Up & Coming Diesel Benz Fanatic

[GreatPlainsClassicBenzs]

Greetings from frozen Eastern Nebraska!

New member here to continue learning all that I can about the diesel Benz platform.

I have spent most of my Benz ownership time in the various Facebook groups but I decided to join a few of the online forums as well.

I began my Benz ownership about five years ago when I purchased a 1985 300D. At the time I had never rode in or even closely looked at any classic Benz’s in person.
The om617 engine platform lured me in & I wanted to own a car with that engine.
I ran in to some logistical storage problems & regrettably had to sell that car before I got a lot of time in it. I knew that I would be back.
I purchased my second Benz, also an 85 300D in the fall of 2022.

I did some work on it over the winter & I elected to sell it to pursue the Sonderklasse.

I searched high & low for a 300SD that wasn’t multiple states away.
I ended up meeting a gentleman that had one he was willing to sell by placing a wanted ad on several of the Facebook group pages.
I drove across the state of Iowa & purchased my 1983 300SD in March of 2023.

I absolutely love this car. I am still seeking out information on her… from my understanding the original owner was in possession of the car for the first 38 years. He sold it to the gentleman that I purchased it from & he sold it to me one month ahead of its 40th birthday, April 2023.

The car resided in Wisconsin for most of its life but it is apparent that it didn’t see much winter action due to its condition.

The engine, transmission, & all major systems seem to be in great condition. Plenty of maintenance work scheduled to be done… some yet this winter while she is parked in a heated garage.
So far I have replaced all of the belts & a few heater hoses + the thermostat.
I plan on replacing a few more hoses & performing a valve adjustment before she re-emerges this Spring.

One neat feature that was added on is a rear axle disconnect cable. It is my understanding that the original owner flat towed this behind an RV on Summer vacations.

154k miles young. I am planning on logging several thousand miles per year when there isn’t snow/salt/brine on the roads.

I started a Facebook group called ‘Great Plains Classic Benz Enthusiasts’ for people in the middle of the country. There were no local Benz club chapters so it seemed like a great way to network & meet some like minded people.


My daughter & I named our SD Stefanie… the most popular girls name in Germany back in 1983.