
Well, I wasn't expecting this. I turned up to work the other day and was told the old SL320 Merc in the garage needed to go. Did I want to buy it ? Ummmmm. Errrrr.

I said 'yes' - with quite a lot of hesitation.
It belongs to one of the family I work for and it's been stuck in the garage for 'quite a few' years now

And now for the bad bits....
It doesn't run. It cranks fine, but not even a hint of firing.
It's had numerous mice living in the engine bay.
There's probably mouse damage to bits of wiring.
It's filthy. Covered in grease and bat 'detritous'.
The engine bay stinks of mouse pee and is a health hazard.
The driver's door has a big dent in it.
Someone keyed the bonnet many years ago and there's rust showing in places along the key line.
There's only one key

Innumerable other bits and pieces need fettling and fixing.
That collection of leaves and rubbish comes courtesy of some mice. It leads to.......
I think I'd call that full. That's the air filter housing

And in the opposite corner of the engine bay lies the ECUs and electrical gubbins - all nicely insulated by more mouse nests. The box to the top of the picture that has the round cap in it - that's the ECU compartment. All around it is mouse nest

And now for the good bits.....
The car is generally sound. It doesn't have any signs of body rust, and as these usually go at the front of the front wings and sometimes on the rear wheelarches - I'll take that as a win.
The mice only ever made it as far as the engine bay - so no damage to the inside, though it does need an almighty deep clean.
It's only done 30000 miles. 30017 to be precise. It's a 1997 car !


It's mine now

So the purpose of this blog is to hopefully document the resurrection of this SL320. First job is to see why it won't start to decontaminate the engine bay and reduce the chances of me catching Weil's disease

....and yes, I know, it's not a French car....... but you can't have everything
