Hemmels report on 230SL.pdf - IW

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Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Final Report Assessment of PYY 419D Mercedes-Benz W113 230SL September 30, 2021 1 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 About Hemmels ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 About the Inspection Team..................................................................................................................................... 4 Our Understanding and Expectations .................................................................................................................. 4 About The Assessment ............................................................................................................................................. 5 General Observation and Road Test .................................................................................................................... 5 Engine............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Brakes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Body .............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Interior .........................................................................................................................................................................20 Other observations ..................................................................................................................................................22 Valuation.....................................................................................................................................................................23 Summary Opinion .................................................................................................................................................... 23 2 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Executive Summary At the request of Wilmots Litigation, Hemmels has completed an assessment of the Mercedes Benz 230SL reg #PYY 419D, for the purpose of providing an overall opinion on the quality of workmanship for a car that has undergone a significant restoration. The scope of the assessment was confined to a test drive and visual inspection of the car. Nothing on the car was removed, adjusted or altered in any way by Hemmels. Our role was to simply observe and report. The car has been modified including an engine and gearbox from a different model. The braking system, interior, etc. have been altered thus making the car non-standard ‘retro-mod’ car. The poor quality of these works has rendered the car unsafe to drive in the opinion of Hemmels. - The car does not stop without excessive force on the brake pedal. The front brakes are operated from the power-assisted brake servo however the rear brakes are not connected to the servo. - The right brake pipe is unsafely routed and loose. Safety tabs and lock tabs for the brake lines and callipers are not installed. - One of the two engine support brackets has been significantly cut-away to accommodate the non-standard replacement engine. Should this compromised bracket fail, the engine could collapse onto the steering mechanism and the brake line, thus making the car uncontrollable. - The front coil springs and a rear coil spring are not installed correctly. Missing rubber stoppers will cause the suspension to hit the axle when travelling over bumps. - The body and chassis work is of a very poor standard and very likely unsafe. The chassis appears to be sagging at the front and rear. The replacement floors are flat metal panels (not Mercedes) without the strengthening flutes that provide the car with rigidity and safety. Poor welds throughout. Also, the transmission tunnel has been cut to accommodate a different gearbox. Consequently, we strongly suspect that the integrity of the car has been compromised and would not be safe in the event of a collision. All underneath the car has been covered in underseal which is commonly used to mask poor workmanship. Underseal is also used in non-standard areas such as the wings, likely as a cover-up. Poor workmanship is observable throughout the car including the trim, panel work, installation of engine and under-bonnet components. It is the opinion of Hemmels that this car is unsafe and the workmanship throughout is of the poorest standard. Further, Hemmels would not recommend this car be put on the road without a complete disassembly, internal inspection and correct rebuild. Our valuation of the car ‘as is’ would be as a spares-only vehicle, at a value of £10K-£15K. The estimate to make the car safe and reasonably presentable would be £100K-£120K. 3 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Introduction At the request of WIlmots Litigation, Hemmels has been contracted to carry out an assessment of the quality of works completed on the Mercedes-Benz W113 230SL, registration PYY 419D. Hemmels previously completed an Initial Report at the request of Wilmots after a brief inspection and a single test drive. This Final Report contains our complete assessment. About Hemmels Hemmels restores classic Mercedes-Benz SL motorcars to client specification specialising in the 300 SL Gullwing, 300 SL Roadster, W113 SL Pagoda and 190 SL Roadster models. Hemmels restores the cars according to the exacting standards demanded from its patented Neugeboren (“newborn”) Process where every car is fully dismantled and rebuilt from its bare metal beginnings. With a purpose-built facility and 30 staff, Hemmels restoration projects are undertaken at its Cardiff, UK headquarters and shipped to clients around the globe. About the Inspection Team Our Senior Technician and Production Manager (previously head of Body Shop) are leading the inspection of the vehicle. Each of these experts have over 30 years of experience as professionals in the motor industry. They are also experts on the Mercedes Benz W113 model. Our Understanding and Expectations It is Hemmels’ understanding that the car has been restored over a period of two years at a cost of over £200K. Given this time and the amount spent, we would expect the car to look, drive and perform to an exceptional