mb 240D 74-76 115 resources?

[robc]

I have 2 mb, 115's and wondered if there are any specific to 115 websites resources anyone has ran across.
Both run, 74 auto needs front end body work (but not bad-same comment from all who have looked at it), the 75 4spd just general work, rust problems in some areas, has a rebuilt engine. The 74 which needs body work front end, but only has 75k on it, and i have talked with the original owner, its been sitting since she wrecked it, but runs like a sewing machine, great interior, solid front end underneath, and rest of body near new condition, appears to have a euro model diesel in it, from the serial nos. and a conversation with mercedes.
The 75, my mom gave it to me, had it for 6 years now, she was telling me they are everywhere in europe, they even used them for cabs. Also a lady she knew made a trip to europe for parts and saved enough to pay for her trip on a much much older mb. I did see the 3 million mile record on one of these plain jane mb on the mb website.
With the endless fuel gouging, and expected increases in the near future, I intend on keeping and driving, and repairing the 2. Even the option to go to grease if the fuel deal gets totally out of hand, tho the 75 seems real good on diesel even with these outlandish fuel prices, $10 and I can go a couple of weeks even and $3 gal., thats not bad really.
I find alot of 123 resources, and earlier ones like the mb fintails, etc. But then there not so much in resources for the 74-76 115 mb, and 240ds to boot.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[diametricalbenz]

The diesel forum offers a lot of help with the W115's as there are a lot of die hard W115 fans including myself on the board. There is a lot of information on 240D's in both W115 and W123 form.

What sort of resources are you specifically looking for? If you want diagrams and schematics it would be easiest to get paper factory manuals and or DVD manuals for repairs.

[robc]

oh, everything i suppose,
yes i know the diesel forum is a good area, and i find shop forum excellent resources.
what i am looking for....everything i suppose. was wondering if there is a 115 website for instance, as there seems to be one for many of the other models.
what i am looking for...parts of course, technical info-which i find shop forum to be very good. vintage, and diesel areas esp good. altho the diesels seem to be real good right now, with 30+ old cars you just never know. I find reading posts helpful, for instance i found one on the wiper blade issue out of line, which of course, the 75 did the same deal last winter.
I have have the mb cd from mbz.org, and it has alot of stuff too, not as specific as i would like. for example: i have some body issues i will need to address, and one day i was in a shop, getting something fixed, and there was some of the moulding on the inside rear door which had come loose, and i had tried to snap it back and this guy who worked on my car, showed me all i had to do was turn the snap prongs 90 degrees and they popped right in, and have stayed to this day...the mb cd doesnt show anything like that, yet a little knowledge, simple fixed the problem, simply. so all resources, seem to be good, so i am looking for any, but more specific to the 115's. another example, the mb my mom gave me had a 123 manual like the kind you might by somewhere they sell general car manuals, and i was trying to fix the headlight, and it was totally different than the manual for the 123. while a simple, it shows the difference from the 123 to the 115. on more complicated items, the difference could be more time consumming. I did look for shop manuals, but they were out of the original shop manuals from mercedes 115. of course everything else was available.
i do have the manuals that came with both cars, and i do have a little black one on the 75 that has everything diagrammed out. well most of it. no wording, just pictures. but having 2 of these in the driveway, i might be getting a bit obsessed anyway, but find myself looking for more info anyways. so everything, but focus on 115 is what i had in mind.

thanks
rob

[kip Foss]

Last year I rebuilt my 1975 115/300d. Put about $2500 into it. I priced all the parts I needed on the net, both through this site and others. I took my list to the local MB dealer and asked him if he could meet or better yet beat these prices. He went over it and came very close on most parts. I think that over all he was $100 or so over. This of course didn't include the freight on the parts I would have gotten off the net. So including the freight the dealer was actually cheaper.

What he did was give me a dealer's discount. I callem myself 'Foss Restoration' and off I went. He didn't ask for a tax no. or anything. Now I am in his computer and get the discount from all the parts men. This has to be done with a wink and a nod since I don't really have the company but the parts guy suggested it and I didn't turn him down.

The other advantage dealing with the dealer is that if a part doesn't work you can return it with no hassel. Plus while you are at the dealership you can talk to the mechanics and, best of all, you can ask them for vacuum and wiring diagrams of the 115. These are impossible to find on the market. The 115 wiring diag. is especially useful.

[KylePavao]

I LOVE the W115s. They are great machines to work on, and very reliable and simple.

Also, body work is a cinch. My body was somewhat rusty, and a good body guy was able to repair it all. I drove it through a very salty NE winter and no blisters yet.

Since they are so square, without many sharp contours (especially around the wheel arches) most guys find them a breeze to weld/do this sort of thing to.

Also for whatever reason my floors have held up very well compared to the W123 I had.

Just watch out for the areas around the headlights...they get rusty VERY easily. These always seem to be the problem areas, as well as the sidemarker lights.

[robc]

thanks for the feedback,
yes i saw some sheet metal on for the mb somewhere, and a buddy of mine has a welder, but i havent started rust repair on the 75 yet, i think its a do able thing tho.
will probablly fix the 74 front end first, so i can drive while i work on the other one. thats why i like the idea of 2 of'em.

[robc]

Originally Posted by kip Foss

Last year I rebuilt my 1975 115/300d.

Interesting, about going to the dealer. on some of the things i have contacted them on, they are a whole lot more than i can find over the net, however some things are really reasonable in price. so often times it kinda depends on what i am after. i havent talked to people at the dealer tho, much. they seem real formal around here, they make appointments, with people, before they even let them in. they seem more focused on the newer mbs. i will keep in mind, nice that they shared info on the vacume lines. i think after i drive these long enough, i will figure out most of it over time.
thanks
rob