Finally, an intro to the 300TD manual project.
 

Hi there all, I thought I’d do what I probably should have done early on here, introduce this project! One reason I didn’t was because the “project” itself took shape in a rather organic way.
It all started when I saw an ad on Ebay for a 1981 Euro 300TD with 4-speed manual transmission. It was a very nice looking car, here’s some info on that car: http://www.memory-motors.com/Show_Car.php?CAR_ID=132#main I was so enamored with this car I flew to Milwaukee to check it out.
At nearly the same time I found a car locally in Southern California, that was a very not so beautiful 1982 Euro 300TD. The difference was that the “beater” car was well, let’s just call it $10K cheaper. I drove the local car, the day before my flight to Milwaukee, and told the owner I’d call him from Milwaukee when I knew which one I wanted to go with.
While the Milwaukee car was just about perfect, as I dug, and dug, I began to find things with it I just wasn’t sure about. Some blistering under the paint in a couple spots, a decent amount of blow-by going on, and some signs of a previous serious oil leak, but it was really a drive away car…AC worked, SLS worked and had just be gone through (for the 3rd time in its life).
Long story short I called the guy in California, and asked him how to get a deposit to him to hold the car till the next weekend when I could get down with a friend to pick it up.
The “brown” car, a 1982 Euro 300TD N/A with 4-speed manual.
http://i59.tinypic.com/20714wm.jpg

One of my early thoughts was to find a turbo engine, and build up on that. But, did this car ever need a lot, besides a new engine, which it needed badly, as I found out, in the short time I drove it, it was burning oil like it was trying to keep OPEC happy, though it did always start (unless below 50 degrees) and ran pretty well, if very slow. The list was getting longer though, interior bits and pieces that were missing or just in bad shape, a fuel tank that was leaking due to road rash, since the SLS was long gone, and rather than put heavy duty springs, they just used the same springs with spacers in them, and HD shocks…it didn’t work.
So, I was faced with buying a bunch of stuff…and as luck would have it, I found a 1983 US 300TD with 199,000 miles on it right in my neighborhood. I went to drive it, and found several little issues, and creative home mechanic “solutions” that didn’t work, like cutting off one of the air cleaner brackets to replace it rather than moving the oil line to the turbo to install it properly…But, the price was right, and the engine was very powerful, solid, fired right up, and sounded “right” to my ear at least. AND it had almost all the parts I’d need for the other car…so, I bought it:
The “white” car, a 1983 US 300TD Turbo with Automatic.
http://i60.tinypic.com/2lypuu.jpg
I went back and forth on which car would be the donor and which would be the keeper. A buddy that would be helping with a lot of the heavy projects, proffered that I should keep the white car, because he liked all the nice things on it, sunroof, power windows, etc…, where as I saw most of that as a detriment, I really loved the simplicity of the crank windows, solid roof panel, manual climate controls, etc. In the long run, I ended up going with the white car, once I found out I could move the manual climate control system to it (the push button system, was in the dreaded “fail safe” mode with defrost only).
Some of the other reasons for going with the white car:
http://i58.tinypic.com/2hmzbqt.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/5wcdcj.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/161do52.jpg
So far, the engine and transmission has been pulled from both cars. I’ve gone through the turbo engine, replaced the water pump, swapped the pump housing from the euro engine, replaced the turbo drain line seals and O-rings (OMG that is not an easy job even with the engine out of the car), checked the timing chain stretch (thanks to all the help I got from people here on the board), replaced the oil cooler lines, replaced the oil filter gaskets, deleted the EGR, replaced all the rubber fuel lines, and installed new injectors (shout out to Greezer), and glow plugs, replaced the vacuum pump gasket, replaced the oil pan and gasket, and installed a new AC compressor and brackets using a kit from a to be un-named source, cleaned and degreased, and then degreased, and cleaned some more
http://i60.tinypic.com/96cok8.jpg
http://i61.tinypic.com/107wb4k.jpg
(was this thing part of the Exxon Valdez oil spill?), and I’ve begun the process of stripping the white car’s engine bay and front end to prep for paint as I intend to do a color change…leaning toward a solid taupe/gray of some shade (still working that out in my mind). I just hope I can get the bay cleaned well enough for paint to stick, at some point the SLS must have exploded, as that entire side of the bay including the headlight buckets are just covered with oil.
Since everything in here was BLACK before, I'll call this progress.
http://i59.tinypic.com/sm9b1g.jpg
In the end, I'm hoping I end up with a nice, reliable, trustworthy, 300TD Euro driver with a turbo engine. So far, I’m excited, though a bit overwhelmed, and everyone here as been fantastic in helping with the latter aspect. I feel like I’ve made some friends here, and really appreciate all the knowledge there is here. I hope, on occasion I’ve helped too, in the comparatively small way I can. Shout out to cooljjay (who helped me figure out how to put pics in the post), yes of course, I might have some N/A bits for your car once I know I’ve got mine all sorted out!

Very, very cool and ambitious. I will be watching this project with bated breath.

Cant wait! You're further than me so far lol.

That's very nice! I would have gone with the other car ;):D. You're making great progress!

Nice!

You can also move the crank windows over to the white car.

Awesome project love the photos and love I will be getting a care box!

I too would have gone with the brown guy, probably because he matches mine :D but your right the rust would mean a lot of cutting and welding....just not worth it for the color...when you can get the white one sprayed...

I would like to see the inside of the brown guy. I see there is a fender mounted antenna so that guy was ordered with a radio, mine was radio delete and if I install a radio I want it to be installed like a euro...so i will stop beating around the bush, I would also be interested in the radio and antenna if the are original....would also like to see how the antenna is mounted to copy it.

Does the brown guy have cloth interior? I would switch that over too...

Heres a link to factor color options....see if you can find one that you like and it would be a mercedes correct color change

Google Translate

The brown car has MB tex fronts (replaced at some point is my guess). The rear seat is one piece fold down with cloth, and with the head rests. (the white car, has split folding seat, but doesn't have head rests at all, or even holes in the seat to accommodate them, is this right?)

The antenna and cable are there, and intact, but there is no radio at all. My plan if I were to have kept this car would have been to put a "stinger" antenna like that used on the VW Jetta wagon at the back of the roof, since some wank had already drilled a hole there for a CB antenna at some point.

Of MB colors, my choices would be: 751 Liasgrau, 940 Hansa Blue, 501 Oriental Red, in no particular order. The other option is a custom mix that would be close to Audi's Nardo Gray. The interior is palomino.

I'll post some pics soon, but it'll be a couple weeks...I've got some work travel out of the country, coming up soon.

Headrests came with the third-row option, not with the split-folding rear seat.

Thats a bummer would have been neat to carry over the cloth seats, it will be so hard to find a set of skins.

The headrests can be added on to the rear seat....pretty easy, there is a how to floating around somewhere....just have to trim out some foam and switch parts over.

If you are going to sand down the Engine Bay to repaint it a different color, you really have a lot of work ahead of you. If you don`t get it sanded to give the paint something to bite into, it will peel.

have you ever used a Soda Blaster? It will take off the paint down to the metal, then the clean up is easier, just wash it down with water and dry. use Phosphoric Acid to etch the metal and remove any flash rust from the water, and POR it or your favorite Primer etc... Nothing looks worse than a lighter color showing through with a darker color painted over it if it gets scratched. All depends n how deep you want t get into this project.

A good Video from Eastwood.
Soda Blaster on My Classic Car from Eastwood - YouTube

A.H. Soda Blasting, LLC - Soda Blasting Demo 1- Paint Removal - Sheet Metal - YouTube



This would be a good time to replace the Sway Bar Bushing on the Fire Wall

Following link is for the TD Bushings 123-323-12-85
Pelican Parts - Automotive Parts and Accessories - Porsche & BMW

Pricey at $33. they are $25 wholesale price form the dealer.
www.benzpartswholesale.com our local dealer.

Also this part# works W0133-1807027 for around $3 ea but Febi brand what I see mostly.

Charlie

Thanks for the tips!

Cooljjay if you happen to come by that how-to on the head rests let me know (it's way, way down the road project I suspect).

