Thanks! I'm going to get out there today or tomorrow with an angle grinder and wire brush and learn the extent of it. My new plan is I think I may be able to fold all the parts from the 1982 into my brown 1981. I have to fix some minor floorpan rust , trunk well rot, and under the battery tray rot before that but at least most of the parts are the same as far as the climate control, etc.

Trust me if I thought my wife would let me get away with it I would have bought a California car to begin with. Come to think of it my yellow 78 was a California car most of it;s life. must be why it has no rust.

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1978 Mercedes 240D
1981 Mercedes 240D
1982 Mercedes 240D