Restoration near Chicago

I have a 1971 220D that has been garaged but not driven for twenty years. I want to put it back on the road with good working mechanical and clean body work. I am looking for a professional restoration service in the Chicago area (preferably Western suburbs). I drove this car out of the Stuttgart factory in August 1970, so it has a long history with me. Recommendations welcome.

Reply to
Tlims23
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I don't recommend you professionally restore a 220D. If you did you'd start out by giving somebody 15K and can expect to do that another 4 or

5 times. When complete, everything is as good as it was and probably better than when it left the factory. Each sticker, wire and nut is correct.

If you just want to get your old 22D nice again that's a lot easier. I take it you're not doing the work yourself. So first step have the brake hydraulics replaced. They're 35 years old and deserve to die if they aren't dead already. Change the soft lines for new hoses (they're date coded), replace the M/C and booster. Do the pads and rotors. If you want to spring for them get rebuild calipers from White Post.

Now go find the Ponton folks and get somebody to cough up a new brake pedal rubber pad, that's your badge and it will redmind you every time you use yoru new brakes. Get this done and we go from here, jah?

Reply to
Richard Sexton

Richard, You are so wise and practical. Hey, I don't have $15,000 for a "restoration." I just want to drive my '71 220D with good brakes and new hoses. I can get started right away (if I can locate the original Becker I replaced with a "stereo" back when I was more stupid than I am today). Thanks. Ed

Reply to
Tlims23

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