Originally Posted by barry12345

I think the term is we become at least temporary custodians of certain cars. When they are truly getting older and in very good condition for their age. Efforts then to keep them in similar condition are not unreasonable.

My dad told me many years ago when I was disposing of some of my cars. Just to keep them instead. Wise older man as I wish today I had heeded that advice. Not for the implied monetary value or gain but historically or emotionally. Today they would have been interesting. It has been mentioned what did you pay.

Over time with cars like this it does not really matter. I could list cars that my father suggested I keep. A 39 ford 2 door that never left the town it was in. Until just before I got it. There were no roads out of that northern Canadian town. Financial cost 125.00 from the older lady. It was already older but mint. Remember back then nobody except a few guys like myself wanted older cars. At the time new cars where pure heavy status symbols.

A mint 50 mercury a real high financial roller at the time that I paid 300 dollars for. A pretty new Mercedes fintail 6 cylinder gas. That an old fellow that sailed with me on my sailboat almost weekly sold me for the huge sum of 600.00. He had purchased a new lincon and told me the price reflected the true trade in rip off price when he finalized the deal if he had traded it in. He simply told me when he pulled up to the club one afternoon. That the Mercedes was at home waiting for me. Just give me 600.00 when I want to. He knew I liked the car and had said if you ever want to sell it let me know.

There were others perhaps less notable in my mind as well but would have been well worth taking care of over the years in good storage conditions. Perhaps using each one infrequently. The cost of acquisition and money returned when sold back then. Just basically pocket change today. Little more than a set of high line tires today.

Being fortunate to be a custodian of certain cars is not insanity. Just the occasional drive of the 54 Cadillac would be enjoyable today. Memory is a strange thing but only three years later the quality of the car brand to me was going downhill.. Cadillac's slogan was the standard of the world. In some ways back then and earlier they were.

There is some form of emotional attachment between some cars and guys especially. Although it probably is not logical. It can and does exist. Or perhaps it I just some combination like the extension of power or freedom. I have never really examined all the motives in depth. Other than understanding they subconsciously exist. Personally I find they do not fail with age. Most wives in general also tollerate well our interest in cars. In there minds perhaps we have never grown up and they are our toys. Typically when I used to mention that I might go to the Hershey car event or similar. A few days before there would be a packed suitcase just inside the front door. To me it was the wives seal of approval. She never packed a bag when I went on a business trip or any other reason.

Just had an old timer like myself at the door this morning. Asking me if I had the tools and shims to adjust his valves on an old engine. We both have interests in cars but have not crossed paths for perhaps 10 years. He loves to rebuild really old military vehicles. Not my thing but he has been hooked on them forever.

It is like you mentioned in going out the next morning to see your aquisiton. You will never get tired of doing so when they are older and in good shape. We have new and newer cars of course but the relationship with them to me in context does not exist. For example if I had to give away either the Toyota that is still worth a lot more in many ways than my recent 3.8k acquisition. I would say take the Toyota.

Again not a rational decision but instead I just like the older car better. So does the wife unfortunately. She has hinted I could drive her Toyota. Or stay in my Honda beater. Maybe I have a semi car wife because what we have is jointly owned in all ways. Except for cars as she considers that Toyota hers. Not to the extent you would have to pry it out of her dead hands fortunately. Yet close enough to keep in mind. She may make good humored fun of me and always has in many ways. Yet never about the cars in general. Strange woman or exceptionally smart. Your guess would be as good as mine and I have decades of experience with her.

Originally Posted by dieselmania

barry what you said rings true with me. Am I the only one who has dreams about my past cars that are so real I have to think twice to shake them off when I wake up? I have a recurring dream that I am at my Mom's house where I grew up and my 65 Dodge truck is there along with my 69 AMC Rebel.

The only thing keeping me from more aggressively looking for "Cream Puffs" to haul home is that I am out of room to park them.

Originally Posted by barry12345

I just try to remain pleasant when something someone is trying to sell me is ridiculously overpriced. For all I know they may believe it is worth it. It still may be worth the effort to bargain but in general if we are worlds apart I just leave it alone.

Also it pays to remember that ten percent of the population will have mental issues at some time in their lives.

What is odd if I feel something is underpriced and the person is in obvious need. Or I think they might be. I will pay more than they are asking. I have no wish to make their life harder than it is. Or if I think something is fairly priced I will usually just pay it. Or very close to it.

To also be fair I get a lot of deals on things like building materials. I just have developed the skill over the years. At the same time I am forced to pay more than I feel something is worth in this area sometimes.

Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro

Gorgeous car!
I have a 5-speed '84 Euro TD, currently with US bumpers & headlights, and some rust, but not as bad as the worst I've had - like my first two 240Ds, which were 'Swiss-cheese' cars!
Someday, if I ever get enough time, I'll install the Euro bumpers, lights and 4-band Europa radio I've collected for her.
Is yours a 4-speed or 5-speed? Manual heat & AC?

Happy Motoring, Mark

Originally Posted by SonnyMorrow

4 speed, I would really love the 5 however. Yes the climate control is manual. Also the sunroof and windows are manual. Just about the best case scenario despite the 5 speed. Check out the full picture album I posted: https://imgur.com/a/kiseN

Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro

Wow. You have the same 4-band Europa radio as mine. I found mine in a Euro W126 280SE at a Pick-N-Pull for $15.

