I picked up this 300TD last Dec. for only $1300. Seller was a woman from TX. who moved to NY. First cold day it would not start. (Needed four glow plugs) So she let it sit for over a year outside on the dirt. Brakes were all siezed, battery dead, paint blistered from the TX sun, but no rust. She said it didn't start due to a bad transmission, so she got another one for it, but could not find anyone to install it. Since it is an automatic, and her being a girl who knew nothing about cars I struck a deal to buy it. There was nothing wrong with motor or transmission! Just needed the four glow plugs. Now the fun begins, since dragging it home I have stripped the car down to bare metal for a windows out respray in original Cypress Green Metallic, replaced all the brake calipers, rotors, and MC. Two new axles, rebuilt the driveshaft. Complete overhaul of the SLS. Replaced the whole interior from the 81' parts car I got that was not driven in the last 24 years and parked inside a dry garage. Now that it is no the road and driving, I was thinking of pulling the motor in the winter time and swapping in the one from the parts car, as it only has 84k miles on it, as seems to run a bit smoother, or do I chase after the problems with the one in the car. It is not the original motor, and the #'s tell me its out of an 81' SD. At least the block is. It blows a little blue smoke, and runs rough when cold, but seems better when warm. I am running it on B100 biodiesel, so I don't know if that is the smoking issue. And here are some before and after photos as well as a video if the finished car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsbOWhqaK9Q

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