Charlie, I do have a soda blaster, just wondering how pissed I can make my neighbor with the dust...it will be the best way to deal with it though for sure. Then maybe use some sort of etching primer, followed by the base coat. I'm really leaning toward Oriental Red or Hansa Blue at this point (I think). And you say the Febi bushing work? Cause none of the sites say they fit 300TD.

I'd even considered just a flat black engine bay...that would be fine as well. This is not intended to be a concours restoration. I did one of those (sorta, didn't put proper wheels on it though, and didn't use a stock color)...took 10 years.

Was that the extent of the rust on the brown car? Where I am, I'd still consider that to be close to mint condition. Right now, I'm patching up a 240D that was a parts car even by New England standards.

I'm curious what that first photo is a picture of. Hard to tell with such a close shot. Personally, I can't justify spending a lot of money on a local (to me) W123. Even the "nice", expensive ones are hiding a lot of rust. I see too many cars listed on Craigslist that have sofa sized holes in the floor, described by the seller as a cheap, simple fix (if the seller discloses the rust at all).

Looking forward to seeing more of your project.

looks like driver rear wheel arch to me.

LOL, with you 100%. That would be a mint car by local standards.

I would have picked the brown wagon too personally, none of the sunroof drain rust issues most of these cars have hidden. Excellent project though, can we get a pic of how the parts car non sunroof inside headliner looks? attempting to eliminate the sunroof on the wifes car, too many rust issues to keep it around. Curious what stock looks like

I bought the HF 15# Soda Blaster on sale plus my 25% off coupon. :D Haven`t used it yet, looking to upgrade my 20Gal 4hp compressor. needs more oomph or blow power.

It does make a bit of dust looking at this video. too bad the guy doesn`t show his results. Being Soda it will just dissolve and wash down with water. Not sure your neighbor would be happy. the negative of living in a Suburbia environment. :cool:

Looking Cool and Soda Blasting Carbs - YouTube

There is the Dust Less type of paint stripping also, but probably quite a bit more expensive even with this small unit in the following video.

Dustless Blasting on the My Classic Car Show! - YouTube

Which way you decide to go, Iam sure it will look good in the end. :)


There are two parts numbers, one for the Wagon and one for the sedans.

123-323-12-85 or W0133-187027 for the Wagons

123-323-05-85 for the Sedans

I installed a Wagon Sway Bar in our 85 300D and used the Wagon Bushings. The difference is because the wagon bar is 2mm thicker.


Charlie

Here's that diy

w123 Wagon - Adding Rear Headrests - DIY - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

Thanks Cooljjay, do you think I can use the hardware from the Euro seat? That seat is really in bad shape, the fabric wouldn't last much longer in CA sun.

Charlie, I'll give it a test and let you know...I have the 40# HF blaster, though my compressor does struggle with it too.

It is the driver's side rear wheel arch. The rust really isn't horrible. The car lived some of it's life in Oregon, and the rest in Southern CA. I've really not found "major" rust, or rust through, though the holes at the bottom off each door, are in just the right place to make fixing it a PITA I'd rather not deal with. All-in-all though it's a very good chassis for you guys in the snow belt, it would be likely you'd not see much better, that wasn't a barn find.

Whoever asked about the headliner in the brown car, it is intact, but it's not in the best shape. Some of the guides for the hoops I think have torn, the liner sags, and at the back the plastic tailgate trim at the room is simply gone, but I don't thing the headliner has any tears. I'll look at it and get some pics when I get back.

The white engine bay would make finding leaks easier...

I would see no reason why the hardware wouldn't switch over to the split bench. But its hard to say until you open the both of them up. I understand about the cloth, mine is sun bleached badly but it is in still really good shape...which is strange...I am going to attempt to shampoo it for the fun of it to see what happens.

Looks like a fun project, and I will be monitoring it along with others...Rich

I don't understand the affection for cloth seats. They shout stripper to me. Looks like a great project. Best luck!

True, but they're pretty rare stateside, all things considered. One of my other cars is a 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon. They only built them through 1991. Through 1989, the Vanagon GL was the lowest trim level. In 1990, VW introduced a lower trim level Vanagon (with no "GL"), which is what I have.

