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-   -   Looking at '85 300D for parts and transplant to '78 (http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/141287-looking-85-300d-parts-transplant-78-a.html)

MT_Merc 12-30-2005 04:08 PM

Looking at '85 300D for parts and transplant to '78
 
Briefly, what I have right now is a '78 300D non-turbo: the motor is worn out, although it does have a number of new parts, otherwise the car is sound. A local junk yard has an '85 300D turbodiesel that's had a hard whack in the passenger's side. It's got 215K on it, but the motor started like it'd already been warmed up (did seem to run a little rough, but then I haven't been close to a running 617 for a while).
First of all, what is the desirability of an '85 turbo motor and transmission relative to other 617 TD motors?
Second, given the milage on it, would it be wise to rebuild it, or at least do teardown and inspection, prior to swapping it into the '78? My brother and I will probably be working on it, and we have in mind at some point building an intercooler setup and bumping the power somewhat.
The other thing is that the junk yard is asking $1500 for the whole car; does that sound fair? There are some good parts, and the driver's door and fender, which the '78 could use, seem to be straight although the door has some rust bubbles that would have to be investigated. I'm sure there are a number of parts from the car that would be worth swapping, but at the same time there's almost nothing on the passenger's side, inside or outside, that's useable. That being said, I really can't see just taking the motor and tranny. It would probably be easier to trailer the car to our place than loading and unloading the motor/tranny, and then during the swap it would be much nicer to have them side-by-side than to have to make several trips because I forgot this or that. That and having a second set of driveline, electrical, steering and suspension, brakes, and such right there makes it seem almost silly to just grab the motor and tranny.
As for the new parts on the '78, it has a rebuilt head, new cam and lifters, new injectors, and a rebuild IP (not my doing). Is any of that any use to me, or should I just be trying to get out of those what I can? The bottom end of the old non-turbo hasn't been touched, which is in all liklihood why it quit and hasn't run in over ten years.
Anyway, is there anything I'm missing? It seems from what I've read that while this isn't a straight-up swap, there shouldn't be any major issues, at least not with the two cars side-by-side.

junqueyardjim 12-30-2005 06:14 PM

Sounds good, sounds bad.
 
Your thinking about having both vehicles close together when making this swap is great. Nothing better. I think the scrapyard price for the car is very high, but maybe he thinks he has the only one in the country. First make sure you want to really do this, then offer him $450.00 and see what happens. Tell him what you want to take off from it, and if it makes him happy give him the old block and junk door and fender and the remains of the old car, the whole package free, just for picking it up.

Stevo 12-30-2005 06:18 PM

MT

$1500 seems WAY high to me, I've bought several really good BUT broken 240Ds for $150-600 as parts cars. I guess it depends on how bad you want it, but a little time would surely turn up a better deal. For the swap, I dont think youde have a problem as long as the doner car was right there, there were lots of small changes between 78 & 85, linkage, vac.. Others will know on that.

MT_Merc 12-30-2005 10:14 PM

Thanks for the advice. The $1500 did seem high to me, and I'll probably make him a take it or leave it offer. He said he's had the car since mid-summer, but he also said he's got a guy interested in the motor and transmission to swap into a Ranger (not the wierdest swap idea, but it does seem a little foolhardy considering that they put a diesel in the Ranger once upon a time). This isn't exactly Mercedes country, but I have seen a couple semi-beater level W123's for sale for around $1000 in the past year.
I've been wanting to fix our 300D up for years, and am more than prepared to get down and dirty on this. Heck I drive a '64 Fairlane that was pulled from a field, and very little of the work done on it has been done by others. I just need a good donor car to get started. I'm sure there'll be plenty of details to work out, but I don't see why any of them would be insurmountable.

Stevo 12-31-2005 01:21 AM

"make him a take it or leave it offer"

Offer him $6-800 cash and tell him you'l get it outa his yard, it would be good to make the offer in front of his wife:)


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