Has anyone succeeded in finding suitable donor parts to do this right? Please share details and photographs of your work!

There are no parts that will fit directly. It takes a lot of fabrication, modification and compromise to fit anything. Unless you have some significant engine performance modifications that push the limit of exhaust temperatures, an intercooler does not make much of a difference.

When I get home I'll post some pictures I have collected.

Thanks, would love to see those!

On a W126, you're lucky, there is tons of room to work, and lots of space for both an intercooler and plumbing. Some assorted photos are at this link, however most are of the 124.

Some pics of a 300SDL with a nicely-installed, front-mount intercooler are here.

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

Those SDL pics are odd... I would think it more efficient to wrap the exhaust, than the intake.

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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 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

He did. The exhaust is wrapped, the intake is not.

That's a clean install

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Here are some random collection pictures.

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More.

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Where did he get that intercooler from? I bet one out of an E300D would work.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Beats me. However the factory IC's have plastic tanks, and are not always the proper size for a custom install in a 124/126. You can easily get nice IC's of the right size on eBay, and several vendors will custom-fab an IC to your specs. It's worth it, IMO, to pay a bit more for an IC that will fit properly.

That manifold was used only on 1985 300D/CD/TD/SD models sold in Kalifornia with the EVIL TrapOx.

That intercooler is small in LxW but its deep which means it has as much or more area than most long front mounted intercoolers.

That is probably one of the most beautiful IC installs ever, but it was completely useless since the guy who did it never turned up the fuel delivery at the pump! How sad. He did all the hard work, just imagine what it would do with a Myna pump bolted on...!

Yes, very unfortunate. Ridge insisted he got a 20% power gain from the intercooler alone but absolutely refused to post ANY data to back up his claim.

Intercooled 300DT Pictures