Mine came with the factory manual AC and notorious Delco R-4 compressor.
It was working when I bought it but has developed a leak. As I need to replace my leaky heater core, AC repair will have to wait.

Mine has a Burgundy Tex interior and dual interior rear-view mirrors for trailering. It had a Euro hitch attached to a mangled Euro rear bumper that I removed to install a US bumper, to match the US front bumper mine already had when I bought it. I hope to install the Euro bumpers and hitch someday.

It came with what I believe is an importer-installed US speedometer for the '84 turbo version, which reads way too fast. I found an '84 Euro non-turbo 300D speedometer in the Pick-N-Pull that looks exactly like the one pictured in my Euro owner's manual.

A few years ago, a friend bought an '84 4-speed stick 300D for $500.
I've had to repair the severely-rusted passenger-side floor and perform some other work for him. It's actually a pretty nice driving car now, and without the open cargo area, much quieter than my wagon. With the stick-shift, I don't really miss the turbo in either car.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Originally Posted by SonnyMorrow

My other Euro 300d is a 4 speed as well, but the condition is far superior than my newly acquired one. One thing that is cool though, it has a swapped turbo om617 in it. So it has the turbo and the 4 speed. I'd have to say it's probably the fastest diesel W123 around town!

I kind of see why they never offered the turbo with a manual transmission though. It is a bit weird in terms of turbo lag, kind of annoying to drive at times. I guess you can't have everything..

Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro

My boss where I used to work had a Turbo 300D back in the '90s. Even with the automatic, the turbo-lag was pretty bad

Your newly acquired one looks pretty fabulous to me. Aside from the turbo, how is your other 300D superior?

Happy Motoring, Mark

Originally Posted by SonnyMorrow

Wow it was early in the morning when I typed the previous comment. I meant inferior, not superior. Yea I've sort of learned how to shift around the turbo lag with my other 300d, but it totally makes sense why Mercedes didn't want to expose their paying customers to that annoyance.

Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro

I think Mercedes simply decided most American customers weren't interested in rowing a stick-shift.

My former boss also had a non-turbo 300D and that one seemed quicker from a standing-start. I didn't know that the rear-end gearing was also different between the two cars, so maybe that gave the non-turbo an advantage at lower speeds. I never drove them on the highway, so I can't compare their high-speed performance either.
If your other Euro 300D still has the 3.47 non-turbo rear end, with a stick-shift and a turbo added, it's probably the closest thing to a diesel hot-rod in these cars.

I've owned three W123 240Ds. My first was a very rusty, $250 automatic, with a tired engine, and a broken left rear trailing-arm, that had been well thrashed by the PO's teenagers. But it had a beautiful repaint-job. I managed to patch the rust and fix the rest enough to make it a decent for local driving, though it remained extremely noisy at highway speeds. While this car didn't turn out as nice as I'd hoped, it was a great learning experience! And I sold it for $1000.

The second was an even rustier $600 stick-shift 'parts-car' with a healthy engine.
I originally intended to transplant that engine & tranny into the first 240D.
But this car was so much nicer to drive, I didn't have the heart to gut it.
I wound up patching the rust and kept it at my family home in Virginia Beach.
I enjoyed driving 'Beirut Taxi' for a few years, then my neighbor wanted it. So I sold it to him for $900.

My current 240D is a nearly rust-free, solid-body stick-shift car, with (according to the engine tag) a factory replacement engine. I got it for $1400, needing a windshield, alternator, and tires. Though it still badly needs a new paint-job, otherwise the excellent overall condition makes it my nicest-driving 240D. When revved, or on the highway, this diesel sounds more like a 4-cylinder gas car. Wish there had been a way to switch the beautiful paint from my first 240D to this one!

Happy Motoring, Mark

Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro

I think Mercedes simply decided most American customers weren't interested in rowing a stick-shift.

My former boss also had a non-turbo 300D and that one seemed quicker from a standing-start. I didn't know that the rear-end gearing was also different between the two cars, so maybe that gave the non-turbo an advantage at lower speeds. I never drove them on the highway, so I can't compare their high-speed performance either.
If your other Euro 300D still has the 3.47 non-turbo rear end, with a stick-shift and a turbo added, it's probably the closest thing to a diesel hot-rod in these cars.

I've owned three W123 240Ds. My first was a very rusty, $250 automatic, with a tired engine, and a broken left rear trailing-arm, that had been well thrashed by the PO's teenagers. But it had a beautiful repaint-job. I managed to patch the rust and fix the rest enough to make it a decent for local driving, though it remained extremely noisy at highway speeds. While this car didn't turn out as nice as I'd hoped, it was a great learning experience! And I sold it for $1000.

The second was an even rustier $600 stick-shift 'parts-car' with a healthy engine.
I originally intended to transplant that engine & tranny into the first 240D.
But this car was so much nicer to drive, I didn't have the heart to gut it.
I wound up patching the rust and kept it at my family home in Virginia Beach.
I enjoyed driving 'Beirut Taxi' for a few years, then my neighbor wanted it. So I sold it to him for $900.

My current 240D is a nearly rust-free, solid-body stick-shift car, with (according to the engine tag) a factory replacement engine. I got it for $1400, needing a windshield, alternator, and tires. Though it still badly needs a new paint-job, otherwise the excellent overall condition makes it my nicest-driving 240D. When revved, or on the highway, this diesel sounds more like a 4-cylinder gas car. Wish there had been a way to switch the beautiful paint from my first 240D to this one!

Happy Motoring, Mark