Perspective!
You've rec'd some good advice here. Apply it--grieve for the loss; be thankful for the safety.
Above all, use this incident to maybe reevaluate what is truly important to you. Perhaps God just wants to get your attention; He often uses events to slow us down. Metal, glass, rubber, etc is all replaceable; human life is not. If you are really questioning, maybe its time to look at where you are spending your time. Are you investing in relationships, or "stuff"? "Stuff" decays; relationships remain.
You may also decide to use those finely honed skills and do it all again. I restored a '64 Falcon Sprint covertible. Working part time as funds and interests and other responsibilities allowed; it took me about 10 years. After completing it, I sold it within a year. My wife and some friends were amazed--but as someone posted above--its about the journey/ solving the problems. I find the mental challenge is the most satisfying--doing the actual work is often a bit anticlimatic.
Take some time to reevaluate and dive back in. Use your next project as a father-daughter project letting her help, ( and get to spend time time dad), as her interest allows.
Perspective.

Carrameow,

How bad was the car hurt? Is the drivetrain still reusable? Why are you FORCED to take the title to the salvage yard? Are you forced to give up the car? Unless the car was seriously demolished, it should be a great parts car.

Just some thoughts.

I wish you the best,

Carrameow,

Very sorry to hear about your accident. I think the board has adequately covered the fact that it is best that no one is seriously hurt. There will be other cars, better ones at that. Take a breather and enjoy life.

sorry for you. at any rate maybe you can make a deal with the junkyard to be able to take away what you want from it, before the scavengers descend.

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

What's up with blanking out God? It that a dirty word or sumthin'?

sorry about your loss. That's the nature of Benz cars - that we are likely to survive accidents, so we can mourn the loss of the car ...

i know that this has been communicated to you in some way or another by the other posts, but what comes to mind is a section of Rudyard Kipling's "IF" poem:

" ...
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
"

keep your stick on the ice ...

destroy your 240...you seem to have had "help".

Hope your back and other problems are short-lived, and that no one else was hurt.

The points about the "life saving" qualities of the W123 are well taken.

You seem to have accumulated what I'd consider an enviable amount of broad, practical knowledge in putting your "late" car together...why not take your knowledge and cobble up another!

Glad you're safe...and good luck!

I agree with the above.

Why would you do all that work and then give up on the car just because it got bent? If you can, Find a body and swap the drivetrain...there are plenty of cars out there that need an engine. Don't give up so easily.

__________________
Diesel-guy

Well, a hundred years ago it would have been your horse; imagine how you'd feel about losing an animate "best friend."
-s

Good words MSFowler:

Another thought or two is this.

1. After loosing two battles with body work (totalled one car and hit a deer with the other)

A. I want the safety features and the engine in tip top shape.
B. These are all transferable in most accidents. Therefore, you still retain your former time investment.

So Amber's engine lives on in Matt's car, and all the calipers, rotors, differential, muffler, etc. live on. Therefore we've captured the essance of the former car without a huge loss of money.

Don

__________________
DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

a very wise person told me here once

''nothing will cost you as much as to get rid of a car you love"

words to live by

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

Maybe you need to put your life in perspective.

No matter what you may think of your car, it does not love you like your daughter who sat in the back seat. Or your significant other who satnext to you while you drove through your path of life.

Your wonderful car never got up in the middle of the night to check your fever, wife, duaghter, kid or anything else that has real value. In other words it is just a car. A good car, maybe a great car. But just a car. No matter how you slice it, it will always be just a car. The sooner you realize that all the effort you put into cars, house, possesions amount to nothing in the big picture the sooner you will get over this "tragic" loss.

Yesterday on my way home from work, driving my unfeeling Benz, I almost ran some over who was standing on the side of the rode in a complete black outfit in the dark. I quickly reflected on the horror of accidently hitting someone, even it was not my fault. It scared me. Put value on the living.

Everything else is a granfaloon, and yes I feel your pain. Salvage the drive train, all good parts and buy another car and keep working on your hobby.

Henry

__________________
63 190d (sold)
69 220D (sold)
69 280SL (sold)
76 BMW 2002 (sold)
86 190E-16v (Demised at Laguna Seca Turn 9)
87 300SDL (sold)
87 300SDL 135k
87 300TD 280k (sold)
95 E320W 211k
95 E320w 111k
05 C320 4matic
06 E320 CDI 90k (Totaled by a texting 19 year old girl in a nissan)
2013 GLK 250 Bluetek 4MATIC

Boy I never expected this kind of response...!!! I appreciate your taking the time to write. Anyway it wasnt a loved one or for that matter, a stranger. cars are great but people are what we live for..Thanks again for taking the time to write. Mercedes are great, but Mercedes people are super, and people are 10000000 time more important than any car..

Thanks again
Respectfully Richard Chang

for members.

Dave had the best reminder of the whole thread!!

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John