1983 Euro TD project thread

[clacker]

CARInfo |
If you scroll down this page there is a VIN id that will break down the options on your car with features, original build sheet and neat info.

[clacker]

VIN: MERCEDES-BENZ ( or here

[funola]

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

The rotatable knob on the center stack above and right most, I believe is the headlight adjustment.

Too much rust for me.

If you were lucky enough to be the first buyer, saw how good the engine ran and drove and all the parts (best one- 5 pristine FSM's) that came with it. You would have bought it in a heartbeat. I know I would.

[funola]

+++ 10! Listen to clacker!

Originally Posted by clacker

Nice project! The rust is NOT bad compared to what is left around here in the salty regions. Get the left wheel well dealt with and it will be around a while.

The seats look like perforated leather. I have worked on many interiors both as a hobby and in different wash bays/detailing shops. Wash the seats carefully with warm water and soap (like dish soap), use a rag but do not soak the leather, wipe and scrub as needed to remove the dirt. Use brushes galore to get into the crevices, tooth brushes whatever you have around. This is time consuming. Then get some leather treatment, on old leather like this with lots of patina I like equine stuff for saddles, they sell all in one formulas that clean and condition it is very effective without removing the dye. Usually in a jar (pint size) and a cream. Using your bare hands helps melt the cream into the leather, then a rag to lift the dirt. Expect to spend a few hours cleaning, the rag will keep lifting dirt out as the conditioner soaks into the leather, use numerous rags as they get dirty.
For carpets a bucket of hot water with laundry detergent is great, have a wet dry shop vac running as you scrub to lift the water and dirt out. Scrubbing carpets is hard work but it usually works like magic, the results will be impressive. I rarely find the need for any special products for stains, laundry soap works very well. It is also good for wiping down the interior. Again a good selection of brushes goes a long way.
For the paint, do everything you can first like a good washing then buy a clay bar kit and wipe down the whole car with it, pretty simple stuff the instructions are simple and clear. Ok, now take the car to a professional and get the paint worked on, as in a compound/buffing to bring it back. The results will surprise you, yes there is some cracking/hazing that will not come out but the paint will look so good afterwards it is worth investing a couple hundred with a pro. Having a clean car that shines will motivate to fix the rest...believe me. A good polish will also save what is there, and preserve what is left. It will also look good to everyone else around you, and not some old scrap car!

I don't see how the headlight adjustment can work, it has USA headlights installed which never had vacuum adjustment. Neat feature to have if you can afford a set of euro lights.
Neat to see all the things we could never have here but always read about, ABS, airbag, heated seats. Read up on the seats, lots of info on this forum about rebuilding the seats, just be sure to budget for them before you take them apart, it gets expensive fast! Beautiful colour interior too.
Find a local shop you can trust and get friendly with-have them drop the fuel tank, clean, reinstall, get new rubber hoses for the tank exits, new hoses at the other end on the engine, new fuel return hoses on injectors etc rebuild all that and be done with it. There are not many parts involved and unless the hoses were recently done cheap insurance for the future.
I would have traveled days to buy a car like this, it is worth it an easy project and rare options.

[funola]

Originally Posted by TheDon

Did you post about this car on reddit in /r/projectcars??? I could swear someone asked about this exact car

Can you post a link?

[funola]

Hey clacker, I am sure dish soap and laundry detergent works good as you say. Have you tried LA Awesome, available from Dollar General? It is amazing stuff and lifts dirt and grime with just a few wipes, like nothing else I've tried. I like micro fiber as a wiper.

[ROLLGUY]

Originally Posted by Benzasaurus

I wonder if it was the PO? And cool about the headlight adjustment button. ...what err... do the numbers mean? derp. We set it to 0 last night. Does that mean straight on or something? BF pointed out one of the lights is stuck looking right.

The adjustment wheel is used to adjust the Euro headlights, but your car has U.S. spec headlights. You will probably find a capped off vacuum line somewhere by the headlights. This vacuum line hooked up to a vacuum pod in the headlights to raise and lower the reflector. If you found a good set of Euro headlights, you could hook them back up and they would work like they did when the car was new. The terminals on the Euro lights are in a different position than the U.S. spec lights, but easy to change around should you decide to run Euro's.......Rich

[wagonfreak]

+1 On the LA Awesome.

I use it on everything, cars - carpets - couches It's great stuff. Some mobile detailers swear by it down here in south Florida.

If you have a light color upholstery (Palomino) I have found diluting it a bit gives the most even clean rather than spraying it on with volume.

P.S. Benzasaurus one can fit under the fuel tank of a wagon in the back without jacking the car up provided:

1.) The SLS is functioning properly.
2.) They are slender.

