let's try those pics again!

Hey guys, I have an '85 300TD wagon. I came out of the movies the other night to find one of my euro headlight lenses smashed to bits. You gotta love NYC! The European headlights were installed by the previous owner and I need a little help with what I need to replace the glass as well as the bulbs.

I see on ebay some people are selling rectangular headlight glass such as this. Can I just buy this clip it the current headlight assembly or do I need to buy the whole thing?

Headlight bulbs- what the heck do I need to get? I'd like to replace all the bulbs. Thanks in advance for the help!




Ooops... mistakenly posted to the wrong forum so I'm reposting here:

Hey guys, I have an '85 300TD wagon. I came out of the movies the other night to find one of my euro headlight lenses smashed to bits. You gotta love NYC! The European headlights were installed by the previous owner and I need a little help with what I need to replace the glass as well as the bulbs.

I see on ebay some people are selling rectangular headlight glass such as this. Can I just buy this clip it the current headlight assembly or do I need to buy the whole thing?

Headlight bulbs- what the heck do I need to get? I'd like to replace all the bulbs and need to do so before the end of the month. Thanks in advance for the help!

oops. reposted in diesel forum!

We used to just get fresh glass for it and pop it in. No big deal. Not sure where to direct you for such a replacement today. Don't know if Bekkers still deals in stuff like this.

The fresh glass, fitted to both L&R sides, was a real aesthetic pick-me-up

Not to be alarmist but you need to focus on getting a replacement lens as fast as possible, not as cheaply as possible. Your reflector is in great shape but once exposed to the air it won't stay that way long at this time of year.

The lenses used to show up on eBay now and again. The only ones I see today are in Latvia, not sure you'd want to wait for mail service from there. If you are in for an adventure you could also try German ebay.de (use an online translator). Mail from Germany is pretty fast.

You could also put a "want to buy" ad in our used parts for sale and wanted subforum. Someone stateside may well have one lying around (or in a pinch, an entire left assembly may be easier to locate).

Just make sure to get a lens for a w123. The w116 lens looks similar but won't fit.

Also be very careful when removing the remaining shards of glass. With time they can bond to the rubber seal and if you aren't careful you can pull out a chunk of seal (don't ask how I know that).

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Good tips. thanks guys! What about the bulbs? Are these H4 bulbs?

Every euro light I've seen uses H4 bulbs. However I've never seen a light shield like the one on yours... I think you can still get depo glass, although it's not as think as the originals...

__________________
2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

I think you should be able to use the Depo or TYC glass as it's modeled after the Hella and Bosch lens and housing in most ways--the geometry should be the same. In the meanwhile, as ghetto as it sounds, I would put some clear plastic packing tape over the headlights to prevent dirt from getting in there, and replace it as needed every so often until you get the new lenses in place

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Try Mercedes Benz Parts & Accessories - Mercedes 123 - 1977-85 E CLASS

Scroll down- Euro light lenses are at the bottom. Very sorry this happened to you. I have Bosch Euro headlights I bought from them about 6 years ago, and they are very high quality.

However, if you order from them, make SURE it is the same brand, and will fit. I have read that they are very picky about accepting returns. This may or may not be true.

Also consider putting on some of the clear plastic shatter-proof lens covers that are peel and stick- I did this when I got my set- they do not alter the appearance. I got mine from Griot's garage- very high quality- covered with a hard outer layer of acrylic; worth the investment. These lens covers might not have stood up to the damage done to your car, but are at least pretty good protection against rock chips.

Post a pic when you get a replacement installed ! EDIT: Have you tried turning on the headlights? If the actual bulbs themselves are broken, the replacment bulbs are H4 bulbs, which are fairly widely available. They plug in from the back of the reflector. Package instructions say don't touch the glass on the bulb- if you do, remove fingerprint oil with alcohol or whatever solvent it takes. Hella seems to be a good brand.

__________________
Marshall Welch
Seattle, WA
1982 300D-T

Maybe some saw who did the vandalism? Did you file a police report?

__________________
85 Merc 300D - Unwinding 31 years of wear
86 VW TD
Mahindra Diesel
Iseki Diesel

In 2007 I didn't own a diesel.

Forget it... in NYC no one sees anything I could've called the police and probably would have still been waiting there

Finally got my new glass from Adsit. Very high quality...I'm glad I didn't order the cheap one from Ebay. Thanks for the help, guys!

Hello,

How did you put the new glass on?

steps....

Where did you buy the replacement glass- Bosech?

Thanks

Adsit dot com

they are held on with clips that clip the glass
to the housing.

once you remove the clips you can carefully
place the seal back in place then the lens on top
and then you use the clips to thighten the
lens to the housing.

Louis

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Not always the smartest but certainly not dumb?