Ok, I've got the 300D in place but the rear transmission mount doesn't fit the bolt holes, and the driveshaft is about 4 inches too long. So, I shoved the 240D to the side while I look for an easy (cheap) way out.

Then I get involved in switching out the automatic trans on the 79 300SD with a parts car that I picked up at the salvage auction. Hmmmm... interesting.... the transmission mount out of the 79 300SD has 4 bolts going into the frame instead of two and big huge slots for transmission position adjustment. And, the driveshaft looks like looks like it is about 4 inches shorter. Can anyone think of a reason why this isn't going to be my cheap and easy solution???? The rear transmission mount looks like it will be much easier to modify than the one out of the 240D.

I bring this up, because someone here (sorry, I forget who) said I would have to pay a hundred Plus bucks to get the old driveshaft shortened. Did I stumble onto a good solution?

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Richard

"Die Schadenfreude ist die reinste Freude"

Too bad you didn't search the Forum first. There's a pretty good write-up about swapping to a manual transmission.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Actually, I'm not converting to a manual transmission. The car already was a manual transmission. I'm just putting in a 300D that came out of a manual transmission car. Since the motor is longer, it moves the transmission rear mount and requires the driveline to be shortened as well as the linkage from the shifter. I searched and found info from someone who had done this. His description included taking the driveline to a shop and having it shortened and balanced for a hundred plus bucks. I just happened to notice that the driveshaft out of my 79 300SD W116 chassis seems to be the right length to work in a W123 chassis with the 300D and the manual transmission. If the the splines on the driveshaft are the same, it should work. I'll know as soon as I get my 300SD off of the lift.

I just wanted to let everyone know that they might be able to save the bucks required for steps 24 and 25 of your post. Driveshafts from W116 300SDs are possibly easier to find than driveshafts from manual transmission W123s.

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Richard

"Die Schadenfreude ist die reinste Freude"

That also is available already posted... Ben Ridge did it...and several others... very specific advice posted about the upgrade to 5 cylinders...

yep, already read all his stuff... He's the one who said you need to have your driveshaft shortened for 125 bucks.

My question is if anyone knows whether or not a 79 300SD driveshaft will work. I measured one and it is about 5 inches shorter than the 240D driveshaft. As soon as I can get the car back on the lift, I'll try it. In the meantime, I thought someone here might know. Couldn't find anything in the archive about this.

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Richard

"Die Schadenfreude ist die reinste Freude"

I can't answer your questions, but I've read most of the conversion threads. You may be the first one I've heard to try to convert a W116 ('79 300SD, right?) to a manual, but if you can get the tranny mount right, you may have to shorten the driveshaft.

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