The body shop removed the insulation from the inside of the hood when we got the BMW painted. I didn’t think about how hot the hood got until I was covering the car the other night and put my hand on the hood.
Jim Stansfield at Mesa Performance sent me up some insulation that wasn’t too hard to put on. I made a paper template from the cutouts in the hood and traced that onto the insulation.
I cut the insulation with household scissors and used 3M Super Trim Adhesive (for garnitures). The glue is a contact cement that is applied to both surfaces then joined.
I finished the edges with silver foil aluminum tape. It’s all kind of shiny.
Good day, Leo:
Saw your note on Leslie’s site … I also have a Bavaria and have spent quite a bit of time fiddling with it, though based on your note, you have exceeded my patience ;^)
Regarding your alternator compatibility question, the short answer is no, they are not identical.
I checked the part numbers on a local euro parts wholesaler’s website (called AutohausAZ, links to follow) and they do show the alternator for your `68 MB SE still available (and cheaper than the one for the Bavaria, ironically).
This is the link to the alternators available for the Mercedes:
http://tinyurl.com/1968-MB-SE-alternator
They have two different ones available, one being a 35amp (which may have been standard in `68) and the other being a 55amp. Coincidentally, the replacement for the Bavaria is a 55amp alternator, which leads me to believe you could get either the 35amp or the 55amp. The 35amp is cheaper, however.
Here’s the link to the alternator for the Bavaria:
http://tinyurl.com/1973-Bavaria-alternator
I did a quick search for you on the bimmerfest site and noticed your Bavaria is a `73, by the way.
Additionally, those are temporary URLs, but the main URL for the site is http://www.autohausaz.com.
Lastly, there is a Parts shop in California called Mesa Performance owned by a guy named Jim Stansfield. You should give him a call first to see if he has the alternator for the Mercedes in stock, because likely he can help you out as well … and he is a fanatical Bavaria owner who has spent the better part of his career helping owners like us. Their website is http://www.mesaperformance.com and their number is 800-221-6372. Don’t mention me, however, as he is likely to charge you double ;^)
Otherwise, good luck!
PS: I just re-read your note and realized you were looking to use the alternator FROM your Mercedes in your Bavaria … no matter … Jim can still help you and they’re still not the same. Heh.
Hi Lesile Wong,I very much enjoyed looking at you E3 site and thank you for the info on these cars.I purchased my car five years ago for 1200 dollars.It is not the stock version of bavaria,it has the standard 6 cylinder,two weber carbs,it has a lsd rear end,a five speed Gertag transmission,the under cariage is from a early 1980 euro 635 csi, the wheels are pretty wide, 16 inch tires,and very big disc brakes all the way around.I recently have been fighting a battle with lung cancer and can not do much more than walk around,let alone any restoration.I found a 1974 in a junk yard a year or so ago and used the speed ometer to replace mine,if I can ever get over this health issue and the engery up, I will go back and get more parts..The heater blower fan on mine has not worked since I’ve had it.A friend took it out and soaked the motor in barsol for a couple of weeks and finally the brushes came out> but the squirrle cage plastic ring on top broke off /UV i guess.I could not find a replacememt piece so my friend built a jig and drilled a small hole in each of the little fins and put a small screw and nut and lock washer ,to balance it I think/ we put in back in and it seems to work just fine now/the fan turns quite fast.I wish I could tell you what all has been done to the under carriage in the way of modifacations/ but it was done by a local guy name Brandon Littlefield,he is a master mechanic at a local speed shop “Moore speed engineering” I think is the name of the outfit.I replaced the front shocks Bilstein.I have new shocks for the rear too if I can ever manage, it I will put them on. A few weeks back I drove the bavaria up to Temple Tx. 100 miles or so and got my monthly chemo drip on the way home I was out of it and failed to notice the heat guage//it over heated and a top hose had ruptured.Out on the interstate sitting along side of the road wondering if I would ever get back home in the car.I found three or four bottles of anti freese in the trunk and after a while I decided that I would just continue to drive after it cooled off. I eventually found a small auto parts store and got a new top hose. I donot know how I got it on.I was so sick from the chemo drugs .I eventually did get home quite late and the car has sat for the last manny weeks I had my thirteen year old check the fluids ,he reported that the oil looked like a coffee milk shake solution,turns out the stuff is in the water tank too.Cracked block, maybe,head gasket for sure said one of my neighboors ,didn’t know what to do, so I found the tighting sequence for the head on the web and a neighboor loaned me a torque wrench.The kid retorqued the head a bit more than recomended.went out this morn and the battery is dead.I got a jump and the car started up and ran OK, but the battery is shot I think.I’m not sure how to tell if it is a bad alternator or not.I let the car Idle for a while and the thermostat housing was leaking so my kid took it apart and there was no gasket but a rubber ring was up in the housing. We found some gasket glue and put a papper gasket on and I think its ok.We charged the radiator up with air about 14 pounds, it held for a 5 hours before I decided It had no more leaks. I am curious where you found the CD of the car.I have a chilton book but my eyes are not working right yet and I would like to know if the repair CD is to be found on the web some where.I’m unemployed and on social security now but I need every dime I get to just get by.No funds for proper repair.I have six kids and thats the way it is.I’m 67, now and I think my youngest boy will end up with this car he’s the only one still at home beside my wife.The gas pedal sticks every once in a while I need some kind of gasket to keep in in line where it passes thru the floor board into the engine compartment,The linkage sticks wide open every once in the while.The car has no power steering pump which makes it a hard thing to steer ,my wife is a skinny little gal and wants nothing to do with this car,well at least she won’t drive it.I think the steering box is a non power steering type.I’m unsure about that only.I am wondering if the alternator could be replaced by another I have a 1968 mercedes 280 se in the driveway the alternator looks the same according to my kid what do you think?I put that mercedes alt. on that car five years ago and right after that the car quit running the tranny went out, been sitting there ever since.Enough of this dribble mostly I wanted to thank you for your site.Respectfully Leo K sullivan