Sorry to hear about the BS road tax situation in Holland. Clearly a bunch of eco-freaks wanting to get rid of older vehicles. I agree that the rust seems bad but I don't think it's insurmountable. All just depends really on if you think baling out now would be better than sticking with it. Seems you have more skills than most and I'd think you can likely keep it going if you really wanted to. I assume you don't have and are not considering a new car? So without having to compare the cost of the road tax to that of a new car payment the cost of the tax looms larger as a consideration than it otherwise might. I agree with you that the 123 sedan is the best looking of the series. And if it were me and I were to keep it I would keep the original color. It's a nice color for that car and in general I prefer keeping cars original if doing a resto. Especially Mercedes. Either way good luck. Hope it works out.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I think it just a system of envy and greed - they probably thought they'd make shed loads of money by taxing those vehicles but it seems like everyone has just taken them off the road...

Silly really - I bet the class car "industry" is having a pretty hard time at the moment. I wonder how much tax income they lost by doing this.

I was kind of hoping I'd not have to do as much as I'll have to.

I'm going to cut some holes and keep on that welding learning curve I've put myself on and see how it goes.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Good. I'm too emotionally invested in this project to see you just give up.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

LOL. Me too.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I think we all are.

I'm the owner and I don't think I'm all that emotionally attached to it! At the end of the day it is just a car. It has "potential" but that is about it (there's not a single dishonest estate agent / car salesman on the planet who could successfully talk this one up to something it isn't)!

I'd like to get it fixed mainly so it doesn't get wasted and chucked away like the rest of the stuff due to the "little d" but I don't want to get too too carried away with this project (says he standing in ankle deep car parts, nuts, bolts and washers) - at the moment it is an opportunity to practice welding in my spare time. Due to non motoring circumstances it has been relegated to learning piece.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I look at the car as an alternative to seeing a therapist.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".