Looking At Buying 1968 200D W110
 

I am seriously considering buying a 1968 200D. It has a freshly rebuilt engine, 4 speed manual on the floor, new clutch, new brakes, new tires, fresh detail job, working A/C, very little rust, and nice interior/exterior.

My last car was a 1979 300SD W116. What's it like to drive one of these, and what are your experiences with this type of car? I want to use it as a daily driver (and of course it will need occasional maintenance to keep running in top shape).

I am sick of riding the bus or my bicycle to work and I could drive this car to work on Monday. I realize it will not be as quick as my 300SD was, but I am hoping it will be able to merge onto the freeway without getting rear ended and will keep up with traffic.

What kind of fuel mileage should I expect? I drove my roommate's 1966 200 gasoline W110 with manual transmission on the freeway and it is actually really zippy. I imagine the diesel might not be as responsive, but if it's close then I will be okay with it's performance. I think it's supposed to be 0-60 in 29 seconds! Haha.

I am actually really excited about the car. If I buy it, I will replace any weatherstripping it may need, any small odds or ends it needs to be reliable and comfortable, and I want to add a CD player and good speakers. Or maybe I will install a Becker Mexico cassette player and have an auxiliary CD player attached to it.

Define "rebuilt engine"?

1968 was the first year of the 220D, and they had some bad metal in the engines. Doubtful that very many original 68 engine blocks survived this long. Most of them did not make it to 100k. So, if rebuilt engine means it had a new short block at some point, then OK. Otherwise, get a compression test first.

I will check on this. I know 1968 200Ds tended to have problems with the engines.

It should drive a lot like a 108 but slower. The chassis was very very competent on the fintails. The swing axles get a little touchy if you get them to break loose in the rain though, but as long as you don't push them to the traction limit on back it is very very smmoth and has excellent handling.

Also keep the kingpins lubricated. the suspension pivots will sieze if you don't.

You won't have any problem at all meeting this goal.... as long as there is no traffic at all on the road.

26-30 MPG depending on time of year and highway/city mix.

WHy are you laughing? The 0-60 time is about right, do yourself a favor and take a ride in another car and accelerate to 60 in 30 seconds to see what you are in for if you decide to use this car as a daily driver.


The W110 chassis 200D was reliable and comfortable..... 4-5 decades ago. Trying to use one as a daily driver today is IMHO not a great idea. I think you are going to end up replacing more than just "odds and ends" to keep this car a reliable daily driver. Good luck.

Go for it!
 

If the car is in great working order, and maybe has a few quirks I say go for it using it as a daily driver. I've been using my 1970 220D which does 0-60 in 31 seconds as a daily driver for the past 6 months and it has been nothing short of a rewarding experience.

The ONLY complaint with the 220 I have/had is no working A/C at this time and I live in the desert, so that kind of sucked. But now that it's winter it's awesome. I get great mileage, feel somewhat safe lol and know I look good :)

The whole being able to keep up with traffic and all that is not even a problem, and I have a longer 0-60 than you! The only slow part of the car really is the take offs. But once I get going I have absolutely no problem keeping up with traffic and can pass people if I want, freeway onramps aren't a big deal either. I have never had trouble getting on a freeway, if you can get behind a semi who is on the onramp, you can blame going super slow on them :D

Hills are another thing my 220 hates and are what slow me down pretty bad. But I mean you can't do anything with a 4 cylinder 65hp diesel car. But I mean for going to work and around town, it's a great car to use.

I bought the car! I paid $1,200 for it and drove it 60 miles home. The car starts right up and the acceleration is not bad! My roommate followed behind me and he said he was amazed because he was going 65 miles per hour and I was pulling away from him. The engine RPMs do get high once you go above 65 and 70 was the fastest I felt was safe for the engine. But, I must say I am not disappointed with the way it drives. I think I will install 14" wheels to be able drive on the freeway at lower RPMs and first gear is so low I can almost start out in second.

It still has the original license plates from 1968. The interior (tan/brown) is amazing other than the original carpet was replaced with this hokey white shag carpet. The dashboard has no cracks, the door panels are perfect, the headliner is excellent (no sunburn by the rear windshield) and the seats are perfect (even the top of the back seat) other than there is a very small tear in the center of the bottom of the driver seat that is almost unnoticeable. The air conditioning blows cold air and the heater works. The engine was rebuilt, new clutch, new brakes, older Michelin X Radial tires that have almost no wear on them. I think the paint (light beige) is original and it is very shiny, though the paint is bubbling in the rear of the trunk and taillight area (and the rocker panels are rusty).

