I this car for real
 

Or is this guy jerking our chain?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982-300D-4-Speed-Manual-Turbo-Diesel-123-chassis_W0QQitemZ110497662393QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item19ba2c85b9

It looks decent, except for the new seat covers.

short answer, no

russian site shows a 617.912 engine as does his ad when he references the engine code.

A turbo must have been added later.

Hmmmmm.........

This is his VIN options list

WDB12313010288258
Model 300 D
Chassis 12313010288258
Engine 617912 10 176013 TURBO DIESEL
Transmission 716005 00 916648 MANUAL 4 SPEED
Order 0 2 513 17353
Year 1982
Lights HELLA
Cab 17618
Dealer Belgium (513)
Interior cloth anthracite+green (036)
Paint
881 thistle green metallic (с 01.01.1979 по 31.12.1986, с 1994)
Options
207 owner's manual and service booklet 3) (с 01.03.1968)
tire pressure instructions 3)
410 electric sliding roof (с 01.03.1965 по 29.02.1988)
438 automatic (self-reeling) safety belts front left and right
safety belts, front, rear and central
elimination of rear safety belts
466 central locking system (с 01.04.1970 по 31.10.1993)
593 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (single-sheet safety glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, single pane safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)
630 ECE warning triangle (с 01.08.1980)
656 (с 01.08.1965 по 31.10.1989)

This is what comes out from the Russian VIN decoder

VIN WDB12313010288258
Model 300 D
Chassis 12313010288258
Engine 617912 10 176013
Transmission 716005 00 916648
Order 0 2 513 17353
Approx. year 1982
Dealer Belgium (513)
Interior cloth anthracite+green (036)
Paint
881 thistle green metallic (с 01.01.1979 по 31.12.1986, с 1994)
Options
207 owner's manual and service booklet 3) (с 01.03.1968)
tire pressure instructions 3)
410 electric sliding roof (с 01.03.1965 по 29.02.1988)
438 automatic (self-reeling) safety belts front left and right
safety belts, front, rear and central
elimination of rear safety belts
466 central locking system (с 01.04.1970 по 31.10.1993)
593 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (single-sheet safety glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, single pane safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)
630 ECE warning triangle (с 01.08.1980)
656 Michelin tires (с 01.08.1965 по 31.10.1989)
665

that is a turbo intake on that motor, so let's HOPE the PO changed the entire motor, not just added a turbo...
the IP has the turbo alda, so it's possible...
that euro a/c makes me worried though... that and the old style throttle linkage... not a good sign for the motor being changed...
I might make the trip up there (what's a couple hour drive for a quality 617 manual vehicle???)

Vstech:

Let us know what you find if you go.

Yeah, I don't know about the interior, otherwise, that just near ideal. Weird that it has U.S. lights, and I guess the instrument cluster was swapped. I don't know if the VIN can lie, it's already weird cause of the 912. I'd put my money on it being a conversion. I'd definitely still buy it though, save you a lot of trouble.

What's up with those seats? Are they just the Euro style ?

a 617-912 is a non turbo code.
The "M" pumps came on non turbo's only IIRC. The non turbo models IP have what looks like a ALDA but it's not. Turbo engines were never offered with a manual IIRC also. Fishy indeed.

I've never seen that interior fabric before on an MB, but he does state in the auction that it has been redone. Also, the lower dash panels have likely been swapped as they don't match the rest of the green-ness. Cowl vents are also not chrome...but I've seen pre 82 euro 240's with chrome and 300's without chrome so not sure what the story is there.

Probably have to figure out how cars sent to Belgium were spec'd from the factory. Regardless, looks like a mixed bag that someone has at least "attempted" to care about for a while...

those seats are... different?

I'm interested to know what's up with this car too, I posted it on the ebay thread list when I first saw it. One of you NC people should go and check it out for us and report back! It's definitely been tampered with a bit, but it's difficult to tell from what extent from the pictures.

I kinda like the swirly-do paisley seats! I wonder what they mean by 'redone'. And, it would be kinda nice not to have to worry about your wood trim warping...

I've seen that car for sale before. Either someone dumped it or they've been trying to sell it for a looong time.

Classic Grey Market 70s 80s car--Lights and Speedo were part of the US certification for import, they left the bumpers, just like my 86-300SL--This one is nearly identical to a 300D up in Minnesota a local shop uses for a loner, except that one has no radio from the factory.

Yep, that car looked familiar to me too. And looky what I found in my "Random MB pics" folder. These are from Oct. of '08 so I'm guessing it was for sale then too.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...rredone82b.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...rredone82c.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...orredone82.jpg

Obviously this has to be the same car. Those seats certainly are one-of-a-kind!