I was planning on replacing the dash at some point, so I could do both at the same time. I want the car to be as identical as possible to one that shipped without A/C in it. Will I need to source one of these different heater boxes and/or anything else I haven't got already?

The goal for this car is simplicity - it's got the smallest engine, no cruise control, manual transmission, manual windows, manual sunroof, manual climate controls. It had vacuum-adjust headlights originally but those were removed years ago - I got new euro manual-adjust ones and removed the vacuum tube for the headlights...still need to follow the other one (just capped off for now), and I plan on removing all the vacuum locking mechanisms and having fully manual door locks.

Ummm to be honest I'm not 100% sure about the heater box itself - I've only ever seen the version in the pictures shown above. If I had EPC I could probably get further on that answer for you - but I don't.

There's always the Russian EPC but it is a bit of a stripped down version - try

EverythingBenz - Mercedes-Benz Forum and Web Search Using Google



Perhaps someone else can help with an A/C heater box picture?



As for stripping out vacuum stuff and going basic - take a look at the vacuum diagrams in the FSM. Some of the more basic uropean models should do. My 123.130 doesn't have much on it. No AC, no cruise control, no electric windows, manual sunroof - hey sunroof - now there's a thought you could always remove that and block up the hole couldn't you?

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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!