One bad thing about it is the floor shift transmission was sloppy. I gave it some attention. The seller had just had a new clutch put in and noticed that the "old" clutch disc and pressure plate looked new (of course, when you rebuild an engine you put in a new clutch). The place that did the clutch, however, did not do a good job at putting the shift linkage back together. The shift lever was actually upside down so it was awkward to shift and apparently the mechanic didn't care what bolts and washers went to what. I sorted it all out. I installed two new bushings and had to find a spare ball socket bushing half that holds the shift lever up as this bushing was gone and the shifter as resting on the body metal.

It has a working third brake light, which is interesting. The door seals are mostly intact, but I think I will replace them anyway and will probably squirt some black bedding compound in spots on the windshield seals, though I think replacing the windshield seals is imminent. I am going to get the "fast glow" glow plug kit for this engine (plugs heat up faster and if one goes out, the others will still work), an H3 Halogen headlight set, and biodiesel-friendly fuel hose.

I love this car.

Pictures when you have the chance, please. Congratulations!

It sounds like fun!
Those old diesles with a stick are fine to drive...very torquey.

Very nice read...
I can tell you are already planning many things for your 200.

I had a 75 240D w-115 with a four speed and had a blast with it for several years. I bought it from a guy who ordered a new 75 300D as he warned me of the lack of power. I got the better deal as he broke in the engine for me and helped by taking the sting out of a new car price. A few trips across the Continental Divide on I-70 thru Denver in the slow lane but I always got where I was going and I was never late.

Congrats. I would love to have a W110 diesel with a 4-speed. I would like a 4-speed in my W115 but I hate to make it non-original.

Post some pictures!!

Nice write up, and it sounds like a neat car - congrats!

Really anxious to see some pictures of your new ride...

Here are some pictures I took of the car tonight. It's raining and not very good lighting, but this should work for now to give you an idea of the condition of the car I bought. Overall, I think $1,200 was a good price. It's in nicer condition than I expected, with the exception of the rusty rocker panels and the engine being very dirty and in need of much new rubber.

The body really only has a couple of door dings as far as dents go. The paint and chrome are shiny. The rocker panels, unfortunately, are rusty and the driver side will need to be replaced (and advice on this?). All glass is good and I think it is tinted. The interior is almost perfect, but that ugly carpet has to go. Remarkably, the top of the rear seat and the headliner are not sunburned.

I'm currently waiting on a proper oil filter kit (have the oil) and will need to remove all the rubber fuel hose to find what sizes I need to order biodiesel-compatible hose. Much of the hose is crimped into banjo fittings and such, but I think if I can cut the crimped hose off and then clamp the new hose to the fittings themselves. I'll be replacing the tank screen and fuel filters while I'm at it. I will replace the rubber valve cover elbow to stop that oil leak, then clean the engine to see if it has other leaks. Then the engine will be back up and running for now until I have the money to replace all coolant hoses and flush the cooling system and put in Zerex G-05 coolant. I want to also replace the heater core valves if they are still available new/affordable so I have no chance of coolant leaks other than in the case the heater cores or radiator may leak (they aren't currently leaking). Then the shift linkage on the transmission end will need work to get rid of the ridiculous amount of slop.

I will be installing 14" wheels that will accept the original hubcaps for more ideal gearing.

Here are more pictures:

Very cool, and a great deal for $1200.00

I would hurry up and get on that rust before it gets more serious.

I recall you been searching for awhile... so that's a nice finback find! Interior looks correct too.
Sounds money well spent. Congrats!

It looks like a great find. The interior looks wonderful. That AC is a rare find too.

Congratulations!

Keep the chassis greased!

Nice car Squiggle Dog! Looks like it's in pretty nice shape overall, especially for the price. As someone who has driven 40 & 50 yr-old cars (and motorcycles) as daily drivers for years, I know how rewarding the experiance can be. While others might think you're crazy to take such a risk, few know the joys of relying on your mechanical wits and letting go of all the electronics, airbags and navigation silliness. Keep that suspension lubed, fluids fresh, tank filled with B100 and have a blast!

