A Stupid Mistake Seriously Damaged My $2,000,000 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing. What Should I Do?

[00:19] automo channel in all of YouTube. And welcome to my nightmare. I cannot believe that I have done this to my ultimate dream car. I am such a freaking idiot. It is unbelievable. So to recap, I

[00:32] decided to put my Goldwing in my living room to put it next to the Christmas coming to Kansas after being at the classic center for 4 months, getting tons and tons of work done. And finally, it was in Kansas. It felt real and I

[00:45] thought I'd celebrate it with a beautiful video piece for you all to see getting my ultimate dream car in Kansas. And well, that was a really, really bad idea because then it became time to get the car out and I didn't want to cold

[00:59] runs very rich when you first started, a big black puff of smoke. So, I decided to push it out. But the thing about pushing it out is the glowing door sticks out a lot farther than the body itself. So, when I went to push, I

[01:15] outside of the house to where I started up, but I'll leave the rest of it inside the house and then reverse out. And that seemed like a good idea, but then it was really easy to push. It seemed like it would go out of the house really easily.

[01:28] And I just didn't think and I just started pushing. And then as you heard, it was the worst noise in the world. >> Oh no.

[01:46] in a dream and you can't move and you can't scream and all that stuff. That's what I was doing. There was a quiet oh no, but otherwise it was just shock and horror. I pushed the car back in. More horrible noises. And I did this to my

[02:02] Gold Wing. But not only is the paint damaged and this all kind of bent in and stuff. It doesn't It doesn't really close right. It happened to close right close right. It happened to close right just that time, but it See, this is what

[02:16] it normally does. There's more paint coming off. Um, so I've also I've also tweaked the door. If you look at the other side, well, it always closes very other side, well, it always closes very very easy. Perfect. Very satisfying.

[02:30] very easy. Perfect. Very satisfying. Thunk. So, yeah. Yeah. So, I'm going to take this Gold Wing today down to Dallas at Unique Maintenance because not only does he do collision repair, but also high-end restoration. So, it's the

[02:42] perfect shop to address this because matching the silver paint, that's going to be a thing. And then anyway, it's it's it's a total nightmare. But not only that, I decided to drive it right after and it broke. It's making a weird

[02:56] against the drive shaft or uh something inside of the clutch area. And that don't want to rev this thing really high, which sucks because it just got the sport cam in it. And the more you rev it, the more fun this car is. The

[03:09] sport cam gives it another 30, 40 horsepower. And now I'm scared to drive it and I've damaged it because it's making noise. Anyway, it also very very two days worth of puddles. At one point,

[03:22] transmission fluid and oil. And then here's the second day. Transmission fluid and oil because that's the rear main seal. And that is the transmission. And that's just, you know, little drippies here and there. But, uh, yeah.

[03:36] tomorrow problem. I want to get the noise figured out first so we can hop in head up to the car wizards today to inspect the 450 seal 6.9 because this is

[03:48] where it's been parked for the last week or so and it's leaving a ginormous puddle, multiple puddles of multiple fluids. So, yeah, it's it's a great day Now, I certainly know what it feels like to have an uncomfortable amount of debt.

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[04:58] That's pds debt.com/hovies. pds debt.com/hovies. >> Yeah. Unfortunately, under load and in any gear, it makes a noise like something is banging up against the drive shaft.

[05:21] So, I really want to open this thing up like I was able to and have that torque cam kick in, but not when it's making that noise. It says the car ninja is a lot closer. Just two miles instead of 40 miles. I'm going to

[05:35] fix. >> Man, I thought I heard something pretty. >> Gorgeous. What' you do? >> Come here. >> I need everybody to scold me just to bend me over and spank me for this. I

[05:50] caught Yeah, I know. I caught it on the door of my house. So, >> It's got a little nick in the door. I don't care about my house. Wow. >> This thing's worth more than my house. And then I drive it immediately

[06:04] noise around like the drive shaft or transmission or something. >> Okay. You have time for go for a ride? >> Yeah. Let's go for a ride. Wow. I'm >> Yeah. Let's go for a ride. Wow. I'm sorry.

[06:18] So, you don't think that's the drive shaft? Something banging on it. shaft? Something banging on it. When it diesel, it goes away.

[06:32] Kansas and I crash it and I break it within How do I do this? >> All right. Well, what do you think of >> It's in the transmission. >> You think it's in the transmission?

[06:46] Transmission might be low on fluid cuz it leaks a lot. >> Yeah, >> that could be it. Crying for help. Good. >> All right. All right, let me open the door for you.

[06:58] >> Thank you. Be sure to close the door when you're pulling into narrow space. when you're pulling into narrow space. >> Yes. >> Yeah, >> just a bit.