Instead of carpets, a padded dashboard, and velour upholstery (as in the GL), my base model Vanagon has rubber floors, tweed upholstery, and a metal dashboard. I bought the van back in 2003 because it was in outstanding condition, but many Vanagon folks take notice not just because of its condition, but because of the more rare lower-spec interior. It makes little difference to me - I threw carpeting down over the rubber floor. The lower-spec interior is a conversation starter sometimes, though.

Yeah the cloth wasn't a big deal for me to keep, especially since it was already gone in the front. I really like the M-B Tex to be honest, it's a material I think will paleontologists will one day wonder what it was, and how it contributed to our society. The stuff is practically indestructible.

Another reason people lie cloth seats, is they don't heat up like mb tex in the sun and you won't find your self stuck to them in the summer.

Yeah, I basically like cloth because it is more comfortable. I remember reading that in some of the early cars, the open chauffeur's compartment was done in leather for the ruggedness factor, but that the owner's closed compartment was upholstered in velour because it displayed greater wealth. No more :).

You guys are both right there, I sweat like a pig on most leather and vinyl seats, for some odd reason the MB Tex stuff wasn't as bad, maybe it's the deep ribs? Cooljjay in Arizona...yeah, cloth all the way, or sheepskin covers.

I never liked leather/vinyl seats(cold in the winter, hot in the summer and slippery for spirited driving). I dont hate them, just prefer cloth.

My coupe came with a cloth interior and I would love to be able to buy a replacement MB cloth set but no one sells them. I could get them customed but if I go that route I might as well use better seats and a modern design.

If anyone knows a place that sells cloth replacements, please post.

nice thread will be watching
:)

I'm back in town! And back to working on this project. First of all some pics of the interior as it was requested.

http://i62.tinypic.com/14t7x4p.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/nmnw47.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/8y85ys.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/33y5kq8.jpg

And as of the end of the day:

http://i58.tinypic.com/n6s3tz.jpg

For Cooljjay, the headliner as you can see it is not perfect, there is one small slice, and one small puncture. All of the bows are detached. I'm not planning to spend the time to remove it, just send it away with the car in the end.

http://i62.tinypic.com/21edmbl.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/2h5k6s4.jpg

Now for my next problem I want to move this car's manual climate control system to the other car. I had been told it was possible, but OMG...this mess is not what I was expecting. There is a Bakelite plastic bracket that holds the control units, it's broken (I didn't break it, it just was broken). It's riveted to the heater box (I think that is what that is, the big thing in the middle that is held in with to metal straps). I think I can repair the bracket, if I can get it off the box, any suggestions here? I'd guess, remove the box, then grind the rivets, repair the bracket, and re rivet it back on?

Also, the face plate where the knobs attach, one of the little circle inserts disintegrated upon removal, does anyone know where I can find one?

http://i58.tinypic.com/jqmjiv.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/hvuw4x.jpg

Thanks everyone!

Looks like standard 240 stuff. Any 240 in a wrecking yard would have what you need.
BTW, you are welcome to meet us for lunch at Pickle's, and to the car collection after for the GTG, just as long as we don't know what you drove there. :D

:D Thanks Rich, I'll be there! Er, it will be a diesel at least, I promise.

My heater controls, are in the exact same condition. You can buy one new still for 75$ problem is removing it....what I am doing, is super gluing it back together, cutting some metal and wiring it to the housing to make a brace for the controls.

You may also want to look at my thread and redo all the foam on the flaps, since you have the box out....and also clean the heater core and evaporator.

Be careful. If the euro car did not have AC the main unit in the center and the blower will be different from an ac equipped 240. You need the center section with all the coils etc from a car that came with AC.

I can't seem to find it anywhere, at least not with the part number that is on the part (in the photo). Removing it should be a matter of grinding the rivets off with a dremel, then pop-riveting the new one back in place?

I am for sure following your thread cooljjay, and will be refoaming the flaps (great suggestion with the craft foam). What's the consensus on replacing the evaporator entirely at this stage of the game? Seems like something that is a real bear to get to...and here I am. My understanding of the heater cores is they are pretty robust, and most would not preemptively replace.