So cool, great find

X2 you best hop on that rust. Did you check to make sure you don't have gaping holes in the floor?

SPEDO
 

I forgot all about how cool that spiral Spedo is! Watching that thing turn from zero to sixty should take about 30 seconds.

Have Fun!

There are some small holes in the floor and trunk. I can't do much about the rust until late spring when it is warmer. The left rocker panel will probably need to be replaced entirely.

Right now I am working on making it a reliable driver to get me through the winter. I'm going to either clean the fuel tank or have it cleaned (was full of black particles and plants when I drained the tank), and I am going to clean the hard lines with brake cleaner, either clean or replace the tank screen, clean the tank sending unit (which is not working), replace the two fuel filters, and replace all rubber fuel hose.

I also have to exchange the oil filter kit I got for another one as I got the wrong part number. The rubber elbow on the valve cover needs replacing as well as it is leaking majorly. Then I will fill the crankcase with some Mobil 1 synthetic 5W40 turbo diesel truck oil that I got on the cheap side. I will also siphon or drain the oil out of the injection pump and top off with new oil. The oil bath air cleaner element will also be cleaned (in gasoline) and topped off with oil.

This should get me by until I can afford/find time to replace all coolant hoses, replace thermostat, water pump housing gaskets, flush the cooling system, and fill with Zerex G-05 coolant.

After this I think I will replace all brake and clutch hoses, flush system, and replace with fresh brake fluid.

I don't know what to do about the rusty spots. I have tried naval jelly/rust remover on my last car, but it didn't seem to work at all. I could use a rust converter, but I would rather get those spots down to bare metal and prime/paint.

Better run some biocide thruough the fuel system to kill off the bacteria. That is what the black dots are.

In 2001, I inherited a '60 Fintail 220S. The improved swing-axle design introduced on the Fintails is less tricky than that used on the earlier Ponton versions. And the dual-circuit front disc-brakes on your 200D should be a big improvement over the 4-wheel drums on my car.
I drove my Fintail for five years. Not so much as a daily driver, but frequently enough - weather permitting - until age and rust finally caught up with her.
Regardless of any rust you already have, try to avoid driving yours in the snow & salt.

Make sure the suspension grease-fittings are taking grease. Both front upper-outer pivot grease-points on mine were completely clogged with dirt/rust, so I had to unscrew the fittings to clean them & their holes with pick and brake-cleaner. Then the grease flowed and fortunately my bushings hadn't seized yet.

The current correct tire size for those 13" Fintail wheels is a 185/80R13, and finding quality tires in that size is nearly impossible now.
My Fintail came with very-old Pirellis that, while dry-rotted, handled very well. The BF Goodriches I wound-up replacing them with, were lousy!

14" rims from a '66 to '68 W108 250/280S/SE have the nubs to hold your Fintail center-caps, but to maintain speedometer accuracy, fender-clearance (and acceptable steering-effort if you don't have power-steering) you may need to go no larger than a 185/70R14.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Luckily, the roads aren't salted here and usually it doesn't snow in the winter. I think my 1967 230S has new 185/80R13 tires on it, so I will probably put those on for now because the tires on the car, while being nice Michelin X Radials with more than 90% tread left, are dry rotted. I wanted to go with 14" W108 wheels because they are bigger in diameter and so the first gear won't be so low and it will have lower RPMs on the freeway.

I you do switch to W108 rims, a 185/70R14 should have about the same OD as a 185/80R13, so don't expect much reduction in highway revs.
You may have to go to a 185/75R14 for that. If you do, check for any clearance issues. And be prepared for some speedometer error - perhaps about 5% slow.

Something else to watch out for - given a specific tire size, not all makes and models of tire marked with that number may actually be the exact same size.
My recently purchased '82 240D came with a set of old 205/70R14 Firestones on Bundt-rims. They seemed very tall. It made the car look a bit like it was a 4WD SUV.
So I compared one of them with a spare 205/70R14 Michelin I had mounted on the same type of Bundt rim, and the Firestone diameter was nearly 2" taller, while the Firestone tread was about an inch narrower!

Happy Motoring, Mark

I always liked that old barber pole speedometer.

