I got my new driveshaft flexjoint kit from Fastlane for $95. If you just look it up online they don't list it but E-mail or call Phil at Fastlane and he can look it up. My local Mercedes dealer said it was still availible from them for $250! If you can't find brake shoes you can send your old ones out to be relined. I sent two sets out to Dayton Ohio to be relined 3 years ago for about $30 each + shipping. White Post Restorations does it here in Northern Virginia for about 3 times that!
When I got my Fintail in 2001, I was able to find motor mounts and brake hoses locally without going to the dealer.

My car has the twin Solex 2v carbs with manual choke. The 230S has the twin Zeniths like my '72 250. Mine have been OK but they can be a pain. They can be repaired if they aren't heat-warped.

Drive that 230S and see how she runs. If you can get it running long enough to warm it up, check the oil pressure guage.
It should read at least 15 psi at hot idle and peg the needle quickly once it gets going. If it struggles to get to the top at much above idle speed, walk away.

For exterior trim and chrome I got a few items at vintage-car show flea markets and eventually, some Ebay bargains (a solid, intact set of original sunvisors from Oklahoma for $20 and a real nice pair of complete front & rear bumpers for $170 - including shipping from California!) You sometimes need to check multiple sources for parts.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

My MB indie tunes my carbs, he makes it look easy.

As far as parts: you can get a lot of things from the dealer, that's your only option sometimes. Luckily for us, MB still cares. They actually have an interest in perpetuating the legend of their quality so they keep parts available. Lots of things are in common with 108's too.

My brake master cylinder was over 400 bucks new. But I have the older single circuit model. I think a dual circuit master for a fintail should be around 129$ but don't quote me.

My recent water pump was 90 and I think that was half list price.

Oh, btw if there is no A/C plan on changing the belt. (singular )

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63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

I went and looked at the car today. The body was in good shape, but it would definitely need door seals, etc. It has been repainted and you can tell. The door seals, or remnance are ppartly red. Not the best paint job, but it really wasn't bad. Now, the car wouldn't hold an idle and wouldn't even accelerate. It was parked when I got there in a garage. The guy went to move it out and he heard a pop and the shifter was sloppy. The rod fell off that connects the shifter to the transmission. We couldn't find the shift rod! It came off both ends, but it wasn't iun the engine bay nor on the floor. We spent about 45 minutes just terying to find it in the car and on a lift. They were driving it around the building last week, it just came off when I was there and they didn't know where it was.
We finally put it on a lift and the man put it in drive on the transmission. You had to brake torque it to keep it running, then when it would stall my friend would have to get out and close the float on one of the carbs, to barely get it running. Trans shifted wierd, when it would shift. Even when the engine was in high rpms, the oil pressure would barely peg! It was 15 when we were taking it around the parking lot. The car wouldn't accelerate AT ALL! I would be sitting there with it floored and it wouldn't move, it may then hiccup and slowly take off. The brakes were hard as a rock (should have power assist) and the steering had stiff spots when turning. It was like you would momentarily lose power assist at different wheel postions in a turn. I really didn't like the way the transmission shifted. Maybe it was becasue the engine had no power. Then, after about 5 minutes of driving it, it died for about the tenth time during my 5 minute test drive, we smelled something burning when Tim went out to cover the float and saw coolant in about a 3" stretch along the head gasket. I turned the car down. Between the oil pressure, trnasmission, brakes, carbs, and interior; I just can't see myself paying $1,000 for a car. I know you guys would say I should have bought it becasue of the body, but it did have some surface rust in the trunk and some starting in the wheel wells. I have definitely seen nicer cars for the same price, and that's what I need to find, just closer than California. Let me know if you guys are interested or have any questions. I really did want to like this car, and I tried hard, but the test drive did in any hopes I had.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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sounds like you did right to skip that one

You made the right decision to pass on the car. You want to do some repairs, not a restoration. The owner didn't take car of it properly.

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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.

Hi David-

I passed an ivory fintail S-class for sale on the road locally. I have no idea the condition- could be mint, could be junk. If you are interested, let me know and I can check it out for you.

Mike

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

farg, Did you get my PM? (or did I send an email?)
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Yes, I will check the car out tomorrow afternoon. If it is decent, ill take some pictures and note the vitals.

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E