Have you looked at Dave Morrison`s thread on removing the Dash, AC/Heat unit, Evaporator etc......? This should answer a lot of your questions.

PeachPartsWiki: Replacing the A/C Evaporator


Charlie

Morrison wrote a fantastic wiki on that process for sure, was the BEST of all the dash removal instructions I've found. And yeah, as I get to splitting the heater box and so on, will come in very helpful too.

Aside from finding the plastic bracket, what can anyone tell me about moving the manual system to the US spec car. I know I'll be moving the entire heater box and fan box.

Specifically, how do you wire in the manual fan control switch?

And deleting all the wiring for the vacuum switches etc. how is that best executed?

Thanks!

It is a lot of work, but I suggest an entire wire harness change. You can't go wrong this way. I am sure there are a few wire bundles that you may want to cut and splice, like the bundle going to the rear of the car. No sense replacing it if it is exactly the same. You could also solder in a multi pin connector in those places where the wiring will remain. That way just the main cabin wiring will be replaced. That is how I would do it if I were doing it for myself.....Rich

So...it's getting more ugly each day, both cars are...

The Euro brown car wire labeling project:

http://i59.tinypic.com/mcrgqo.jpg

The US white car dash removal project:

http://i57.tinypic.com/2drggl.jpg

The two hidden screws holding the center console to the dash, accessed through a switch hole, this stumped me for a bit, as it wasn't mentioned in the wiki I was using to remove the dash:

http://i58.tinypic.com/2w3ddhl.jpg

The US car with no dash: :-(

http://i60.tinypic.com/15nu00m.jpg


I guess this is "progress".

Well that's looks like fun. :eek:

It looks better when everything is out of the car :P

Step by step
 

Today, I got all the wiring labeled and pulled away from the heater box of the US spec car. Tomorrow I'll tackle getting the heater/evaporator box out. Then I can split both boxes, and see what the condition of the evaporator and heater cores are. Stay tuned.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2k29ah.jpg


Help identifying these boxes please? What are they, and can I get rid of them?

http://i60.tinypic.com/2vsp0dh.jpg

The left box above the Blower Motor is the "Electronic Unit for Temperature Control" the right box is "Electronic Control Unit for Blower Speed Control".

I assume they can be eliminated if changing to the manual system.

The Temp control on the manual is cranking on the 2 water Knobs for heat.
The Blower speed will be turning the Blower Knob to the desired speed.


Charlie

Replace the center pods right now... with the best one you can buy...

Sorry? The center pods?

Thanks Charlie, they are out of here then, that's a huge bundle of wires to have thinned out too.

He is going with manual control, so no pods needed.

Oh, those (vacuum) pods. Thanks Rich. I only need the one on the right of the box for the Recirc/Fresh flap I think. Even that one, I'm not sure about, I prefer fresh 99% of the time, unless I'm behind a stinky car or something. I'm a contact lens wearer, and recirc just dries my eyes out way too much. I'd actually prefer this to be controlled manually too? Any ideas there?

My idea of a perfect climate control system: slide lever or knob for temp, fan switch for blower, switch to turn on the AC compressor, switch to change fresh/recirc., selector for where the air goes ideally, two places at once, and that's it.

Like maybe one of those old Mercedes Benz Diesels?:D:D

Exactly like that Brown NA donor Euro car I'm using...that sucker smelled like you were following a 1969 Blue Bird bus. But actually, a gasser that's not running right will choke me out even worse than that.

OK...so pulled the heater box apart on the 83 US spec car. Wow, what and interesting process, little things like this remind me why I'm so impressed with German engineering.

I think the heater core looks pretty good:

http://i57.tinypic.com/25rjivm.jpg

The evaporator though...er, I don't know doesn't look good at all, what do you guys think?

http://i58.tinypic.com/xnvomb.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2q9xdoh.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/2zhh1ud.jpg

Even the pile of rust left behind in the box after removal, not a good sign I'd think?

http://i61.tinypic.com/1scn83.jpg

I'll tear apart the box from the 1982 Euro car tomorrow (the manual box I'll be keeping, and putting in the US car). But, since nearly all things have been better on the US car, I'm not holding out much hope either evaporator can be used.