You can't really tell how fast you are going, but it sure looks cool. :D

so jealous - always wanted one of those as a DD.

FIX THAT RUST!

looks better than my w110 :P

Yesterday I replaced the oil filter and filled the engine with Mobil 1 synthetic 5W40 oil. This should make wintertime starting easier.

Right now the fuel tank is away being cleaned and derusted. I was thinking, "Are the pads on top of the fuel tank going to stay on, and if not, what do I use to replace them?".

Can you ask the tank repair shop to save the pads?
Otherwise, could you use roofing tar-paper? Pieces of vinyl floor covering? Strips cut from old inner-tubes?

Happy Motoring, Mark

I got the fuel tank back today. The outside of the tank was not touched, but the inside of the tank seems to be cleaner. Not all of the rust is gone, but it looks like they got some of it out. $109.

I have all of the fuel hose in the engine compartment replaced. I used the old hose for reference and added a millimeter or two where I felt it was needed (to the nearest whole centimeter), as the crimped metal that I removed on each side of the original hoses on each end added about a millimeter each. I cut the hoses with hose cutters and carefully ground the ends to be smooth and parallel to each other. I used new stainless German hose clamps with the tightening bolts conveniently and strategically placed, with all hose lettering facing up and readable from a convenient standing point.

As you may know, the fitting on the fuel tank is larger than the metal line that it connects to. The required part is a 60mm long tapered hose (A 111 476 15 26), but since I will be using biodiesel I can't use this part unless I want to replace it prematurely. The fitting on the tank is a bit larger than 3/8", but I can get 3/8" hose to fit if I heat the hose, grease the fitting, and slide it on. The fuel hard line is 8mm--I think--but 5/16" hose fits on there tightly. So, what I will probably do is use a 3/8" hose to attach the tank fitting to the hard line, with 1/16" nylon tubing as a spacer sheathed over the hard line so the 3/8" hose will fit over it.

The fuel tank is better to my liking now and today I cleaned the sending unit (which was not working and no wonder--it was clogged up with sludge) and installed it in the tank with a new cork gasket, a light coat of proper gasket adhesive on the tank side, and new spring washers. I also installed the new tank screen with a new viton quad O-ring. The fuel cap (which was derusted) will get a new biodiesel-friendly gasket.

I'm really hoping to have it running soon as working outside in 17 degree Fahrenheit weather and wind is painful.

Today I got my group 49 diesel battery back from my roommate (he was borrowing it for his 1965 220S--was a little long for the battery tray). Hopefully starting in the mornings will be better with this battery. The battery that came in my 200D is a truck battery that was too tall and I noticed that the dent in the hood is from the previous owner shutting the hood on the negative battery post; I was a bit angry. The battery cables have those cheap clamp-on clamps on them. I want to use heavy battery cables (if new ones are needed) and attach those Swedish quick-release battery terminal clamps like my 300SD had so removing the battery is a breeze (except for the weight).

I also pumped the oil out of the injector pump; it was clear like the day it was new! I filled it with my Mobil 1 5W40 synthetic oil (no engine leaks on synthetic so far) up to the fill plug and installed a new aluminum seal ring. I also cleaned the breather cap and reinstalled it.

My radiator cap was making noise, so I replaced it with another one that said 100 on it. I really wanted to use this nice one I had, but it said 40 on it and I didn't know if it would be good to use a 40 cap instead of a 100, or what the difference is.

I had been noticing lately that the parking brake no longer held, the rear wheels were grinding, and the brakes were feeling strange. I inspected the rear right brake and could see that the drum was smooth with no lip on it and the brake shoes looked new. So, I put the drum and wheel back on and inspected the other side. The brake shoes on the rear left side were bonded and both pads had come off! I take it they were rolling around in the between the drum and shoes. No damage was done to the shoes or pads, however the drum got a little scraped up. I think the pads can be re-bonded to the shoes since they are all still in good condition and have hardly any wear. The drum is still okay. I took the shoes and drum from my 1967 230S as it has new brakes all around (and not running). Now the brakes feel much better! No more grinding noises, weird pedal, and the parking brake holds once again.

I think the car is ready to make a trip to Seattle to buy my 14" wheels. The seller says the tires on the rims are in great condition and would be good for everyday use, but they have curb guards on the side like the old Continentals and Michelins had, so I am worried that the tires may be 20 years old. I don't know of any modern tires with the curb guard on them.

After having driven the car a bit, I am really happy with the acceleration and handling. I heard the horror stories about how slow they are, but they really aren't any slower than a Honda Civic or a Toyota Tercel. I don't have any problem merging onto the freeway as long as traffic isn't heavy AND moving above 65 MPH. Sure, you can't jump out into traffic quickly, but it does good for most driving situations if I floor it and shift quickly. I am happy with the way it drives for what it is. It's not the speed machine my 300SD was, but it will do.

Sounds like your making a lot of progess on it. Continue to keep us posted.

I think that the alternator is bad or there is a bad connection at the alternator. I have used two different batteries, both fairly new, and both give the same results--I charge the battery to full capacity, drive the car around for a while, and then when I get back the battery shows it is almost empty of charge. The car that the current battery was in had no charging problems. I did notice that the three connections at the back of the alternator had broken off and I had to crimp new connectors on there. I will have to do some testing.

I might put this car up for sale along with my 230S all my other Mercedes parts. I'm getting discouraged thinking about all of the time and money I'm going to have to put into this car for it to be reliable and safe. My income is much too low to own a car. I have so much debt and it is accruing faster than I can pay it off. I can't declare bankruptcy because my father's home is collateral on some of my debt. Every time I own a car it sucks me dry of my money and I never seem to have time for anything else. They always get me in trouble and I need to stay away from them until I have a great career, money in the bank, and a place to work on them.

Yikes. There went the zeal.

I'd give you your money back and take that car home if you were close.

I think the alternator might not be charging because it's not really connected to the engine block, and it might need to be grounded. The alternator bracket is loose at the engine because the bolts won't tighten any further at the block. I think there are maybe supposed to be some washers there. Also, the alternator is loose at the bracket. It wiggles around in the bracket and I wonder if there is supposed to be a spacer washer in there. Then, then adjusting eye bolt from the alternator to the block wiggles because apparently there is a washer missing at the engine block by the eyelet. Whoever rebuilt the engine must have lost some parts.

When my roommate pays me back the money I loaned him I will probably have enough to "finish" the car, at least mechanically. I've just been slaving away at the car for days on end (as much as 15 continuous hours) and I've felt like I haven't had time for other things. It can be discouraging trying to work on the car when it is below freezing and I can't clean anything because all the cleaning product is frozen in the bottle and the car has ice on it. I miss the summer.

I want to make this work, it is just hard to balance my time and income to make it work and it gets annoying. I wish I could get decent money for all of the W116 parts I have in storage, but so far it seems everything I've been trying to sell I've ended up giving away--literally--in some cases it has cost me money after shipping ended up being more expensive than I quoted. I did get $100 for a set of 5 nice bundt wheels, so it hasn't been a total loss.

Same here but too far away as well.

When buying a car this old (40 years), you must realize money will need to be spent to get it road worthy and keep it that way. They also are not 100% reliable. Some years my old cars run with very few problems, and other years they can almost be a money pit and take way too much of my time.

Sounds like you would be better off buying a car that is around 10 years old with under around 100,000 miles or less. A car like this that has been well maintained can run for many miles and years with very little cost, and purchased at a reasonable price if you look around.

Sounds like after reading your last email, you are just very frustrated. I hear that. Unfortunately that happens and you just need to keep plugging away if you are really dedicated to the project. Some fixes can simply be done with a little ingenuity and elbow grease, not costing much.

You mentioned the brake lining falling off. That is something that can happen to any car. My dad's '95 car had that happen a few year back. Never had that problem with the old rivet style.

On the alternator, it is actually mounted to the block using rubber mounts to absorb engine vibration. The mounts simply rot and wear out, hence the looseness. You can replace the mounts, or you might just remove them completely and mount the bracket solidly to the engine block. I'm sure it is not the best for the alternator, but I'm not sure it will cause any harm either. A loose belt can cause the alternator not to charge, and broken wires mentioned before sure will.

The alternator should be tight in the bracket. Just do what you need to do with washers and bolts to tighten it up. As for the tensioner, it should rotate at the block and not be bolted tight. You might have a loose bolt, or simply wear. If you can get the looseness out of the rest of the mounting and keep compression on this adjuster, any wear should not be a problem.

