Strelnik, potential downer, location is Lansing NY, not Lansing MI. It's OK too. I just needed enough daydream to regain perspective & chase away the cobwebs.

I called the guy yewdsterday, if the prospective buyer doesn't acquire it, he will sell to me, we had a good gab on the phone.

I think the toughest thing will be finding tires, since it takes the thinner 19" size, but he says the current ones are 5 years old or less and were bought new.
We'll see!

just posted this on the craigslist alert thread. i live in ithaca and would love to go check it out for anyone interested. pm or e-mail me.

upstate ny means rust though. i haven't bought a mercedes from within the state lines because of this. even if it hasn't been sitting in a field rotting, driving it in the snow and salt means rot. we have a salt mine under our finger lake and the town/city gets CHEAP salt. they blow it around everywhere for six freaking months.

I sent you a Pm about that.

I will be retiring from job # 1 on June 30, just keeping job #2. With this extra time and some money, I'll take my time and invest the money in some good steel.

well, i went out and checked it out for strelnik, took about 90 to 100 pics and sent them to him, and hung out with the owner checking it over for about an hour.

i'm eagerly awaiting an update and decision from strelnik! it was pretty cool seeing this thing in the wild, probably won't see another in my lifetime.

So give us the skinny on it including sharing those pictures:)

First, a big thanks to Adam, aka Squabble, for a lot of help on this!

The short skinny (partly obtained by research on German-language websites):

1. The van is a Hanomag F25, which, the following year, became the Mercedes 206D through replacement of the engine with an OM615 and "badge engineering"-- off comes the HANOMAG name plate, on goes the three pointed star. Thus, no MB engineering and it's obvious.

2. The van is powered by a 1.8l diesel Hanomag-Borgward D301E2 with a Bosch AL28 fuel injection pump, not real reliable. Gearbox is a four-speed ZF of unknown lineage. Not run in 5 years.

3. Extensive rust everywhere. The entire floor is gone, because the Hanomag "economy" move was to use wood for floors on the vans, with beefed up x-frame type chassis, similar to the pre-war Benz W136.

4. Two doors are partly rusted shut, tires hold air, and parts manual. Seats and front floor area are totally trashed.

5. OH, BTW-- NO TITLE.

If I decide to buy, he is going to have to lower the price, because to make it roadworthy to pass a basic safety Michigan inspection of classic cars not run for 5 years (new law), assuming an OK engine and trans, will cost about 3000-4000 minimum. To make a daily driver with lots of zits would cost about 6,000.

A ground up resto is about 12,000-15,000.

I really have to decide if this is worth the effort. and COST. for what I get when the dust settles and the money has been spent.

This is not an Adenauer that was left in someone's garage.

Better to buy one on mobile.de and ship it over.

After I confirm with the Michigan Secretary of State regarding the title, I'm going to call this guy and tell him what I can afford.
News at 11.

..and no amount of money is going to fix ugly. Hanomag's have a face that only a mother could love.

For the amount of money and effort it would take to get that one running, you could buy one in Europe that currently meets Germany's strict roadworthy tests, drive it around Europe for a few weeks or months, jump on the ferry from either Scotland or Norway to Iceland, drive it around Iceland for a few weeks, then have it shipped to Halifax NS while you ride along on the cargo vessel. Then drive it home from Nova Scotia, stopping in to see Barry on the way home.

I drove from Detroit, MI to Sydney, NS once, a great trip.

Would not want to do it in a Hanomag.

As far as a Hanomag having a face only a mother could love, remember: the mother of a Hanomag is also a Hanomag. :D

We'll see what happens when I call the guy. It costs me about 250.00 to get a title, he gets one in NY for $20.00 and a 50 cent postage stamp.

Let's see what he is willing to do and how much he is willing to accept.

There's a black, W115 220D that's been circulating around upstate NY on craigslist, depreciates a bit each sale. Looks sharp up top, must be shot underneath.

???? confused ????
Kerry is good with info, He and I have had the same type of 309d's before (mine was one of those~~ my little mistake's):o

is that the one in syracuse? if so, rusted beyond help, really wanted a cheap project diesel but it's not that one.

strelnik, can i post links to the pics or will it cause the vultures to circle closer to your prize? :D;)