I just bought an '87 TD parts car.
 

...for $600. I'm pretty excited to be able to fix all of my broken interior parts (the owner of my car before me had kids), and replace various body parts. The best thing is that it has a running engine. I haven't been able to check the head casting, but the seller seems to think that it has an updated head. I will find that out tomorrow. I want to rehabilitate this engine to the point that it is reliable for the life of the rest of the car. I'm just not sure how far I should take it. Should I just clean everything and change the head gasket? or is it worth getting the head re-valved and changing piston rings and maybe bearings in the bottom end. Obviously this all depends on what the engine looks like when i get it opened up. I'm also looking of some performance advice. I'm not trying to build a race car, but getting more power or mpg would be nice. Thanks for any advice.

an 87 300TD as in Wagon TD? if this is a parts car I wanna see pics...

How many miles are on the car? Is the head gasket bad?

Me too! Where are you located?

All of the questions that you asked are impossible to answer without knowing the miles and condition of your car, what your goals are regarding performance and longevity, and your budget. Love to help but more discussion and information is key.

there is 290,000 miles on the car. The transmission cooler broke inside the radiator and pepto bismoled the transmission. It has a new radiator and new fluid in the tranny, but apparently doesn't shift into 4th gear until very high rpm's. The body had a good amount of rust, which has been halfway backyard bondoed. The front end however looks nice. Good grille, fenders, and nice looking european style headlights. The wheels also look better than mine. I know that I am going to get some disapproval for parting out an 87 300TD, but I am a professional body tech and I know what I'm looking at. To a non mercedes enthusiast, this is definitely a $600 car. I am picking it up this weekend when I get the title changed over. As far as I could tell, the engine is fine. It idles fine and doesn't smoke excessively. I haven't driven it though. Its hard to say what my budget is. I would be willing to put a couple grand into the engine if it meant having a reliable and good performing engine.

I will investigate more once I have the car in my possession. I want everyone to be confident that i will NOT scrap a good '87 TD that is worth saving. I know better.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/2103458437.html
(The low res photos make it look too nice, and that is in fact spray paint below the mouldings)

Damn.... Any 87 TD is worth saving, there's few few few of them left.

Too bad some of those few '87 TDs had to end up in PA, where everything turns to rust after 20 years.

When (if?) you want to part it out, PM me...

heh, I pm'd him the instant he posted he was going to part it out...
dibs...:P

good find. i see nothing wrong with parting a rust-bucket car. if it's that rusty on the lower portion there are likely to be some structural rust issues, like the steering pivot mount or subframe pickup points.

it will be awesome for you to have a complete matching parts car, that's rare for sure when you have an '87 TD. it's all most people can do to find one car to drive, let alone a complete parts car. if you're handy that will make it easy to keep your driver on the road almost indefinitely. if it were my project i would do as much testing on the engine now while it's complete and running, that should give you a good idea of the condition.

Well i just drove it home from Southside Pittsburgh to Braddock in 2nd gear. The engine sounded healthy. It did smoke alot while driving 4500 rpms. It smelled a little of oil and the oil light flashed briefly. I will post back when I take a closer look at it.

http://reading.craigslist.org/cto/2050109036.html

Hard to find? That one looks pretty good. Do the 87s 603 have a pump for the sls?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1987-Mercedes-Wagon-300-TD-RARE-OPTION-diesel-ONE-OWNER-/190480678258?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2c59887d72

This one has orthopedic seats.

Ok I get it....I've found four....and two of them were run on Lard, and three of them look to be rustbuckets.....I understand now. If I wanted one...I'd have to drive at least three states away and deal with rust......OR

I could use my Jedi Mind Tricks on John.....This is not the TD your looking for.

(in my best jabba voice) hah hah hah... I was killing jedi scum before you were born... your mind tricks have no effect on me...:rolleyes:

[QUOTE=thayer;2612613]http://reading.craigslist.org/cto/2050109036.html

Hard to find? That one looks pretty good. Do the 87s 603 have a pump for the sls?
QUOTE]

That one does look good if you can do the upholstery work.

Great color IMO, leather (although rough), and the body looks straight.

Being in NY for its first 14years might deal some rust issues, have to look it over carefully, and the strange junkyard armrest thing would worry me a little, but as hard as it is to find this car in a nice color and straight, ... if the mileage is documented and the body really straight, I'd happily deal with the interior issue for twice the current bid. JMO.

that car was in a collision I bet. the front fender does not match the door paint...
and yes. wagons have an SLS pump of a sort... tandem to the PS pump.