Omg...you're going to need a storage facility for all of these cars pretty soon! Sounds like the car is in decent enough condition to flip and make quite a profit.

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Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

hahaha, it just so happens I have about 6 blue 123 seats out in the shed...

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

you bought it.. lol

Wow. Being from Alaska, it's amazing to see a rust-free car in the junkyard. The body and paint on that car is in much better shape than mine!

I'm also looking for a blue dash - my car was a California car and was exposed to a lot of sunlight in its time.

Can't wait to see what you end up doing with this car!

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Darren Asuncion
'81 300D Silver Blue metallic
'04 MINI Cooper S, Indi Blue w/ White roof
'94 Jeep Cherokee Sport, Flame Red
'95 Land Rover Discovery, Corallin Red

Not a saved diesel, but....
Here's my 1984 Euro 500 SEC that I just saved from the crusher. PO was going to crush this car for the $1000.00 state buy back for retired cars. He turned in the plates and the title because it failed Smog twice. Then Gov. Austrian Body Builder, Shut down the program and he couldn't get his money. A friend bought the Centra Mags off it and called me to tell me that this one was for sure worth saving If I could swing it. I could and did.
Total outlay of cash for parts to pass Smog was $176.00, there was a lot more things I did "Since I was In there"(isn't there always).

While I was searching for the perfect name, I started calling her The Bluebird. It stuck.

The Bluebird; 1984 Euro 500 SEC, 135,000 miles. Pictured on the day she finally got her plates.

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1986 Euro 500SEC "RUF" 9:1CR, "Rose"
1985 Euro 500SEC Cabriolet AMG Widebody
1982 Euro 500SEL "Blue"
2001 Texas Heeler (Aussie/Queensland X) "Sulphie",
2012 Queensland Red Heeler "Squeak"
Best dogs I've ever had.

I have an extra set of those in my garage, trying to get rid of them. anybody?

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84 300D anthracite grey, tan interior "Lola"

Diesel smells like farvegnugen!

Who doesn't? The aluminum is worth something...

Speaking of Bundts, I took out my frustrations from losing the Excelsior's keys on the extra set of Bundts I had. These were the original ones off of Norm, and look about as bad as Bundts can look. You may think its just dirt (well it is) but the wheels are so pitted only wetsanding and a scotch bright pad could get the dirt out. 3 of them looked the same, 1 obviously was the spare and looks fine.

Here's a before and after. Not too impressive, I know, but it was a labor intensive job. It made me tired enough to actually sleep tonight, and not think about the keys...



My workstation:



Wouldn't it be nice if I could throw those wheels in the back of the wagon, oh wait...

I didn't want to disturb the contents of the trunk (my rolling toolbox), so I removed the rear seat bottom to load the tires there.




I decided to take them out shortly after the picture, as I'm sure the seat padding wouldn't take kindly to rubber pressing up against it for the next 6 hours. I already vacuumed out horsehair once, but the seat keeps shedding more... Kind of reminds me of a pet.



These are the two pets I abandoned when I moved out on my own 4 years ago. The one on the left (Jake) was considered my dog, but he worships my mother and I didn't have the space or time for him when I first moved. The one on the right (Bean) doesn't have a particular owner, but gets the most attention. I felt like I've grown up with these guys, (age 12 and 11) and its strange to see them facing their mortality. Jake is currently on 3 different pain medications so he can walk comfortably, and Bean has recently been diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Will they fit on a w123, and are you willing to ship them to Alaska?

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Darren Asuncion
'81 300D Silver Blue metallic
'04 MINI Cooper S, Indi Blue w/ White roof
'94 Jeep Cherokee Sport, Flame Red
'95 Land Rover Discovery, Corallin Red

I just sanded down one of the Bundts on Prudence today...it looked FAR worse than that wheel off of norm... I used a 3M scuff pad with no water. Took about 1.5 hours.







Sorry to threadjack...lol

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Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

Yeah, start your own thread and quit showing me up...

What is it with mechanics and building contractors? I have yet to meet one who can accurately estimate the amount of time it takes to do a project. They're usually good guys, but very optimistic with their time. Unfortunately, I won't have the car to play with over the weekend. Its going to sit outside in his yard, because of an E30 BMW on the lift undergoing a transmission swap.