[07:13] >> You have pretty much no motor mounts left. >> Yeah. >> Looks like a brisket. >> Goodness gracious. Yep. Do you know if you have oil in the

[07:26] engine? I mean, [laughter] >> well, it's a big capacity dry sump. They basically to get resealed. The rear main is the the big gusher, but obviously there's other parts. And then the transmission is a big leaker as well.

[07:40] transmission is a big leaker as well. >> Okay. Um, I'm going to get behind you. >> Yeah, I guess. Oh, looks like it takes regular

[07:54] ATF. Wow, another big leak from the rear main. I mean, it's actively dripping. >> Yeah, that's the >> that's the one there. >> But, um

[08:06] I wanted to be able to drive it and enjoy it for a little bit. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> You know, uh since I just had to pay a lot to wake the thing up, but something is making a noise. Something is just

[08:19] it's a light tap under load and it's sporadic. sporadic. >> I guess we can grease this. >> I have a grease. We can grease it and we can check the fluid. But

[08:32] >> there's nothing touching this short little drive shaft here. >> All right. >> And see what the heck is going on with it. >> You see the tubular chassis here.

[08:46] >> Mhm. with the uh transmission. This is all welded. The transmission does not come out from the bottom. It comes out through the interior. The seats come out. The floor pans come out. And that's how the transmission is removed.

[09:00] >> Well, you have to remove everything cuz it's a leaker. >> Yeah. Spoiled.

[09:15] is nervous for once. >> I am. It looks like I'm like my soul is on fire. >> Yeah, the SLR McLaren needed this kind of fancy alignment lift to get the jack points right.

[09:28] so does this with the tubular chassis. >> Yeah. >> Well, not really. >> You don't think? >> No. I need to get some wood to go right here.

[10:11] Unfortunately, some kind of clutch throw out bearing kind of noise. So, I just have to live with the noise until transmission comes on. It's a lot of old stuff in there. But

[10:31] Okay, time to face the music. And there's really only one place in town where I take this to, and that's uh Dallas here. So [sighs] yeah, I mean you do collision, you do restoration, you have some beautiful

[10:46] to look at >> is your is your Suburban Escalade thing. >> is your is your Suburban Escalade thing. >> Yes. Yep. 97 Suburban with a Escalade front end. >> I don't think I want skulls and flames

[11:00] on mine on my Gold Wing, but I I definitely appreciate the work here. till we do it. I I guess you could surprise me, right? So, what have I done here? Um, the door's a little tweaked,

[11:13] but it it it's not closing easy, unfortunately. >> I like your term of little tweaked. >> I would say it's slightly more than a little tweaked, but

[11:28] >> Yeah, >> not a problem. But, uh, and then this was bent in, uh, but I actually turned it all back out. So, I I got the I got I started it probably, you know, saved you at least 5 minutes of work by

[11:43] discount. >> Perfect. But, I mean, the body work and the door closing, that's not the scary part, right? It's it's the paint match. >> It's a paint match. We definitely want to keep this small repair as possible

[11:57] and get the paint as perfectly matched as we we can. Um because we don't want have to get in here and have to blend and paint literally the whole car >> cuz there's there's no like blend point to stop with a seam or anything.

[12:12] >> There's no breaking points in this. >> So it's here but then it's over. >> Yeah. you're you're chasing everything else comes apart which gives it more else comes apart which gives it more risk of something breaking. Um that does

[12:26] happen during >> you know disassembly reassembly. So like it never happened. >> The thing is I could turn this into insurance and probably justify a full respray. And this car could definitely

[12:41] use it. It's not its original colors. It has a lot of imperfections and stuff all over the place. I'm I'm sure you'd love to respray a Gold Wing, but if I did that, if I went through and did everything, then I would be terrified to

[12:53] little rock chips and everything else, I then it would be full out show car and then I I Yeah, >> it'd be parked. That's all it' be. >> So, I'm thinking just that >> repair.

[13:06] >> So, drive it. When you're done driving, having fun, redo everything. >> And then park it. >> How stupid do you think I am? >> it's okay. You don't >> judge. We're You're good.

[13:20] >> I I feel plenty plenty stupid. Well, I appreciate you taking this on and I know it's in good hands. You're You have an E28, too. I think you have a couple of these. So, boy, this is, man. Okay. Yeah, I'm in the right place.

[13:35] >> Yeah, my pleasure. >> I can't look at it anymore. I just I can't I can't go to sleep. I can't close my eyes without just reliving it in my head. It's >> time will will pass. Forget about it.

[13:48] >> She's been sitting for a couple of weeks. so everything seems happy there. It's just a gigantic puddle under what was

[14:02] the fastest Suzanne in the world in 1979. miles back from Atlanta, Georgia to Kansas. But obviously multiple things have let loose with the the puddle that was underneath this thing. Yeah, that's

[14:17] a that's a little oil leak. And that is a big I think. Yeah, that's a little oil leak. And that is a big transmission leak, maybe. Not sure. It's It's there, leak, maybe. Not sure. It's It's there, too. Jesus. Yeah, this is a car that I

[14:31] leaks, probably not a good idea. Oil, it can leak forever. It has like a 10 quart oil capacity. So, uh, big tank there. We don't have to worry about that. But the red fluid power steering transmission or whatever, that's a finite amount. It

[14:45] very, very bad thing. So, need to get this up to the car wizards cuz I do plan on having this being my daily driver from 1979. But really, I'm giving up no comforts. Automatic climate control, amazing hydraulic suspension that feels

[15:00] so nice, comfortable seats. This feels like something that's decades newer. Similar to the 300 cell Going that feels like a modern supercar even though it was built in the 1950s. This feels like, you know, something from the 2000s if

[15:12] you could drive blind and not see what you're actually in because obviously Mercedes, but it definitely doesn't drive like one. And that's why these things feel so special. I mean, they cost twice as much as a normal Mercedes

[15:26] S-Class. You got Rolls-Royce prices, Bentley prices, but you got a better product. So, really, this was the best car in the world in 1979. But it it's not doing its best right now. So, let's get it up to the car wizards. We wizard,

[15:40] >> Yes. >> But I'm a 69. And >> you like that number? >> I do like that number very much. Yes. >> Come here. I got something. >> Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

[15:59] Galwing? You're going to put my gold wing in this door and and crush it. >> You should share in the shame and the pain that it's going through right now. >> Well, I Good. That was scary. He's strong. He's very strong. You would have

[16:12] broken my arm instantly if you wanted to. Um yeah, I I'm kicking myself. I'm not breaking my arms, but I'm I'm definitely very angry at myself. >> I You can paddle. So anyway, [laughter]

[16:27] speaking of paddling and other fun things, look at this 69, baby. and it's beautiful. >> Yeah, it softens the blow of giving up the Rolls-Royce, which >> it bricked itself at the car detailers

[16:42] again. So, >> have you had any determination on what's going on? Yeah. I I don't know exactly how it happened, but I I'll show you under the hood here >> because these are BMW V12s.

[16:55] >> And they have two, you know, engine computers. Same with the BMW V12s in six-cylinders working together. >> Mhm. >> And it was all kinds of jacked up. But

[17:08] >> So, both ECMs reside in here, the left and the right. And you mentioned that you got it. >> Yes. So, whatever happened at your detailers, what if they jump started it or whatever they did, it very likely

[17:23] fried one of the chips, I guess, that RPM Motorsports put into it to bypass the mobilizer. >> So, I could get it to start and the left side of the engine would run fine, but the right was doing nothing. It was in

[17:37] uh security mode. >> Yeah, I'm not sure. It could have been a wet, but it doesn't even look like they really detailed the engine bay. So, no, >> I don't. Yeah. >> So, they're looking at the computers

[17:50] fix it. >> Okay. So, you're spending some money that's for sure. >> Yeah. But, but I spent a lot of money, too, with the suspension and sorting out a bunch

[18:03] of things. But I feel like this is this thing is just going to get a pound of flesh out of everybody. Even you are going to feel these cars, unfortunately. But, uh, but the 6ix9's, well, they can be pretty

[18:17] mineral suspension, same as the older Rolls-Royces. >> And, uh, you know, the huge V8s on these things. Take a look. Pop the hood, >> All right. >> Yeah, that's a big boy,

[18:29] it? >> Yeah. Because these are so low as far as, you know, the the nose of these cars, it took a lot of engineering to get a gigantic engine in here, including the dry sump system since the oil pan

[18:42] couldn't be very deep. >> But, uh, yeah, the crazy suspension pump for the hydraulic suspension and the tank here. >> Lots of wild stuff, but it's leaking a ton of red stuff like transmission

[18:54] >> And it's it's a puddle in the garage. It's huge. Big puddle. And then there's probably, you know, a fist-sized puddle of oil. So, my 6ix9ine needs a little special touch. >> Yes. Get it on the lift. You have any

[19:09] >> the speedometer? When I got it, it was jacked up. It was making a horrible of a noise and something's off. I don't know if it's a speedometer or the cable itself cable, but >> there's that. And then this horrendous

[19:23] radio in here, which people say is a good radio, a pile system or whatever, but it is not appropriate to have a big touchcreen pop out on a 1979 Mercedes. ugly. >> I have a classic looking, you know,

[19:36] >> but it's a modern Bluetooth to address that. But I am curious. I am curious biggest leaker in the garage right now. Let's get it on the lift down there and see where she's I don't know if she's

[19:50] >> Yeah. [laughter] Okay. So, around front left is where I was seeing a lot of red. >> Like it's coming from up top. The whole

[20:02] power steering pump housing is coated in fluid. Maybe the top cap is leaking. Or what about this hose here? It's tight, but it's not dripping everywhere. But this pump itself is just completely coated in oil.

