Looking good. Congrats on the progress.

Okay, fellow 300SDL owner, please help. What size tires are you using on your 300SDL?

Coda currently has 205 65R15. I'm inclined to go back with the same size. I should check the spare to see what size it is.....

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

215/55/R16

245/55/R16

205 65 R15 Michelin

__________________
John
1986 300sdl
1985 380se

215-65-15 Michelin Hydroedge.

The stock 205's are too small.

So, why is that the MB recommended tire? Granted, the "tire sizing guides" do recommend an H rated tire which is a stiffer sidewall.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

..........because it's the smallest (cheapest) tire that will do the job.

The SDL had 225/60-15s. I don't know what Matt and Dave did for tires because it was in need of a set when Matt bought it.

Sixto
87 300D

and 7.35L15 crossplys's were no longer made. Go for the 215's !! I have 215/65/14 on my 300D and 215/65/15 on my W124.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

The OD is .400 smaller than the 215's giving the same stock look as the 205's.

The 225-60-15 is almost identical in OD as the stock 205's.

Daw,

The work on your 300SDL is magnificent. I love it. You did a great job.

I'm going to get burned at the stake for saying this, but thank you for removing those ugly wipers on the headlights. I hate the look on the w124 and w126s. I don't understand who in the design phase decided on them. They are so ugly! You made the car look so much better by removing them!

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Huh? And I'm not really trying to be difficult; I'm just trying to understand the "whys". Maybe 215s weren't available in 1986?

The "MB" sticker on the inside of the Driver's door B pillar says:
Recommend tire size 205 / 65 VR 15

I kid you not. The sticker even refers the reader to "for additional information see inside filler pipe door" (capitalization reversed by me for better readibility). Does that quote give the appearance of a poor translation from German?

I still get a good chuckle from that 2nd asterik. on the inside fuel filler door --- 2nd pic below.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

Thanks for your kind words and compliments.

I've got a set of under the headlight trim pieces with NO holes in them for when the painting is done. I decided I wanted to have a little fun with the current set. I stuck the headlight washer hose thur the gromment where the wiper use to be, so if I have my headlights on, I can squirt water out the front of the car. I'm dying to try that on some unsuspecting child or prankster.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

Do you or anyone else have any "before" and "after" pics?

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

205/60/R16

I have 16" rims, from a S420 I think. I got yhre car this way. The PO put on some horrible looking low profile Michilens. I then found the 16" tire that came the closest to stock circumference and the tallest profile.

Thus the 205/60/R16.

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)