I put a fuel preheater in my 85 300D this weekend. As i suspected, the system sticks out like a sore thumb in the engine compartment.
I also once drafted up all the parts/plans to put a Volvo Intercooler in my 85 300D, the Volvo Turbo hoses are rubber and were easily cut and mated with Home Depot PVC and Copper plumbing supplies and I did the plumbing easily. I was ready to do the install but I dropped the project in the end because I didnt want to turn a reliable car into something shakey and hard to fix 500 miles away from home..
My W123 300D has great paint and looks only 3 to 4 year from the factory. In the back of my mind, it will run to 2015 and be a classic, and thats why I like to keep it STOCK.
I mean I am not putting MAGS on it ( Yes i have seen them that way) , painting it Scarlet Red ( i have seen one), I am not putting in a LCD TV/GPS/DVD (seen one), and I am not replacing the mahogany with Aluminum (seen one)..
I do all this to my Volvo 940..
What are FORUM member's ideas on this?

I would stick with stock. Better shocks, brakes, wiper blades, etc.. I will go with best available. But, I would avoid cosmetic mods.

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1984 300D Turbo Sedan (Hilda) 272,115 miles.....
Anthracite Gray/Palamino Leather, I am 3rd owner

2001 Dodge Stratus (Silver) (wifes) 55814 miles...

1982 280TE Wagon Astral Silver Metallic/
Anthracite Velour
260,512 miles (Eva)

1969 230 Sedan Olive Green/Black MBTex
4 Speed Manual
84,213 miles ????
Haus Frau


2004 Boreem Ninja Pocket Bike
Highly Modified 49cc (Ling Ling)

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

PVC is a POOR choice for intercooler lines. It gets soft with boost temps and underhood temps it sees regular.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

a condition where nothing needs either to be added or to be taken away".

By this definition, a W123 diesel has to be one of the most perfect vehicles every built...leave it as God intended!

BTW...getting VERY upset by the number of nice old cars being rodded or pimped...unless the owners intend to keep them forever, the value to a collector is destroyed and the value as an historical artifact ruined.

I'm of three minds about the situation... Here are three perspectives:

First: The W123 is not a perfect car. MB engineers aren't gods, and MB is indeed a company trying to make money. Each and every part is not the best possible part for the job, it is the closest fit they could find from things they've already built and items already on the production line. They did a great job of it all, but not a perfect job (anyone with cruise or ACC problems knows full well how imperfect it is). Based on this mindset, I feel comfortable changing the car's stock parts to newer systems that work better. Did MB not put an intercooler onto the car because it is perfect without it? No, they did it because it didn't meet their cost and performance goals in an automotive world over 20 years ago. If today's cheaper/better intercoolers are an option for better engine operation, why not do it?

On the other hand: There is value in a 'stock' car. People who, 50 years ago, treated 'common' cars like they were worthless in their stock form are now kicking themselves when their highly modified antique car is not worth as much as a stock antique car. Why take a perfectly good car, that will probably make it to 'antique' age if well cared for, and mess it up for the future? Take a deep breath, love the car for what it is, and keep it that way. If you want whizbang, buy a newer car.

Somewhere in the middle: No need to shy away from improved parts for better safety and performance, but if something isn't broken, don't fix it. Why put on crazy wheels and ground effects if it doesn't need them? However, if the 'stock' shocks or exhaust system aren't up to the standards of today's options, go ahead and upgrade, to make the car safer and better, without destroying its classic appeal.

Now personally, my car is in a transition state... It has its original engine and transmission, original paint, and mostly original glass. However, the wheels were replaced with CLK wheels (which look great, but are far from stock). The windows have been tinted, and the stereo and speakers have been changed. Also, the paint job is far from perfect, and will soon need a repaint. When the time comes to repaint, I'll make sure the job gets done right, and I'll repaint in the original color (I like silver anyway), but that job will DROP the value in some peoples eyes, and RAISE the value in others. Its a confusing balance. This car I'm not committed to keeping 'stock' because its not stock right now (and I don't have the money or inclination to do a 'stock restoration'). However, I probably will not do any cosmetic or wild performance mods, since the car is great the way it is. However, as parts break I won't shy away from using more updated components as replacements.

If my car was like my grandmother's dead-stock, pristine condition '78 300D, I would try to keep it that way. It is a car that is destined to become an antique, and I wouldn't want to change that.

However, say my 'mostly stock' car was to be in some sort of wreck, destroying any possibility of a restoration but without destroying the usability of the car, I'd consider some serious automotive artwork, and let myself go a little more crazy with performance mods. I'm talking a lift kit, faux body armor, flame throwers, propane injection, and a flame job. Nothing I'd dare inflict upon a perfectly good 300TD, but something I'd consider if the possibility of restoration was no longer an option due to some major damage.

Anyway, don't be too unhappy when you see 'pimped out' older cars, since they may be cars that weren't in a restorable condition anyway. If it is in a wreck and has a frame straightening done and some welded on structural repairs, it isn't going to be a 'collectible' anymore, and is free to be played around with. However, if someone took my grandma's 300D, got a cheap re-spray to red, threw on a cheap HID kit and rolled the fenders to fit 20" wheels, I'd be pretty unhappy.

So, I suppose my answer to the original question is: "Depends."

