Hi, Thanks for all of the great advice! I went to check out the 77 300d yesterday and what a mess. Rust had did a number on this car, and the owner must have hired a blind monkey to do the bodywork. Gravel guard couldn't hide the body filler that wasn't peeling off the body! There were a lot of areas where metal repair had been done, but not very well. Mechanically the engine ran okay, not much blowby, but seemed a bit hard to start. (I got the feeling there wasn't a lot of regular service done here)

The vacuum system was messed, as the door locks & the climate controls didn't work. Front end seemed loose, rotors were rough looking and the interior was in pieces. When I talked to the owner on the phone (he lives in another part of the country) he was surprised that the car was in such rough shape, although he had driven it during the summer. I did offer him $1200, with the intent of using this car as a second vehicle - but he just laughed and suggested it was worth at least $3000.

Needless to say, I chalked this up to my first "MB buying expedition". Thanks again for all of your input, suggestions and advice - it sure helped out! I've also been told of a 79 240d with auto. trans. that is for sale. It has been sitting for a year and won't start due to glow plug problems. The motor has been running (it was push started I was told?) In this a step in the right direction car wise? (I realise that 240d is a slow vehicle) Would I just check all of the areas that I was told to check on the 300d?

Thanks again for you help!

Hopefully, I'm not jumping from the frying pan into the fire!?
Aivars Berzins