Now why does that title sound familiar.........

Breaking News: Norm is Sold... Transition of Workhorse Power

It really killed me to do this, but I sold the Ol' Squash to forum member frontwheel, real name Andy.
This has been a difficult process for several reasons. Probably the biggest reason is because I may never have a W123 in as good of shape as the Ol' Squash. With new door seals, rebuilt front end, Sienna interior, good ol' R-12 AC, smooth 4 sp. std, he was just a great car for me!
The day Dan and I went and picked him up in Austin:



Who can forget what I found in the glove box:



[Boy was he in for a much more sedate life under my ownership!]

I went through the entire AC system, replacing every single o-ring and Nyloging them all. Hasn't "needed a charge" in the 2 years since.
I remember doing the thermostat, slave cylinder, fuel level sender and other just odds and ends. Oh, and a window tinting.
So today was his day to join a much hipper lifestyle. It didn't start out smoothly!
First a neighbor calls saying a coyote is in our back pasture creeping up on the chickens. Great! Scared him off then went out to pull the Squash down by the garage.


Well, it got down to about the mid/high 20 last night and the battery decided that this was the perfect day to die! Can you believe it?
So I pulled the Autozone battery out of the white wagon

that I just bought 10/4/08 and he decided to start. [note to self: POR-15 the white wagon soon!] He wasn't too pleased with the cold. I've never driven him in cold or rain so he was protesting!
Then my youngest daughter wanted to go for a last ride. China is her favorite, but she has also always loved the Squash. She says besides the smell it almost seemed like a new car. Hmmmmm

You can kind of see her in the car....
A little bit later Andy showed up with his buddy. I want to say his name is Steve, but I'm awful with names. But I didn't forget his car!! What an awesome '84 Volvo 242 Turbo! I think I was more interested in that car than Andy was in the Squash!



I hate myself that I didn't get a ton of pics of that car. Super nice with a little Garrett turbo it appeared. Very familiar fuel distributor. Near perfect interior, 4sp standard with overdrive, and those factory sporty Volvo wheels that I swear look a ton like Pentas.
Andy and his passenger loaded up for the drive off



and then I got what I thought was just an awesome "goodbye" pic.


[I'm hoping that was a wave with more than one finger]

I hope Andy and the Squash bond like I have had the pleasure of bonding with China. And I hope the Squash doesn't "pull a Norm" and decide to completely self destruct! [OK, so Norm only had a minor issue or two. But it sounded good.....]
It's hard to see 'em drive away........

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Man, you are trading up a bunch of cars lately.

__________________
My Primary Driver - '85 300CD - 4-speed conversion, 2.47 rear, lowered, euro headlights, rebuilding (not restoring so much)

Wife's - '08 Saab Sportcombi Aero

Riding a '03 Yamaha Warrior

Only the 2nd MB I've sold since 2004, and the first one was smoking like a coal burning freight train!
Now buying them has been a different story......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Takin' up the slack??? I'd better get busy.

First, off, you poseur.... (Using the French iteration is less harsh)

Then, you come out of left field with the "pull a Norm" comment. If Colin and his cronies had not man handled the vacuum lines Norm would have been ship shape in under 1 minute.

What's next for you, Jimmy, a W124 too?

__________________
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!!!

Another thought... Squash was your show pony of the fleet, hardly a workhorse. I hauled everything from furniture, to scrap copper, to $5,000 worth of wine. What did Squash ever haul other than your crotchety self?

Seriously, Jimmy, congrats... I never really bonded with Norm like I did with Ol' Turbo either. I guess some you adopt, and others you only lovingly foster. The Excelsior brings some warmth inside me, but I haven't decided if its because I'm bonding with the new wagon, or just the warmth of the heated seats.

Is the new owner planning on making WVO modifications as well?

__________________
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 had to Google poseur..... You've been here before. I'm back in the sticks.....
Just give me time and I'll have "Pulling a Norm" on Wikipedia!!
Hmmm, W124 eh? Just might have to try that. And you know my favorite color......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyL;2041344Now [U
buying[/u] them has been a different story......


Hey Dan and Jimmy -- you guys don't have to take up the slack. Just look how much the forum has changed in less than 2 years. Tyler and I both joined.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I am a moron. I got you and Tyler confused for about a minute. It think it was the "pulling a norm" title.

__________________
My Primary Driver - '85 300CD - 4-speed conversion, 2.47 rear, lowered, euro headlights, rebuilding (not restoring so much)

Wife's - '08 Saab Sportcombi Aero

Riding a '03 Yamaha Warrior

That's OK. I'm a maroon too......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I got a text from Andy earlier today saying that he had already put 300 problem free miles on the Squash, getting 25.4 mpg.
That was awesome to hear.......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Cheer up jimmyL, now you have a good reason to get another diesel benz

__________________
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

Sounds Like Squash found a good home Jimmy. Hopefully Andy will post updates and pics of Ol' Squash so you can keep tabs on him.

Congratulations again on the sale and for having the strength to go through with it.

__________________
Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

I die a little everytime I see one of mine drive off with its new owner. I feel your pain Jimmy

__________________


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

The best part is that there's a speeding ticket in that glovebox stack too.

__________________
1980 240d
1999 SL500