What about it? It had a 5-speed transaxle. It does not really count, it was just designed to go really fast.

I prefer the C30 CDI AMG. It was offered with a manual.

It's not a 5-speed and it did not have any euro lights. Someday i will venture into swapping in the manual climate control.

After my tdi (5 spd) took a crap on me in august, i was pissed off that I had no diesel powered cars in my driveway. I've always driven diesels and not having a diesel bothered me. I have always been hooked on the thought of driving w123 turbo with a manual transmission. Fortunately for me, I picked up my turbodiesel with a bum auto tranny in november for $1,000. And now, this parts car for $500. Hopefully, I can get the trans swap completed within a month or two. Things are looking up!

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

Yes, and it aslo had a turbo 617. See the factory did pair a manual with the turbo 617.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

But they only made two.

More than zero!

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

The 240TD and 300TD was sold with manual transmissions in europe. Old World Auto has one for sale in his parts selection.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Yes the 240TD and 300TD were sold in Europe with manuals but the 300TD turbo was never sold anywhere with a manual. In Europe turbo and non turbo 300TD's were both available up until the end of production.

Everyone should remember that our 617 Turbodiesels were the first passenger car turbo-charged engine and as such they do not compare well in many aspects with the current diesels.

Our turbos don't give any low end boost, so as I mentioned before under 2000 RPM's our engines are gutless. Also with a manual tranny turbo diesel every time you change gears you will lose boost and there will be a delay until the boost comes back up, with an auto you just stay wide open and boost doesn't drop off.

The C111 comparison isn't very valid, the C111 car was tuned for top speed and not for acceleration. When trying to exploit the maximum top speed drivline inefficiencies must be eliminated and of course the manual has less losses than an automatic.

As I said before I have 2 manual tranny 617 turbo conversions one 4 and one 5 speed and I love them, but I didn't do it for a performance gain.

If you want the fastest acceleration keep the automatic.

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1993 300D 2.5 Turbo (blue/ blue tex)
1991 350SDL (White/ Gray leather)
1983 300TD Turbo 5-speed manual (Green/ Beige)
1985 300SD (Black/ Black Leather)
1985 300TD (White/ Green Tex)
1980 300SD (Astral Silver/ Black Leather)
1990 560SEL (White/ Gray Leather)
1993 300SD (Black/ Black Leather)
1967 200D (Green/ Beige Tex)
1969 300SEL 6.3 (Moss Green Metallic/ Green Leather)
1975 300D (Astral Silver/ Green Tex)
2001 Ford Excursion Diesel

Well I have more acceleration than I did with the 616 and that is good enough for me. If you want more acceleration put on a VNT line forcedinduction did and have plenty of boost under 2000 rpm.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

This new 79 300CD,I want to put a stick shift in is a non-turbo car.What I seem to be getting from you guys,is that I have two good options.
1.)Put a turbo set-up in the car,as it is,and leave it an auto.
or
2.)Put the stick shift in it,and leave it as a non-turbo car.
That seems to be the message I'm receiving. I read that some of you guys put sticks in the turbo cars,and get mixed results..guess I have to make my own choice,but based on the knowledge gained it makes it a whole new thing all together.Maybe she's ok as a non turbo/auto after all,and I shouldn't bother with any of it.Thanks guys,I'll let you know what I end up doing.Calling summit racing next to order the chevy 502/502hp.big block for it.And DR.Scholl,for a giant shoe horn....lol.

Hey there BG.
Only thing I don't like about your car is the four door.To bad you didn't have a sporty little CD to put that whole package into.It's a great car anyways,I'd just love to hear it with the 2.5 straights on it.Looks like the bod.is in great shape,too.(Sorry man,I don't mean to insult.)

Yes, those are the best options.. but the last one is by far the better in my opinion.
Check out the threads of people who start having troubles with their auto trans... were not the greatest in the world when made... had lots of changes and tweaking done to them...and you can hardly figure on finding someone who really knows how to rebuild them ( at less than $2500 ) .... which by itself was $500 more than I paid for my wagon in the first place...
A non turbo 617 has more room in the engine compartment... and more power than a 240... and a good manual trans serviced properly will probably outlast the rest of the car...

CD's are hardly sporty. They are still a 3500lb square slab of steel. I think the SL's were the one's supposed to be sporty......
I think for you you would enjoy your NA 300CD with a standard tranny and associated hardware installed.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I'm still trying to figure out how people are so offended at the idea of a manual transmission on a turbo charged car..

Having driven a number of turbocharged cars, trucks, and vans over the years, I find that at least in my case, manual transmissions are more efficient.
Given skill with the shifting, and willingness to learn how to shift that particular vehicle, you can typically shift with little to now slipping of the clutch, and often have no problem at all in getting the vehicle in motion in a quick manner.

As to automatics, the only reason I have one now is that the SD only comes that way, and I am enjoying wrenching on the car.
That being said, the auto tranny is an amazingly wasteful way to shift, especially if not equipped with locking torque converters, nor high enough gears to allow you to travel at highway speeds without winding the engine into the stratosphere.

Back on the part about turbo diesel vehicles with a manual tranny. Has anyone ever noticed the engine tranny pairings offered in the Ford, Dodge, and GM diesel trucks? Some come with an auto tranny, but if you want to get the most engine power to the road, with the least power train loss, hmm, manual transmissions start showing up.

A little further back, I was happy to drive a manual transmission equipped little mini van in South Korea. Definitely not a power house of an engine under it, but boy could it scoot! If I remember correctly, it was a 5 speed.

The automatic is definitely a convenience, especially if your knee doesn't like working a stiff clutch regularly, but I see no reason to limit myself to them, when there are so many more interesting cars to be driving.

As a closing thought, has anyone else really noticed the rated mileage difference between two otherwise identical cars, one with a MT, the other with an AT? Then think about the fact that the dealer is happily going to gouge you for an extra $1500 or so for the AT 'option' that is nearly the standard here in the US. I wonder how much of that is just the industry brainwashing the consumers here.

Well, that's just my two and a half cents worth.

Happy wrenching, whatever you choose to do to your cars!

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-Josh
Testing the cheap Mercedes axiom, one bolt at a time...

Here is a sound clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Air67o1bmE

It cost me less than $100 for the whole exhaust system.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

i have a dodge with cummins and six manual tranny. i admit that when the turbo comes on it gets a little tricky from time to time but most of the time i granny around and shift way below that rpm.

i would love a stick behind a turbo motor.

in a benz i would recommend a 346 rear end though, like they put in the stick na cars. first gear is just too tall with the 307, imho.

i had a 240 that i put a na 300 engine in with the 307 gears (i put in too). if you lived someplace with no hills and never drove anywhere with hills the 307 would be fine, but here , well i live on a big hill, it was a pain.

great economy though. it would beat a 240 on fuel economy, getting 30 consistantly on the highway running 75.

the best setup would be the 346 gear, turbo motor and a five speed. good luck finding one though.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.