Restore it to as near original as possible?

Keep it running with OEM and/or new aftermarket parts?

Just keep in running, period, whatever it takes...baling wire, duct tape, etc.?

My goal for my 1982 240D, which is in darn good shape already, is to restore it slowly to as near new as possible. I would like to end up with a car that looks like it drove off the showroom floor about 3 - 5 years ago. A little sign of age, dignity, elegance, but not the look of a 22 year old car.

So what is your goal?

George

Don't know. We just finished doing a complete paint job on the 400E and it is looking REAL good. Had a couple of rust spots on the L F fender and door and some crazing of the paint on the hood so it was time for some attention. Took everything off it including the rear window and bought new headlight bezels, so it will be as close to showroom as most 93's can be. Don't really know if I will keep it though. If I do I would like to put a set of AMG's on it and put the 2:28 differential in the rear. The dealer says they have a 00 E320 AWD wagon with low miles coming in, in my favorite color, so the 400 may go.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

I just want to get it looking nice. It runs good. Everything is good mechanically. I just need to: find the source of the trunk leak (narrowed it down to trunk seal), re-do the front seats (get them moving properly again, and get new guts for them, not to mention covering up a little metal), get the odometer and trip working (I think I can DIMS "do it myself"), maybe paint the needles and replace the bulbs, and get it repainted on the outside.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

I don't have any set "goal" for my 300TD or 240D. As soon as my 240 is done, I'll let somebody else enjoy the TD.

As for the 240D, I hope to make it "my car." It's 22 years old, it can never be back to factory condition without spending $$$$$.

Propane, mabye an intercooler (And IP adjustment), are about as wacky as I plan to get with it.

Keep it looking good as I pile the miles on. Of course my immediate goal is to put it back together after the vacuum pump failure power steering fluid flush etc.

Stephen

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85 300D 305K miles WVO(105K so far), Mine
82 300SD 235K miles BIO-D, Wifes
96 F250 SC PSD 4X4 285K MILES BIO-D, Ours
89 BRONCO 182K MILES sold
Finally Compression Ignition Only!

The origonal idea was to get a reliable diesel to burn veggie oil or biodiesel. Then I caught the MB bug, thanks to this forum and all the great information people post here. I keep resisting trying to get all the parts to make them perfect...its a struggle since the 123's are nice cars and WANT to be in perfect shape.

Thanks for the question. Its helped me clarify that I want a reliable, comfortable, NOT PERFECT, car to burn veggie fuels.

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1983 300td 240k (down with bad tranny)
1984 300d 222k (daily driver) "Olive"
1997 GMC K2500 105k (sled dog limo)

"The scenery in ANWR is as spectacular as the Grand Canyon and the wildlife is more impressive."

As George said That's pretty much my goal also, and so far I'm having fun fixing the old girl up.

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'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

My goal is to have the '80 300SD and '87 300SDL outlast me.

P E H

My goal is 200 WHP.

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J.B. Hebert

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Current Vehicles:
'76 Ford Bronco
'78 Volvo 262C Bertone V8
'80 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (For Sale)
'94 Ford Explorer
'95 Mercedes E300D Sportline+

I just want mine to last a real long time and not cost me a lot of money. I used to want to keep it in perfect condition but that is getting to be too expensive so I've started to let that go. I just try to keep it relatively clean, mechanically sound and change the oil.

If something breaks on the car and it isn't important, then maybe I'll fix it one day or maybe I won't (i.e. rear window regulators)

Scott

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Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

Good question, thanks for asking. I'm with AK300TD - I bought the '84 300D off of Ebay for $800 to get a "real" car to run on WVO (replacing the VW Rabbit diesel test mule). Then I got hooked on this site and enjoyed working on it so much I couldn't stop..

So - the 300D goes to my son as his first car. Not perfect, but pretty cool and safe ride for a 17 year old and it runs on free fuel to boot. His goal is to get it to 500,000 miles.

The '83 300SD is pretty close to perfect and is my new business car. What a great car for the interstate! 1600+ miles this week alone and it's sitting out there ready for more. I'll be sending off for the next mileage badge next week. The goal for this one is same as PEH's - have this car outlast me!

fmb

I just want mine to last a real long time and not cost me a lot of money. I used to want to keep it in perfect condition but that is getting to be too expensive so I've started to let that go. I just try to keep it relatively clean, mechanically sound and change the oil.

If something breaks on the car and it isn't important, then maybe I'll fix it one day or maybe I won't (i.e. rear window regulators)

Scott

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Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

Let's see, got a real nice 83 123 coupe, that one gets to visit a body shop to get some rust stuff fixed. It's also in need of some finessing of the engine, injectors, timing, maybe a chain. This'll be the keeper. My 300D sedan is ugly as sin but nothing a paint job won't fix. This one is so solid mechanically that all I really want is to get the A/C working and I'll be supremely happy. This car is destined to be the heavy use car and is already in the winter. At 187,000 it has a lot of life left and will go to my 10 year old son when he's 16. I've got a 58 220S that will be with me for the duration unless I find the perfect Porsche to trade/sell it for.

take such good care of her that she never grows old."

Believe, like the British, that some indication of honest wear (vs abuse) is preferable to something showroom perfect...TOO perfect an old car is like those new-in-box toys one sees on "Antique Roadshow"...they fact that they never seemed to be used is sort of creepy.

I love the fact that my three W123s were so well thought out and built, and also that they've been taken care of by intelligent people who knew what they were doing for more than two decades...and that I, and the prior owners, took pains to see that it was done that way.

Hope I die before my diesels.

My wifes 300D will be at the least maintained mechanically. Althlough I may drag her kicking and screaming into the make it look nice stage.

My 300CD will be made to look nice. Not showroom, since I agree a 20 year old car shouldn't look like it just rolled off the factory floor. It will be getting new paint, but not the Anthracite Grey thats on it now. I'm planning on painting it a MB green color.

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'84 300CD Turbo 132k (Anthracite Grey) - WVO - My daily driver - Recently named coo-coo-coupe by my daughter.
'84 300D Turbo 240k (Anthracite Grey) - Garage Queen
'83 300D Turbo 220k (Orient Red) - WVO - Wifes daily driver

I'm not a certified mechanic, but I did stay at a HolidayInn Express last night.