Manganese Brown my pick because my 83 MB300 CDT is that color.
Two stage and the newer paint version has a higher metallic bling.
Keep it original.

It's as simple as W123
While some will make a plea
it's hard changing colors easily
and while I would have to agree
If it were left up to me
I would decree
make it the color of a tropical sea
and forever after you'll smile as you drive with glee

Something else, AR 343 navy blue with 1.5 grams/quart of blue pearl

Anthracite grey!

Stay brown, my friend. you would not want me to kick you out of the brown club, would you? Once you see the fresh paint, you will not regret the decision!

It is a shame yours is too new to be milan brown like mine. Then we could really be exclusive. (I still have not seen or heard of another milan brown W123 diesel anywhere, and am really starting to think mine is the only one.)

But seriously. Brown. Mhmm.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Stay brown!!

I just read the PP e-mail and couldn't resist. Diamond Blue metallic. Not a classic color in the true sense, but I think that it would look good with the tobacco interior.

I've always liked it on my 1990 now 4matic fluid leaking 300E. (The very nice looking "diamond blue" 124 pictured is not mine).

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My '81 300d is silver metallic. Looks classy and after all silver is the Mercedes racing color. I think it's the best color.

I like "Smoke Silver," probably because my '85 300D-T was that color.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Steve McQueen special ordered a couple of Ferraris in a color very similar to your Manganese Brown. I think it's very unusual, and now that the '70's have been gone a while, it's looking better all the time. I agree with others who said that color change is very difficult to do right, so unless the car will be totally stripped of mechanicals and wiring for the color change, I vote to keep it the original color.

__________________
Reid
Past ('59 220Sb, 2-'59 190's, '92 300D 2.5T)
Current
'04 E320 4Matic Wagon
'00 E320 4Matic Wagon

I cannot possibly be the only one that laughed when I got to this part. Stretch doesnt even need a reason to completely dismantle something, it is just his nature. All kidding aside, I suffer from the same affliction.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Lapis blue. We bought Elvira (our 1984 300CD - lapis blue) new in early '84 at Overseas Orders in Fort Worth, TX and have had to repaint it once, re-painted it the original color.

__________________
Houston, Texas
1984 300CD 235K miles, Elvira, one owner
1987 300TD 180K miles
1974 TR6 78K miles Sarah Jane, one owner
OBK #27

Restore it to as original as possible. Engine bay, sills, jambs and pillars will match with a little cleanup. That authentic facory look is important an old Benz.

Despite the fact that I love my Cypress Green beauty, I vote that you stick with the original color. Restoring it all-original is just too good to pass up.

__________________
Never be ashamed to ask for help.

1985 300D
1987 300SDL
1970 Jaguar E-Type OTS
2002 Dodge Intrepid (Traded In)
2011 Ford Crown Victoria

From the pictures in post number 16 I would say that you have been careful to take the trim off the body!

My 84 is 040 Black (a standard color, not metallic) and my 85 is 172 Anthracite Grey (one of the metallic colors). I like them both, but the black is definitely harder to keep looking clean.

One of my favorite colors is Orient Red, but I do not see it on the 1985 paint chart that I have. I think it may have only been used on the 240 series. 587 Cabernet Red, a metallic, is not bad. I like 929 Nautical Blue as well.

__________________
85 300D 75K Anthracite Grey 0-60 in 13 seconds **For Sale**
84 300D 333K Black (The Velveteen Rabbit) 0-60 in 14 seconds
00 Toyota Sienna 208K (Sold)
15 Subaru Outback 43K
11 Subaru Outback 67K
98 Ford Taurus 100K (Gertie - Was Grandma's - drove it to church and shopping - really) Daughter's car now.
30 Model A Ford 2 Door Sedan (Sold) 0-60 in . . . Never reached 60