My neighbor's '78 300 Diesel (123 series) sits an inch or two lower than my '83 turbodiesel. He tells me that MB, to meet the DOT bumper height standard, simply raised the US model in lieu of modifying the bumpers. What would I change in order to lower my 300 D to the height of the earlier 300 Ds such as his?

I went and looked at his car. His rear sits a full 2 inches lower. The top three coils on the rear springs and compressed, so either he has different springs or tired springs! The front is a bit lower as well and the difference appears to be in the springs.

Robby

Two words
 

Pep Boys

Put cheap domestic shocks on an MB, it will lower itself in a couple years.

Has anyone lowered a W123 car to improve handling? Do lowering springs even exist for it???