I didn't realize that the Cheap Wagon Club has an application process and review board. Consider this my application for my 1983 300TD with 245,000 miles that I purchased for $500. I picked it up a week ago but don't have it running yet. I'm waiting on a reamer so I can get the new Bosch glow plugs in. I adjusted the valves and checked timing chain stretch (6 degrees) while waiting.

Hopefully it will start because I bought a new interior when it came up on eBay. I had posted that it needed every blue piece inside, and I'll be danged if I did not find an eBay auction with all the seats, door panels, two pillars, wheel well covers, and spare cover from a 69,000 mile donor.

I finished putting the new interior in today. See the before and after pics from when I first looked at it and today. The original carpets cleaned up well. The brown carpet in the before picture is actually fine dusty dirt embedded in the blue carpet. Hence the wagon shall be referred to as Dusty from here on out.

Funny story from this morning: I found a long length of vacuum hose hanging under the dash. I tracked it down and it terminated on what I learned here was the shutoff valve. All I can imagine is that the PO had to suck on the hose to get it to stop as the hoses on the key switch were intact but disconnected from the shutoff valve!?!?

Please let me know about approval for membership in the CWC. Thank you for your kind consideration of this matter.

Rob

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83 300TD, 260,000 miles, aka "Dusty"
6 vehicles, 2 cup holders (both in the dump truck)

There's an application process? Aww man, I thought I was in already.

There is an open-ended hose that was designed to be there... forgot which one it was.

Found that one. It's from the vacuum control valve and vents from the interior as I understand it (again, thanks to this forum).

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83 300TD, 260,000 miles, aka "Dusty"
6 vehicles, 2 cup holders (both in the dump truck)

Seeings how I am king of the cheap wagon
club, by virtue of having bought my 85TD
for $100 (ok, I talked her down) and only
installing a battery to get it running, I hereby
accept your application to the club.

Acceptance into the club will hinge on actually
getting the car to run and move under its own
power.

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81 Mercedes 300SD 289k.......SOLD
82 Mercedes 300CD 252k......slow ride

82 mercedes 300 SD...mi Unknown
83 Mercedes 300D ????ksniff..gone too
84 Mercedes 300D 148k........SOLD
85 Mercedes 300TD 386k and holding some one elses project

I think SwampYankee got his for less and in better condition

Whoa there... We don't let non-running cars into the club.

Get it running and street legal for under $1000, and you're in.

__________________
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!!!

Tyler is the Don Corleone of the Cheap Wagon Club and wrote the charter himself.
For a grand or under the car has to be purchased and in drivable condition [or made to be drivable and still be under a grand]. And we need it more drivable then up and down a trailer!
Street legal above means it would pass inspection, but the inspection/reg. shouldn't really be part of the grand. That is clerical expenses. [However, I defer to the CWC godfather should he disagree. After all, I don't want to wake up next to a horse head.....]

__________________
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 agree with Jimmy... Trigger barely made it to the CWC, with taxes, tags, and insurance, I was already over.

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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!!!

Dear Sirs and/or Madams,

Thank you for reviewing my application and clearly describing the requirements for your esteemed CWC. The requirement of self-propulsion was not at all clear to me, but I respect the principle that would otherwise create a plethora of dead rolling stock being considered as wagons.

One question, do tools count towards the $1000 budget? There are few qualified MB mechanics in this desert town of 2000 and I've got $100 in tools already. This is the third white W123 300TD in town. We'll have a parade when I get it running.

Second, I kindly request a waiver for expenses spent on the new interior for Dusty which easily exceeded the original purchase price of the vehicle. The original interior in no way inhibited self-propulsion except that I was too embarrassed to even test drive such a ratty dustbowl. Furthermore, this interior was installed while waiting for tools for the engine.

I understand inclusion of the cost for inspection and licensing and will include that in my revised application.

Best regards,
Rob

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83 300TD, 260,000 miles, aka "Dusty"
6 vehicles, 2 cup holders (both in the dump truck)

Oh, yeah, it has to be diesel, but gassers (for some reason) are prohibited from this club. I'm thinking of filing a class-action suit citing "Fuel Usage Discrimination" - I'm 95% certain I can find a lawyer who'll take the case!

Added under edit: I'm a bit grouchy this morning...

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Special dispensation will have to be granted to your CWC status by the godfather himself. For definitive inclusion into the club it should have been in running/driving condition whilst still being under a grand in $$$$$ outlay.
However, if you were only "test fitting" the interior into your wagon to make sure that it looked OK prior to you selling it to somebody for their car, then legally that $$$ would not be applied to the balance sheet of the wagon. Then later, if you decided to sell it to yourself for the wagon, the official balance sheet would be intact.
However, as with home runs, you will have an asterisk next to your submission*********



Nope, the Evil Gasser was included in the wagon charter. After all, it is still a wagon, eh? Folks just assume it is diesel only club because, after all, who would really want a gasser??? [tongue planter firmly in cheek]

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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

Right at $100. Running, driving and registered. Better condition? The jury is still out.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I got mine @ $100, but had to swap in a battery from the coupe,
Then I bought a new one for the coupe.

Inspection, I don't need no stinkin inspection.

No really, It is registered in TN and there is no
inspection needed.

As for condition.......you really need to read the ebay ad

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81 Mercedes 300SD 289k.......SOLD
82 Mercedes 300CD 252k......slow ride

82 mercedes 300 SD...mi Unknown
83 Mercedes 300D ????ksniff..gone too
84 Mercedes 300D 148k........SOLD
85 Mercedes 300TD 386k and holding some one elses project

Dear Esteemed CWC Application Review Board:

I hereby resubmit by revised application to the Cheap Wagon Club. Thank you for clarifying the membership criteria. I finished putting "Dusty" back together last night, charged the battery, primed the fuel, cracked the injector lines to prime it further, and got it to start after about ten tries! Please see smoke bellowing photo documentation for proof. I drove it around town a couple of miles and would be happy to provide witness testimony if required.

Here is the work I have done: replaced glow plugs (4 bad and had to ream in order to get new ones back in), new air filter, new primer hand pump, bits and pieces of fuel hose and vacuum hose, new injector return fuel lines, and valve cover gasket for a total cost of $86 in parts. I also checked the timing chain stretch and adjusted the valves.

I have not changed any fluids yet. Dusty has almost no power at take-off, blows blue smoke and shifts hard into second, but the power seems reasonable when the revs are up right before shifting. I will check compression as soon as I get a gauge to see if there are deep problems.

Total cost to purchase and get it running is $586, leaving plenty of room for inspection and registration.

Regarding the new interior that I put in while waiting on parts, I kindly request a waiver. The seats, door panels, and misc trim cost $450 (after $50 ebay discount!) plus $200 shipping but was not required to make the vehicle operable. As I was waiting for the GP reamer, it seemed reasonable to install the interior to get rid of the pallet sitting on the front porch. My neighbors appreciate that sort of thing and I don't want to harm the global CWC brand. It is my position that this does not detract from the essential nature of a functioning wagon for under $1000. Installation before operation was merely a procedural timing issue. CWC might create a troubling precedent if subsequent mods increase the investment to more than $1000 and thus making continued membership possibly invalid.

A huge thanks to the members and moderators of this forum for giving me the info and courage to dive into an unknown project like this. The fun really begins now as I try to figure out why it runs poorly.

Rob

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83 300TD, 260,000 miles, aka "Dusty"
6 vehicles, 2 cup holders (both in the dump truck)

Is that Jimmy's Ol' Smokey?



Dear Cheap Wagon Club Applicant:

After extensive consideration concerning your venerable efforts to bring said wagon to the CWC criterion of operable condition, I hereby accept your application into the CWC. Membership perks of our elite club include countless hours away from friends and family, and melting your favorite credit card from overuse. Welcome.

Sincerely,

Tyler Hoover
CWC Chairman of the Board of Founders.
March 31, 2009

__________________
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!!!