Peace,
Sam

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"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

In some ways I agree, I haven't seen a set of wheels on a 123 that look any better than bundts or steel w/hubcaps. And, ground effect hardware looks truly dumb to me on a sedan. OTOH, the aircleaner bracket, the seats, the ACC, the headlights and some other things leave a whole lot to be desired.

That said, it is turning out that I'm slowly but surely modifying my wagon to be more like a Euro...manual HVAC controls, manual tranny, taller differential ratio and, hopefully, someday a set of rectangular headlights; not because I'm a poseur Europhile but because things like an automatic climate control, an 80s-era automatic transmission, 3.07:1 gears and SAE sealed beams no longer make any sense to me.

Personal choice, comfort and reliability enters into the equation as well; for example, a year ago, I completely rebuilt Marlene's front seats. They are as new and stock as can be...they are also two of the most uncomfortable $500 chairs I've ever plopped my butt in/on. Sometime soon, they're coming out to have some high-density foam padding put in strategic locations. And how about that stupid aircleaner bracket on the turbo? Has there ever been a worse design? After seeing the two on my cars destroy themselves, I didn't hesitate to modify the damned thing. The fix isn't pretty but neither is a diesel that has ingested a couple of cubic miles of unfiltered air. I also believe that the lack of a voltmeter on these cars is criminal. I've added one on the wagon to have some tiny warning of impending doom...

When it comes to most repairs, I generally stay with the Benz-approved fixes. However, for my recent repair of the hydraulic suspension pressure line, I decided to have a local hydraulic shop build-up an SAE hose with adapters to go to the metric fittings on the engine and chassis. It was cheaper and, I can replace that hose anywhere in the USA! You can bet that when it is time to replace my oil cooler lines, I'll be doing the exact same thing: fabbing replacement parts from readily accessible materials.

On experimentation...
As you all know, I run a variety of fuels through the wagon. Consequently, the area under the hood periodically has the look of a laboratory that's been blown up...sure, long term, I'll clean up the installations and designs but Of course, no experimentation takes place on SWMBOs car...coz she wants it box stock...only the finished product goes in her ride.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I don't think the efficiency of the air cleaning system is lost when the bracket breaks as long at the hoses stay connected. It is a poor design though.

__________________
Jim

Agreed but, with the movement from a wonky bracket, the tubing can come loose; when I bought SWMBO's 300D, the bracket was already broken and close observation revealed that on shut-down, sometimes the engine moved just enough to pop the u-tube off the turbo inlet!

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Collectible cars are low-mileage original condition cars that belong in museums. For all other cars, anything goes, they will end up in a scrap heap anyway. That having been said, I always try to keep mine as they came from the factory, I like them that way.

Wait till I post pictures of my car......Ronal R-9 wheels look like they belong there.

But alas they are as rare as hens teeth.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

This is an interesting thread. I fall in the middle, I like to update some things like the sound system, wheels, and lights but I don't want to do to much. I pretty much keep it to suff that can be taken off. For example if you really wanted to you could pull my nice new head unit out and stick a crap Becker back in their. Same with wheels in 10 minutes I can have the stock ones back on.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I'm with Hatterasguy on this one.

All the mods should be reversible.
With todays materials you can reproduce an
exterior/interior part and keep the original for
when you sell the car.

If I ever get the money I'll build the neatest
wagon ever, but all modifications will be reversible.
Reproducing interior parts for the bad a$$ stereo
system in fiberglass and using existing mounting
locations.
Adding a cold air intake or intercooler but again
using the existing mounting locations.

So I say, If you want to mod your old benz, go ahead
but try not to cut any original panels, if you have to,
reproduce it in fiberglass and then cut that.
Or try to find a replacement new or used.

When you're selling the car, just replace the moded
parts with the OE ones and you have an original benz.
And non of the value is lost.

Louis.

Today i went to my local MB Stealership for a part. I agonized over it, the same part could be had for only 1/5 the cost...but my final decision rested in originality.
The part... an ignition tumbler and key, only available from MB with the matching key to the car, but available at fastlane, Performance products, or ********AZ, for a fraction of the cost.
Well tonight another challenge has arisen. The PO had the rear window replaced, either through not knowing any better or being cheaper, he chose not to have the glass with the defroster in it. Now I have an undefrostable window.
Should i change the glass? I have his reciept it was 600.00 four years ago. Or I can buy one of those little boxes that sit in the rear deck and blow hot air. I have a switch on my dash, my thought is to get a MB emblem put it on the little box, figure out how to wire it to the switch, and call it factory modified . Oh well, the joys of 123 ownership! I also have though about the air filter, my bracket is not yet broke, and when I was cleaning the engine I found this big rubber bushing wedged btw the valve cover and the air filter housing How did this get here I pondered? Well when the rattle began, I came to you guys and you pointed out to me that that was the "aftermarket" fix! It is to much fun!
What I would like to do is figure out how to put a 617 into a little pick-up (preferably Dodge, after all today they are the same family !

Joe
300 CDT 125k

call me old fashoined, but i like mine bone stock. if i could get better lighting ie. euros along with fogs.. i would be a happy camper..

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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

oh joe, since we are in a confessing mode, i too have a 'damper' in between my air cleaner housing and the cam cover. and truth be told it is 1/2 of a rubber exhaust bushing from a 1982 peugeot no less! i keep the other 1/2 as a spare!

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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP