came across this in the yard, haven't seen one of these so completely destroyed before. Couldn't resist taking a bunch of pics. Amazingly both driver and passenger front doors open and one of them even latches completely!

Incredible to me considering the whole front end is pushed back 3 or so feet

anyway, here are some pics-




engine pushed back through the dash console area and firewall-



side view, check out where the passenger front tire is-



on the inside, the driver seat looks have rode up on the floor actually buckling and pitched forward a bit, though there was no blood, despite obvious driver slamming into the steering wheel. Hopefully the person is ok. There was room enough for an adult to fit though, room for both legs and feet still-



passenger side not so much on the leg area, though this is the brunt of the crash side. Someone's legs look like they would have been broken, but also a lot of this is popped panelling, there is still some space-



the rear of the car seems ok-



Just trying to imagine how fast this thing was going.

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If you get back there, have a close look at the instrument cluster. The speedo gauge needle will often leave a mark on the cluster face where it was at the moment of impact.

That is quite impressive, I would guess from the photos that was a head-on collision at a closing speed of 50-60 mph+.

That is why my son drives a 124.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Looking at the drivers seat back, I believe there was someone or something in the rear seat without a seat belt on.
This picture increased the value (to me) of my 126 and 124. I wonder what a Kai or Hyundai would look like.

Paul

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84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)

... wow.

you ought to go back there and snag that motor. it's obviously a FANTASTIC powerplant... of course you are going to need a cam gear and valve cover... not to mention a jaws of life to cut it out...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

When a Kia or Hyundai get into a head on collision at 60MPH, they never make it to the junk yard. They have to bury the car with the driver and passengers inside it.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

Air Bags and ABS are fantastic for family members....

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Did you just pass my 740 at 200 kmh in a 300SD?????

1978 300SD 'Phil' - 1,315,853 Miles And Counting - 1, 317,885 as of 12/27/2012 - 1,333,000 as of 05/10/2013, 1,337,850 as of July 15, 2013, 1,339,000 as of August 13, 2013



100,000 miles since June 2005 Overhaul - Sold January 25th, 2014 After 1,344,246 Miles & 20 Years of Ownership

I'd surmise it's been a while, months or years since the collision with whatever. There's lots of surface rust visible. I wouldn't have thought these cars would have crushed/buckled that badly, but it was a horrific incident. However, considering the degree of impact, and where the impact took place, the car did remarkably well. It's a safe bet most any other automobile brand/model would not have fared this well, all things being equal. The front right passenger seat doesn't look to have been occupied. The right front knee bolster isn't indented. I wouldn't expect to see any blood on a car that obviously evidences it's been out in the weather for quite a while, as the elements would have washed that away. Also, whatever it collided with was a tad higher than the MB at the time of impact, as the deflection impact area was markedly (to some degree) above the front bumper. This shows the extent of what can happen, even in a four-door S-Class sedan at speed/impact.......

can you grab the RF fender for me?

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

It appears that the impact must have been with something like a box truck or even a tractor-trailer rig, etc.

I've read somewhere that the overlap design of the door jamb is the reason the doors will open after the most severe of impacts on an MB. Most other manufacturers use a squared-off design that jams/locks in a strong impact.

I guess the motor mounts are shot. ;-)

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

There is a video on You Tube about the history of the S Class and they ram a new W116 into a concrete wall and the tech walks past camera to open both front doors.

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Did you just pass my 740 at 200 kmh in a 300SD?????

1978 300SD 'Phil' - 1,315,853 Miles And Counting - 1, 317,885 as of 12/27/2012 - 1,333,000 as of 05/10/2013, 1,337,850 as of July 15, 2013, 1,339,000 as of August 13, 2013



100,000 miles since June 2005 Overhaul - Sold January 25th, 2014 After 1,344,246 Miles & 20 Years of Ownership

To me it looks like something was traveling at a high rate of speed towards the car, and came into their lane....regarding no blood, they clean these cars now very well before they hit the wrecking yard....I have seen some horrible wrecked cars, and not one speck of meat/blood....they even cut the airbag out....same with crime scenes, what can't be cleaned is cut out....I have seen carpet with the blood drips just cut out. Its considered a biohazard now...

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Depends on where you are located I think. In high-volume areas where crashes happen every few minutes, you still see blood dripping out of cars in the impound lot, chunks of flesh in the seat, a complete scalp with hair still hanging in the windshield and teeth in the steering wheel.

It's quite common actually...

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Did you just pass my 740 at 200 kmh in a 300SD?????

1978 300SD 'Phil' - 1,315,853 Miles And Counting - 1, 317,885 as of 12/27/2012 - 1,333,000 as of 05/10/2013, 1,337,850 as of July 15, 2013, 1,339,000 as of August 13, 2013



100,000 miles since June 2005 Overhaul - Sold January 25th, 2014 After 1,344,246 Miles & 20 Years of Ownership

Yeah, I was gonna say I've seen a few cars with blood and hair on them.

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]

Without seeing the car in person I'm guessing but I wonder about an Armco barrier. High enough to pretty much clear the bumper but stout enough not to move out of the way. Like I said, just a guess. Does the yard staff have a clue? Sometimes they'll know the history.

Dan

my (currently damaged W124) could stop so incredibly quick that if the front passenger was not wearing a seat belt they would be launched from the windshield.

I have had to do one or two such stops and good lord the MB feels like someone threw an anchor, I had the chance to try this in a FWD impala - NOPES. the suspension design is terrible and the car takes its distance to stop despite having larger brakes than the benz.

This crash is remarkable in the sense that the 116 was concieved in the early 70s and MB actually thought to incorporate crumple zones in it to protect the passenger cell - most american iron was relying on mass to keep the cell intact. which was wrong. The Japanese were still trying to figure out how to make a car properly. There is a reason us lot drive these, and my car (which will be repaired soon) is evidence enough for me that you should always be investing in a vehicle that has the monies spent where it matters most - bells, whistles, shapes, lines etc come afterwards.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)