You may recall that I posted previously, about me trying to restore my 30 year old Mercedes? and how Cancer interrupted progress. When I figured that with the help so many wonderful medical people, it looked like I would survive. I made it one of my goals to complete the restoration. I will not bore you all with the detail. But last month the car won Best in Show at 'Benz On The Green' the UK biggest independent Mercedes show. To say I was staggered would be an understatement. I was chuffed to bits and drove home with the sun roof open so I could get my big head in the car. So if you ever fancy a ride in (what we believe) is the UK's only original 'four wheel drive' thirty year old Mercedes Benz? Give me a shout.
The car will also feature in the September edition of the Mercedes Enthusiasts Magazine. I managed to get a write up included thanking all the medical teams who helped to restore me, enabling the restoration of the car.
Written by
brucemillar
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Oh wow, that's quite an achievement, the car looks great. Well done! My late husband had a Mercedes for a while - beautiful car, so quiet and such a smooth ride.
That's some achievement Bruce you should be proud of yourself. To undertake a restoration to that standard takes some doing but to realise it after your journey just shows the determination and focus you must have.
To be 100% (ish) honest here. I just got completely bloody minded & stubborn about the car. It fought me the entire way. I got the car for virtually nothing, as a 'scrapper'. But like all Merc 124's you just fall in love with driving them. Having had the the engine & transmission rebuilt, the body work media blasted to bare metal & painted and sourced parts from all over the globe; we set off to our first event. The engine blew up with a "bent crankshaft". So the engine had to come back out of the car again and be completely rebuilt again. I was so far into it by then I could not afford to stop ;^).
There are strange comparisons between restoring an engine and restoring our selves. We can't quit, or everything else will fail and others look on, telling us "I told you so". There is a fantastic satisfaction in sitting in, and driving the finished product, knowing the emotion that went into doing it to the standard you wanted.
I love the comments we get, when go out in her, from genuine admirers. The greatest thing is: She makes people smile and want to talk to you. Complete strangers come up for a chat as you fill up with petrol. We have had traders vans with occupants smiling and waving in traffic queues. What a great thing to have happen.
The other known four wheel drive car like this, resides in Northern Ireland and was owned by the Edge from U2. Now owned by a chap who has become a dear friend as he restores his car. Amy WInehouse also owned one, but that appears to have disappeared from the roads.
when I got sort of well I swapped my CLK 320 convertible out for the faster E500..........I just bought it. I couldn't face the idea of actually working on something like that. Although I am just putting the finishing touches to a PhD at Leicester University.
Fantastic Bruce I would love a ride in your beautiful Mercedes so would my husband who loves them too he has a Mercedes E class which is no where near as beautiful as yours lol he is very envious of your car but we both are so happy in your achievement in beating cancer as I did too we are survivors Bruce wishing you well for many years to come x
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