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by funola

Can you post a link?

http://www.reddit.com/r/projectcar/comments/25hscw/1985_mercedes_300d_wagon_as_daily_driver_looking/

Here ya go

[funola]

Originally Posted by TheDon

1985 Mercedes 300D Wagon as daily driver? Looking for purchasing advice. : projectcar

Here ya go

Different wagon. Benzasaurus's wagon is an 83, was listed at $1000.

[Benzasaurus]

Clacker, you are *so* right. And thank you for the advice! I think practically before I do anything else I'm going to try to clean out the car really well and clean the engine really well. It will make it easier to find things and figure out things and you're right, it will make me want to fix it more. I already bought clay, wax, car shampoo, lexol leather cleaner, lexol leather conditioner, and now LA awesome all purpose cleaner/degreaser. Some of that is in the post right now. I have soft brushes for scrubbing the interior too and will do the damaged driver's seat first to check for damage from cleaning method. But I'll use your method first, the dish soap and water with a white rag. I may even do a photo experiment contrasting different methods. It's dirty enough! (And I secretly enjoy those parts of cleaning product ads.)

I'm going to gather up the materials for cleaning it and clean it over the weekend while doing some house sitting. BF may help although he is still on the hunt for the unicorn wagon (the NE wagon with no rust, great mechanicals, good paint for less than $5k, preferably $3k). Not sure why he doesn't like me calling it "the unicorn wagon" Anyway, I took this wagon to the car wash the first day back as well and when it rained last night I could see how nice the paint will look with some good wax on it, will hold off for detailer tho.

Will definitely test out the window thing—really curious to see if it works now!

Disappointing about the headlights. BUT the 300D has American style lights. Maybe time to switch them?

As for the fuel tank... PO told us SLS has been replaced twice but didn't say if it was working now, come to think of it. The wagon is loaded down with quarts of the wrong oil and (mostly?) used parts. If I empty it, how will I know the SLS is working? The ride has felt fairly smooth to me. Going over speedbumps too fast throws the back up but it's only one bounce; going over speedbumps at a reasonable speed feels like nothing.

As for me fitting under it if the SLS is working properly. I probably could. I'll start researching the job and make a parts list.

[Benzasaurus]

Originally Posted by funola

If you were lucky enough to be the first buyer, saw how good the engine ran and drove and all the parts (best one- 5 pristine FSM's) that came with it. You would have bought it in a heartbeat. I know I would.

Speaking of the FSMs... working on a way to make copies.

I know that I was extremely lucky in getting this wagon, and for your help in making it drivable that night too, F. I intend to bring it back to former glory, even if it takes a while (provided the rust isn't too bad). I feel an obligation. It is just too nice a car to let go.

[MTUpower]

Keep posting questions and what you are about to do- we have the answers here! I'm going to look at a w123 wagon tomorrow am as well-. my 84 wagon with the leaky tranny is still in my driveway- the one which I was going to pull a manual tranny in CT right before Sandy...
We'll be able to tell you what fluids go to what and give positive feedback on your work!

[Benzasaurus]

Thanks MTU!

Speaking of fluids... I was cleaning the engine some more this morning (this job is going to take weeks of half hour and hour blocks) and checked the coolant. I couldn't see anything in the coolant reservoir but thought it was because it was dirty. Once it was cleaned some more, I still couldn't see any. Opened the cap at the top. Could not see any except some at the top of the hose coming out from the bottom of the reservoir. The car has been running ok and at the correct temperature but this can't be good long-term.

Is there any limitation on what antifreeze/coolant I should by? I'd prefer to buy one that uses propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol since ethylene glycol kills so many animals if it leaks out. Can I just add distilled water in the meanwhile? I'm guessing a bottle of Evian would be a bad idea.

[ROLLGUY]

Originally Posted by Benzasaurus

Thanks MTU!

Speaking of fluids... I was cleaning the engine some more this morning (this job is going to take weeks of half hour and hour blocks) and checked the coolant. I couldn't see anything in the coolant reservoir but thought it was because it was dirty. Once it was cleaned some more, I still couldn't see any. Opened the cap at the top. Could not see any except some at the top of the hose coming out from the bottom of the reservoir. The car has been running ok and at the correct temperature but this can't be good long-term.

Is there any limitation on what antifreeze/coolant I should by? I'd prefer to buy one that uses propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol since ethylene glycol kills so many animals if it leaks out. Can I just add distilled water in the meanwhile? I'm guessing a bottle of Evian would be a bad idea.

Just like changing all the other fluids to get a fresh start, the coolant would be no different. I would pressure test the system and fix any leaks, and then flush the entire cooling system before putting fresh coolant in.