The charging problem is fixed! The fan belt was very loose (even though I had already tightened it before). After driving home with the lights, wipers, and defroster on, the battery showed a full charge when I hooked up the battery charger. I think the looseness in the belt had something to do with the alternator not being attached securely. I think it is missing rubber mounts at the block and possibly some washers in other places. It's kind of hard to tell even with the EPC how it is supposed to be. I also wonder if the tension adjusting nut is supposed to be on top of or underneath the threaded block that attaches to the top of the alternator. But it is working now and I should be able to pick up my 14" wheels in Seattle.

No 14" wheels for me. I was going to buy a really nice set on craigslist with dog dish hubcaps and supposedly good tires to upgrade from the 13" wheels currently on the car. I was going to buy them for $80.

Yesterday I told the seller I wanted to buy them and we agreed on meeting today at 2:30 at his home at 1484 S (street name will not be disclosed here) and to look for a big satellite dish and a tall tree. I told him I would be coming from Tacoma, so it would take maybe an hour to get there. I said I would call before I left to let him know I was on my way.

Today I called him before 1:00 to let him know I was going to be leaving; no answer, so I left a message. I called 3 more times and he did not answer his phone. So, I finally left him a message saying that I was on my way because otherwise I would not be able to get there on time for the appointment and beat rush hour traffic. I waited for him to return my call and then finally left (later than I wanted to).

I got to Seattle around 2:45. I think I passed 1484 S about 6 times and got lost in other streets, got on the freeway a couple times by accident, ended up on the wrong side of the freeway, before I found out how to pull in and park (I hate Seattle streets--not like in Utah where everything is on a grid system).

I got to 1484 S a little after 3:00. I saw the satellite dish and the big tree in front of a house that looked like it was abandoned. There was an apartment complex next to it with 1484 S written on it. I was really confused as to where to go. I knocked at the house a few times and no answer. The address on the house was 3426 or something like that, so it wasn't 1484 anyway. I knocked at a few of the doors at the 1484 S apartment complex and no one there knew anything about the wheels.

I walked around in the rain wondering what to do and tried to find a phone. I then drove to a pay phone and called the guy (still not answering his phone) and left a message. I finally left and got stuck in rush hour traffic that took 2 hours to get home.

So, needless to say, I am not happy. I cannot bring myself to endure another trip like that if the guy wants to meet again. If he wants to deliver them to me, then I will buy them.

This reminds me of the 3 hour trip I made one time to see a "good running W123 diesel Mercedes with 5 speed manual transmission for $300" after talking with the seller about it and asking him to look at the shifter carefully to be sure it was a 5 speed, not a 4 speed. He insisted it was 5 forward gears. I get there and the car won't start. Whatever, I don't care for the price just as long as it has the 5 speed transmission. Then I look at the shift knob and it shows 4 gears and reverse. The guy says, "Oh, I guess it is a 4 speed. I can get it started for you so you can test drive it." I said, "Don't bother, the transmission being different from what you said it was is a deal breaker."

The 200D did okay on the trip other than sometimes the brakes and clutch pedals felt a little strange sometimes (like cylinders need to be rebuilt) and shifting into reverse (or any gear, really) is a PAIN (probably need bushings at transmission end).

Maybe I will just get some cheap-o W123 14" steel wheels and full hubcaps. The car drives fine around town, it's just that on the freeway the engine doesn't like to do above 60-65 MPH and first gear seems very, very low. It's fine for driving to work, but for long trips, doing only 60 MPH the whole way is a drag.

My roommate got home and checked his messages on the answering machine. Apparently the guy with the wheels called at some point to let me know today wouldn't be a good day, but he left it in my roommate's inbox so I didn't receive the message until just now. The number on the caller ID was a different name and phone number than what I called yesterday so I didn't even see him on the caller ID. I'd probably make another trip if the guy gave me a discount and I could get them when traffic is light (like on a Sunday).

Today I noticed that the radiator is seeping along the soldered section on top toward the middle. It's not bad, but could open up and start spraying with time. I cannot afford a recore or a new radiator at this time, so what can I do to get by for a little while? I am thinking JB Weld or the radiator repair kits that can be bought at the parts stores. I think I'll be fine for the usual drives to work, just no long trips for now. When I have the money I think I want to have it recored with the "new technology" and as thick as will fit. But, I may consider a new one if they are "new technology" and not too expensive.

