Checking out 240D parts car - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rstl99 · #1 07-12-2012, 10:05 PM

Looking at an early 80's 240D parts car this weekend, with a 4 speed. One reason I'm thinking of buying it is to stockpile some good used parts for my 82 240D auto, but also to extract the manual transmission and related paraphernalia to possibly do an auto-manual switch on mine as a later project.

The car apparently starts and runs, but has been in storage for some years. I can only drive it up and down a country laneway. Any good way to check the manual transmission and clutch to get an idea of condition (I assume I can only shift into 1st, 2nd maybe 3rd, and reverse)?

rstl99 · #2 07-13-2012, 03:27 AM

In looking through posts here, I am realizing it may not be worth my while to buy this car and strip as many parts as I can and store these in boxes for a rainy day, and then send what's left to wrecker (I don't have room to store the spare car). I've done this for previous cars I've owned (Volvo and Camry wagons) and ended up giving the parts away or throwing them out, so should resist the urge to stockpile 240D parts unnecessarily. Similarly, debating the benefits and cost-risk (plus work) of swapping a manual into my 240D auto. My 240D works well, is rust-free, and I don't really need anything for it (plus already have a few used parts from some years back in boxes).
So: I'll probably leave this parts car for someone else, and do something more useful with my time.

davidlee · #3 07-13-2012, 03:36 AM

If you have the time and the room, then stockpile. Label also if you can "Year of car, etc."
the parts you can save will ease the burden later when you need to replace certain items.

t walgamuth · #4 07-13-2012, 08:08 AM

The stick conversion is one of the best things you can do to a 240. With the automatic I put it in the usafely slow catagory around town as in crossing traffic. With a stick driving a 240 is quite pleasant.

Walkenvol · #5 07-13-2012, 08:33 AM

All depends upon the price of the parts car vs the value you place upon your spare time.

I purchased an MB beater for the OM617 I wanted. Pulled the motor for my project. Sold a few parts to folks on the forum and then took the rusted remains to the crusher. Ended up with $200 in my pocket plus a free motor. I probably invested about 20 hours and I sure wouldn't sell my free time for $10 an hour but I got the motor I wanted as a bounus. Was sort of an interesting experience but I wouldn't want to do it regularly.

rstl99 · #6 07-13-2012, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidlee

If you have the time and the room, then stockpile. Label also if you can "Year of car, etc."
the parts you can save will ease the burden later when you need to replace certain items.

I'm retired so time is not a limiting factor.
Room is limited presently but I'm building a larger yard shed this summer, and also have a sizable shed at the cottage (unfortunately, no room there to park the parts car), so if I wanted to I could store a fair amount of parts.
I have room in my city driveway to park the parts car for a couple of months and strip it of parts I want to keep. Then I would hire a company to haul it to the crusher (they give you around $100 for a carcass around here).

rstl99 · #7 07-13-2012, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

The stick conversion is one of the best things you can do to a 240. With the automatic I put it in the usafely slow catagory around town as in crossing traffic. With a stick driving a 240 is quite pleasant.

I agree with you about the increasingly "unsafely slow" nature of the auto 240 in our modern traffic. I use the 240 mainly to scoot around town, run errands, etc. Don't drive it in the winter, have a beater for that. So yeah, a stick is something I've often longed for. Not sure I've got the gumption to go ahead with the job though, at 56 I'm not so keen about crawling under a car anymore...
But as I mentioned, I have the time and some of the know-how, and a good donor would breathe new life into my fine 240D...
I could get the parts car for around $400, but would cost another $200 to get it towed to my driveway...

Junkman · #8 07-13-2012, 10:27 AM

I still have a 78 Datsun Z parts car in boxes, 2 more in back and an 83T that I want to take the engine from. The would be running car is in the garage getting dusty.

Then there is the SD parts car and recently hit SD driver that will be sold when I find a replacement. Best to buy parts cars for specific purposes or you end up like John with too many. They can start following you home.

IF you buy, track down some plastic boxes like stores ship merchandise in. The boxes (blems/over runs) can be bought from the manufacturer cheap. If they won't sell direct to you, ask what they do with salvage.

Can someone check out a car near Atlanta for me?

rstl99 · #9 07-13-2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rstl99

I agree with you about the increasingly "unsafely slow" nature of the auto 240 in our modern traffic. I use the 240 mainly to scoot around town, run errands, etc. Don't drive it in the winter, have a beater for that. So yeah, a stick is something I've often longed for. Not sure I've got the gumption to go ahead with the job though, at 56 I'm not so keen about crawling under a car anymore...
But as I mentioned, I have the time and some of the know-how, and a good donor would breathe new life into my fine 240D...
I could get the parts car for around $400, but would cost another $200 to get it towed to my driveway...

Just called CAA where I am a member and they will tow the vehicle for me at no additional cost, so that makes my decision easier!

rstl99 · #10 07-13-2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman

Best to buy parts cars for specific purposes or you end up like John with too many. They can start following you home.

Well, in my case it's mainly for the stick assembly (though the parts car is the same body color as mine but I don't think I'd have room to store body parts - fenders, doors, assuming they're not rotted in the bottom). Plus odds and ends around engine compartment, light bezels, interior pieces perhaps.

vstech · #11 07-13-2012, 03:41 PM

if they are the same years, a parts car is a godsend.

yes... I've taken it to the extreme and gotten burned for it. I still have MANY MANY parts cars, and parts stored.

