward payment is required, but it is very difficult to arrange for additional meal places to be set at short notice. Conversely, we do appreciate being informed if you find you cannot attend. We thank the membership in advance for doing the right thing, as it will assist in preventing our collective premature hair loss!

MARCH

6 Monthly Informal Club Run: Meet on the First Sunday of every month at the Burnside Town Hall

Car Park, Cnr Greenhill & Portrush Road at 10.00 am. 8 Executive Committee Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore. 11-

14 2016 National Rally of the Mercedes-Benz Clubs of Australia: Hosted by the NSW club.

More details on the NSW club website: www.mbcnsw.org.au

22

Historic Registration Inspections and General Meeting with Guest Speaker: Historic

Registration Inspections from 7:00pm, presentation starting at 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore. Georg is trying to organise a presenter from the Australian Retired Persons Association to give a presentation at 8pm. General Meeting to follow. This is your last chance for Historic Vehicle

Inspections! See page 27 to check if your vehicle is due for the 3-yearly inspection.

APRIL


Car Park, Cnr Greenhill & Portrush Road at 10.00 am.

*Please Book By 22

nd March *

10 Run to Mintaro Maze: Jacka Road, Mintaro, Clare Valley. Meet at Cavan Hotel Car Park at

10:00am. Cost is $25/Adults & $15/Child. Please book by 22nd March. See page 14 for further details.

12 Executive Committee Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore.

*Entries Close April 1st *

17 McLaren Vale Vintage & Classic: Join us for the 11th running of this popular event. Entries

close 1st April! Convoy run departs Windy Point Restaurant Carpark at 9:00am. See page 14 for further details.

26 General Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore.

MAY*



10 Executive Committee Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore.

*Please book for Lunch * 22

Guided Tour of Waite Arboretum, Walter Young Ave, Urrbrae (off Fullarton Rd) followed by

lunch at The Edinburgh Hotel. $5/head for the tour – You will NEED sturdy shoes. Lunch at the Edinburgh Hotel is $25/head (to be confirmed) – need a minimum of 25 people for this otherwise it is just normal menu. Meeting time and place to be advised in next magazine.

24 General Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore.

JUNE*



14 Executive Committee Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore. 28 General Meeting: 8.00 pm at the Clubrooms, Glandore.

30

Historic Registration: Deadline For Membership Renewal: You will need to pay your

membership renewal by this date otherwise the club is obligated to inform the registrar of motor vehicles that you are no longer a financial member of our club and your registration is invalid. You will also need to present your statutory declaration and logbook for endorsement by this date otherwise you will not be able to drive your car after 30th June (or until this is done). Renewal forms and stat dec template are included with this magazine – logbook endorsements can be done at either at the March, April, May or June general meetings (the earlier the better as the June general meeting tends to be VERY busy!).

A MESSAGE REGARDING ORGANISED EVENTS

The Honour Rolls

Issue 387

LIFE MEMBERS 1� Joan Minge: Foundation President – 1974 2� Ray & Heather Bottroff 24 Frank Klassmann 187 Georg Eigen 233� David Read 234� June Crane 349 Margaret Grierson 398 Rita Johns 427 Ron & Joy Gregory 577 Kevin Osborn - Peter Kay (Club Patron) � = Also a 30 YEAR MEMBER

30 YEAR MEMBERS 52 Franz & Katharina Wann 254 Mario Segulin

20 YEAR MEMBERS 422 Vin Brazier 431 Kevin Rogers 435 Robyn & Robert Welch 449 Margaret Brooks 453 John Razzano 466 Brenton McLean 491 Carmel Burns 508 Robert Wann 511 David Mahlo 514 Ann Winter

10 YEAR MEMBERS 24 Janette Klassmann 187 Dace Eigen 254 Kathy Segulin 514a Graeme Drewett 522 Valentin Taylor 530 John & Robyn Whittaker 532 Don Rowlinson 546 Bill Bagley 556 Joan Prinz (was #232) 560 Howard Parslow 563 Dominic & Rosa Iacopetta 564 Fred & Shirley Lorenz 577 Kevin & Leonie Osborn 585 Bob Tait 617 Alan Hoare 625 David Pongracz 626 Shelley James 629 Barry Tugwell 636 Stuart & Kaye Platt 646 Jacinta Juttner 648 Ian Pfeiffer 649 Rob & Dot Leaney 651 Spyros Paraskevopoulos 652 Tania Monaghan 660 Ev-Lynne Otto 667 Gary Morgan 679 Arno Kuerschner 679a Kathy Zacharchuk

687 Jocelyn & Richard Williamson Williamson 696 Craig Beddome 702 Kenneth Bulluss 711 Jeanette Fryar 712 Adrian Brown 718 Elizabeth & Alan Weepers 721 Trevor McLean 731 Betty & Bob Merrett 733 Paul Springbett 746 Armando Vozzo 754 Peter & Jeanette Robertson 755 Anton & Rene Mader 758 Craig Baulderstone 761 Robert & Inga Dagg 762 Ulrich Kruse 767 John & Denise Bachmayer 769 Alan & Dorothy Kay 771 Don Hele 779 Eugene Lewandowski 786 Stephen & Rose Mitchell 794 Nathaniel Keily 801 Peter Read 802 Malcolm & Jayne Flavel 807 Shawn Grear 808 Jeffrey Brooks 814 Mark Seeliger 820 Frankie & John McLean 822 John Priest 826 Gavin Dunn

830 Colin Phillips 832 Ashley & Jeanette Harvie 838 Andreas Herr 840 Cheryl Lim & David Pile 939 Bill Thomas (was #281) 1015 Paul & Chris Richardson (were #691) 1050 Heather & Tom Love (were #738)

CLUB MEMBER OF THE

YEAR RECIPIENTS A perpetual trophy presented annually by Club Patron Peter Kay 2011 Rita Johns 2012 Joceyln Williamson 2013 Inga Dagg 2014 Kevin Osborn 2015 June Crane

Details / Invitations for upcoming events:

McLAREN VALE VINTAGE AND CLASSIC:

SUNDAY 17TH APRIL 2016 The McLaren Vale Vintage & Classic is a GREAT FAMILY day celebration of vintage and classic motoring. A fantastic mix of food, wine, music and the arts together with the energy and passion of motoring enthusiasts. It offers the visitor exquisite tastes of the McLaren Vale region’s world-class wines, tantalising gourmet food and classic motor vehicles of a by-gone era.

This event commences Sunday morning with all vehicles assembling in one location followed by a parade down the main street of McLaren Vale. 2015 was the biggest year so far with over 520 vehicles and 15-20,000 people lining the Main Street for the Grand Parade. All vehicles then drive out to the participating local wineries where cars will be displayed for the afternoon. Of course, members who are not entering or bringing cars are welcome to come and see the cars and the street parade and join us for the afternoon at the winery.

• Meet at the Windy Point cafe carpark (corner Belair and Kalyra roads) at 8:45 for a 9:00am SHARP9:00am SHARP9:00am SHARP9:00am SHARP departure for a scenic drive through the hills to McLaren vale (or meet us there).

• Vehicles assemble at Serafino (McLarens on the Lake), by 10am. Entrants will be provided with an event bag containing a metal badge struck for the event and an event handbook. Coffee, tea and breakfast will be available.

• 11:00am: Vehicles leave Serafino and Street Parade commences down the Main Street of McLaren Vale.

• 12:00 noon: All vehicles proceed to designated winery for show and shine and lunch (refer to the event program for the location of our club). Vehicles are asked to be on display until 3:30pm.

Entries close Entries close Entries close Entries close 1st1st1st1st AprilAprilAprilApril. Visit the website for more details and to download an entry form:

www.vintageandclassic.com.au Copies of the entry form are also available at general meetings or from the editor (contact details page 30).

APRIL RUN TO MINTARO MAZE

SUNDAY APRIL 10TH 2016

Run to Mintaro Maze, Jacka Road, Mintaro, Clare Valley. A nice long run (approx. 250km return) to blow the cobwebs out! Meet at Cavan Hotel Car Park at 10:00am Cost is $25/Adults & $15/Child Includes:

• Maze Entry and access to our undercover decked area for lunch (this is located just inside the Maze)

• Sandwich & Baguette platters for lunch • Anzac Biscuits • Tea & Brewed Coffee

Optional extra: Discounted entry to nearby Martindale Hall (1 Manoora Road, Mintaro) for $8/Adult & $6/Child. Please put your name down at a general meeting or contact Ian Francis (details page 30) to confirm your attendance. Please book by the 22Please book by the 22Please book by the 22Please book by the 22ndndndnd MarchMarchMarchMarch (or at the March General Meeting) to secure your spot!



Continued from page 11: Inside the upholstery remained largely unaltered, with the exception of two new colours – ‘Dark Olive’ replaced the ‘Olive’ trim colour and ‘Henna Red’ replaced the ‘Siena’ colour. The 2-door models now had similar upholstery to the sedans and for cars equipped with fabric upholstery, the fabric pattern was changed and fabric now covered the entire seat (the side bolters had previously been covered in MB tex). Once again, many of these small changes coincided with the introduction of the W201 series and were made to help streamline production and increase shared parts among the different models – for example the window winder handles now fitted to the 3

rd series W123 models were taken from

the W201 series. New radio choices meant that most Australian delivered cars now came with the Becker Grand Prix electronic pushbutton radio which had a digital display and could be programmed to store preset stations (this was a big deal back in ’82!). Various specially tuned versions of the 123 series were offered during its production life by companies like AMG, Brabus or Lorinser. The measures ranged from optical changes to the body with the help of paint, side skirts and various light-alloy wheels to modifications of the suspension for lowering the body, tauter damping, and camber changes on both axles. Other possibilities for sports-related improvement included optimisation programmes for production engines or the installation of more powerful engines. In the 1977 London to Sydney rally, two 280E models claimed an outright 1–2 finish with two other 280E sedans in the top eight. The two winning cars are held by the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart. This outstanding result in one of the world’s most gruelling rallies reinforced the quality and durability of the W123 and helped to bolster the huge demand for the model in the late 70’s. Mercedes-Benz began looking into alternative drive technologies at a very early stage. This purpose was repeatedly served by 123 series vehicles used by the engineers as test mules. In 1983 Mercedes-Benz presented a 280 TE with hydrogen drive. There was also a test vehicle with electric drive based on the station wagon. And from 1982 on there was even a 200 with bi-valent drive available as a

production vehicle: the car operated on liquid gas or petrol, the driver choosing the mode by means of a switch. By 1985 the W123 was looking decidedly old-fashioned compared to the W126 and W201 models. The W126 had initially copped criticism as it was a radical departure in terms of styling compared to the W116 and it was the first ‘plastic bumper’ Mercedes – but by the mid 80s this new design language had been widely accepted. This seemingly had little effect on W123 sales which were consistently strong year after year - by 1981 over 1000000 diesel engined models alone had been produced with the 2 millionth W123 rolling off the line in September 1982. In 1980 the W123 even outsold the Volkswagen Golf to become the bestselling new car in Germany (a record which has never been broken since) – this was quite an achievement considering both the popularity of the golf and the fact that a W123 was significantly more expensive! When the W124 was launched, initial quality problems caused taxi drivers to protest outside the head office of Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart against the end of production of the W123 and there were even reports of people ‘stockpiling’ W123s. History told a different story however and the W124 continued the reputation of durability and quality for Mercedes-Benz, with the series now also considered a modern classic. Still, every year or so a ‘time warp’ W123 with delivery mileage emerges for sale somewhere in Europe – usually the story being that the owner bought it and kept it stored away for when their other W123 or W124 would break down (but it never did!). Production of the saloon ceased in November 1985. As with the transition from "Stroke 8" to W123, the new 124 series was built parallel to the old model for almost a year. The station wagon models of the 123 series remained in production until January 1986. Production of the 123 series ran from 1975 to 1986, with a total of just under 2.7 million vehicles being built. At 2,389,140 units, saloons made up the lion's share (with 13,700 long-wheelbase saloons); but the new station wagon accounted for an impressive 199,517 units. The remainder was made up of 99,884 coupes, and finally 8,373 chassis for special-purpose bodies. Around 1,080,000 cars of the series were exported. During ten years of production, the diesel-engined models proved the most successful: the top favourite among buyers was the 240D model (448,986 saloons, 38,903 station wagons, 3841

long-wheelbase saloons and 1953 chassis for a total of 493,683 units). The most successful petrol-engined model was the 230 E model (245,588 saloons, 42,284 station wagons, 29,858 coupes and 294 chassis, giving a total of 318,024 units). Ranked according to body variants, the best-selling saloon was the 240D model (448,986 units), the 230 TE model (42,284 units) proved to be the most popular station wagon, and among the coupe models the 280 CE (32,138 cars) took the honours. The 250 model led among the long-wheelbase saloons (5,180 units) and long-wheelbase chassis (2,888), the 240D model among the chassis with standard wheelbase (794 units). With the insatiable demand in Europe for the new model, it’s no surprise that Australia did not see W123s start to appear in dealerships until very late 1976 or early 1977. The W114/115 series had remained in production alongside the W123 throughout 1976 and most of the cars delivered in ’76 were the predecessor model. Initially the 230, 250, 280E and 300D were available, ranging in price from $22940 to $27730. By comparison, a top of the range Holden Statesman Caprice V8 was around half the price at $13340 and a Jaguar XJ6 was around the $20000 mark. Prices had risen sharply compared to the W114/115 series – with the new 280E nearly $9000 more than the W114 280E. In 1977 the 240D joined the lineup and was the only W123 series model available with a manual gearbox. In 1978 the 280CE was added to the lineup and was the only coupe model available. Wagons arrived in 1980 with the 300TD and 280TE. With Mercedes-Benz Australia positioning the brand more towards a luxury marque, only certain models of the W123 had been available through Australian dealers – with a preference for the larger engined and fuel injected models. By 1982 only fuel injected and diesel models were available – with the 230E, 300D and 280TE models the most popular and available in sedan or wagon variants, with the 280CE remaining the sole 2-door. By the mid 1980s the fuel crisis was a distant memory and the 300TD was dropped, with the 300D the only diesel model available up until 1985. Continued on page 18 � Below: Differences in early (top) vs Series 2/3 instruments and from Left to Right, Series 1, 2 and 3 seat styles/patterns.

My Service.Visit an authorised Mercedes-Benz dealership to experience the benefits of Genuine Service. Your servicing will be conducted by factory-trained technicians, who are constantly trained to keep abreast of product developments, are equipped with sophisticated diagnostic tools and only use Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts, to keep your Mercedes-Benz in optimal condition. We look forward to welcoming you to a Mercedes-Benz Genuine Service experience.

* Mercedes-Benz received the highest numerical score among luxury autos in the J.D. Power 2015 Australia Customer Service Index Study, based on a total of 453 luxury car owners who had their vehicle serviced at an authorized dealer or service center, and were surveyed between August-October 2015. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.


Issue 387

While there was a long list of options for the

W123 buyer, most Australian delivered cars

featured a ‘typical’ set of options which was

defined by the ‘625 – Version for Australia’

option code. Cars with the ‘625’ code typically

featured MB tex interiors, paint protection,

tinted windows, power steering, air

conditioning and a rear courtesy light that

could be operated by the driver (this had long

been an option for Australian delivered cars as

many Mercedes-Benzes in Australia were

expected to be chauffeur driven!). Most of

these cars up until the 1982 facelift featured

manual windows, with only the higher spec

petrol engine cars typically having features

such as power windows and cruise control.

Diesel engined cars were heavily targeted

towards rural and semi-rural buyers who could

fuel their cars with subsidised diesel fuel. As a

result, many of the diesel W123s in Australia

have completed very high mileages from

country running.

The popularity and success of the W123 can

be seen in the number of these cars still in

regular use, as well as the popularity among

our club members! Parts availability is

excellent - one local enthusiast has described

the W123 (along with the W126) as ‘possibly

the cheapest car to own and run’ – the

durability of these cars is evident with the

number of ‘high mileage’ cars still in use – over

500,000km is not uncommon (especially

among diesel models). Currently these cars are

still in plentiful supply at cheap prices and

wrecks can still be found at self-serve

wreckers which give a cheap source of panels

and other parts. With so many produced,

keeping one of these cars on the road should

still be viable for many years to come.

Downsides? Depending on your enthusiasm for

the W123 there may not be any – but even the

newest of these models is now over 30 years old.

Rust will most likely be the biggest issue facing

any W123 owner – fortunately the W123 fares

much better in terms of rust protection than its

predecessor but rust can still be very commonly

found around the base of the windscreens,

behind the front wheels, around the bonnet

hinges, along the base of the doors, sills, the

inner front guards and around the wheelarches

(especially if chrome wheel arch trims have been

fitted).

Perhaps the only other criticism that could be

levelled against the W123 series is its’ lack of

power. This was particularly evident among the

smaller 4 cylinder models. The early 200D-240D

models have been described as almost

‘dangerously slow’ in modern traffic – especially

when coupled with the automatic gearbox. Even

when new, the 240D topped out at around

140km/h – which is ironic coming from a

manufacturer based in a country with an

extensive autobahn network. Despite this, it was

the 240D that was actually the most popular

variant of the entire W123 series – nearly

500000 of this variant alone were built in total.

It would not be until the W124 series that a V8

engine was seen in the E-Class range – but what

a shame Mercedes-Benz did not offer a V8 in the

W123 – there were plenty of options available at

the time to create a 350E, 380E, 450E or 500E –

John Green at MB Spares in Canberra recently

completed a ‘500E’ conversion for a customer

and remarked that ‘The number of bespoke parts

required to do this conversion is a very short list.

Radiator from the W126 fits straight in, fan and

shroud align perfect, even the radiator hoses line

up. R/H exhaust manifold is an off the shelf item

as are the engine down pipes (not saying what

model from). And here is a good one, the front

muffler from a 380/500SEC? Guess what it

fits right under a 280CE very neatly...”

Perhaps the product planners were worried

about taking sales or exclusivity away from the

S-class or V8 SL models at the time, or maybe

it just wasn't worth the cost? (looking at

production figures fewer than 1 in 10 W123s

were the 6 cylinder M110 engined models,

they sold twice as many 240D sedans as all of

the 280/280E/280CE/280TE models

combined!). Maybe the reason that Mercedes-

Benz were having trouble just meeting the

demand for the W123 for so long meant that

they did not see the need to offer a more

powerful model.

Thousands of articles have been written on the

W123 over its lifetime and there is a plethora

of information available on the internet and

through numerous books – one of the most

recent releases is by renowned W123

enthusiast Mark Cosovich – speaking with

other enthusiasts who have the book it is well

worth buying and contains a wealth of

information and advice on this model (details

at www.w123book.com). The modern age has

also given us the ‘YouTube mechanic’ – with

plenty of videos online covering almost every

conceivable repair and routine maintenance

job that a W123 would need – with Kent

Bergsma’s ‘Mercedessource’ YouTube channel

being one of the best examples of this type of

resource. �

Below Left: Diesel models were extremely popular as

taxis and many W123s found their way over to

African and Middle Eastern countries where they are

still in use today. Below Middle: The 1977 London to

Sydney rally winning 280E. Below Right: One of the

many ambulance conversions based on the W123

chassis models.

Marketplace & Club Merchandise


FOR SALE: 1954 180D ROUNDIE Black 1954 180D - Part of a deceased estate (previously owned by SA club member) - No one in the family knows how to drive this car so it has been offered for sale. The family would like to advertise the car within our club first. Contact President Georg for more details – Phone 8261 1537 or email [email protected]

WANTED: C200 KOMPRESSOR 2002-2003 MODEL Looking for a model C200 Kompressor, 2.0L, sedan with sun roof. Year; 2002-2003, 120000-150000kms. German manufactured not South African. Price; 9,000-11,000. If you can help, please contact Catherine on 0431 916 336 or email: [email protected]

FOR SALE: 1989 W124 300CE 2-door coupe. 188,590km, Auto, Black leather interior, 2 door, electronic windows, sunroof, aftermarket CD/radio player with AUX socket, Registration to July. Price: 8,500 ono. Contact Jane on 0407 260 867

WANTED: W113 PAGODA SL Looking for a RHD W113 Pagoda. Preferably Australian delivered. Any colour. Currently living in Perth but am from Adelaide originally and I would actually prefer to get one in Adelaide so I can get my old mechanic Barrie Greene to check it out before shipping. Please contact Des on 0413386384 or e-mail: [email protected]

FOR SALE: W123/124/126/201 WARNING TRIANGLES I have several warning triangles to suit these models for sale – in various conditions starting from $20. Replace that missing one! Contact Editor David on 0439850998 (or email details page 30).

FOR SALE: SL55AMG Custom Number Plates Also available: CLC200 & CLK350, plus others: 350Z, 399J & GTV. For sale individually, offers invited. Phone Christopher (Member 1011) on 0403 910 333

FOR SALE: W126 280S 1982 model. Dark Brown with cream interior. Good condition. Lambswool seat covers on front seats. Heating and aircon. Runs on LP gas and petrol. Engine no.

11092622006723, Chassis - WDB126021222021085. Regist. exp 15/02/16. Price $1500 neg. Contact Jim on 82707774 or email: [email protected]

WANTED: W108 Front Seats Original brown (cognac) front seats for a W108 Mercedes 280s (1969) wanted - Phone Phil: 0419854778 or email [email protected]

FOR SALE: C209 CLK350 Coupe First registered 2009. 53500kms. Elegance, 7 speed g-tronic auto. Command satellite navigation, distronic cruise control, parktronic, keyless go, sunroof. Bright Silver with black leather and burl walnut interior. Serviced by Mercedes-Benz since new. All service books, manuals and brochures. $49000. Phone Christopher (Member 1011) on 0403 910 333

FOR SALE: 1963 W111 220SE Coupe Extensive work done. Contact Franz Wann (member #52) for more details. Phone 8276 7793 or email [email protected]

FOR SALE: 1971 W114 250C COUPE Genuine reason for sale, car is no longer used frequently and would like to see it go to an enthusiast. White with black interior. Automatic. Good body and runs well. Sunroof. Some cracking on the dashboard and car is currently unregistered. Contact David on 0412 826 615 or email: [email protected]

FOR SALE: W210 2001 E240 Elegance 144,500 km, Full MB Service History, Silver-Grey colour. This car presents and runs flawlessly. It has been my wife's car since purchase and literally has only run between home and the golf course. Virtually always a one-person car as is apparent from immaculate interior. Full service history from a MB agency. Fitted with Bluetooth phone adaptor

that operates hand-free through vehicle sound system. Tyres 60%, unused spare. Only selling because my wife (now 70) wants a smaller car. $7,900 ONO. Contact: Graham or Barbara on 8374 1045/ 0419 566 566

FOR SALE: CL203 CLC200 Coupe First registered 2008. 53000kms. Evolution, 5 speed paddle shift auto. Sports pack, panoramic sunroof, parktronic, electric folding mirrors. Fire Opal Red with Artico Black/Grey Interior. Serviced by Mercedes-Benz since new. All service books, manuals and brochures. $29000. Phone Christopher (Member 1011) on 0403 910 333

FOR SALE: W111 220Sb FINNIE - 95% Restored A sad tale but hopefully a happy ending for one of our members. The club has been contacted by a member of the public who is selling a W111 220Sb Automatic Fintail Sedan

as part of a deceased estate - sadly her husband passed away during the restoration of the car. The car has been fully repainted (dark green) and has been reassembled to be approx 95% complete. Last registered in Victoria, all remaining parts are included. Car does run but will need new tyres. Located in Clarence Gardens (3 minute drive from Clubrooms). Asking $6000 or near offer. Very little required to complete, great price considering what a full strip down and re-spray would cost! Contact the editor for more photos and sellers' details: [email protected]

FOR SALE: 1967 W108 250SE & Shed Load of Spares White exterior, brown interior Engine #12998022011608 VIN #10801422023433 ODO unknown how many km's this car has done Last registered Nov 2010 and not been driven since. Needs some attention. Asking price $2,000 ono for car including shed full of spare parts - too many to list. Must take the lot. Location Strathalbyn/Meadows. Contact: Rex Keily mob: 0400 279 297 email: [email protected] (can email photos on request).

The following items are available from the Club’s Merchandising Officer, John Razzano:

Radiator badge $ 25.00 Silver plated model car $ 25.00 Silver Key Ring (Mercedes-Benz Star) $ 20.00 Valve caps $ 12.00 Cloth badge $ 8.00

MBCSA window sticker (foil backed) $ 3.00 Lapel pin $ 2.00 Coasters $ 1.00 Number Plate Surrounds - to suit all Standard, Slim and

Premium SA plate sizes $10.00 (pair)

CLUB MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

Australia Day BBQ & Milang Power Rally

Issue 387

A large contingent of members and

over 30 cars turned out for our

Australia Day BBQ and the first

night of Historic registration

inspections on January 26th

.

It was a great social atmosphere

and as a bonus the weather was

not too hot! W114/115s and

W116s were particularly well

represented – with

several very tidy examples

that I had not personally

seen before. A big

thankyou to those who

helped with the BBQ for

an enjoyable evening!

MILANG VINTAGE POWER RALLY 2016 A group of about half a dozen members met at the Mt

Barker Railway Station car park on January 17th

for the

Milang Power Rally. Many of the members made the

trip to Milang but had not entered their car for the

display – as a result there were only 2 MBs on the oval

(my 230S Fintail and a W116). The turnout was

definitely lower than last year, the heat might have had

something to do with this though - last year was very

mild (low 20s) but on the day it was over 35 degrees!

I met another member at the event but after a few

hours in the heat I’d had enough (also I was needed for

babysitting duties in the afternoon) so I headed off

around 12.30 – but not before taking the opportunity

to snap the Finnie by the shores of Lake Alexandria.

Hope to see a better turn out next year!

- David Knight

Just for Laughs & 2016 Club Survey


PEOPLE THINK I’M A COURTEOUS

DRIVER, BUT IT’S MOSTLY THE CAR…

People wave to me at t-intersections

because they think I'm letting them in, but

the reason I left that gap for them is

because I can't accelerate that fast.

Bus drivers wave at me because they

think I'm giving way to them and letting

them back into traffic. But I just really

want to follow along behind them so

everyone else thinks that it's the slow bus

that's holding traffic up.

When I'm zip merging or 2 lanes go to one

I always let the other person in and they

wave at me. They think my options are to

slow down or speed up, but in reality my

options are slow down or crash.

People think I'm a careful driver because I

always look over my shoulder and

repeatedly check my blind spots. It's

really because I don't have side mirrors

and the size of my rear view mirror is

smaller than a 5 year old iphone.

People think I drive slowly and cautiously

because I can, not because I have no

choice.

People think I'm doing the right thing by

leaving plenty of room between me and

the car in front when I'm stopped in

traffic. I'm really just trying to use that

space to build up some speed once the

light turns green. Hopefully the car in

front will have moved off by then...

Pedestrians smile at me because I stop and

give way to them. It's really because I know

the time it takes for them to cross the road

is less than the time it would take me to

clear the driveway/intersection.

People think I'm polite a polite person who

leads an active lifestyle because I park

further away and walk rather than parking

close to the entrance. It's really because I

don't want people in 'ordinary' cars to ding

my doors.

People think that when I park really close to

a column or wall it's because I'm leaving

more room for them. It's really because I

don't want people in 'ordinary' cars to ding

my doors.

People think I'm a skilful driver because I'm

good at reverse parallel parking. It's really

because I don't want people in 'ordinary'

cars to ding my doors.

People think I'm a careful driver because I

leave a large distance between my car and

the car in front. It's really because I'm

hoping that by the time I get to the light

500m ahead it will have turned green and

the other cars will have cleared the

intersection.

People think I'm a sensible night driver

because I always dip my high beams for

oncoming traffic. Those are my high

beams...

People think I'm thanking them by

flashing my lights or indicators. Wait, I

didn't do that, what the hell is going on

with my indicator stalk?!...

People think that I'm not driving like a

grandma when I roll through a yellow light

instead of braking hard. I'd rather risk a

fine/crash than lose the momentum...

People think I'm courteous to cyclists by

leaving a wide gap when I pass them. It's

really because I’m more worried about

scratching my car than scratching the

cyclist.

People feel sorry for me because they see

my car is 'a bit smoky'. They think I'm

poor and can't afford a car that is running

properly - but I'm not and it is.

People think I lead a busy life and I

haven't washed the back right hand

corner of my car in a while. They are

correct; it's been at least a few days

(maybe a week).

and finally,

I drive carefully and am courteous to other

road users in my old Mercedes, because I

don't want to give my fellow Classic Benz

drivers a bad reputation (also because if

you google my numberplate anyone could

track me down on the internet...)

- David Knight

CLUB SURVEY & RENEWAL FORMS INCLUDED WITH THIS MAGAZINE Included with this magazine is a 2-page survey for you to fill out. For the Committee to be better able to address its

concerns regarding the declining trend in Membership participation and attendance at Monthly Meetings, Monthly

Formal and Informal Runs/Outings and Volunteering for Portfolios, the survey is designed to give every member the

opportunity to provide feedback (positive and negative) and suggestions.

Also included with this issue are renewal forms and a stamped, self-addressed envelope – this is to encourage all of

our members to return the completed survey and you can return your renewal form at the same time!

We would appreciate that each member and each associate member fills out a survey (i.e. 1 per person not one per

household) – if you need extra copies of the survey please contact the editor or you can download them from our

website.

We look forward to your responses and the opportunity to take these

on board so that we can continuously improve the club for the benefit

of our members.

Regards, The Executive Committee

Electric Mobility: Daimler Management Leads by Example

Issue 387

Daimler is once again setting a new

milestone on the road to zero-

emission driving: In the future

managers will drive electrified

company cars. Furthermore, Daimler

is this year set to invest a further 30

million euros into extending the

company's own charging

infrastructure across many of its sites.

This will also benefit employees, who

have access to a growing range of

vehicles with alternative drive

systems.

Stuttgart: It represents a further

commitment from Daimler to an

electric future for mobility: "We are

continuing on the path of zero-

emission driving with consistency",

states Ola Källenius, member of the

Board of Management of Daimler AG

responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars

Sales and Marketing, about the

importance of the current initiative.

"This is why we are making electric

mobility an integral part of the

everyday lives of our top management

to set an example and to provide a

clear role model."

The agreement applies to the

company's senior levels of

management and focuses on plug-in

hybrids. Daimler AG believes that the

technology offered by these vehicles

provides a key to zero-emission

driving and is therefore expanding its

product portfolio with plug-in hybrid

drive systems. The models already

presented and mostly already

introduced to the market are the S

500 e in Saloon, the C 350 e in Saloon,

Estate and extended-wheelbase

versions, the GLE 500 e 4MATIC, the

GLC 350 e 4MATIC and the new E 350 e

Saloon.

In a pilot project in the wider Stuttgart

region, managers across different levels

are driving the purely battery-electric-

powered B 250 e already since April

2015. One of these is Harald Kröger,

responsible for E-Drive development of

the company: "I can only commend to

my colleagues to experience themselves

over a longer period the viability of our

battery-electric vehicles in everyday use.

I never cease to be amazed by their

completely silent electric "cruising"

ability and yet at the same time by the

impressively sporty nature of the

electric drive system, which immediately

places its full torque at disposal of any

engine speed." It goes with the territory

as Director of Development for E-Drive

that Harald Kröger is an electric mobility

enthusiast. He had previously driven the

smart fortwo electric drive for company

business, subsequently switching to one

of the company's first plug-in hybrid

models. With the battery-electric B-

Class he continues his series of

electrified company cars. "I am

delighted that our eMobility initiative will

give managers the opportunity to

experience this drive system",

reinforces Kröger.

The vast majority of electric-car drivers

put their vehicle on charge whenever

they leave it for a longer period: mostly

overnight or while they're at work. This

brings benefits in terms of

both convenience and

time, with no need to drive

out of one's way to find a

filling station, as might

otherwise be necessary.

Daimler identified this

trend very early on - in the

wider Stuttgart area alone,

the company has already

built 556 charging points

for managers and

employees. Already

therefore Daimler is a

pioneer in this field and is

now taking things a step

further: "In order to enable

the convenience of using

our electric and plug-in

hybrid vehicles, we have now decided

to extend the charging infrastructure

at our company locations even

further. This work will already be

undertaken over the next few

months", emphasises Ola Källenius.

All in all, the company will be making

an immediate investment of 30 million

euros into extending charging

facilities.

All Daimler AG’s staff are able to take

advantage of the steadily growing

range of eMobility vehicles. Both

partially and fully electric vehicles are

available at attractive terms through

the employee car scheme. This offer

includes the smart fortwo electric

drive and the B 250 e as well as the

GLE 500 e and the C 350 e. The

research project "charge@work" that

was launched in October 2013 offers

employees the use of electric vehicles

for both business and private use and

has been developed alongside the

company's charging infrastructure.

Since that date, they have been able

to hire a smart fortwo electric drive

from the car pools at the company's

Möhringen, Untertürkheim and

Sindelfingen sites – for a weekend, a

week or a whole month, as they

prefer. The idea has been

enthusiastically received and taken up

by employees: The distance that has

been covered with zero emission in

the first year and a half alone is

equivalent of 40 round-the-world trips.

�

February Informal Run


Sunday 7/2/2016 was the date

and Burnside Town Hall was the

meeting point for the Informal Club

Run for February.

We gathered in the Car Park at

10.00am, MBCC members ready

for a 10.30 am start. Sixteen

couples in a range of ten vehicles

representing older collectable

vehicles to a new C63 delivered to

David Pongracz and wife on the

previous Saturday morning, - can’t

get any newer than that.

We set off at about 10.30 am and

headed for Hahndorf, Echuca and

on to Meadows for morning tea.

After coffee and cake a lot of

natter we headed to Willunga and

Encounter Bay and the Victor

Harbour Auto Jumble and Swap

Meet. Unfortunately by the time

we arrived at the oval most of the

sellers had left the oval and it was

over.

A quick re-assessment of our options

was completed and it was decided

that we would go to Pa’s Café at

Encounter Bay for lunch. We lost a

few cars

between the

oval and the

Café and 12

arrived at Pa’s

and we pulled

some tables

together and

enjoyed a

lunch fit for a

President.

After a fine

lunch we

broke up and

made our own

ways home.

Many thanks to Ian & Julie Francis

for organising a very successful run

and lunch.

- Malcolm Flavel

‘I Drove The Wife’s Magna Into the Merc’

Issue 387

I have heard people explain in the aftermath of an accident how it all seemed to happen in slow motion. That’s how the moment felt when I drove my wife’s 2005 Magna through the closed roller door of my brand new garage smashing into my beautiful 1977 280SE on the other side and pushing it 10 feet into the back wall, way back on February 16 2013. My garage is a 9 meter addition to the rear of an existing gabled carport, which we had built on just a few months earlier in our new home in Littlehampton. On the afternoon of the accident I had moved our 2 daily drivers from under the carport on to the gravel drive in front of the carport, then the Lincoln and Mercedes to underneath the carport from the garage. I then happily cleaned and tidied the garage oblivious to the event about to unfold an hour or so later. Now when backing out my wife’s Magna I elected not to adjust the driver’s seat as I was always nagged about never putting it back, so on this one off occasion I simply squeezed in leaving my right leg out on the ground while keeping my left foot constantly on the brake pedal. Putting the car into reverse backing out and braking was never going to be an issue. With the garage all cleaned up and both Lincoln and 280SE happily and safely parked inside, I lowered the roller doors and shut the garage. Now it was a very hot February afternoon and as we were going out later on, I decided to bring both cars back under the carport so whichever one we decided to take would be in the shade. Now in the instant before I hopped back into the Magna it had occurred to me to move back the seat, but in the rush of the moment as we were now running late to get to the cinema I decided to move the car in the same fashion as before, right leg out on the ground and left foot firmly on the brake pedal. Unfortunately due to building and excavation traffic the gravel drive at the front of the carport concrete slab had eroded somewhat leaving quite a step. To get the Magna over the step I needed to give the car some throttle, which was done very generously with my left foot. Having made it over the step I now needed to ......BRAKE..... Oh heavens I needed to brake. Being squished up in the car my left knee was obstructed by the steering wheel and in trying to brake....................My foot slipped and floored the accelerator pedal.

I was now powerless and frozen with panic as the roller door came closer and closer ever so surely giving me plenty of time to digest what I was about to smash into on the other side. There was no jolt or jarring, both cars just melted into one another with a very distressed roller door ripped off its cylinder draped over the Magna. There was the dreadful smell of burnt rubber from the spinning wheels of the Magna having nowhere to go with the Mercedes wedged into the bench at the rear of the garage. The garage was now a disaster scene full of smoke & grease from the roller door splattered over all 3 cars as well as the roof and walls of the garage. My wife ran out of the house and neighbours came rushing to the sight of me draped over the Mercedes, head in my hands in what must have looked like an unbelievably ridiculous scene. In the immediate aftermath I was in shock for several days, thinking constantly of my then 3 year old daughter who was always in and around the garage with me. This was thankfully a stupid accident and not a tragedy. If you have been in an auto accident you may understand the mental affects of such an incident, for more than 2 years afterwards I could not seem to trust what my feet were doing when operating a car. To this day I park under the carport with a sense of fear in my ability to safely stop the car. While the Magna and garage were being repaired through insurance I was left with the embarrassment of not having had the Mercedes fully covered. I had paid the RAA $148.00 for basic 3rd party and latter realised that Shannons would have covered the car to $8,000.00 for $118.00. Despite the car being on club registration at the time, it was just one of those things where the busyness of day to day life and dealing with a family health crisis the previous year left changing insurance policies as a last priority. I was devastated that I destroyed a beautiful low km W116 280SE, but my wife was just happy that I had wrecked it and not her. Since actively tracking them on the internet over the last 6 years I have found really nice anything W116 are coming up less and less. To be honest, the insurance was never going to cover the damage having called Mercedes Benz in Adelaide and being told just a crash bar and radiator headlight panel alone were $4,000.00. Friends and family said the car was a write off and that I should just wreck it. So in the ensuing weeks and with pig headed pride I started attacking the car with an angle grinder, and in defiance to the well-

meaning recommendations I wanted to see if I could undo what I had done. I thought about help from a panel shop but with such a low market value if I was going to save the car it had to be done all at home. While I had done restoration work in the past I had never completed a smash repair, this was new territory for me and I had no idea if I damaged the transmission as the car was not able to be started.

Feb 2013 a few days after the accident As the weeks past, all the twisted metal was cut away, leaving behind what was now looking like an everyday restoration project. The chassis rails were still straight and the undamaged front mudguards were left in place by just cutting the front fold allowing me to get to the headlight panel spot welds. For those of you who don’t know the front guards are pretty much glued on for rust prevention. I decided not to buy a whole car for wrecking as I did not want to get distracted with parting out a car and trying to save parts while stuffing out the garage with spares......I wanted to focus on the smash repair. I also did not get distracted with detailing the engine bay either as this too would have deviated from the main objective. I could not ignore that I had 1970 Mk3 Lincoln awaiting continuation of its restoration since 2003. For $700.00 I sourced a cut off front section of a dead 280SE from Mainstyle in Adelaide. This was mainly for the headlight panel and crash bar. To cut out and de-rust these parts with the aid of a spot weld remover was a project unto itself. Even if I had been insured I still would not have paid $4K for them so this was going to happen anyway. Through Gumtree and Ebay I easily picked up other things that I needed, though a decent bonnet proved the most difficult as all were in bad condition. �

‘I Drove The Wife’s Magna Into the Merc’ (continued)


In the end I spent countless hours tidying up a less than ideal bonnet as I just wanted to keep things moving. A big mistake and a big time waster! When it came to the welding my old 2 setting mini mig welder proved too difficult and a time killer as it could not cope with the different metal thickness of the crash bar and chassis.....After much time wasting a new variable setting welder from Bunnings made for much faster and happier welding. By May 2015 all welding was completed and touch up painting as well, leaving the car now ready for parts assembly.....2 years after the accident I was now on a downhill run. The rear of the car only suffered minor damage as the work bench having wedged on the ground outside the garage stopped the car from going through the back wall. Some scratches below the bumper and dents on the boot lid were all easily fixed. I suspect it is because the car was parked front facing out that I was able to save it. Otherwise the rear end would have taken the whole impact folding in true Mercedes fashion and unrepairable by a hobbyist like myself. On 02 Nov 2015 I attached the replacement grille to the bonnet finishing

off a smash repair I never wanted to do. I do realise that this is just everyday common place work out there in the crash repair industry. However even if insured the payout would never have covered even half a professional repair bill, my only alternative would have been to purchase another 280SE. Instead I saved a great example of a W116 and made good use of other dead cars. In the end I spent just under $3,000.00 with a rebuilt radiator that was in the pipe works anyway and some new spare parts including a really nice spare bonnet. The transmission was fine and the car started and drove as if nothing had happened. I must add that our 2005 Magna was perfectly drivable after disabling and writing off the Merc. The $5,600.00 bill for that car covered replacement of: bonnet, bumper, crash bar and a three quarter respray. Some of you reading this would understand the motivation required to complete any kind of significant restoration work on an old car in our spare time while still functioning in our jobs and family life not to mention maintaining our homes. Sometimes it becomes obsessive and the fine line gets crossed when it is no longer a hobby. This project did come at a significant cost of my family time, house maintenance &

improvement time, Lincoln restoration time, and 3 cold winters in the hills working at night in the garage after work. The financial cost may have been small however the personal time invested was quite significant, but that’s obviously the cost of pig headed pride! Things I have learnt from the experience: •Insure your assets and review your cover •Do not operate a vehicle unless you are comfortably seated •Repair driveway hazards as soon as possible •Roller doors offer no protection to vehicle intrusion •Carefully evaluate the time it will take to repair something, it may not be worth it as in the case of the first bonnet I purchased •Finally..........Your wife CAN stop nagging about not moving back the drivers’ seat

- Chris Saliba

Member No 964 Top Left: Late 2013 with new crash bar welded Top Right: May 2015 painting after welding Below Left: Oct 2015 final assembly Below Right: Nov 2015 Editor’s Note: Thanks for sharing Chris! Great to see a W116 saved! Too many have already gone to god! -DK

NEW ADDRESS: 4 ALBERT STREET

THEBARTON SA 8234 5222

Historic Registration - Notice of 3 Yearly Inspections Due


IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MEMBERS WHO HAVE

VEHICLES ON HISTORIC REGISTRATION

As per the regulations pertaining to historic registration every vehicle

must be submitted for inspection to the club historic registration

officers on a 3 yearly basis. The following vehicles in the list to the

right are due for that inspection.

Would all members with historic registration check their log books for

the inspection endorsement to ensure that your vehicle complies.

There are a number of requirements required for a vehicle to be legally

driven and this is one of those.

If your vehicle has been on historic for less than 3 years then the

inspection when issuing the MR334 form is deemed to meet this

requirement, and its next inspection will be due 3 years from that date.

The inspection will take place at 7pm before the January,

February and March meetings .

- Kevin Osborn

_______________________________________________________________

Our club complies with the rules for Historic Registration as set out by the

Federation of Historic Motoring Clubs SA Inc and the Department of Planning,

Transport and Infrastructure.

If you have any queries regarding historic registration, please contact our Club

or the Federation - PLEASE DO NOT contact DPTI/Services SA. The

department has limited resources to deal with historic registration enquiries

and has requested that the Federation and the Car Clubs be the first port of

call for historic registration enquiries.

Our Federation representative is Armando Vozzo, his contact details are on

the last page of this magazine. If you wish to contact the Federation directly

their mailing address is: PO

Box 703 Plympton SA 5038

or email:

[email protected]

and their website is:

http://www.fhmcsa.org.au

The code of practice for

historic registration sets out

the rules and regulations for

historic registration. It is

issued by DPTI and must be

adhered to at all times by

the Car Clubs and Members

with vehicles on historic

registration. Hard copies of

the code of practice are

stored in our library and are

available during club

meetings. The code of

practice can also be viewed

online at:

http://www.fhmcsa.org.au/Assets/code_of_practice_historic.pdf

Historic Registration

Issue 387

WHAT IS HISTORIC REGISTRATION? A conditional type of registration open to vehicles manufactured before 1979 that are not modified from the manufacturers specifications. Historic registration is significantly cheaper than regular SA vehicle registration but a number of conditions apply that restrict the use of the vehicle to 90 days per year. Only vehicles in original condition that are owned by members of recognized car clubs are eligible. Vehicles must be inspected and approved by the car clubs historic registration officers before historic registration can be issued. Other conditions also apply - see below.

HOW TO GET HISTORIC REGISTRATION:

1. Be a member of the Mercedes Benz Club of S.A. Inc. and permanent resident of South Australia. 2. For new members membership is not confirmed until the next Committee Meeting after the club has received a completed membership application form, subscriptions are paid and a membership number has been issued (i.e. you cannot come to a meeting, join, pay and then get historic registration on the same night). 3. The vehicle and CURRENT REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE must be inspected by one of the clubs Historic Registration Officers at a club meeting. NOTE: Historic matters can only be attended to at club monthly meetings. A MR334 form is then issued if the vehicle passes the inspection. This form can then be taken to Services S.A. by the member to have the vehicle registered. It is best to avoid the June general meeting for new vehicle inspections - this is due to the long line-up of existing members renewing their membership and having log books stamped etc at this time of year. NOTE: The vehicle must have been manufactured before 01/01/1979 (The club accepts the year of manufacture as that on the registration certificate) and be in sound roadworthy condition and unmodified from manufacturers specifications. AMG modifications are NOT acceptable as AMG and Mercedes-Benz were separate companies until the year 2000, thus a car with any AMG modifications prior to this date does not meet the criteria of being unmodified from the manufacturers specifications.

If you are still unsure whether your vehicle is eligible for historic registration, it is a good idea to bring it along to a general meeting and have it inspected by a historic registration officer BEFORE you pay your membership fees.

4. At the following meeting, the new registration papers must be presented to the Historic Registration Officers, who will endorse the registration certificate and issue a log book - currently the log books cost $5. A statutory declaration is also required at this time by the member confirming the vehicles eligibility. Vehicles can not be driven until the log book is issued and details of the excursion are entered. 5. Log books must be endorsed annually when club subscriptions are paid. A statutory declaration must also be presented at this time before endorsement. Regardless of having a statutory declaration, all vehicles must be inspected at least once every 3 years by club Historic Officers. Members will be notified in the magazine of when they are required to present their vehicles for inspection. 6. When renewing registration new registration papers must be endorsed by a club Historic Officer. 7. Members requesting Historic Registration must own a Mercedes-Benz vehicle before the club will accept another make for historic registration.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU WHEN YOU

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP (EACH YEAR) In order to comply with the regulations, members renewing their membership and having their log books endorsed need to provide the following:

• Log book

• Statutory declaration

• Current Registration papers

• Receipt/proof of payment of club fees for upcoming membership year

You will need to renew your You will need to renew your You will need to renew your You will need to renew your membershipmembershipmembershipmembership before June 30thbefore June 30thbefore June 30thbefore June 30th to avoid having the club meeting the requirement to advise the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to cancel or suspend your registration. Members who have paid their subscription but have not submitted a statutory declaration and had their log books updated cannot legally drive their historically registered vehicles.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR

HISTORIC REGISTRATION: (So that you comply with the act and are not driving an unregistered vehicle!). 8. Membership must be renewed by the 30th June each year to avoid cancellation of registration with Services S.A. 9. If registration of the vehicle is in more than one name, all persons named on the rego form must be club members. Other owners can join as associate members.

10. Vehicles cannot be registered by a company or business, or used for hire, fare or reward. 11. Penalties. Heavy penalties apply for a contravention of the conditions of Historic Registration. It is the owners responsibility to comply with all conditions. It is also a criminal offence to knowingly make a false statement on a statutory declaration. 12. Historic Registration Officers are available at club meetings to answer questions (or contactable via phone - see inside back cover). 13. Present your vehicle once every 3 years for inspection - you will be notified of this in advance in the magazine.

OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES: - Country members, that is members living in post code areas indicated as country under the insurance rating (postcodes outside 5000-5201), must send a stamped self addressed envelope for the return of the logbook, registration papers and subscription receipt. They must also enclose $5.00 if a replacement logbook is required.

- If you receive a notice from the Registrar that your Historic Registration has been cancelled and you desire to get more information please contact the Club and not the Registrar, as all administration is with the Clubs and not the Registrar.

- If you have queries regarding historic registration, DO NOT CONTACT DPTI or MOTOR REGO. They do not have the resource to deal with public enquiries and have requested that all historic registration enquiries be handled by the clubs or the federation. If your issue/question is not resolved by our club (or you are not happy with our response), then it can be taken to the Federation. The contact details of our federation representative are on page 30.

- If a member sells a vehicle which is on Historic Registration they must bring their log book to the next Club general meeting to have it cancelled.

- Whenever you drive your car, you must have the log book with you and fill out the trip details before you get on the road. If you drive your vehicle without the endorsement, and/or without filling out the trip details your vehicle is unregistered. Any outing even to buy petrol or to a mechanic requires the trip to be filled out, and becomes one of the 90 allowed outings for the year. If you are not able to present your log book (correctly filled out) to a police officer on request then heavy penalties apply.

Our Volunteer Historic Registration

Officers Thank You for Your Cooperation!

Members Page


The club is pleased to welcome the following new members:

# Name Car(s) 1098 Chris & Vicki Farmer St Peters SA tba

1099 Stefan Wolf & Martina Claus Glen Osmond SA tba

1100 John Brownsea Victor Harbor SA 1984 R107 380SL, 1987 W124 300E, 1997

W202 E320 + other classics

1101 Marco De Francesca Highgate SA 1997 SLK230 Kompressor

1102 Larry & Charlie Yazbeck Pennington SA 1974 W114 280E & 1974 W114 250

Current club membership: 281 financial members (as at time of printing).

The Mercedes-Benz Club of SA is the only Mercedes-Benz and smart car club in South Australia officially recognised by Mercedes-

Benz and Daimler AG.

Around the world, a total of 80 official clubs with more than 90,000 members are helping to preserve the rich automotive heritage of

the Mercedes-Benz brand - while bringing its history to life with numerous public presentations of their classic cars. The members of

the brand clubs are indispensable ambassadors of the brand with the three-pointed star. Mercedes-Benz Classic Club Management

coordinates this global PR potential and ensures a consistent and likeable style in public appearances.

More information on Official Mercedes-Benz Clubs can be found at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Club Management website:

www.mercedes-benz-clubs.com (scroll down to the bottom right of the webpage and select ‘English’ to view the site in English).

How to Contact the Club: WEB: http://msa.mercedes-benz-clubs.com

EMAIL: via the website or email the editor (p30)

Or send a letter to: Mercedes-Benz Club of SA

PO Box 393

Edwardstown SA 5039

See page 30 for committee members contact details.

Membership The membership year is from July 1 to June 30.

Annual membership fee is $48.00 (associate $24.00).

An initial joining fee is $40.00 (associate $20.00).

Pro-rata rates apply, please check before paying.

Membership forms can be downloaded from our website

(http://msa.mercedes-benz-clubs.com) or at general meetings.

Make sure your car is equipped with the basics:

Executive Committee Members & Portfolio Holders

Club Patron: Mr Peter Kay - Former Director, Mercedes-Benz Adelaide

GENERAL ENQUIRIES: PHONE 0439 247 023 (during business hours, Monday to Friday). Note: You can also contact the club via our

facebook page and on our website (click on the 'contact us' link on the homepage).

Our club is run entirely by volunteers. Their efforts, ideals and spirit helps keep our club going strong. Please afford all our volunteers

the recognition they deserve. Volunteers are not paid because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT

GEORG EIGEN

8261 1537 / 0417 890 564

[email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT (also Merchandise Officer)

JOHN RAZZANO

0422 584 278

[email protected]

TREASURER

MALCOLM FLAVEL

8294 2217 / 0418 826 179

[email protected]

SECRETARY

HEATHER BOTTROFF

8276 7189

[email protected]

VACANT

MAGAZINE EDITOR

POSITION VACANT Can you help? Please contact a committee member. Interim Editor: David Knight (see webmaster details)

COMMITTEE MEMBER

IAN FRANCIS

[email protected]

0411 187 081

PUBLIC OFFICER (also Historic Motoring Officer)

BILL THOMAS

7070 5178

[email protected]

COMMITTEE MEMBER (also Registrar)

DAVID PONGRACZ

0433 777 608

[email protected]

COMMITTEE MEMBER & HOSPITALITY

DACE EIGEN

8261 1537

[email protected]

Photo to

come

COMMITTEE MEMBER

DANIEL BERTHOLD

0400 655 635

[email protected]

PORTFOLIO HOLDERS

VACANT

SOCIAL COORDINATOR

POSITION VACANT Can you help? Please contact a committee member.

Photo to

come

FEDERATION OF HISTORIC MOTORING

REPRESENTATIVE

ARMANDO VOZZO

VACANT

ASSISTANT EDITOR

POSITION VACANT Can you help? Please contact a committee member.

CCC REPRESENTATIVE

PAUL RICHARDSON

8387 1807

REGISTRAR

DAVID PONGRACZ

0433 777 608

[email protected]

ADVERTISING

ARNO KUERSCHNER

8278 3124

[email protected]

Photo to

come

LIBRARIANS

KEITH & LINDSEY PICK

[email protected]

TECHNICAL OFFICER

JOHN WHITTAKER

8388 7418

MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES (for prospective members)

BOB DAGG

8353 6063 / 0412 016 323

[email protected]

WEBMASTER / ONLINE MEDIA

DAVID KNIGHT

0439 850 998 / 7129 2210 (work)

[email protected]

HISTORIC MOTORING OFFICERS

HISTORIC MOTORING OFFICER

KEVIN OSBORN

8337 6410


BILL THOMAS

7070 5178

[email protected]


TREVOR JOHNS

8388 7599


VIN BRAZIER


ROBERT WELCH

20 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Mile End, SA. 5031 Telephone: (08) 8152 5000 Six times winner - Dealer of the year. www.mbadelaide.com.au facebook.com/mbadelaideMercedes-Benz Adelaide

Mercedes-Benz AdelaideAuthorised Mercedes-Benz Sales, Service & Parts.

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