standard. Hemmels restores the same W113 model for a similar price and over a similar time. To provide context, for this budget Hemmels would undertake a bumper-to-bumper rebuild of every component including: - Complete strip of car - Chassis alignment - New body & panel work - Fresh Paint - Re-chrome (int/ext) - New interior including leather seats, door cars, carpet, soft top, hard top liner - New Glass: windscreen, instruments, mirrors - Instrument calibration and refurb - Engine, Gearbox and ancillaries rebuild - Axle rebuild - Full Brake System overhaul, including Callipers and Brake Servo 4 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com - New Brake lines, Petrol lines, New Petrol tank - Suspension rebuild - 1 year warranty About The Assessment The Assessment was completed during three stages. Firstly, a Road Test to assess the operation of the car, followed by separate visual, mechanical and chassis inspections. The individual assessments were completed over a number of days in September 2021 at the Hemmels’ facility in Cardiff. General Observation and Road Test The planned Road Test procedure was necessarily truncated as the car failed the required safety standard assessment after an initial drive in our car park. The issue was that the car could not be reasonably stopped without applying excessive braking pressure. Observing other obvious poor standards of workmanship such as a significantly compromised engine mount, and also considering the braking issue, it was the opinion of Hemmels that car is not safe to drive. Thus testing the car’s steering, stability at speed, turning ability, vibrations, wheel alignment, wind noise, drive train, engine performance under load and other operational aspects was not possible. Engine 1. The engine that has been installed is from a different model and not designed to fit the car. One engine mount (of two) has had a substantial amount of material removed to accommodate the exhaust manifold of this different engine type. In our opinion, this is a very unsafe situation. Should the weakened engine mount break, the engine would collapse onto the steering and braking systems making the car uncontrollable. 5 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com RHS Engine Mount. 1 of 2 that support the entire engine Approx 50% of the support has been cut out. 6 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 2. An example of poor workmanship is the haphazard installation of fuel injection lines which were repurposed from another car. Fuel lines that are obviously far too long have been awkwardly bent and installed with little care, New fuel injection lines, uniformly shaped would have been the standard expected. 7 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Poorly installed injector lines Missing the electrical connection to the metering head for the cold start. 3. There is no Air Filter installed. Further, there is no provision to house an air filter for the replacement engine. Neglecting to include this basic requirement will ultimately damage the engine during regular usage. 4. The Cold start plug disconnected/missing from fuel metering head 5. Various vacuum pipes disconnected/missing from engine 6. Idle control pipe is not securely connected on metering head 7. The ‘Alternator Not Charging’ warning light is on in the instrument panel 8. There is excessive blue smoke coming from the exhaust indicating that the engine is burning an excessive amount of oil. The root cause of the fault requires that the engine be removed, stripped down and inspected. 8 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Brakes 1. The car does not stop without the driver using excessive force on the brake pedal. Even at very low speeds the brakes need to be applied with considerable and consistent effort. The car cannot be stopped in a reasonably short distance making it unsafe for road use. 2. The front brakes are operated from the power-assisted brake servo however the rear brakes are not connected to the brake servo. 3. The right hand brake line is unsecured. 4. Safety tabs and lock tabs for the brake lines and callipers are not installed. 5. Offside Front brake pipe is incorrectly routed down and across a cross member and unsecure. The brake pipe is exposed to road debris which could fly up and damage the brake line. 6. The brake pipe is resting on braided fuel pipes. The fuel line naturally vibrates with the engine which will cause friction and wear to the brake pipe leading to fluid leakage or disconnection and brake failure. 7. Front brake flexi pipes have no lock plates fitted. The flexi will naturally move and twist, with chaffing, wearing leading to leakage and compromised braking ability. 8. No calliper bolt safety lock tabs are fitted on N/S/F + O/S/F Brakes, Lock tabs prevent the bolts coming loose and thus the callipers could fall off, compromising the brakes. 9. N/S/F brake back plate is badly corroded with a good portion of the metal eaten away. The back plate stops road debris entering the brakes. 10. O/S/R handbrake cable housing broken off and missing, not securing cable as it should 9 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 11. The brake lines and power assist components are not of a standard configuration. The mechanism has been installed in a questionable fashion, with lines running around the engine in a non-standard fashion. It is Hemmels’ opinion that the braking system has been carelessly and recklessly installed, and under no circumstance should the car be driven. 10 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Body The bodywork and metal repairs are of a very poor standard and very likely a safety concern. The multiplicity of issues suggest that the car would not perform as designed in the event of collision. 1. The gaps on the doors on each side are considerably wider at the top and narrow towards the bottom. This indicates that the chassis could be sagging downwards at the front and rear of the car. Though not visible by photo, the top of the door is lower than the wing, also indicating an issue with the body. Narrow gap at bottom of doors Wide gap at top of doors. Wing higher than door top 11 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 2. There are huge gaps around chrome headlamp fittings that should fit snuggly to the car, indicating that the underlying body work is not aligned or poorly constructed. 