Nab's 1975 280S

[tsharkey]

The wiring for D-Jet is a standalone extra loom - A big massive computer in the passenger footwell and separate loom from it to the sensors in the engine bay.

You could even juice it up a bit with a megasquirt conversion ....

[Nabstud]

The wiring for D-Jet is a standalone extra loom - A big massive computer in the passenger footwell and separate loom from it to the sensors in the engine bay.

You could even juice it up a bit with a megasquirt conversion ....

Ooooh Megasquirt! Not that keen yet haha

I didn't know that it was standalone wiring loom, I was expecting much more. I haven't even looked at pricing for new injectors, sensors etc or even if they are available. I've got lots of random stuff, pipes etc to make a carby work, the manifold being the major stopping point.

[Nabstud]

I took out the 350SEL fuel filter and put a cheapy in. Fixed a couple fuel lines and it runs! Not perfect but it idles and revs a bit.
Took heaps of little bits and pieces for spares, still deciding whether to V8 transplant or not...

[T-Modell]

The trend clearly goes to having two W116's

[Nabstud]

This 350 is definitely not going to be the no.2....

[Nabstud]

Decided to attack the central locking not working properly. My hunch was the passenger rear door as that didn't unlock properly and there was an occasional high pitched noise from that area. Stripped the door and found the issue straightaway, one of the diaphragms has come away. Replaced it with a spare from the 350SEL and it is working again, even worked after an hour after shutting the motor off with multiple lock/unlocks so I deem it a success.

[tsharkey]

The joy of having a parts car ..... That 350SEL is now only worth half the price ....

[Nabstud]

Definitely! I took all the central locking parts including tank and drivers door switch so should be right in that regards...

I also took out the rear headrests, still deciding whether to install them in Fritz. I'll start by trying to dye/paint them the same colour as my interior, if it turns out well I'll go from there.

[tsharkey]

Retro fitting head rests was often an upgrade to W123 rear seats. Did you get the channels that slot into the rear upper seat (they are rivetted in) as well as the plastic openings off the upper rear ?

[Nabstud]

I got the plastic openings, all screws, the plastic triangle bits and the long and short brackets. I didn't notice any other channels, if I missed them then its too late now...

[T-Modell]

Hi,
if you ever need "reference pics", how a 280S originally looked like, download the pictures here ... amazing:
https://www.cargold-collection.com/stoc ... index.html

Regards
Thomas

[Nabstud]

Yeah it's pretty clean thats for sure

[Nabstud]

I installed the V8 tachometer into my 280 today. Firstly I had to calibrate it to the 6cyl engine, luckily there was an adjustable resistor on the back. I had an old digital tacho that I used as a reference, I got my daughter to hold the engine at 3000rpm and then I just adjusted the screw until it matched. Then I ran a 2pair cable to the coil (ignition 12V and coil -ve) and connected it up. Hardest part about the whole job was reinstalling the speedo cable - my big hands struggled to get it back on...
Not sure how accurate it is but seems about right, 110kph on the speedo reads about 3600rpm.

The adjustment screw.



Working like a dream. There are a couple marks on the tacho face but its not too bad.



My dimmer has been a bit intermittent, sometimes you have to manipulate it to get the dash lights to stay on. While the dash was out I just bypassed it by soldering the 2 wires together so it stays on full brightness. It's actually quite bright now, maybe too bright haha!!

[tsharkey]

Don't know why, but a tacho is always something I instal in any old jalopy I own ... Great job !

[Chai]

Does anyone know how to repair/restore the console dimmer function?
The one in my car doesn't provide a consistent fade function but, fortunately, still works on maximum brightness.

Another related question is, can that light rheostat be dissembled by drilling out the rivets (at the 3 and 7 o'clock positions in the picture)?

From Nab's photo, it looks like the rheostat by-pass was by unsoldering the brown wire from the rheostat terminal and soldered onto the green 12V light supply terminal.

[Nabstud]

Yeah I like having a tacho, just feels like you have more control or something haha!!

I just un-soldered the grey wire and attached it to the green wire on the dimmer. It's noticeably brighter than the previous max brightness setting, maybe it needs to have a little bit of dimming for bulb life or something. Will see how it goes, I have a spare one to try if needed but I would rather not have to spend another 25mins trying to get the speedo cable back on...

I have had success in the past getting variable resistors/rheostats going again by spraying liberal amounts of electrical cleaner in where I can and just turning the handle back and forth constantly.

[John Green]

The one in my car doesn't provide a consistent fade function but, fortunately, still works on maximum brightness.

If it is full bright all the time, it sounds like someone has bypassed it like in the above picture.

[Nabstud]

Exhaust has been getting louder from the front of the car. Have had to nip up the manifold to Y-piece bolts a couple of times but this time it was the Y-piece itself that has cracked. Looks like it has been repaired before, my welder mate will repair it for me as a temporary/permanent fix.

[John Green]

my welder mate will repair it for me as a temporary/permanent fix.

Be very careful putting it back on. Sometimes when welding it up it the distance between the two flanges shrinks and when you are tightening it back up to the exhaust manifolds it cracks the manifold. When I have welded them in the past I always measure the gap before and after. We have some new ones left in stock for $295.00.

[Nabstud]

Cheers John, if this doesn't work I'll be in touch. Looks like the otherside is also cracked but also has a horizontal crack so the welding may not go as planned.

[T-Modell]

Try to organise a M110 motor block and weld it there, while mounted. That's what my exhaust guy insisted on, when he did the manifolds of the ute ...

Regards
Thomas

[Nabstud]

Well my welder mate had got to it before I told him to measure it. Didn't work, had shrunk over 4mm even though he tacked it before welding it.
So I cut it open again, bent it out using my vice and prybar, mounted it to the exhaust manifold and tack welded it into place. Took it out and fully welded it and it slotted in perfect. The bloody thing was put in and out 7-8 times while lying on my concrete carport, not much fun. Now it is super quiet, it must have been leaking for a while and I just didn't notice it getting slowly louder.

1mm cut I did



The 4.5mm gap once installed

[Bartman4800]

Did you weld a nut to the bolt to stop the head from rotating? Good idea!

[Nabstud]

I can't take credit for that unfortunately, must have been the previous repairer's efforts! Works bloody well...