Vintage Mercedes Project – Cold War Warrior
The vintage Mercedes project car is on the road tonight, Jared, one of our Service Advisors is doing the overnight road test.
Just one year before the Berlin war fell, this Mercedes rolled new out of the factory. I’m a Cold War fan, student and history buff, having grown up in that era, so this project had a special meaning to me, one of the last Mercedes to roll out when “West Germany” was still a country.
Everything is done except for the engine oil leak reseal, will be doing that tomorrow. I wanted to get an extended road test in with the fuel injection system working correctly, and the transmission resealed.
The fuel injection system on this vehicle, a Bosch KE Jetronic, first debuted in the mid 1970s (though Mercedes used it until the late 1990s), had been a source of trouble for the previous servicing shop, and thorn in the owners side for some time. The vehicle had a history of low power, stalling, not starting, which we diagnosed and corrected. Indeed the vehicle was towed in not starting or running.
Few people still around understand KE Jet fuel system, I’m starting to feel old. I started my automotive service career in 1985, so 32 years later, this still feels like a new car to me.
I personally drove it just a few minutes ago for the initial road test after the transmission work, runs and drives great, tires are noisy and ride rough, but there is some tread left on them, next year we’ll get a good set of Michelin tires on the car.
I’m VERY happy with how the car the car has turned out so far, I believe the lingering demons of starting and running have now been corrected, and the car is performing as it should. Working with owners who are deeply passionate about doing it right, and patient at the same time, has been a blessing.
I’ll check her again tomorrow morning, and baring anything else will be turning it over to Joe to do his detail magic on Monday or Tuesday.
Though we work on even the newest Mercedes, it’s always treat for me to be involved in the service of one of these icons of another, more simpler time.
Warmly,
– Bruce
— at Atlantic Motorcar Center.
