Hey all, im new to this board. Im from long island n.y.
i currently do own a 1985 mb 380sl but something cought my eye today.

I am a vintage vw nut. I only drive 47-69 bug,s busses the diesel rabbits.

It is now the summer so i yesterday went to fire up the 85 380 sl, i needed a convertable for the weather....anyway the water pump went and i decided to bring it to a new shop who deals in old mbz.

After chatting a bit with the owner he showed me a old 55 180 ponton diesel he had sitting for sale. It is is decent shape, no rust only surface oxidation and floors are good. He was actually putting in a new injector pump and head gasket as i saw it. has new suspension and new grill (very shiney) and many other new parts. He wnts it gone. (thers also a old porche aircooled there i might grab. as well)

It Will runs like new soon, and the interior is about 75% 4 speed col shift. ...good enough for me.

Needs paint, might need tires, and some other stupid things but is is very soild. The work will be done around 1pm today, the work on my mbz will be done at the same time so i will check it out further.

Any advice on how much i sould pay for this diesel...we did not talk price but i am very intrested i cant really find anything on ebay or on the net about price....so what should i pay for a complete orgional running diesel 180 ponton whith some fresh parts and zero rot?
thanks all ill be back!

Have you been to www.mbzponton.org

There also is link there to join our ponton group. We've got over 600 members with a vast amount of experience, parts, etc.

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Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

thanks for the link, i will be doing my reasearch he wants 2k for it...i think im gonna get it...

If it's in decent shape I'd go for it. I'd love to have a Ponton just for the hell of it. By the way. Pics pics pics...
- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Please post some pics.. Nice to have one of those slow diesels lol...

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'76 300D
'82 230CE
'84 300DT
'91 300D 2.5
'86 300D 5 speed
'86 250D 5 speed
'90 300E 24v
'88 560SEC
300TE euro 5 speed
91 350SD
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...d6605222-1.jpg

I once thought about getting one of those old Pontons or Heckflosses with the 4 speed on the column, but it seemed like too much of an education needed to learn how to shift them....I learned on the 3 speed colomn on a 1964 Ford Falcon (no st gear synchro)!

They are pretty hard to find in rust free condition, so I would guardedly encourage you to get it, they are wonderful cars, with the real wood inside and the ivory steering wheel.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

the four on the tree is no trouble to get used to.

i had two finneys with it.

reverse is toward the driver and up just like a three speed. but you have to pull against a spring to get reverse.

tom w

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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.

Man, I saw one on Ebay that I wanted badly too until I called a friend of mine who works for the local Mercedes Benz dealer and he works in parts. He told me that the parts are wickedly expensive and the parts are beginning to become obsolete and are hard to find...he also told me that it is a DOG as far as power goes....thought I'd put my ten cents in....GOOD LUCK!
Lee

Shifting is easy. They are very smooth and supple. Just don't grind any gears. Reverse is towards you and up. Synchro on first too.

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Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.

Your friend who works at the dealer is wrong. Parts are available and not outrageously expensive. Maybe his dealership is one of those that marks up their parts to 50% over MSRP. Then all parts are expensive there. How many does he see and work on at the dealer I wonder? Now slow, that's another matter. Get the real info on these cars. See my post #2 above.

__________________
Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles