Am I crazy? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

norbtx · #1 06-15-2004, 05:27 PM

I found a 1968/9 W111 Coupe, black on tan. Its in horrible shape. Its sitting at a dealer lot and the dealer says that a good customer of his bought it off eBay for about $9K and lost interest after he saw the condition and left it there. Its got rust all over, even the bumpers. Also the sunroof leaks and caused the interior to get wet, the floor pans were kiddy pools! Man it stunk in there, closed black car in the Houston heat! He thinks its worth about $3K, I'm thinking its more like $1K.

It does have a sunroof and a floor shifter. The A/C is a total hack job, they even cut the bottom of the dash to make it fit. I checked under the hood, and there is a compressor but no condensor(? the part that goes infront of the radiator). What do you guys think. I'm thinking I could use it as a parts car and maybe even partially fix it up (don't want to use the term restore) since according to the dealer it still runs. If he'll take $1K, should I go for it?

wbain5280 · #2 06-15-2004, 05:40 PM

That thing will end up costing you $100K. You'll have to replace everything. Buy a $25K - $35K car is really good shape and enjoy driving it.

Buy that junker for parts.

norbtx · #3 06-15-2004, 05:49 PM

But it only will cost $1000? And I am thinking of using it as a parts car for my W111 coupe that's already in "decent" shape.

I need a new tail ligth, and the trunk chrome is dented on mine, but undented on the junker. Also would like to have the black steering wheel from the junker as well as some misc stuff.

cth350 · #4 06-15-2004, 06:23 PM

For grand, make sure it has enough salvagable parts.

Can the bumpers be rechromed? (They're not eaten through)
Does it have good front and rear quarter panels?
Good front glass?
Electric windows? Electric sunroof?
Salvagable wood?
Is that smelly interior salvagable?
Shifter on the floor? Automatic or manual?
I presume in 68/69, that it's a 2.8, not a 2.5 or a 3.5.

-CTH

PS. I can use a set of rechromable bumpers and a salvagable interior.

norbtx · #5 06-15-2004, 06:33 PM

Bumpers have surface rust.
Body panels are rust free except passenger rear wheel arch, it had a dent in it and rusted because PO didn't repaint it.
Front glass has a crack.
Sunroof is power.
Crank windows.
Automatic Floor shift.
Smelly interior probably limited to rotten carpet.
Grill has a hole in it and is missing emblem.
Horns are missing.

Catrinus · #6 06-15-2004, 09:35 PM

You've done a good job of describing what WRONG with it... are there ANY good parts? You'd have to add up the (used) value of what you can salvage (and it really doesn't sound like much!) and go from there. Also, do you have a place to store it while you're breaking it up?

Me, I would run the other way.
Catrinus
73 280C

norbtx · #7 06-16-2004, 12:22 AM

You guys are right, I'll just leave it. Still sad to see a W111 rotting away like that. The only pieces I could use right now are the rear tail lights and some chrome pieces in the rear. Those alone would set me back about $300. Plus who knows what else.

Larry Delor · #8 06-16-2004, 12:27 AM

What other models do the tail lights that you need match up to? Any W108's by chance? There are 2 of them in my local yard. If they match, I can see if they are still there, and get them.

BTW... Anybody know how to open the trunk on a 108 w/o the key? (oddly enough, they don't provide you with keys at the yard - go figure)

norbtx · #9 06-16-2004, 01:17 AM

Nope, W108s don't have the same headlights. Plus I need the ones with the yellow turn signals. Thanks anyway.

cth350 · #10 06-16-2004, 07:44 AM

I presume that was a typo, since the headlight do match up between a 108 & 111 and the taillights don't. (That was just for the newbie that reads this thread 3 years from now and wonders.) -CTH

PS. You have to pull the trunk lock off with a pry bar inserted behind it. Destroys the chrome lock housing, preserves the lock itself. First however, you should guess what's inside.

Larry Delor · #11 06-16-2004, 07:52 AM

I have no idea what's inside. It's at a junkyard, and since there is no rotten smell, I think I am safe in assuming that there is no ex-mother-in-law in the trunk

I'll bring a crow bar, and see if the car is still there, and if nobody has foraged through it yet. I am hoping for a clean trunk with lots of nice usable bits and pieces.

My '71 needs to be repainted and have some rust taken care of. I have been accumulating door seals, and other misc. parts for a while now. The idea is, when the day comes for its new paint, I will be able to put all the new(er) stuff on there, and make it look better than when I got it.

The two 108's that are at the yard still had their engines with their inj. pumps in them. Think its worth to get one and keep as a spare?

Thanks!

-Larry

norbtx · #12 06-17-2004, 04:56 PM

Check out this listing on eBay. It would pay for my parts car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2481936396&category=34207

j9fd3s · #13 06-17-2004, 08:42 PM

i would buy it, then again i might not exactly pass a sanity test

mike

95benzman · #14 06-17-2004, 11:32 PM

If this is going to cause you to lose sleep, offer the dealer $400 and be done with it. happy driving.

Mark DiSilvestro · #15 06-18-2004, 09:27 AM

Well, 16 years ago I paid $500 for a totally mangled & rusty 250C parts car. Every body panel was dented and the floors totally gone but then, I DID need the engine & transmission for my 250 sedan and the gastank went in a '72 220 I was selling. I Stripped everything useable and junked the body. If that 220SE body & chassis isn't swiss-cheese and you have a place to keep it and/or tolerant neighbors, for $1000, go for it. If you can swap the cosmetic bits and still keep the parts car intact and driveable, it could be your 'bad weather' coupe. Maybe you could sell it for more than you paid and your parts would be free.

Happy Motoring, Mark