I think I blew a valve cover gasket (that's right, valve cover gasket, not head gasket). The gasket is deformed, hardened, and split so now oil is leaking from it. At least it's leaking synthetic oil which seems to be cleaning the engine rather than gunking it up like conventional oil! I have a new gasket on the way along with spring washers and valve wrenches. I figure if I have the valve cover off I may as well adjust the valves while I'm at it since it has probably never been done since the rebuild. I will also check to make sure the head is properly torqued, because who knows if it was retorqued after the rebuild. I have a chance to buy a near NOS 1968 200D head as a spare for $150, and I would buy it if I wasn't so broke. The valve cover has a little corrosion on it which I will clean off with baking soda and vinegar (unless there is a better method). I was thinking of polishing the valve cover by hand with Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish to give it more of a shine; is there any reason why I shouldn't? I will lube the linkages on the valve cover top when I put it back on.

I topped off the tank with 7 gallons of B99 biodiesel. I noticed the cap was hard to get off and when I pulled off the cap I heard a long WHOOOOOOSH and saw the tank deforming quite a bit. I take it that it is not venting! I guess maybe there is a clog in the plastic venting doodad in the trunk.

The car seems to be accelerating a lot better since I've been driving it. I guess it does okay at 70 MPH (no need to go faster), I was just scared it was racing the engine too much.

If you can find an old fashoned radiator shop they should be able to clean it and resolder it. Probably a hundred or so.

Yesterday I adjusted the valves with a new $80 valve wrench set. The exhaust valves were off by a lot and I set them to the factory specs of .40mm. The intake valves were all in perfect adjustment at .10mm. I cleaned and lightly polished the valve cover and installed a new valve cover gasket (old one was cut from being overtightened).

Today I think I solved the mystery of the fuel tank not venting. The vent tube that drops out underneath the car was clogged with mud at the end.

I also fixed all of the lights. The previous owner must not have been able to find the proper light bulbs for the front turn signals, so he broke off the connectors for the three bulbs, drilled a hole in the center of the housings, installed a new bulb holder with caulking, and spliced the wires to make it work (not pretty). The lens gaskets were missing so he used caulking on the edges before installing, however the new amber bulbs he installed were too long for the lenses to go on completely and the bulbs melted them a little since they were touching the lenses.

What I did to fix this (for now) was to clean everything up and install shorter bulbs that were the same voltage and wattage as the previous bulbs. Now the lenses go on completely and with a little space between them and the bulbs. I boiled the housing gaskets for a few minutes then sprayed 303 Aerospace Protectant on them so they would go back on the housings more easily. It looks a LOT better and works. Now all of my turn signals work, including the indicator lights on the dashboard. I think I want to look for nicer housings eventually (and maybe upgrade to the European style with fog lights built in).

The tail lights were a hokey nightmare as well. The previous owner installed a third brake light and cut into the wiring harness to do so (why?). The electrical connections at the light bulb housings were broken and full of caulking. There were also a few different ground wires that had been added. I cleaned the bulb holders and installed new bulbs. The reverse light bulb holders for the left tail light are broken (apparently the caulking didn't hold up in that spot). There is lots of metal tape in the housing. The brake light bulbs that were installed before were too big and they touched the plastic sides of the housing and melted them a little.

I'd like to find nicer tail light bulb housings in the future. But, for now all of the lights work except for the left reverse light. Now to patch the radiator with some JB weld until I have it recored.

Here are some better pictures of the 200D. I think it looks nice overall, but the rocker panels look like they will need complete replacement. I want to take care of the rust then touch up and blend the chipped and rusty spots of the paint after I find out what the color name of my car is. I think it's odd that the front bumper overriders have a rubber strip while the rear ones don't. I may swap them out for all metal ones to match the ones in back. This car has factory green tinted heat absorbing glass (thus the great conditon of the interior). As you can see from the pictures of the engine compartment, I have the York air compressor out of the way for now (behind the air cleaner) until I replace all coolant hoses and have the radiator recored.

And some more pictures. The paint on the back face of the car is flaking off like it wasn't prepared properly or there was moisture there during painting. I plan on respraying the areas that need it (probably with spray paint of the proper color).