280CE as parts car for 300CD?
 

I'm considering buying a 1980 280CE as a parts car for my '83 300CD. Both are rust free Texas cars, so I don't need the body parts, but the 280 has 150,000 fewer miles than mine and evidently has been garaged for a few years judging by the thick coat of dust in the pics.

Is the tranny compatible? Brakes, diff, axles? Or am I looking at a mostly interior only swap? (lights, etc, too).

The 280 is inop with the engine in an interrupted rebuild state, so it's not really in the cards to simply put the 280 back on the road although that is a slight possibility.

For those of you who have parts cars, where/how do you store them if not on your own premises?

All depends on the price. The glass for a coupe is hard to find and can be expensive so that's a real big plus. You might get good rear window regulators which are, too, a big PITA to get or to fix. If the interior is nice it could be worth it.


I don't know if the transmissions will swap..

The only things that will swap are exterior parts and maybe a few interior parts. Transmission won't swap, but the brakes, axles, and suspension parts should be a straight swap. If you need a place to store it, look into a storage facility. Some have the capability to store cars. There are even those that have climate controlled garages, but they probably cost more than your standard storage facility.