The Blue 6.9

[Lukas]

Just got the call - after $1,600 odd worth of work, the car is fixed, leak-free, RWCed and ready to go. Pick-up is tomorrow afternoon, and H plates should be shortly after. Very excitement.

The garage people also called - kit arrives at the end of the month, construction shortly afterwards.

Bank balance is looking decidedly unhappy, but who cares.

 

[SELfor50]

Just got the call - after $1,600 odd worth of work, the car is fixed, leak-free, RWCed and ready to go. Pick-up is tomorrow afternoon, and H plates should be shortly after. Very excitement.

The garage people also called - kit arrives at the end of the month, construction shortly afterwards.

Bank balance is looking decidedly unhappy, but who cares.

Great news mate!! I'm sure you can't wait to go for your first Sunday cruize..

You know you're gonna have to enter it into the concourse later this year.. Last couple years there hasn't been a single 6.9 there. Gotta rep it bro.

 

[Lukas]

Will the concourse judges notice rust bubbles?

 

[450SE]

They'll look past the rust bubbles if they know what's good for them...

 

[Lukas]

Picked it up yesterday at 4:40pm, snuck to the motor registry just before they locked the doors, and got the plates too - all good.

ACT historic plates are quite small - almost like motorbike plates - and look silly on such a large car, so I'm going to make some aluminium blanks the size of euro plates, and attach those to the car and the plates to those.

There is going to be a good long test drive this weekend - I can finally take the car out unencumbered, and see how it goes under sustained driving, as well as giving both pedals a good test.

There's not going to be much more work on the car for the time being - what's left to be done is largely cosmetic, and my spare time is to be spent moving dirt excavated for the garage (before the garage is built and gets in the way); and I am also now poor. $1600 odd for the repairs, $300 for rego + stamp duty + CTP + random fees, and the cat is at the vet today - another $500.

 

[450SE]

Ouch. I hope Kaptain Krudd gives you some stimulation as an offset...

 

[Michel]

I am also now poor. $1600 odd for the repairs, $300 for rego + stamp duty + CTP + random fees, and the cat is at the vet today - another $500.

I know all about 6.9 and cat expenses...

 

[Lukas]

I know all about 6.9 and cat expenses...

The vet just called - the cat either needs a tooth pulled, or I have to brush it's teeth regularly (read: I must donate blood regularly). Bill up to ~$550

I tallied up the other day how much $$$ I could have put on the mortgage had it not been for the whole w116 thing - depressing.

On a different note, the 6.9 looks distinctly more classic now that the tint is gone - used to look very gangster.

 

[abl567]

Thanks for the trigger Lukas, I have always wanted to remove the aftermarket tint from Six 3.
I agree the factory tint looks more classic and now my A/C is proper cold it is time to tackle the task, after Lodefest, and moving house...

 

[chrisp]

The vet just called - the cat either needs a tooth pulled, or I have to brush it's teeth regularly (read: I must donate blood regularly). Bill up to ~$550

If it's any consolation our cat got run over a few months ago, we spent $2000 getting him as fixed up as possible only for the vet to tell us then that he would have to be put down.

 

[Michel]

If it's any consolation our cat got run over a few months ago, we spent $2000 getting him as fixed up as possible only for the vet to tell us then that he would have to be put down.

of course... he (the vet) waited after you spent all the money to tell you

 

[chrisp]

Well it was probably a little disingenuous for me to word it that way - I'm sure they did their best for him but it still hurt!

Sorry for hijacking your thread Lukas - congratulations on getting your 6.9 on the road again.

 

[Styria]

If it's any consolation our cat got run over a few months ago, we spent $2000 getting him as fixed up as possible only for the vet to tell us then that he would have to be put down.

Wow ! Veterinary surgery stands for target practice - just aim and pull the trigger. That must have hurt. Very sorry to hear all of that - cat as well as the money. Regards Styria

 

[Lukas]

Some pics from the test drive on the weekend:



On Bulls Head Rd - testing out the suspension over dirt + corrugations - while it does a reasonable job, the hydraulics can't really keep up, and being so heavy the car feels quite slippery too. The road tyres and damp road wouldn't have helped.



On the way to the Cotter reserve - quite windy (lots of curves) roads; again, a bit too unsettling for such a large and heavy car. The bucketloads of power make the trip quite enjoyable nonetheless.



At Telstra Tower - am not used to having to brake for corners while going up this hill.

All in all it went quite well - there was a little bit of brown snow in the cab as something was shaken loose from the roof lining, but trim rattles and squeaks were almost nill - impressive for such an old car. The suspension did very well on the regular roads, and mechanicals were all fine. There was what seemed to be a fair amount of wind noise from the left A pillar / mirror; nothing matching from the right side that I could hear. The strong winds outside could have contributed to this.

Photos all quite gloomy unfortunately - was a cold and windy day - good for driving.

Next jobs are a good clean of the interior and exterior (once it has a home), and figuring out how to use the radio properly. Now that it is on the road, a oil and filters change to start a service regime might also be on the cards.

 

[Styria]

Hi Lukas, looks like you're well and truly into it now, aren't you ? Are you still pleased with your decision to purchase the car. By the sound of things, you seem to have some reservation about the car's handling and driving capabilities. I would have thought if you had some issues in that department, MB Spares would have been able to advise you.

BTW, those photos are quite eerie and daunting - certainly scenary of a different kind to what I am used to. Thanks a lot. Regards Styria

 

[Michel]

Nothing wrong with the pics except that the camera's lightmeter registered a big bright object (the sky) and thus compensated for that and showed everything else darker..

Great looking 6.9....

 

[Lukas]

Are you still pleased with your decision to purchase the car. By the sound of things, you seem to have some reservation about the car's handling and driving capabilities.

The car handles as I expected it would, and am happy with. It's unreasonable to expect something like a 6.9 to handle like a Lancer Evo on hilly and curvy roads - I was just curious as to how the hydro suspension would deal with corrugations and dirt, and to see how the car went on a long run in general.

The handling on regular roads is great - floaty in a good way.

Still happy with the purchase overall - mortgate schmortgage.

 

[SELfor50]

Good pics mate!! Great choice of backdrop.
The big syringe!

If you're not up to much on Saturday, let me know.. Getting the fordedes detailed. Maybe come for a cruise and we can introduce them to each other.

Cam.

 

[Lukas]

Sat is very bad sorry - am on BBQ cooking duty at Bunnings, and kitty is going to the vet (for the 5th time).