Frau Frankenbenz Countess of Chocula
1) 1983 manual 4sp 240D w/ 1984 300SD engine transplant.
2) manual tranny factory installed (engine transplant owner inflicted...haha)
3) P.O. painted the car brown (yuck.) 2.88 rear differential installed, newer radio and rear speakers, custom made wood center console (where the shifter and window switches are and back) to add cup holders into that dumb rectangular dirt receptacle under the armrest. Armrest soon to be removed, WVO kit soon to be installed, paint job sometime later... we're way far from stock, and drifting further...
4) Performance is great. Good pickup, very agile on the highway. ~ 2500 mi on the transplant, love it. ~ 308,000 mi on the transmission. Still shifts smooth and precisely. Looking forward to the performance after a diesel purge, a valve adjustment and replacing the leak lines.

1] 1983 240d

2] factory installed, original engine

3] shifts smooth with 245k

4] has the henna red interior. I know its rare but to me ugly. Just installed new starter and now needs flywheel. Needs upper control arm too. Other than that, nice car with virtually no rust, no fluid leaks, no speed demon but gets you there with 31mpg, was given to me needing a clutch slave at that time. Used as my beater car to keep the TD out of the winter salt.

Cheers,

Bill

1981 300d

Factory installed 4 speed

No known modifications

Just bought it, get it friday so I will report back. Felt great compared to a friend's 4 speed 240, very solid.

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-Zack K.

http://www.maj.com/gallery/Boardmong...-Drive/si2.jpg


1983 300d Turbo (Daily Drive) -- 243,000 miles
1979 280ce AMG (Beginning extreme restoration) -- 141,410 miles
1979 Yamaha Chappy LB50 (Awating new points) -- 1411.6 miles

1981 300d Euro 4 speed -- 188,421 km -- SOLD
1979 300d Euro 4 speed (Sold to Brother) -- 257,000 miles

A Collection of w123 AMG Cars and Parts

1984 300TD non-turbo

factory installed 4 speed

no mods, other than a few rust holes in the floorboard

some rust, runs good.

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84 300TD 4 speed, green

1979 300D Euro, no other mods, 4 speed is satisfactory as long as you shift slow (needs 2-3 synchro), god-awful green.

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Jeff

79 300D Euro 4 spd 196K
01 Jetta GLS TDI, 5 spd
04.5 Dodge 3500 Cummins, 6 speed
93 Dodge 250 Cummins, Auto

Woohoo- I get to add the 190 here!

1987 190d (greymarket import)-all stock
2.0L diesel
4 Speed Manual (Yes really)
We've been very happy so far- the wife even learned to drive stick in it.

It will need a clutch soon- starting to chatter at 165,000

81 240d 4 speed

factory 4 speed

runs pretty good even at this 4500' elevation

happy.. that is all

1) 82 240D 4 speed

2) factory setup

3) mods, vegoil conversion http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kobayashigeisha/my_photos

4) very satisified with manual tranny after owning a 123 with a tempermental auto.

for new members

My 240 still shifting smooth, now with almost 300K.

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Cheers,
Bill

1) Vehicle model and year 82 300 CD (but motor and tranny will soon be moved to "pancakes" an 82 240d.

2) Factory install or owner inflicted retrofit? not factory

3) Any other modifications (i.e. 4 to 5 cyl, turbo/nonturbo, intercooled etc) made to vehicle? no4) Level of satisfaction with manual transmission performance 100%5) Anything else you can think of? 240 fw.

1) Vehicle model and year 83 240d us car, 83 euro 300 na. five speed originally from my 84 280e. real 300 fw.2) Factory install or owner inflicted retrofit? not factory

3) Any other modifications (i.e. 4 to 5 cyl, turbo/nonturbo, intercooled etc) made to vehicle? 307 diff4) Level of satisfaction with manual transmission performance 100%

5) Anything else you can think of? I get 35 mpg with this one hiway with regularity. I will get a slight harmonic vibration at certain rpm through the stickshift when accelerating. The car will win no drag races with the 307 diff but it has more power at any given rpm than a stock 240d and is much quieter on the highway and beats the factory 240d for fuel economy with the od tranny. With this gearing the motor has enough torque to pull minor hills on the freeway without coming out of fifth and will run 100 mph in either fourth or fifth.

Love it.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

1981 240d
factory 4 speed
box stock
I think I need to tinker with the throttle linkage a bit as the 82 auto seems peppier but I still love driving my stick and it is in much better condition

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

1982 240d 4cyl factory 4-speed 208k miles. a little better then 30mpg average(full tank calculations, using gps verified mileage at the same pump & no AC) and 35mpg being my one time best. i am figuring that running the AC will drop these figures but hoping not much(AC is being repaired today. A VERY important option for a Florida driven car)

I love the 4 speed but shifter was VERY sloppy when i bought it! I rebuilt the shifter and it's wonderful now!! also replaced master & slave clutch cyl.

My only complaint is at highway speed it revs high at 70mph or higher. I have installed taller tires(205-75-14) which helped a little(aprox 5mph and made the speed dead on). I'm now looking into finding a 5speed and do the swap or a rear end gear ratio change.

This is a wonderful car to drive in all aspects as long as you're not in a hurry. stop light to stop light racer it is not!

Question: do you think a 5-speed swap will hurt or help the value of this 100% original antique car???

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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

Help. In fact unless your car is very sharp the five speed might be worth more than the car.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

IF you get a factory 5 speed and the installation is flawless, it can only help your car's value. as mentioned, the 5 speed is worth more than all but the nicest 240D complete car... I've been offered crazy prices for mine, and did not sell it.
with your car's mileage, it's only value is to other MB enthusiasts, and unless it's TOTALLY pristine, I can't see anything you could do to the car that would lower it's value... if done well.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!