My "new" 87 300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Wodnek · #1 10-23-2007, 07:13 PM

Right before I went on vacation I traded my 73 coupe plus some money for a 1987 300D. It is the cleanest well maintained one I've seen. It has the euro lights with the vacuum height adjustment that's done right like a factory install.
The previous owner included a fender and the ductwork needed so the turbo will draw its intake air through the fender louvers. Next summer I will refinish the wheels and install the later fender. I am impressed with the tighter steering and quicker pickup over my 123, but I do miss the wood and chrome. i think I'll keep the 123 and 116 around as well. Air and cruise work but the rear passenger side window does not. The car is from Washington state.

babymog · #2 10-23-2007, 07:50 PM

Welcome to the club!

The white car with euros will certainly benefit from clear (Euro) or '95 corner lights in the front. Very nice car, nice find. Miles?

Let me know if you need anything, I'm going to get rid of my parts-car carcass soon and I'm right across "the pond".

cavaliers16 · #3 10-23-2007, 07:51 PM

Very sharp! That is one clean engine bay.

Wodnek · #4 10-23-2007, 07:53 PM

Does anyone have an owners manual? Even a .pdf would be fine.

jbach36 · #5 10-23-2007, 09:34 PM

If your window is not working, it's probably the switch. They're like, $3 or something. Take the screw out of the center holding area between the 2 front seats and ultimately work to get the console thing up. I forget where other screws are. But once it's off, pull the switch straight up and wiggle it, it'll come out. It could just be there's a lot of dirt on it from over the years, but chances are, you'll just need a new one.

Good luck!

Jeff 1991 300d, 112k

JimmyL · #6 10-24-2007, 12:07 AM

I would love a little white W124 some day. I love the look of them, and yours looks nice. I would love to find one with a burgundy interior, but I imagine that isn't too easy to run across.......

Ken300D · #7 10-24-2007, 08:12 AM

That looks like a very nice example of the 1987 W124.

How much mileage is on the car?

Please, Oh Please, don't drive that car on salty roads in the winter. I implore you in the name of all that is sacred to the remaining Mercedes diesels in the world.

Can you tell what brand the Euro headlights are? Trust me, they would have to be a big improvement over the stock headlights.

Ken300D

Wodnek · #8 10-24-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken300D

That looks like a very nice example of the 1987 W124.

How much mileage is on the car?

Please, Oh Please, don't drive that car on salty roads in the winter. I implore you in the name of all that is sacred to the remaining Mercedes diesels in the world.

Can you tell what brand the Euro headlights are? Trust me, they would have to be a big improvement over the stock headlights.

Ken300D

179,000 miles.
Bosch headlights
I will have to drive it this winter, but I will keep it washed.

dunl · #9 10-24-2007, 11:49 AM

Better than driving a 116 in the winter.

BTW, make sure those leaves get cleaned out of there.

dieseldiehard · #10 10-24-2007, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbach36

If your window is not working, it's probably the switch. They're like, $3 or something. Take the screw out of the center holding area between the 2 front seats and ultimately work to get the console thing up. I forget where other screws are. But once it's off, pull the switch straight up and wiggle it, it'll come out. It could just be there's a lot of dirt on it from over the years, but chances are, you'll just need a new one.

Good luck!

Jeff 1991 300d, 112k

$3 switch? where are they selling them for that little?
My experience has been its the insulation on the wires that run in the flex boot between the door and the B pillar/frame get broken and short out or fail open.
I've had to repair 2 124's with that problem. Its a fairly common issue related to the crappy insulation that MB started using. Look at the history on wiring harness issues in the 124 gassers and consider yourself lucky you don't have a '94 or '95 model!

dieseldiehard · #11 10-24-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodnek

Right before I went on vacation I traded my 73 coupe plus some money for a 1987 300D. It is the cleanest well maintained one I've seen. It has the euro lights with the vacuum height adjustment that's done right like a factory install.
The previous owner included a fender and the ductwork needed so the turbo will draw its intake air through the fender louvers. Next summer I will refinish the wheels and install the later fender. I am impressed with the tighter steering and quicker pickup over my 123, but I do miss the wood and chrome. i think I'll keep the 123 and 116 around as well. Air and cruise work but the rear passenger side window does not. The car is from Washington state.

Congrats! the '87 are really fine cars, just a few quirks that every model seems to have. Did the seller keep the engine that clean or just have it detailed to sell the car?
You want to read about the vacuum pump, the later style is reported as coming in two varieties but either is better than the old pumps that tend to come apart and the engine can self destruct if that happens. Trust me, I've seen an SDL that failed due to the vac pump, we (the shop I hung out and worked for) had urged the owner to have it replaced but he didn't heed the warning and within 6 months, after giving the car to his niece for a wedding present, the vac pump spilled bearings into the timing chain which locked up and it self-destructed, cracked the block too.
Also make sure the radiator is recent, keep fresh MB antifreeze in it and assure that the engine runs cool and it should last a long time.
look for gsxr's posts on the 124 300D

hangit · #12 10-24-2007, 02:00 PM

Great looking car. I'll have to drive my 300SD in our WI winters too. Did you investigate Fluid Film to help with corrosion prevention?

John

Wodnek · #13 10-24-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieseldiehard

Congrats! the '87 are really fine cars, just a few quirks that every model seems to have. Did the seller keep the engine that clean or just have it detailed to sell the car?
You want to read about the vacuum pump, the later style is reported as coming in two varieties but either is better than the old pumps that tend to come apart and the engine can self destruct if that happens. Trust me, I've seen an SDL that failed due to the vac pump, we (the shop I hung out and worked for) had urged the owner to have it replaced but he didn't heed the warning and within 6 months, after giving the car to his niece for a wedding present, the vac pump spilled bearings into the timing chain which locked up and it self-destructed, cracked the block too.
Also make sure the radiator is recent, keep fresh MB antifreeze in it and assure that the engine runs cool and it should last a long time.
look for gsxr's posts on the 124 300D

The Vacuum pump has been upgraded. It has the correct MB antifreeze in it. I dont believe he knew he was selling it, so i dont think he detailed it. With the money he put into it, I think he was planning on keeping it a while. He appeared to just want a 73 280CE more than the diesel. My coupe was rusty but it ran good, had excellent black leather interior, had the twin cam fuel injected 185 hp engine and a manual trans. A tough car to find in the US. I will miss it but with my 6.9 restoration i was looking at 2 years before I could get to the coupe.

Adenauer · #14 10-25-2007, 01:44 PM

Ah, but alas, from one three-pointed star to the next. Though I have had my eyes and ears open to locate a suitable 113 for the next multi-year project, that '73 280CE just spoke to me. Wodnek's got family and the 300D would be just right. I am glad to know you are enjoying the car. I sure have. And, perhaps, one day, I will find yet another '87 OM603'd 124. While driving the 114 in the light Wisconsin snow yesterday morning, I thought for a second that the clutch was slipping! The last manual gearbox I had in a Mercedes was an '83 240. It didn't take long to realize the clutch was just fine as the tires caught on dry pavement and launched the car forward at a good clip.

I have done some research based on some details found in the extensive array of owner's literature. It turns out that the founder of the Chicago Chamber Opera, Barre Seid, purchased the car new on the European Delivery Program. A letter on MBUSA letterhead dated 1973, indicates that "upon return to the US with the car, Mr. Seid will be afforded all appropriate courtesies and accomodations for his 280CE in the US dealer network as would be expected of every Mercedes Benz product sold in America." Searching Google, I located Mr. Seid, still in Chicago. I will compose a cordial letter to him to inquire about the car's history. I am especially interested to know at what point it was brought to the US and where it was kept in Europe prior to arriving here.

I know it must have been tough for Wodnek to let the car go. The car had a factory hitch installed, what I would believe to be exceedingly rare, factory original ski racks that engage into neatly milled slots in the Pagoda roof strips (try finding those strips alone - let alone the racks, which are works of art!), A FULL set of shop manuals (including the BOSCH manual for the D-Jet injection system - which, I have promised to scan as a .pdf file), and an amazingly complete, original tool kit. Wodnek threw-in a set of 14-inch Bundts to make it a really good deal.

I want to give a big thanks to him and his wife, who bent over backwards to put up with me for the day that I was at their home while trying to figure out what to do with the brakes on the car. Thanks, for the dinner, too! This board is really pretty great not only as a tool, more important than any Snap-On, but a tool to literally shrink the globe and bring like minded folks together.

The 280 now goes down the road like a scaled dog and stops just as quickly, too. So, in a couple of weeks, I'll venture a drive with it back to Seattle after having been on a seven month working trip to Chicago and the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

Wodnek · #15 10-25-2007, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adenauer

I know it must have been tough for Wodnek to let the car go.

It wasn't that hard of a decision for me. I hated that I was about to drive that car in the salt. I know it will be resurrected and well cared for. With most of my free time going to my 6.9 restoration, I didn't have the time to put into the 114. The 124 is sealed against the corrosion alot better, and with regular washings should deal with the Wisconsin winters far better. Enjoy the 114 and post regular updates.

If I would have put on the ski rack though I may never have parted with it.