dealers are useless for manual shifter parts......need VIN
 

does anyone have a VIN I can use to try to get a price on a shifter? these guys refuse to look up a part unless I have a VIN. thats rediculous, Im not asking them to warranty or give me the part, isnt their business to sell things?

The dealer cant even look up a Euro part so I tried MBUSA. they are now also requiring a VIN..... what a pain. So any VIN for a W123 with a 5spd will do.

Thanx

Try the classics center. Your dealer must just be lazy, mine does not require the VIN

What part are you trying to purchase?? On what year car.

On most MB's from the 70-80's they don't even offer a complete shifter.

Classic Center FTW. Dealership FTL.

What part do you need? I have some spares....

this is the classic center. I am trying to get price and availability for a 5 speed shifter and rods for a W123. I was lucky enough to get the trans that was offered by Joe in parts here last week, but the W201 shifter I planned to use is different.

this is the reply I got from Mercedes Classic Center.

"Scott, I need the complete Vin number to spec parts.I can only supply you with info on the way the car was built. If you are modifying or altering the car we are unable to help."

Yes, they're just lazy. My dealer will look up pretty much anything for me. OTOH, I have made a point to cultivate a good relationship with the guys in parts so they will do things for me.

Have you had any luck with the on-line Mercedes parts catalog?

Tell em 280GE or 300GD. I was told parts were available as needed. How much did you pay ?

Epc?

EPC = electronic parts catalog....on-line version at Star tech info.

I was asking if he had tried the EPC.

I get that all the time too.
Me "Its a 350SDL"
Them "Ok so what is that a w140?"
Me "No its a W126"
Them "I'm going to need a VIN"

Luckily theres one guy there who knows what he's talking about. (Somedays I won't even bother if he's not around)

http://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/

Free subscription.

5-speed 280E.
WDB12303310096238

5 Speed 300TD
WDB1231931F049460

Try the Indy in TS.75yr old German born MB mechanic
The guy can get anything.

He is right behind the Classic car place on 19A.

thanx guys that will work, I will spin a story about restoring a wreck and needing a the euro specific parts that some clever mercedesshop forum guy knew to remove :) the classic center guys are none too sympathetic about changing anything from stock appearently.

I tried many things on EPC, I can get the shifter exploded view and part number for every part of the shifter, I just cant find the shifter assembly part number. If I had that I could order by part number instead of depending on these guys to spend 10 minutes to look it up. US dealers cant look it up, they guy even showed me the dealer EPC, it is truncated to show only US delivery model codes.

No story is needed. Just tell them what you are looking for. I had zero problems with order the 15mm sway bar.

paid asking price. Joey was 10 minutes drive from my work. Nice guy.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-used-parts-sale-wanted/236664-fs-getrag-717-400-transmission.html

Nice steal. Hope it functions well. Keep me posted on the pricing for the shifter.

As requested.

thanx forced, one more favor? could you get another view 90 degree from this as in looking from the right in your picture or from the front of the car with the shifter mounted? I need to see the layout and length of the shifter arms to see how much different they are from the W201

Thanx

no reply at all from the classic center, does anyone have a 5 spd shifter they can measure and take pictures of the shift rods and the arms on the shifter? I think If I have the measurements I can make the W201 shifter work since it is the same pattern.

Thanx

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...d/5-speed2.jpg
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...d/5-speed3.jpg
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...d/5-speed4.jpg

thats perfect. looks like if I shorten the one shift arm on the W201 shifter it will be very close. I will post pictures when I start.

thanx

Don't see why getting the parts numbers would be so difficult. I chose a 123.190 car with a 5 speed tranny. Now getting the part form Germany may be more difficult. Now try the Classic Part Center or a good Dealer. Park Place Dallas has some very experienced guys in the parts center.


IN EPC Website

At the top of the page in left to right chose

MD Mode
1. Car
123190 300TD
123190
26 Transmission
030 Floor shift used with five speed transmission.

This will bring up the page you need and the part numbers associated with each part.

The pictures below are the page I brought up and the part numbers.

Dave

Last picture

Dave

oh damn it

I got that far, but what is the shifter part number?

here are some more pictures, it funny that the rods are copletely different construction but look dimensionally the same (scaled from the tile.) I wonder if MB had several different suppliers?

You can not buy a complete shifter assembly. You either have to find an old one or buy all the parts and assemble it. If a complete assembly was available then it would be shown as a bracketed grouping of parts with a separate part number.

In the picture notice item number 50. That is a wheel rotor rebuild kit containing the rotor, bearings, seal, locking nut, static contact and cover. Or you can buy each item individually.

Dave

ok thanx, thats what I did not understand. I think I will just modify a W201 shifter. looks like a simple cut and weld on a couple of the ears.

How does it turn out? Can the 201 shifter be made to work?

got a flywheel woohooooo now I will start working on the shifter mod, unless someone out there has a 5 speed shifter for a w123 sitting on the shelf. The shifter was frozen up so I pulled it apart, makes changing the arms easier anyway. there are a couple bushings that are toast< i will go to MB and get those parts monday. Anyone have a serial number for a w201 5 speed car I can give the part guy so he can actually look up the part? Thanx. shifter mod proposal attached

does anyone have a 4speed shifter that can take some detailed photos of the six views? or a link to a place with good pictures? I would like to see if the 4 speed can be made into a 5 speed shifter or if the w201 guts will fit the w123 body.

Thanx

Will the 4speed need to be out of the car? Would pics from underneath be of any assistance? I'm guessing you do not need interior pics, right?:D See what's in my signature?

yeh Im looking for the top, bottom and side views of a shifter out of the car. Its the best I can do without a shifter. I have one in my car but I dont want to fool with it because its my daily driver until I get a 5 speed shifter and my flywheel back from balancing

Well, I just picked up a 1978 240D 4speed last night, but I wasn't planning on removing anything. Bought a new battery for it this morning since I had to return the PO's battery that he had in the car --- it was the wrong size anyway.

Just trying to help.

Did you ever find out for sure if a four speed shifter doesn't turn into a five speed shifter by a modification? I spoze that would be too good to hope for.

I am going to look at it for sure, I just need an extra 4spd shifter. I have been hoping to find another at the yards but I am not finding anything now that Im looking. I have one in my car but it is my daily driver. In looking at the w201 it looks like it might be possible although the reverse switch mount will be in the wrong place for a 5 -R pattern, but the pattern itself is controlled by a removable plate that looks like it could be modified, thats why I was looking for a picture of the bottom to see if it has the same plate.

Well it would certainly be interesting if all you had to do is remove or, what ever with some bushing in the 4 speed, 123 shifter. I dont have one sitting around.

W123 4 speed to 5 speed shifter is possible but I dont think the result would be good enough for me. required mods after disassembly to make it work as far as I can tell with my first inspection:

1. bend stop tab on shift arm housing back to its original position, this is what causes you to have to lift the shift knob to go to reverse
2. remove plastic material that prevents rearward movement of the shifter in the reverse gate.
3. cut and weld arms to appropriate length and center them up

disadvantages of converting w123 shifter.

1. no reverse lockout
2. shifter will not self return to ceter gate
3. most likely the feel will be all wrong as the R gate will now be 1-2 and the spring will fight you going into 1-2 gate

My plan is to cut and weld the arms on the w201 shifter as shown previously, as far as mounting I think I will make a thin adapter plate so I do not need to drill my tunnel to bolt in the w201 shifter. I should get my flywheel back from balance next week, so I will most likely work on the shifter next weekend.

cheers