Upgrading Vintage Mercedes? Finding parts for your Mercedes is not such a difficult thing to do. What about for those of us who have a vintage Benz though? The thing is, driving a vintage is so much more enjoyable. However, there is a solid reason why we don’t see more of them on the road. Even though they’re a joy to look at and drive, they are also a pain. There are so many things one has to do to an old Mercedes that with modern cars you just don’t; instead, these things are handled automatically. While it is true that they just don’t make ’em like they used to, that might mean something completely different to an enthusiastic Mercedes owner of the Mercedes than it does to a casual Mercedes owner, or even one who owns simply for the status.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are new genuine Mercedes parts built with modern tech that can be put into your vintage Benz and will make driving it that much better, and might even win it a Shine Award. Let’s take a look.
Electronic Fuel Pump Controller
There is a universal fuel pump controller that has been designed for those vehicles being upgraded from the old school mechanical type fuel pump parts, as seen in the classic Mercedes models. With this fuel part for your benz…
- The pump will only run when it gets a tach signal straight from the ignition.
- The pump will be primed for a flat 3 seconds with the initial key on.
- It comes with its own 7.5 – amp circuit breaker.
- It also comes with an internal relay.
- Complete with 16 – gauge wire (15 ft) to provide the pump with electricity.
Fuel pumps are meant to supply the fuel injection system with the pressure needed, and thus, they are essential parts in nearly all automobile fuel-based engines. So, why not upgrade the one in your Mercedes to make it more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly.
Interior Lighting
If you look for dome lighting for a ’76 Mercedes, you’ll only find one result, and it’s for the bulb itself. That bulb is in fact a genuine Mercedes part, which is great if you want to truly restore a classic Benz. However, if you want to do more of a ‘restomod’ you might want to go with some interior lighting parts with a bit more technology.
If you prefer the latter, you should take a look at some of the dome light dimmers on the market, which also have the more ecofriendly and long-lasting LED bulbs. These dimmers control the lighting levels in the interior of an automobile to add more of a theater-type lighting effect. Additionally, they now have automated dimmers that turn on and off when you approach or leave the vehicle, or can even be controlled by a smartphone app.
Intermittent Wipers
Lastly, take a look at the windshield wipers in your vintage Mercedes parts catalog. Aside from the wiper blades themselves, you’ll likely only find a single version of windshield wiper arm puller as an OEM Mercedes replacement part. That’s all well and good, but what if you want something a bit more up to date?
Nowadays, you can get a more advanced windshield wiper part called an Intermittent Wiper Module, which is certainly an upgrade for cars that weren’t equipped with such features back in their day. It has 3 different wiper delays as well as the slow and fast options; and still allows for the use of the old school 2-speed wiper motor and switch.
Still using the same ’76 Mercedes Benz Owner’s Manual as a guide for your Benz parts and maintenance schedule? It’s about time to try something new and check an online Mercedes parts catalog like eEuroparts.com to get your vintage Benz replacement parts. What we outlined here may not be major overhaul such as with transmission or suspension parts. Yet, for those just getting started with their Mercedes ‘restomod’, these upgrades can be good practice to get going in the right direction.
So, here’s a challenge for you… what new tech and parts can you find for your classic Mercedes? Brakes? GPS? Other electronics?