Start of Project

Here she is: Blue Max - a pretty 1963 Mercedez-Benz "Fintail" model 220b (W111). I purchased the car in 2002 from a gentlemen who spent a great deal of money to semi-restore it to this state. I think he spent more on the engine than the actual complete worth of the car, and she drives beautifully. This car has never let me down, and I have had some great times with it (this was taken at God's Window in 2003).



This pretty car has several problems though:

• Though it doesn't look it (because of the fresh paint job done before I bought it) the car has a serious rust problem. Very serious. It spent part of its life in the hot, humid, salty Natal province.
• The pretty metallic pearl blue colour is not original, as metallic colours were only available upon request for the very expensive 300SE (W112) model.
• The interior heating never worked, the side vents are missing, so in my youthful ignorance I discreetly installed a very high-fidelity Infinity Kappa audio system, e.g. with the tweeters where the small side vents should be. In retrospect, ugh.
  
• My dear colleague and Managing Director decided to "reshape" the right rear door with his 280SE Mercedes, and it's so rusted it is not repairable (must be replaced).

I have been putting this off for a few years, but the time has come (and my wonderful girlfriend, "J", has committed to help me) to put things right. We shall embark on the project to build a perfect, original W111 once again. And we'll do most of it ourselves.