The project car (a 1982 300SD) is starting to suck up money at an alarming rate.....we took the trans into a shop to get it inspected, and maaay go with a rebuild depending what they say, if it is in good shape but just leaky, they can re-do all the seals for a few hundred $$.....a full rebuild would run about $800-900 according to them, and they have a "genius" re builder that is well experienced with euro-transmissions....so looks like we went to the right place.

Car: $750
Transport to house (flatbed): $84
Miscellaneous Parts Order (engine mounts, hoses, flex discs...etc) $330
Oil cooler lines and several new bolts: $302
Cleaning supplies: $35
New engine: $575 + $40 in diesel to go get it +$30 load leveler + $72 in rental fees for a big engine hoist
Trans repairs: $300-900.....
New trans hard lines (custom made, none left in Germany! ) $90

It needs all the power windows worked on too....thankfully we salvaged a bunch of that stuff off a parts car in the junk yard....as well as some other stuff....

Rebuilding a MB from the ground up: Expensive!!!
Feeling of getting it all back together and cruising down the road for the first time: Awesome (we have yet to reach that point yet though)

While it will be expensive to get back on the road it had a great deal of previous owner money put into it as well: (and thats always a good thing! )

-All new brake system (all calipers/rotors/pads are NEW ATE!) Booster is new, M/C is new
-Body has no rust at all, and paint is excellent, nice window tint too
-Interior is in very nice shape (blue leather, still soft!)
-Has never seen snow
-Has full Bosch Euro lights + day running lamps + a set of spare lenses
-Brand new set of W140 wheels + tires (also new)
-Dead engine had new starter on it and new alternator and new glow plugs

So....a car like this would run $5000+ when bought in good running condition, we figure if we can have it on the road for $3500 or less then we did a good job, not to mention it will have a low miles engine, serviced/rebuilt trans, and re-done drive-line....as well as a multitude of other new parts....

It should be an awesome car! We're shooting for a 1.5-2 week time frame to get it finished up. We'll see how that goes....

__________________
-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)

That's nothing. I just spent over $10k restoring my W114, and now all I have is a $3k car!

Yikes....that makes us feel better.

Your car is way more interesting though.

__________________
-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)

For me, that makes it all worth the while. Enjoy the ride.

Thanks for the update - I was wondering what was happening with your project. Hopefully you'll have some good news with that first ride!

__________________
83 300d - 390k

ditto on the update but this thread is worthless without pics

__________________
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

Yep, I spend all of my spare cash on projects.

__________________
With best regards

Al

I have no idea what you are talking about. $3,500 for a good running car is cheap - especially if you get to drive it for several years.

Scott

__________________
Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

Yeah they are expensive. The more you dig the more work you find.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

Actually, a good running car that you can for the most part maintain yourself (because you repaired it in the first place) is EXTREMELY cheap. Even at $4.00/gallon gas, I'm pretty sure my actual cost per mile in a 380SL is lower than many, if not most, newer cars with better mileage.

__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

Yeah sorry about that....I didn't take any pics when we were pulling the engine(was a little busy operating the hoist ), but I will take some pics tomorrow when we're cleaning the engine compartment and stuff....and I'll draft someone to take a bunch of pics during the re-installation procedures. No worries, pics will come!

__________________
-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)

Cry me a river.

MB's are not cheap cars.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Great News! The trans shop said the tranny looks excellent inside and it does not appear that it has ever even been rebuilt! The clutches and wear discs are all in excellent condition. So they will replace the external seals and button it back up ready for installation. Total cost will be under $300. Awesome.

We should be working on putting the setup back into the car sometime next week! Tuesday or Wednesday most likely!

__________________
-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)

Good to hear about the seals, but $900 seems like a very good price for a rebuild.

You could have bought a hoist for that rental fee!

__________________
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

My dad spent 9K on his 300SDL just to get it on the road here is the break down

Car $3000 Engine was fine then it cracked its head

New Engine $3000 First engine with 88K milage, but the freighters dropped the engine and broke a ton of stuff in the engine so no good, send it back and got another engine 100K engine, with bad injectors but every thing in the engine is new and got a free 5 year warranty with it too...

Trans Repair $1000 Leaks, seals repair trans fluid and filter change!!!! LEAKS Still not sloved

Parts $500

Fluids $500

Labor on some repairs $1000

And still more repairs to come

Total Right now $9000

Est Grand Total 13K or even more

I hope this makes you feel better...

__________________
Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi