This is a crime!!! Ebay item number 2417463035
 

You have to see this mess.It is suppose to be a 1979 300 ce with a V-8 engine.Look at the pictures-rear- turbodiesel.Hello misrepresentation-fraud,let alone extremely poor taste.I am calling them up and requesting a carfax on its authenticity or should we let these people attempt to defraud some one(who I hope can see especially the rear-no turbodiesels in 1979 except for the S class-300SD-not this platform-82 was the start wagon was 1981 if memory serves me correct).So this is FYI.

Just one click away:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2417463035

I especially like the "Best of both worlds...... American dependability." And I always thought that Mercedes were dependable.

mrdhh,

Does it matter if it was a Turbo or not. Its a V8 now.

Low serial number, did convertibles have their own series of numbers? Maybe you could check it in carfax by the serial number.

What's the crime, the TURBODIESEL insignia or the Chevy engine?

P E H

If everyone looks at the one just listed in Modesto California (ebay 2417519416),thats a real Mercedes Benz 300 Coupe.Love that color (German Taxi-both of my 300 turbodiesels are that color).

Crime-False representation of vehicle as well as bad taste.Car should be impounded and destroyed (minus all genuine parts to be recycled for loyal Mercedes Benz owners).One could fathom a GM conversation for the engine like they use to do on the late 70's Jaguars,but to piecemeal different things like that that are not even true,it makes a kit car like decent.;)

I agree with PEH. You're told that the car doesn't have the original engine, and that it didn't start life as a convertible. If youre right about the engine years and such, that just means the car is newer than advertised. Anyone who wants to buy a monster like this isn't going to be deterred by a whether the old motor was diesel or a gasoline powered.

With respect to the serial number, I wonder if this wasn't a grey market that someone converted? It does have the Euro headlights, and that might explain the low miles - they may have swapped out the old kilometers speedo for a US version.

I think it looks pretty good myself. Based on what I can tell there is nothing wrong with the way he is advetising the car. Notice the manual climate controls too. I would like to see a shot at the front cross member and see what they did in that area to get that bowtie engine to fit.

I agree that it looks nice... and when I think about the $4500 my aunt was just quoted to fix her 1986 gasser engine... with beautiful body and interior.... I have trouble blaming anyone for putting an American engine into one of these cars...

( I have offered to convert it to TurboDiesel, if mom wants the car ... )

This is a free country. Lord knows, there are hundreds of thousands of scrapped 123s, what's wrong with saving one with a V8? It's interesting that a 350 will fit in a w123... If it's done, its a rarity and should be enjoyed for what it is. Hey, what did AC think when Carol Shelby wedged a Ford 260 in their proper British roadster? Then came the 289, then the 427, now its a legend. Perhaps if these conversions were done in numbers when the cars were new (they were too expensive and durable to scrap) they would have a similar reputation to say that of a volvo with Mustang 5.0 conversion, or the Jag with the 350.

The door fitting doesn't look right.


hacking off the top requires some strenghting somewhere and I doubt it was done very well.....

Chevy into Benz is an old concept. I've seen several over the years. There is a 1966 Chevrolet oil pan that is front sump. Peterson publishing's 1981 Engine Swapping manual has a story about a 350 into a 1973 280 SE, and a kit was available then.
I think the car in question in this thread is clever. It is what it is...think of it as a street rod. As for the emblem thing...how about the term"Limited edition" on some car where the numbers of them around prove that the only limit is how many of the pieces of junk they can sell !
The custom convertible conversion had to be pricey ! But it's probably the only car exactly like this on the planet ! A purist would hate this car justly, but should still appreciate the ingenuity required to build something different.

V-8's into Volvo 240's and 700/900's are really quite nice. They give a good car with a worn out engine another life. The engine fits right in but it's still a lot of work.

www.converseengineering.com

www.jagsthatrun.com

Regards

BTW, no comment on the V-8 123 though.

RE Capt Kirks observation... Usually in the old days... a convertible would have a full box frame... as compared to the same model with a top having a ' C' channel..... to make up for the lack of rigidity added by the top structure...

I drove one of these 123 coupe conversions. I drove it in Weatherford, Texas about 10 years ago. It was done by adding the square box sections in the rocker panel area. It was a 300CD turbo that I drove. The car handles poorly. A lot of twist and road bounce, while going down the road.
I was not impressed with the car.
Neat idea if Mercedes had done it right. If was"fun" to drive and have room for the kids. But the hole modificatioin was a "rigging"
of the idea.
Not anyting I would put money down on.

Dave

I have seen a European W123, two door convertable that came from the factory as a drop top. Unfortunately, it was a gasser. I suspect that the car in the ad is one of these cars that have been rebadged and obviously modified. The reason I say that is because of the manual a/c controls. I would purchase a car like this to be my "hot rod" if I were into toys like that.