I need some help identifying a strange looking connector in the truck of my car. It's a 1980 300SD, 116 chassis. This thing is on the left side near the power antenna. Everything seems to hooked up to the power antenna. My first thought was the antenna connector, but I have good reception in the radio.The car does not have auto/self leveling suspension. Any idea what this might be?

Looks like an old phone antenna connection.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Yep, when all of these cars were built they were wired for a pre-historic cellular phone system...That wire connects to the antenna for the system....the other end is in the dash somewhere.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

my 81 sd has a connector for a phone that ends under the passenger side carpet. My 84 also had one wired up, holes in the center console included!

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

Very interesting. I think I remember finding a mystery plug under the dash years ago. Thanks for the help.

I suspected thats what I was looking at in my 300d. Does anyone know how the after-market(?) antenna on the windshield is mounted? I have one of those old mobile antennas in the upper corner, passenger side on the front windshield. The cable runs up through the window post on the inside and runs into an internal base of the antenna. Is the outside piece mechanically connected through a hole in the glass or is it mounted with adhesive? I would like to get rid of it but I'm afraid to start prying away.

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1979 300D 275K

When your car actually has the mounting holes in the console from a phone mount, it means the original owner of the car was extra-extra rich.

I wonder if a higher percentage of the gasser W126's had the phone actually installed vs. diesel owners.....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

The exterior part may just be glued on. I had a glass mounted CB antenna at one time. The inner and outer parts just mounted with adhesive tape. Somehow the radio waves just passed through the glass.

This has answered my question. I found the dash end of it behind my glovebox.

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1983 Mercedes-Benz 240D
Automatic, A/C, Power Sunroof, Power Right Side Mirror
231K Miles FOR SALE MAKE OFFER

From one high-gain antenna to another high-gain antenna a tiny bit away. Very little loss there.

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1983 Mercedes-Benz 240D
Automatic, A/C, Power Sunroof, Power Right Side Mirror
231K Miles FOR SALE MAKE OFFER

I suppose it could also be viewed as a capacitor. The relevant data would be the size (area) of the plates, the distance between them (thickness of the glass), and the frequency. As jkoebel says, it's a very efficient means of transmitting energy.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Yeah, you are probably right. I don't think one could drill a tempered glass widow without shattering it.

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1979 300D 275K