This car sat in a garage for the last four years, and came out looking fantastic. Within only two weeks of sitting in a muddy salvage yard it is horribly filthy.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

I'm glad to see you saved this car ! .

Here in Sunny So. Cal. I see nice ones just like it in Pick-A-Part all the time and once inside the yard , they won't sell 'em no matter how much you offer

FWIW , those FUGLY wheels were indeed the bee's knees when the car was new .

Here in La La Land (home of fruits & nuts) the chrome rusts off really quickly , I've not seeen a good set in some years .

Amazingly , some of the folks who hate these wire wheels think nothing of putting 20" " DONK " wheels on a slammed W-123..

Talk about stupid & ugly .

I've had very good luck in saving old dried up leather by rubbing it with a hand full of baby oil from the .99 cents store.... takes a lot of labor and obviously it won't heal the cracks but that will make the leather as supple as it was when new . repeat once a year as needed .

For the guys who asked why not scrap it out , I used to run a salvage yard and breaking the cherries is where the real $ lies no matter how bad a thing it really is . I refused to do it and so fought with my partner constantly but then I saved over a thousand good cars , back to the road again .

As to why mechanics never tell the true labor time , I tried but all the damned customers whined and complained how the " other guys " (Pep Boys & gas stations) could do it MUCH faster......

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Surprise, surprise... Still not ready yet...

I stopped by to assist with the motor mounts and wheels swap, but the E30 was STILL on the lift... They were completely finished, but they forgot to get a new valve cover gasket... lovely.

Now I'm picking it up around lunch tomorrow, which is fine...

I guess he had to move it out of the way of something very early in the morning, it was in the teens, and it started right up. I did a cold start when it was in the 30s with no issues. I'm so glad that I saved this car... Now to just get it in my dang driveway.

E30s are tough little cars. This one had well over 200k on it, and runs perfectly quiet. I'm not sure why they had the valve cover off, since it needed a transmission.

I also got to play used car salesman today when a guy came up with his girlfriend to look at a 530 Bob had for sale out front. It was kind of fun doing a walkaround, and telling the guy about the car, tag costs, insurance, etc, while Bob cleaned himself up, answered a parts call and grabbed a tag. He put $2500 cash down to hold the car, we'll see if I get a commission. Its kind of pathetic that I miss doing that kind of stuff. Grass is always greener from my boring desk job, I suppose.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Hell yeah E30s are tough little cars...



I drive one when I am not in the Wagon. Its a totally different experience. 2700lb BMW versus 4500lb Benz.



Its my track beater, as its weighs nothing, has light wheels, grippy tires, and its now got coilovers.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I really like the barn saves. Never done it with a MB yet. Have done it with old Ford Model A's and T's, and old Case and John Deere Tractors all over the Midwest.

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1986 Euro 500SEC "RUF" 9:1CR, "Rose"
1985 Euro 500SEC Cabriolet AMG Widebody
1982 Euro 500SEL "Blue"
2001 Texas Heeler (Aussie/Queensland X) "Sulphie",
2012 Queensland Red Heeler "Squeak"
Best dogs I've ever had.

I almost walked away from this purchase today...

I spent alot of time going over this car today. We're doing the shock with the mounts, so now I REALLY should have it lunch tomorrow. Is it possible??? The E30 is finally off the lift.

The near deal killer for me was when I inspected the AC system more closely, or lack of AC system I should say. The line that leads from the compressor to the condenser is missing, and no belt is connected to the compressor. My guess is they never bothered to put the nonfunctional system back together after the motor swap. After a small price renegotiation, and Bob's willingness to provide all the used parts needed to put the AC back in order, we were back in business.

We put the car on the lift today, and the undercarriage is unbelievable. I'm still in awe at the paint and window seal condition coupled with the complete lack of rust. Usually, its one or the other.

I snapped a few photos, hopefully the last with those horrendous wheels on the car. It took many, many smacks of the rubber mallet just to loosen them (they are the real deal spin ons)

(personal note: burned out reverse light)






Ah, the first picture of this car without gagging.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!