Looks like I last posted in 2008!

After selling the 450SEL, I thought I had moved on from MB cars but nope, I've returned to the fold. My 15 1/2YO son announced he wanted to get his permit and a car. I'd saved the $3K from the Crown Vic that replaced the 450SEL so I figured a cheap Camry was in order. Turns out he was set on a W126, specifically a 300SD.

A few weeks of car hunting and we are the proud owners of a 1983 300SD that's mechanically sound but has the usual MB electrics issues. Climate control needed re-soldering, the radio doesn't work, the clock needed capacitors and so on. And a bushing failed on the wiper linkage. 2 glow plugs are bad, new ones are here, just need time to install.

The boy is happy, I get to tinker on a car that won't be a daily driver till mid June and mom is rolling her eyes. All in all, a good deal.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120

Welcome back!!!

Car looks nice...the process is going to create great memories.

Best of luck!!!

__________________
"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

The w126's are nice and I looked at a few before my purchase.

In Texas the interiors are nuked unless stored inside and that
was the turn off on the ones I looked at.

The w126 is a more refined car all around with less cabin and road noise

congrats

Did I miss the picture?

You aren’t missing the picture, I appear to be incapable of linking it correctly. I think I used to use photo bucket but abandoned them when they got greedy.

This is the 5th Benz I’ve owned. Started with a ‘69 250/8 then a ‘76 280C, a ‘72(?) 250C and finally the ‘76 450SEL. This 300SD is by far the cleanest and healthiest if not the stinkiest.

Michael

Ha! I figured out the picture thing!

Quick question, I think it probably came with bundt wheels originally instead of what's on it now. These are 15" and show no signs of rubbing on the suspension or brakes. Is the offset close enough to keep running them and what are they called?

Michael

__________________
Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120

Depends on year of car and wheel. Some look the same but have different backsets.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

That's kinda what I thought, I'll have to pull a wheel to get the number off the back unless I can get the much more limber kid to slide under it and look. What's odd is the center cap on both front wheels does not sit flush and can't be pushed flush which tells me that they may not be the best fit for the car.

Michael

__________________
Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120

Those are fine to run. They are from a W202 c class. C230 or C280 offsets are +37 which is just slightly higher than the Bundt wheels that would
Have come on the car but not by much. They are called Deneb wheels.

__________________
Current trouble maker:
1983 300SD (W126)
Subscribe to my YT!
https://www.youtube.com/helpinghandautorepair

Nice car!! Exact same 300SD I owned for 12+ years. Makes me want another one.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I kinda thought I was over the whole old Benz thing but I'm having a good time with this one. It's a pretty solid base to start from. The 250/8 came with a blown engine and never quite ran right, I think due to cam timing. The '76 280C was really a basket case but I didn't recognize it as quickly as I could have. It ran well but the sills were made of milk cartons and Bondo. The '71 250C was a blast, it ran well and everything worked but the respray had disintegrated to the point that you didn't dare brush up against the car for fear of requiring stiches. The 450SEL came from a forum member in Dallas. We flew down with our 1 year old and drove it home sight unseen. It was OK, ran great and was mechanically sound but it almost every window leaked, the trunk was usually full of water and so on. I fell into a smoking deal on a '97 Crown Vic with 57,000 miles for $3000 so passed the MB on to a brother in-law who drove it until a stroke sidelined him.

So far, the 300SD has needed a lot of little things, rekeyed the drivers door to fit the factory key, fixed the central locking, fixed the wipers and replaced the thermostat. A 2 can diesel purge and glow plugs did wonders for start up and idle. Depo headlights took care of the rotten plastic and the one headlight full of water. It needs tires and the windows fixed and a smattering of little stuff. Some rust at the top of the passenger door needs looking at. I think the car could have sat since 2013, that was the date code on the wipers and they looked trashed plus the usual spiderwebs and debris in the crevices.

The boy does love driving it, he says he hates driving my '01 Maxima, "it's too easy". I'm threatening him with a drive in the '74 F250 SuperCab. That should be fun...

Thanks for the info on the wheels, I did a lot of scrolling but never found a pic that I felt matched what's on the car exactly. Now I need to get a center cap to replace the one that went missing yesterday.

Michael

__________________
Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120

Take a pic with your cellphone and email it to yourself. Save it. Then paperclip it to a post. You might need to resize it down for the forum to accept the download; if so, you will get a message that it did not download.

Like to see it.

I did get it figured out eventually. I used a link to google photos which didn’t work then noticed the button to add a picture. I think I was used to the Ford-trucks forum procedure. That and I expected the picture to be inline instead of a clickable thumbnail. You’d think with as many posts as I have here, I wouldn’t have had trouble.

To see it, scroll back to the first post.

Careful when search up Deneb wheels alone. As those wheels also came on the W210. They have different offsets and sizing. You can try 6-6-47-0203 as a center cap part number. They should use a very common Mercedes 75mm center plastic cap. There are many color options available though.

__________________
Current trouble maker:
1983 300SD (W126)
Subscribe to my YT!
https://www.youtube.com/helpinghandautorepair

@Knownworldwide
I did search for Deneb and got so many hits I figured I better send the kid under the car to get the numbers off the wheel. Many hits were for the same outer face as these but like you say, offset could be all over the map.

Both front center caps don’t seem to sit flush with the face of the wheel. I’ve assumed it’s because the wheel is thinner in the center than the original wheel or that the offset is inboard more. It may also have been that the clips were messed up.

I did see that most of the center caps are 75 mm and that they are cheap enough that I think I’ll get a set assuming they’ll fit.

I’ll need to come up with a spare tire/wheel combo, there’s a way trashed 14” chrome bundt in the trunk now with what might be an original Michelin WVS on it. Or I can just use my 200 mile radius AAA tow plan. As long as the ‘74 F250 hasn’t used up the tows for the year. I must say it looks impressive on a flatbed!

Michael