Giving up on my 1985 300TD
 

I post this not to drum up a sale.. just to lament.

A friend of mine and I were both into MB diesels. He bought the 85 wagon... I got an 85 sedan. He put it away in winter.. and was a complete 'fuss pot' about everything. I ran the sedan summer and winter.

I went with making biodiesel... he went with a grease car kit. Eventually.. after several years.. I had to give up on my sedan. He was SO jealous when I found a 91 sedan that had never seen snow, and had 27k on the clock just 4 years ago.

He got cancer.. several times. Had to give up on maintaining his wagon. It was in sad shape. The spring poked right through the control arm on the rear.

When he passed, he had told his wife I was to get the wagon. I sunk probably 5 or 6k into it.. and drove it for several years.

Recently the spring went through the OTHER rear control arm. I kept at it. took me 5 tries to get a used one... and I did the rear calipers while they were back there.

BUT>>> on the way home from the garage. I heard a snap. The bushing and bolt pulled out of the frame on the opposite side of what I had fixed. There's just no easy fix. There is a captive nut in the frame of the car. I'd have to drop the whole rear suspension again to get that piece out. The bushing itself is a nightmare. A big aluminum block which has a steel bolt in it. Everything is bound tight. I thought I'd cut it off with a torch. Mess, rubber on fire, and damaging the keeper that holds the bolt head.

No real way to get at the frame to cut the old captive nut out. Don't want to invest the time or money to remove all the suspension to get at it to fix it.

I'm giving up. Don't think less of me.

The garage, while griping for years.. is agreeing to take a bit less off the last bill for the benefit of not having to work on it again. :) I give them a lot of business. They had warned me on the last few repairs that it was 'time' to give up.

I've finally reached that point. I'm not going to just haul it to the scrap yard. I figured I'd post on here first. SOMEONE would want it for more than scrap.. I hope.

4 good snow tires. Two additional that have studded snows. A few extra rims. (I don't have a need for extras now, as I don't have any more 123 or 126 cars.)

Bout as new a rear brake calipers as you can get. 15 miles on them.

It has the 'grease car' kit in it. Stainless tank (maybe 12 or 15 gallon)

I'll stop posting.. and go over to classifieds.

Someone out there lift a toast to 'Scotty's Wagon' tonight.

I tried to do right by her... even when it didn't make sense. Knew I'd have to give up some day. I had wanted to go 'one more sticker' I did that one a few times. :)

JP

It is sad to hear, but you have a good attitude about it. I/we hope it will be used as a donor so others will live on. Being in So. Cal. we have the opposite problem. Our bodies last our lifetime and then some, but our engines/transmissions don't. I would say that it would be good if some of our bodies would get transplanted to your area, and your drivetrains transplanted here, but I won't. I don't want to wish that same fate (rusted out) on any body that just needs a new powerplant. :(

Yeah
 

I think this is one of those cars the 'hipsters' really like.

If someone wanted to put 20 hours of labor into it.. ( I was ready to do the hood just to stop looking at the crappy clear coat that's bubbled) She'd be a runner.

I just had to decide to 'call it' I don't have the ability to fix it right.. and don't want to throw another grand at it to fix it poorly. After several years of.. "It's for sentimental purposes" The third car will have to go.

I've got a 17 year old Tundra I've owned since new.. and a 91 300D sedan that I put away in winter. She just turned 70k... so I'll still have a diesel for another decade anyway.

JP

I'm in Maine with a 300TD, if you're looking to do a part out, I'd be interested in some parts, maybe even the whole car.

Car
 

I'm not going to part it out.

I have a gentleman from CA who would like the grease car kit.

I'm willing to pull that.

Whole car is leaving at once. Even if it's just onto the trailer to the scrap yard. it's sitting in my barn now. I'm currently waiting on my truck to be repaired. Once it's back.. the car is going somewhere. :)

JP

You did a noble thing getting your late buddies car up and running. I am certain he will absolve of any guilt after you after your excellent care of it.

Well if you're planning on crushing, I have a trailer and could haul the whole car away. My 300TD is in good shape, but could use a new diff, the interior is really sunbaked/cracked since it came from florida, etc. Useful parts from the car would definitely live on in my wagon.

Sad, but understandable, hopefully someone from the forum will carry the torch and keep it going.
If some hipster gets a hold of it, it will be run into ground for sure. I honestly don't want that to happen

I have a trailer, and a truck and have brought one to the scrap yard before. So not interested in giving it away. At this point.. I owe the shop 500 for its last visit.

I'm thinking its worth a bit more than the 500. Not a lot more.

JP

Put it up on BAT with no reserve. Has a good story, body looks in good shape. Search for recent wagon sales - you'd be shocked at what they can fetch.

Any running wagon should be at least worth a Grand. If it were somewhat local, I would be headed there with ten smiling Benjamin's to give for it.

BAT is beyond picky. The only want zero reserve on hopeful project cars, or a very small reserve on great cars. They have a clause where they can buy the car if you don't get your reserve, for the amount of the reserve at their sole discretion.

I dissagree. With finite hours in a day, I've had to pick my battles on this. I've turned down a couple sub $1000 wagons and ran away from another when 'ether' and 'liquid nails' came up in the emails.