Heart of Darkness (300TD Project)
 

Since I've already posted up asking for help and advice, I figured I'd make a thread for myself and my wagon. I didn't see a project/show thread, so I hope here will be fine.

A few weeks ago, I started shopping around for a Merc. I've wanted one for a while, but they've usually been outside of my price range. My old Datsun had gone through several back to back breakdowns, which started me shopping around. The old D never got great mileage either, a big wagon with a straight six and no overdrive. This 300TD caught my eye. Oil burner, rusty, 300k miles, perfect. I sold my Datsun in the morning, caught a bus to the west side of town and bought the Merc.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8233/8...26420d25_z.jpg

It's a fine beater. No turbo, 4 speed auto, pretty bare bones when one considers how much is broken on it. No heat (until today), hatch doesn't stay up, one window doesn't roll up, leaks oil, burns oil, I don't think a single switch on the dash does anything, and of course rust. I love it though, it's comfortable, economical, and rugged. Of all the wagons I've had (and I've had many), this one most reminds me of an old farm truck, a purpose built work horse. Exactly what I need.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8367/8...cf89728d_z.jpg

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About a week after I bought the wagon, I was driving past a tow yard down the street from my house. I noticed a red-orange, beat-to-hell W123 buried back in their yard. I called the place up and checked it out. It was an 82 tubro diesel that had been rolled by some free wheeling college kid. It still ran (nicer than my wagon even) and the interior looked pretty good, so I bought it that day in order to seal my neighbors' hatred for me and salvage some bits I need for the wagon.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8236/8...4400dc51_z.jpg

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My current plans for the wagon are most likely a purist's nightmare. I'd like to do away with any not needed luxury in favor of utility. I haven't got everything in order yet, but I'll be taking the car down to bare bones with a pragmatic eye. Useless/broken interior bits need to go, rust and mechanics need to be fixed. I would like to look into upgrading the brakes and suspension. I still have a functioning SLS, so that will stay. Looks like both front wings, the driver's door, and the hatch will need to be replaced, so the car may end up looking like a patchwork. African Mercedes have been an inspiration both functionally and aesthetically, and that will be the theme I continue with.

More pictures? More pictures.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8095/8...3464f3cd_z.jpg

NA (What a mess):
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8236/8...de6fddb1_z.jpg

Turbo:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8376/8...58d6bdeb_z.jpg

Some shots I got with my old 35 mm before I started to dismantle the red car:
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http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8509/8...2afecc00_z.jpg

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I tore into the wagon some today, removed some broken interior and checked out the extent of the rust. My rust situation is, basically, that there's a little bit everywhere. Looks like the weather stripping has been leaking for a long time, and the car is suffering from it. The carpets are rotten (and smell god awful), the wooden bits are crumbling, cancer is starting. I'm going to try and nip it in the bud, get all the surface sanded and painted.

I'm not sure what to do about the carpeted interior panels. The panels are fine, but the carpet needs to go. i might try and strip the carpet from the wheel well covers and rhino line them or something.

Start:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8...12fc446c_z.jpg

To my surprise, the spare was an alloy! Just need to find 3 more.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8...b26865f1_z.jpg

The area underneath the spare didn't bring such good news, though. There's a fine sized hole.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8529/8...15077032_z.jpg

Then poke it with your finger and there's a new fine sized hole.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8...4acd5822_z.jpg

And it doesn't stop.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8232/8...190d08ec_z.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8...db541ab4_z.jpg

What ever you do, attempt to not go over any large bumps :D

I also am sad to see the orange car parted out :bigcry: that's a pretty rare color and a car that would be worth restoring.

Good luck with your project, but a warning with that much cancer....there is a really big chance it is structurally unsafe...

There's really not that much rust. Most of that is surface from water getting trapped under the loose and torn up weather stripping. The car is solid underneath. The hatch has cancer pretty bad, but really the only holes are the driver's side fender and the buttcheek. I've had my fair share of old Japanese cars, this is nothing.

If you'd seen the roof on the red car, you'd see why it's not fixable (with reason).

I see a garage, you should strip down that orange guy and pack all the parts neatly on the shelf.

The orange looks great, by the way.

If you want to go all out, you will need to find a parts car 240D with manual climate control, manual windows, and a manual transmission. That would make your TD perfect in my eyes.

Everything goes into storage that doesn't sell. Someone will need every bit eventually. I'm trying to get it torn down quickly so I can go get a rust free wagon parts car that just popped up.

I actually have located a 240d parts car and will be pulling the climate control stuff next week. As for my wagon, I'll probably just pull all the servo junk, tie the system back into itself, isolate the leaking heater core, and worry about it in September. haha. Probably will go ahead and delete the AC while I'm at it.

I'm going to work my way from the back to the front. A lot of stuff in the rear needs to go: the broken electric antenna, the broken rear wiper, the broken rear washer unit. I've sourced green and blue front fenders, and I think I'll replace every panel with a different color and enjoy the ensuing rainbow.

Nice thread - I'll be interested to see how you get on with the rust.

I wonder if you still consider it to be nothing when you get stuck into it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

P.S. I think a project / show forum section would be quite a good idea

where in NC are you? anywhere close to Charlotte? I've got a EURO wagon climate control with the sanden a/c kit installed... not near as much rust on it, and badgeless!
good black panels to replace your blue ones...

oh, and from one who has TOTALLY parted out a rusty wagon... it's NOTHING like working on rust on a japanese car... you are going to be amazed at the structure in the wagon!

I'm in a small town south of Asheville. It's about an hour to Shelby, so I'd say 2 hours or less to Charlotte if you've got a heavy foot. I've never actually been there. haha. I've got badges, if you need them.

I guessed asheville from the pics...
yeah, it's about 2 hours.
I go up often.
lemme know if you need any wagon stuff...
I may bring it up to ya!
oh, and if you want to make your neighbor happy, just tell them you run free fuel... totally green, zero carbon footprint!

What color is it? I need a hatch. Are you parting that euro wagon? I might want the lights and bumpers, depending on price. This is a beater. haha.

I'll be running B50 until the station switches over to B99 in the summer. I actually need to do a little research, find out if I need to watch for anything but the fuel filter with the B99. All I know about the biodiesel is that it's cheaper. haha.


They're stuffy, elitist types. Think their brand new Prius and Golf TDI are man's gift to the environment and my smokey Merc is an eyesore.

Duct Diesel Exhaust towards their front door. It'll be like the time the Soviets tried to show the Lithuanians who's boss.

I think I'm killing them just warming up the wagon in the morning.

Anyone need/want some hubcaps? No paint on them, don't know if they were stripped or what. But I've got some bunt pans in the works.

If you are giving stuff away there's the pay it forward thread here

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/306370-pay-forward-thread.html