57 300d 3.5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sixto · #1 02-08-2008, 08:45 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260210117760

I might be able to live with the SBC conversion, but not with that paint job!

Sixto
87 300D

PaulC · #2 02-08-2008, 08:51 PM

But I wonder if the paint job is factory-correct.

TheDon · #3 02-08-2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

But I wonder if the paint job is factory-correct.

the SBC ruins it

plus.. the tires don't have German Air in them... lower price by 12k

t walgamuth · #4 02-08-2008, 09:30 PM

Truckie!

A SBC conversion for you. Prolly done over a long weekend.

Its not a bad looking car, too bad about the chebby.

I think a cummins 5.9 would be sweet in it with the six speed manual!

Tom W

Emmerich · #5 02-09-2008, 01:43 AM

What kind of front suspension is that? Are they air bags or some sort of big cylinder to hold shocks/springs?

sixto · #6 02-09-2008, 01:56 AM

Looks like coil springs, control arms and kingpins to me.

Sixto
87 300D

t walgamuth · #7 02-09-2008, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixto

Looks like coil springs, control arms and kingpins to me.

Sixto
87 300D

Yes. No air bags that I am aware of.

Tom W

Jim B. · #8 02-09-2008, 02:35 PM

What they did with this one is of course, hacked it up and made it into
a driver, they calle these "Retro Rods" because they are essentially hacked up tinto daily drivers, non authentic but dependable hybrids or hot rods.

ut, I never imagined I would see one these made into one of them.

I don't like the idea of them though. That kind of thing is done around here a lot, with old 47 Plymouths, and things like that.

The idea of course is to put modern conveniences like disc bakes, power steering, air conditioning, cruise control, Chevy or Ford drivetrains and rear ends, into the car, for the convenience and reliability you would get.

After 3 failed "Ultramatic" transmissions, a friend of mine.
put a torqueflite transmission into his 1956 Packard; A $20,000 lesson learnt by him.

Isn't there some guy called John's Cars or something in Texas that makes a living doing that to XJ6 Jaguars or something?

He had a really chatty and amusing newletter in Hemmings Motor News that was pretty enjoyable to read each month. Maybe Tom W. knows.

When I was in college, I had a roomate, a brilliant guy from India getting his PhD. that owned a 1963 Rambler American ( really ugly piece.)

Then one day he showed up in one of these, a jet black 1961 300d exactly like this one, that was from Los Angeles, just like this one.

So of course none of us college kids had been areound fancy old Mercedes cars like this. It had lovely red leather seats, we had idea why anyone going to college would buy a car like that.

The guy (Tejinder Singh) was a Sikh from India. Very tall stern and imposing looking, one of the most brilliant guys I ever met in my life.
He wore the full Indian sikh turban also, too; had about 30 of them in the closet of the dorm room, they were like exotic hats in different colors.

Once he unwrapped one for us to see. It was about 30 feet long, and stretched and prewrapped into the turban shape. Very hard to make back into a turban again once unwrapped.

Anyway I got a ride from him in the 300d one day.

My instincts were correct about what riding in an exotic Mercedes like that would be like.

I rode in the back seat. Sitting in the front seat, Teji, stern, tall, ramrod stiff, in a black suit and his turban looked for all the world to me, like I would have imagined my chauffeur would look.

"Downtown, with all haste, James!!!" I wanted to say.

First ride of my life in a Mercedes Benz!!! What a hoot.

Must have been about 1969. I wonder where Teji is now and what he drives.
And I wonder where that black plate 1961 300d is today, still on the road or what?

t walgamuth · #9 02-09-2008, 04:55 PM

I don't know. The hybrid conversion angle is not my biggest favorite thing. Usually I would tend to fix the benz motor. Usually the benz motors are the most reliable part of a benz and so to me it makes not a lot of sense to swap in a cheapo chevy motor.

That said, the 57 300 might be such a candidate if the motor had been run low on oil and ruined. I imagine the cost of redoing one of those motors would be dear.

Power steering and ac would be a welcome addition.

With the cheapness of modern 500 and 560 motors though I probably would tend toward an all benz street rod.

Or possbily a cummins so I could pull a big trailer with it.

Those big 300s are pretty available in good driving condition for under 50k and the cost of restoration is probably two or three times that so a resto rod might not be a bad idea for them.

Tom W