I gotta admire someone who is willing to take on such a project. So many "enthusiasts" would run away from a vehicle that needs so many known issues addressed. :bowdown:
Good luck with the rebuild, Joe!
Finally got here ~25 months later and ticked everything off the list, some jobs needed doing some were preventative. I won't be buying a car sight unseen ever again but to be fair these late model S500 W140s are just so hard to come by in Australia, especially in a desired colour combination if you are picky, so I don't mind the effort put into this car.
Hit list:
engine oil & filter,
metal oilers with new o-rings,
cam cover gaskets,
engine mounts,
trans mount,
air filters,
trans oil, filter & pan gasket,
trans connector,
diff oil,
new thermostat & associated hoses,
AC evaporator,
receiver/drier,
heater core,
metal heater lines behind dash/firewall,
coolant flush & change,
blower motor & resistor,
alt reg,
acc belt,
Akebono brake pads all around,
brake fluid flush & change,
shocks,
front swaybar bushes,
steering idler arm bush,
rebuilt PS pump,
inner & outer tie rods/ball joints,
RHS upper control arm (used),
rear view mirror frames (used),
central locking airpump (used),
interior temp sensor fan (used),
headlight switch (used),
right rear window reg (used),
radiator fan had a piece missing, replaced (used),
shifter (used),
shifter bushes,
replaced & resprayed front bar (used),
8x coils swapped out for the later black colored coils (used),
headlights dismantled to clean lenses & reflectors,
sunroof dismantled to clean, adjust & lube,
oil filler cap,
wiper blades,
proper sized battery,
all doorcards removed to fix up the rattles from those tiny nuts coming loose!
Encore...
disposed of those W211 rims,
disposed of that big MB star grille and installed a genuine S600 grille (not that chinese copy version),
disposed of those crappy tail lights & swapped in the geuine set off my previous S420,
flaky elec widows now sorted,
swapped out the centre console black lid for a woodgrain lid.
Contintental stereo,
dark tints,
painted all brake callipers, shields & rotors black.
Still needs a sunroof cover, a 2nd key, paintless dent removal & a full respray but unless something crops up this car is ready for a roadworthy with a view to be my daily driver.