When I took a look at my 300D upon the initial test drive day, I noticed the hood star had been cut off by some vandal who is either jealous, still thinks this is the 80's and likes the star as a necklace, or saw a recent episode of The Simpsons in which the playground bullies wore necklaces made from Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz hood ornaments. So, I'm off to either Star Motors Dealership, or the used MB parts yard, most likely the latter when I get time, to get a hood star for the 300D. How would I go about removing the one from the donor car, and then putting it on my car?
Thanks,
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Stupid vandal's Holloween is coming up so I am expecting to replace mine within a month or so.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Glue some razor blades to it, Hattie. Don't let them get away with that!

But then they will either sue me or beat the s#*t out of my car! But the joke is on them my current star is tarnished and up for replacment next year! Now if the new one is stolen...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My usual way is to fashion some sort of hook from heavy wire and go under the hood to pull/release the spring from under the dummy radiator cap. If you're getting one from a salvage yard, maybe you can just pull the retaining clip and get the whole dummy-cap with the star attached. Occasionally, when I'm parked in risky areas, I'll pull the clip and lock the whole cap & star assembly in the trunk.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Hello,
Mark, flat clip is only for the W108/109/111/112/114/115 and early 116, the late W116/123/124/126/201 is rather different.
Open the hood, and at the base of the Star, there are two upward pointing prongs that hold it against heavy spring pressure to the grille mounting.
You need a good quality slip joint or waterpump pliers. Grasp the prongs with the pliers and turn the prongs 90 degrees into the cast projections on the Star's base. This releases the Star from the grille mounting location. Fitting it to the grille is just turning the prongs out of the cast projections until it can exert spring pressure to hold the Star in place.
Hope that is of some help.

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Nachi11744

I even have a spare dummy-cap and star assembly for my '60 Fintail. Fortunately I haven't had to use it.
I guess the newer type is more difficult to remove, unless you're a vandal.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

they make removable hoodstars

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

You're so right.

http://www.germanstar.net/access.htm
http://www.adsitco.com/

Both have them.
Just remove at night or when ever parking
in bad area.
Remount in the morning or when leaving
bad area.

Louis.

I have not had much luck in removing an old one without damaging it.

Installing the new one is easy. Just put it in place and hold it from above and twist on the outer sleeve from below. This releases the spring which locks it in place.

The original type hood star for the 123 sat vertically. That kind is NLA. The replacement one is a 201 part (I believe 201 880 00 86) which sits about 5 or 10 degrees swept back. Most people don't notice it, but I think the original one looks better on the 123 cars. I was trying to get an original 123 star for a while, but eventually gave up on the idea.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

They should have made them where they retracted electically..... or vacuumly....LOL.... like the radio Antenae.....

The new Rolls-Royce has that! A retractable star would be cool.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

We could always insulate our stars from the body, apply a few Kvolts...and call the job done.
then again the law suit issue again, someone screwing with the car, etc..
I am suprised nobody has stolen mine yet, parking at the college every day/not in the nice part of town.
I guess I am just waiting for it to happen, which means it won't :-D

...murphy..