expand my search
 

I'm new to the forum. Really looking forward to contributing more over time.

Over the last couple of months I have grown increasingly infatuated with the W114. In particular, the 250 in manual. I'm now in a position where I have the space for a second car.

Are there places I should be looking beyond ebay, hemmings, craiglist and the forum's classified section?

If those are my best options domestically, what about Europe? The 250 passes the US's 25 year import ban, and I like the Euro spec's headlights and lack of amber side reflectors.

I'm open to any suggestions or help.

You seem to be looking in all the right places, but I think everyone of these that was a US delivery car had an automatic.

Your best bet might be to find a 240d with a manual transmission and do a swap into the 250. I don't know if this is possible since I don't know if the flywheels of the manual and the automatic are the same. I do know that the crankshaft and the flywheel were balanced as a unit on these cars which is why you get the ring gear set-up these cars have instead of the flywheel. You can replace the ring gear and not get a lot of vibration if is a slight bit off, or at least not any the average person can feel.

And you would not have to buy the entire 240d, just the transmission, the pedal assembly, the driveshaft and a few other bits and pieces to do the swap.

The VIN would still show an automatic, but these swaps have been done. Not by me but others since finding a manual car in the US is difficult.

You might also have to swap the rear end gears.

Perhaps a thread about what is involved in such a swap would help?

there are standards around. I had one about 10 years back. Rusty, poor thing that it was. While I'm thinking of it, there is a fellow on the m-100.cc website selling a nice w114 coupe. -cth

Finally pulled the trigger on a 250 earlier today. Automatic but it shifts better than I expected. Manual transmission swap can wait.

http://s21.postimg.org/o5wkqychv/IMG...231_161039.jpg
click to expand image

Congratulations! The photo looks great. Your patience was rewarded.

Where are you and where did you find that beaut!!

The first car I remember was my fathers W114 250 with a 4 speed manual. Signal Red with Parchment Interior. It started it all.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...78&oe=570AB566

I live in LA. Found the car on craigslist in LA.

That sounds like a rather nice starting point. Cool photo!

The first Mercedes Benz I ever rode in was my father's 1977 240D. He was proud of the car and kept it in pristine condition, putting about 350,000 miles on it before selling it in 1995. My Father's admiration for Mercedes inspired me.

I'm looking to get a pair of euro headlights for the car, after doing some necessary engine maintenance. I've searched the forum but I'm still uncertain on what specs I should be looking for.

I'm guessing that not all "euro headlights" are created equal. I know that there are RHD vs LHD versions and different bulbs but that's where my understanding stops.

I've got a set that I had in my departed 71 250C that I no longer need to keep. In addition, I also have a second (almost complete) set. And, I scored a pair of NOS headlight reflectors for the W114 recently, as well.

Well, guess what? While the basics are similar, all three reflectors (headlight) are different. The spares set has a two bulb hi/low headlight setup, the good set has a single bilux bulb (not H4), and the new reflectors have a slightly different center than the bilux (city light location).....

Whooda thunk?

BTW, the only difference between the RH and LH lights is the glass lens.

PM if interested....

Jim