3. There is concern that the cross member, a vital part of the chassis, is severely corroded. The rough surface indicates significant corrosion of the cross member and the excessive amount of underseal suggests an attempt to cover up the problem. 12 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Sever corrosion covered up with underseal 4. Boot floor has been poorly mig welded into place (should be spot welded) with lots of unsightly welds on the underside, and all seams have been filled over. This may not give adequate protection and safety as intended in the event of a collision. 13 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 5. Inner quarter panels and back panel have been undersealed, no need for this other than to hide poor repairs. 6. Excessive force required to close boot lid 14 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 7. The amount of underseal applied to the rear chassis leg suggests they are badly corroded. Would need to be removed to check structural integrity of metal work. 8. Sill panels and floor pans are grafted into one (these should be separate panels with visible seams). Floor pans have been replaced with standard flat sheet metal, as opposed to OEM parts with strengthening flutes. 9. No strengthening flutes in replacement metal. Likely just plain sheet metal used. The sills and floor panel should be separate components. Likely just plain sheet metal used. 15 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 10. Inner wings repairs are substandard, with rust bleeding through the gap between the inner wing and wing panel. These two panels should align but there is a significant gap. Corrosion is prevalent. 11. Nonstandard cuts to transmission tunnel 12. Substandard plating/welding to kick panels and throughout the underside of the car. The quality of the repair and substandard welding is cause for concern. 16 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Non-standard chassis leg-to- floor reinforcement panel and poor welding/workmanship. 17 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 18 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Lumpy weld instead of a steady, strong bead. Typical throughout the car. Exceptionally poor standard. 13. Excessive underseal throughout the car front to back and inside boot compartment. 19 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Interior 1. The door cards are not attached securely hence closing the doors by pulling the handle will likely result in the entire door card coming off shortly. The bottom of the door card on each door is not secured at all. Note different colour vinyl on door. 2. The windows do not fully retract. 3. The internal trim (vinyl) is 3 different colours that do not match. 20 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com 4. The softtop cover has been scarred on either side. The material is generally in poor condition 5. Door panel chrome work poorly fitted. N/S door seal top chrome partially fitted with screws missing. O/S door seal top chrome partially fitted. N/S door latch chrome unsecure with screws missing. Wrong chrome screws fitted to all door chromes, should be countersunk screws 21 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Other observations Suspension System The front coil springs are not located in lower wishbones correctly, hence the tension on the springs is not correct. N/S/R coil spring not located in upper rubber spring cup. N/S/F upper wishbone bump stops are missing. When the spring decompresses as a result of going over uneven road, the upper wishbones will come into contact with the front axle beam (a metal to metal contact). The O/S/F upper wishbone bump stops are perished/collapsed. Wheel bearings There is excessive movement in both rear wheel/half shaft bearings. Excessive movement in O/S/F wheel bearing also. Exhaust No exhaust rubbers are fitted to rear of back box meaning the silencer/tailpipe is not properly secured. Spare Wheel Unsecure. Because non-standard wire wheels are used the means to secure the spare has been modified. However, the modification is of a poor quality and the spare wheel cannot be secured. 22 Freemans Parc, Cardiff, UK CF11 8EQ www.hemmels.com Valuation Hemmels has been requested to provide a valuation of the car as part of this report. In its current condition this car is only suitable for a ‘spares’ car at a value of £10K – £15K. To make the car safe and reasonably presentable would cost approximately £100K - £120K. Note that the car is a left-hand drive (e.g. USA) model 230SL. With original components and in top condition this model would sell for £65K-£75K maximum in the UK. Summary Opinion The Mercedes-Benz 230SL PYY 419D has been inspected by senior specialists with significant motor industry experience and who are very familiar with the W113 model. It is the collective opinion of Hemmels that the workmanship on the is car is of the lowest standard. Our conclusion is that the car is unsafe and not fit for purpose. In our opinion this car would require a full disassembly and strip down to uncover the extent of poor workmanship and to rectify known safety hazards. It is very reasonable to assume that more serious issues would be discovered. Most of the internal and external metal work would need to be replaced (floor pans, sills, kick panels, inner and outer wings, rear chassis legs, boot floor, possibly rear quarter panels and a back panel). The car should be refabricated using a jig to check and ensure the chassis is aligned. It would also require full corrosion protection before paintwork. Regarding the interior and trim fitment this would require the correct fittings and a full refit. The car is fitted with an engine from a different model, which has led to some unsatisfactory and potentially unsafe structural modification in the engine compartment. A reasonable budget of £100K - £120K is required for a competent garage to make the car safe and presentable. Iain Wood, Head of Operations September 30, 2021 23