She runs!

A 1969 Mercedes Benz 6 cylinder, without exhaust pipe, sounds remarkably like a Harvard aeroplane :D

Not to mention the adrenaline rush on hearing the recently rebuilt engine firing to life. Man triumphs over minerals, it's phenomenal really. Obviously, much to still be done, tighten and tweak and double check and test. She was really in a terrible state, water and oil mixing is death to cars, and i'm nothing if not grateful that she seems to be over the worst. *chuckle* now i'm sitting worrying about which nut i didn't tighten properly!!

Light white smoke, not hugely, is typical for a recently rebult engine, i'm told. There was enough crud caked in the manifold and pistons. I have to take her for a good burn, round JHB once should do (+-100km), and flush everything, again. Then ride nicely for 1000 km, then ... well she should be as good as new.

Lots to do, 2 weeks to get her running, and probably the rest of my life to get her RIGHT. SHe sounds beautiful, runs sweetly, and hints at massive power when you tweak the accelerator. She needs a new accelerator pedal, i'm thinking wood. An automatic, she has 2 pedals, the brake is a nice shiny steel, and a warm wood pedal would both contrast and enhance nicely. Easy enough, just getting the mechanism right. 

I owe a lot of pics here, truth be told, i have been so busy, internet time such has become an afterthought. Nicely done, i think. Hopefully getting to the coast next week, in which case i shall not even take a cellphone. Perhaps, detoxing and quitting smoking is possible. It's my goal. 

Of course i've gotten sick, first honest day's work in years and my body doesn't know what to do about it. Typical, hehe.