I second the label EVERYTHING, including the bolts and clips you remove from the car.
I have several buckets full of nuts and bolts I have little idea where they came from.

I've gotta stress the SAME YEAR thing, as the 240 went through several changes over the years. door trim, body panels, switches, and lights are available in several variants depending on years.

you are going to get only $100 for the carcass? with the engine in, a stripped body is worth around $400... keep that in mind. you may want to rent a uhaul trailer and pickup for the afternoon and crush it yourself!
that said, there are several parts you really need to pull from the car, that will make putting the car on a trailer extremely difficult.
the full suspension should be removed, the entire drive train, including all crossmembers, and driveshafts need to be removed, the rear trailing arms, with the emergency brake assemblies are important (it's REALLY hard to replace a bad rear bearing...) the original aluminum wheels with the hubcaps are worth serious coin.
I'd pull the fuel tank, the lines, all the clips and screws, the pedals, the steering arms, the door pulls, and jams, the window assemblies, instrument cluster, heater control...
really... the car will have a HUGE amount of parts you will need at some point on the journey of having a 240D.
best to remove them all and store them.

Walkenvol · #12 07-13-2012, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rstl99

Then I would hire a company to haul it to the crusher (they give you around $100 for a carcass around here).

I recently took an '82 300SD to the crusher. It was minus the engine and transmission and I got over $350. Maybe salvage is much cheaper north of the border? Nice business to have...I'll give you $100 for your scrapper, 15 minutes to haul it to the crusher and they give me $350.

http://myworld.ebay.com/offrampwilly?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1181

Here's a guy on ebay selling the 240 manual setup for $1,000. Sounds like $400 is a good deal if your willing to mess with it.

rstl99 · #13 07-14-2012, 09:08 AM

Hi folks,
I went to look at the 240 last night and didn't buy it. The body is same color as mine (ivory), but the interior is orangey color (mine is palomino). Front seats were worn out. Dash and console elements were different from mine (this is an 80 and mine is an 82 - you're right VSTECH about importance of same year!!).

Anyway, this was a beat-up, wornout, rusted out 240, whereas mine is very very good, no rust (came from Arizona and has not seen winters up here), clean interior, good mechanicals, maybe the nicest one in my city from what I've seen. This 80 had had bodywork done on it 8 years ago, was driven for 3 years then stored on grass for several years - you can imagine what the bottom of the body and underneath chassis looked like!).

We were able to start it. Engine tired, lots of blowby, leaking #4 injector (smoking), #3 glowplug sheared off at the block, etc. Good oil pressure reading when cold, though (pegged). Transmission and clutch seemed to operate well, took it for a spin down the dirt road near the place.

Anyway, I deduced that about the only thing of value I could get out of it was the tranny, and even then, I wasn't sure I could safely jack up the car to work underneath it, given the serious chassis rot, so passed on it. Just didn't feel like having it sit in my driveway at home. Seller told me someone else who has a 240 with a stick wanted it for the engine and tranny, and I figured I'd let him have it - he probably needs it more than I do, and helps keep another 240 4 speed on the road.

Thanks again for all the messages of advice, and list of parts to consider pulling from a good parts car, I'll keep that if I come across one in better shape.

About price of the car at wreckers: the last couple of cars I sent off were picked up by local guys who give you $100-150 cash for it. I can see why now, if the crusher will give you $400 for it!! The seller of the 240 said she could get $400 any day from the junkyard down the road from her, but wanted to sell it to someone who could use some of it.

I bought the nice chrome MB wheel covers she had on (as a spare for my set), just so I didn't drive an hour out there for nothing.

I liked driving with the stick, but found the acceleration only marginally better. I suppose having control on the shift points is what makes the stick a somewhat better solution for the OM616 in the 240. For now I'll stick with my auto, and maybe finally fiddle with the shift point adjustment to get it to shift a little later than it does now, and increase revs before shifting. I also regularly manually shift from 3rd to 4th in the city, to keep the revs up longer on 3rd before it (prematurely) shifts into 4th and takes it out of the power curve. I find the automatic can be ok if one shifts it manually like that.

One good thing about going to see sorry specimens like this, is it really makes me appreciate the nice 240 I have in my driveway. Similarly, i really enjoyed driving there on the highway with my 89 Cressida, another fine example of good engineering, and another car I'm proud to own.

All the best!

(p.s. I attach a couple of pics of the worst parts of the rust on this poor 240)

JB3 · #14 07-14-2012, 12:10 PM

yikes, thats the type of car you tip on its side to pull the transmission from. That or weld angle iron to it to make something that can support a jack.

Probably worth passing on, good call

rstl99 · #15 07-14-2012, 03:19 PM

Didn't look that bad in the pictures on the ad, or standing about 10 feet away, but one look underneath, in the engine bay, and inside, was all that was needed...

Here's a couple of pictures of this 80 compared with my 82. Mine has more miles than this one shows on its odometer, but is so much better in all ways, I suppose I can give myself a bit of a tap on the back for having cared for it so well in the 12 years I've owned (and the PO, who cared for it extremely well before me).

Oddly enough, 1/2 mile from that one was another W123 for sale at the side of the road. Some young guy selling a 300D for $2000, in much better shape than the 80 I had looked at (some rust, but not terminal). He told me he had replaced the diff to a 2.47 ratio to bring the revs down on the highway. Anyway, interesting to find two diesel W123's so close to each other out in the middle of nowhere.