[20:17] something simple like that. And speaking of simple, look at this. >> Wow. For the oil filter. >> Yeah. You can see you have an AC leak here through the green die. >> Oh, yep. So, on that seal there,

[20:31] >> let me see if that Yep. There goes the There's the compressor. It goes to there is a A6 compressor. >> Yeah. Well, that looks okay. But I'm also seeing that might be my oil drip.

[20:44] >> Engine oil drips. Yep. >> So, this little tiny oil pan. little bit, huh? >> Mhm. These hoses might be bad.

[20:56] >> Where it crimps. Man, it's this thing's got some big balls, man. >> Oh, there's Yep. There's the Citroen suspension. Wow. So, they licensed it >> So, you're familiar with that. That's all been gone through with the Cameron

[21:09] at DC. So, >> you know, these are new, the balls are new, all that's been gone through. >> So, these oil lines where it's leaking are actually hoses that go to your remote tank for your uh oil. There's

[21:23] your oil reservoir there. >> Yeah, they're not very long. >> wouldn't be hard to take off. I wonder as far as being able to get the hoses or >> Yeah, >> there's a leak going on here. Oh, your

[21:36] steering gearbox is leaking pretty bad. >> Ah, so that's my big gusher, you think? >> Yeah, I think so. >> That's the gusher. >> Okay.

[21:48] area. >> Yes. Mhm. >> So, we'll see if we can get It looks like probably the input seal up there is leaking. See if we can reseal it or maybe just find a remand one or

[22:01] something. Yeah, cuz all that's under pressure, so it makes sense for it to Yeah. >> out. Huge engine. >> I don't see there's a little tiny bit of seepage here from this copper washer.

[22:15] Probably a cooler there or something. Some lines. >> that won't be too big of a fix. The transmission is not really leaking all that bad. He's got new transmission mount and a

[22:29] new flex disc there. Nice. >> Let me check the motor mounts. >> Oh, yeah. I see. >> Oh, here they are.

[22:43] there's a shock on that side. >> Yeah, it's pretty well collapsed. catalytic converters in 79. They're little bitty things. >> they are. Yeah. And then they didn't want heat coming into the cabin. So they

[22:58] have this this weird insulation that might be asbestous or something. >> It doesn't missing a little donut here. >> Oh yeah. Don't want the exhaust to fall >> No, >> this flex disc is not cracked, but it's

[23:13] >> Yeah, >> that might need to be replaced. There's a tiny bit of seepage coming from the differential, but I wouldn't worry about >> Yeah, it's not too bad. Someone's been in here with fuel pump hoses and fuel

[23:26] filters. Oh, there's another big ball. >> Sure enough, a new big ball. >> New big shocks. Yeah. About 20 grand spent on this thing. It's going through >> right height sensor. >> Very similar to the uh you know, Citroen

[23:40] and Bentleys and Rolls-Royces where >> Yeah, it is very, very similar. >> No, nothing catastrophic. here. >> Mhm. And I guess it's waiting its turn,

[23:53] >> Yep. Parts are showing up. As you can see, we're waiting on the lifters, some AC Delco OEM lifters, and then we can start going back together with it. all this in the 69, but >> right. That'd be very expensive.

[24:07] grand, two grand? >> Somewhere probably between one and two, >> trying to find all these hoses and all these different things. And then, you know, if we do find a gearbox that fits this, it could be 7 800 bucks just for

[24:24] >> right? >> And to go and rebuild it and reseal it, the labor that it would take to do that, you're pretty much at the cost of just >> it does feel good, though, cuz a lot of them get slop in them and and feel kind

[24:37] >> yeah, >> guess we'll see what's out there. But, uh, >> yeah, kind of this was it was a bad day. know, almost ripping your Gold Wing door off is is

[24:51] >> That is not something I ever thought that I would ever, you know, I never then you almost rip the door off cuz you bring it into your house [laughter] to put on your Christmas tree and unwrap it. Like, what what wacko world do I

[25:05] live in? It's [laughter] it's it's so weird. Anyway, thank you all so much for watching and I'm already bracing myself for the comments and I know I know I'm for the comments and I know I know I'm I'm an idiot.