Body donor car for 1972 220d

[bplust]

Hi all,

I just picked up a 1972 220d. The motor purrs with almost no blowby, shifts beautifully, and from the outside, it's a pretty nice looking car. Almost everything works, which is nice.

Of course, for $700, there is some bad. The driver's side rear a-frame is on its last legs, and the rockers are rough, to the point that I'm now looking for a donor car to cut up and weld to this one.

What year/models have the same body style as this 1972 220d? I'm hoping I can find a gas rig with a blown motor for next to nothing. I do live in Northeast Vermont, so I do realize that I'll probably have to travel to find something decent.

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Bryan

[JimFreeh]

W115 or W114, 1968 -1976.

Some changes beginning in 1974, primarily front fenders, and bumper mounting scheme.

This chassis is quite prone to rusting. Your car, being from the humid, salty northeast may be beyond reasonable salvage.

Lots of rust free bodies are still around in the southwest US for nominal prices.
Even if you spend a grand to ship it back, you'll be light years ahead of trying to fix yours.

Jim

[bplust]

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

W115 or W114, 1968 -1976.

Some changes beginning in 1974, primarily front fenders, and bumper mounting scheme.

This chassis is quite prone to rusting. Your car, being from the humid, salty northeast may be beyond reasonable salvage.

Lots of rust free bodies are still around in the southwest US for nominal prices.
Even if you spend a grand to ship it back, you'll be light years ahead of trying to fix yours.

Jim

That's a great idea. Any suggestions as to how I'd go about trying to find a good chassis, and to guarantee that it's worth paying for and shipping without ever seeing it before I buy it? Got any sources?

Thanks for the reply,

Bryan

[Shortsguy1]

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

Lots of rust free bodies are still around in the southwest US for nominal prices.

Jim

My impression from living in CA is a little different. Every time I see a w114/w115 in my area that hasn't been restored, it has some rust. Most common is the area behind the rear wheels (sorry I don't know its name). I check out CL throughout CA for 220d's all the time, and truly rust free examples are pretty rare (again, assuming they haven't been restored).

I mention this, not to be argumentative, but to warn the OP that buying a w114/w115 body sight-unseen is risky unless its price is so low that the actual financial risk is minimized.

[JimFreeh]

Originally Posted by Shortsguy1

My impression from living in CA is a little different. Every time I see a w114/w115 in my area that hasn't been restored, it has some rust. Most common is the area behind the rear wheels (sorry I don't know its name). I check out CL throughout CA for 220d's all the time, and truly rust free examples are pretty rare (again, assuming they haven't been restored).

I mention this, not to be argumentative, but to warn the OP that buying a w114/w115 body sight-unseen is risky unless its price is so low that the actual financial risk is minimized.

Still lots in AZ...
While rust is rust, the rear quarters can rust out due to weather seals perishing, even in a salt free enviorment. But.... A CA car with minimal rust is still far preferable to an eastern car that is rotten underneath.

Also, if you are looking for a body, a good set of pics can speak volumes. I'd not be concerned with mechanical or interior, as I assume that is still good on the eastern car.

Educate yourself on the weak, rust prone areas, and get good pics of those areas and you should be ok.


As an example, when I was out in Tucson, AZ last November, I saw an early 220D sitting in a driveway near my daughter's place and it obviously had the driveline removed. Car was weathered, but the darn sheetmetal was perfect.... If I had a need, I bet I could have picked that car up for almost scrap value. When I was out again in May, it was gone.

Jim

[Mike D]

My advice to you would be to drive the wheels off the car and then junk it. Sorry, but the 220D is not much of a car. It was the absolute bottom of the Mercedes line in the '70's. Limited options, little trim package and it had to have been the lowest powered sedan on the road.

A pristine example would be nice, a good condition car with a weak engine acceptable but a car which is basically an engine stand? Nah, drive it until you find a decent 240D or 300D.

[Shortsguy1]

Originally Posted by Mike D

It was the absolute bottom of the Mercedes line in the '70's.

In europe the 200D and the 200 gasser were cheaper than the 220d, and in the U.S., the 220 gasser was cheaper than the 220D.

Kategorie:W114/W115/en

[gear-head]

Originally Posted by bplust

That's a great idea. Any suggestions as to how I'd go about trying to find a good chassis, and to guarantee that it's worth paying for and shipping without ever seeing it before I buy it? Got any sources?

Thanks for the reply,

Bryan

I do...

[gear-head]

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

W115 or W114, 1968 -1976.

Some changes beginning in 1974, primarily front fenders, and bumper mounting scheme.

This chassis is quite prone to rusting. Your car, being from the humid, salty northeast may be beyond reasonable salvage.

Lots of rust free bodies are still around in the southwest US for nominal prices.
Even if you spend a grand to ship it back, you'll be light years ahead of trying to fix yours.

Jim

The most noticably visual changes had to do with the rear tail lights and 5 mph impact bumpers. The tail lights are seriously superior, larger and much more visible at night and have those famous ribs to reduce dirt build up blocking visiblity. The bumpers really provide major resistance to parking lot damage, very very stout. Believe me! And that's about it, as I recall the early front fenders are totally interchangeable with the last cars.

I've often read all over the web how everyone says this body style is so prone to rust. I don't know if it is so much because of it's design and construction or the geographical locations. I've even read much discussion on the highly vaunted values of "California cars are the best ones, they never rust in California!" and yet w114 and w115 cars in California often refferenced for the quantities of rust in them too. The only thing I can talk about is my own personal exprience with those models I have seen here in Texas. Most of the ones that I could confirm to being always in Texas (and not any where near the Gulf coast) were pretty much rust free. Not so much if they came from out of state, particularly from up north. Mine was sold new in Dallas from Van Winkle. Its spent it's entire life right here in the DFW area. It is rust free. No apologies, no excuses here. It's rust free. Everywhere. Couple years ago, had a new windsheild put in, the windshield frame was spotless, still had a nice coat of paint all in it, no rust. Spent about 90 odd % of it's life garage kept. Don't believe it? Won't matter. It's still rust free.

[Pooka]

Also check the floorboards of any donor car. Some Mercedes dealers applied an aftermarket 'undercoating' that would, in later years, crack and trap water which led to rust in the floors to the point the floors would fall out.

[Pooka]

Originally Posted by gear-head

The most noticably visual changes had to do with the rear tail lights and 5 mph impact bumpers. The tail lights are seriously superior, larger and much more visible at night and have those famous ribs to reduce dirt build up blocking visiblity. The bumpers really provide major resistance to parking lot damage, very very stout. Believe me! And that's about it, as I recall the early front fenders are totally interchangeable with the last cars.

I've often read all over the web how everyone says this body style is so prone to rust. I don't know if it is so much because of it's design and construction or the geographical locations. I've even read much discussion on the highly vaunted values of "California cars are the best ones, they never rust in California!" and yet w114 and w115 cars in California often refferenced for the quantities of rust in them too. The only thing I can talk about is my own personal exprience with those models I have seen here in Texas. Most of the ones that I could confirm to being always in Texas (and not any where near the Gulf coast) were pretty much rust free. Not so much if they came from out of state, particularly from up north. Mine was sold new in Dallas from Van Winkle. Its spent it's entire life right here in the DFW area. It is rust free. No apologies, no excuses here. It's rust free. Everywhere. Couple years ago, had a new windsheild put in, the windshield frame was spotless, still had a nice coat of paint all in it, no rust. Spent about 90 odd % of it's life garage kept. Don't believe it? Won't matter. It's still rust free.

I used to shop at Van Winkle myself. It was handy to get to being right there on Oak Lawn. The parking situation was not the best, but it was close to the house.

[801mbz]

When I bought a L319 van I found out how fast my 206d was and the 220d even faster. I got floor pans and rear 1/4 patch pannels I still have some 801-706-6871.

[JimFreeh]

Originally Posted by gear-head

The most noticably visual changes had to do with the rear tail lights and 5 mph impact bumpers. The tail lights are seriously superior, larger and much more visible at night and have those famous ribs to reduce dirt build up blocking visiblity. The bumpers really provide major resistance to parking lot damage, very very stout. Believe me! And that's about it, as I recall the early front fenders are totally interchangeable with the last cars.

Front fenders are different.

Changed is the width of the panel between the headlight and the grill, to allow for the wider grille introduced in 1974, and a change to accommodate the crash bumper mount.

Ribbed tailights may be substituted into the earlier rear fender.... BUT, if you have the small vertical bumper guards that came with the USA spec cars, you will need to remove the bumper every time you want to access the taillights, as the guard nestles up against the lens..

Jim