MB 250 w123?
 

Never seen one of these before. The bumpers seem US not euro.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/ctd/1918672032.html

Windows are manual crank. Must be a Euro, or and Indo, or an Aussie, or a Jap. . .

the fabled W123..
 

It's a gray market one, with the US spec bumpers, and yet the euro headlights, stayed headlights stayed on the car, as part of the US DOT conversion process. (W123 euro headlights are VERY hard to find in the USA, new or used, and worth a LOT; their look, strength and beam patterns are far better than the US DOT headlights the far inferior sealed beam mfr's successfully lobbied to have the DOT mandate.)

Has the normal euro cloth seats, and typical electic front windows and crank up rear seat ones.

The very rare and coveted factory German MB euro fire extinguisher and brackets survived, all these years, which is a big plus, and must have been owned by a caring person that put on a dash cap (though most BLUE dashes always cracked on these) and a steering wheel cover.


Most W116 and W123 US spec cars came with automatic transmissions, power everything and sunroofs, except low spec 240 diesels. And US customers were believed (by Mercedes Benz dealers, at least) to feel a Mercedes Benz was not a Mercedes Benz unless it had leather seats, so many w123 or most W116 models did, though many had the wonderful MB tex set up, probably the best interior seat trim you could get, for comfort * and * durability i the W123.

I have only ever seen one of these before, it was spotted on the streets of San Francisco about 20 years ago. It was naturally a Gray Market one, like all 250's in the USA.
The 250 motor was never offered in the US W123 cars, so it's a Euro, and its not known to be one of the best engines Mercedes put out, at the time.

As I recall the 250 engines were non fuel injected motors, they either used Webers or Stromberg carbs, neither of which the best thing going.........even back then.

Most often found in stretch euro limos, now surviving ones mostly found in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon doing taxi service, having wound up there after flunking the strict Euro safety tests.


Most us spec gasser W123s were the top of the line 280E sedans, or coupes, with a few 230 4 cylinder models, mostly in the early years, '77 through '79 or so.


Very good cars, quintessential Mercedes, though not too rust proof, and the very last ones around '84 and '85 I believe had ABS options, headlight wipers for the euro lights, and may even have had driver side airbags as an option.


76k is really low mileage, and this one is upgraded with bundts, ( this one normally would have steelies with the beautiful matching painted hubcaps,) but rarity ALONE does not necessarily count for desirability in cars like this.

For that reason alone, I definately would pass on it.

It's got crank up front windows.

I rather like the non wood trim interior of the lower spec 123's. However judged on it's own merits there's little reason to own the thing. The 280E has better performance, the 230E better fuel economy. The 250 is pretty much an anachronism.

- Peter.

It's a 6 cylinder? How does this compare to the 280 models?

Yes it's a six with a carb. Cant quite see the point as the 280's are better performers and have a fuel injection option and the 230E also has fuel injection and is a far more economical vehicle with similar performance. The 250 was basically a hold over from an earlier era. (In engine terms that is, the rest of it of course is pure 123)

- Peter.

There is one of these in RHDrive on ebay in Australia at the moment. I have seen a few of them in Australia. The one Ben has shown us is not an Australian delivery as its LHdrive.
It would be fine as a student car or second car.

The 250 was a single cam, whereas a 280 was a DOHC. 129-140hp.

The M123 motor was introduced with the W123. It's basically an M130 with some improvements.

The best thing going for it is an intake manifold that can be bolted to the older M180, M130, etc straight 6 motors giving them a way to ditch the dual carbs for a rochester, tbi or similar conversion.

-CTH

A euro 280c-ce with the m110 is 175 hp. I still have a 722.309 from one.

What's going on with the lower cushion on the back seat? Looks like a slipcover of some sort.

I'd drive it, I kind of like the austere interior, but $4995 is about $2500 more than I'd pay.