My 1st W126 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JackG · #1 06-15-2007, 02:26 PM

I just grabbed the title and should be picking the car up this weekend. 1981 300SD......rust free

. 289k on the clock and has been sitting for the last 1 1/2 yrs. gonna need some TLC

. Motor is free, so I'm gonna drag it home. and get started on it after I get back from vacation in July. I should know more then.

JackG · #2 06-15-2007, 02:27 PM

and the price was right

FREE...........

Brian Carlton · #3 06-15-2007, 02:35 PM

Congrats........free is good.

Be careful.

They can get addictive........

TheDon · #4 06-15-2007, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackG

and the price was right

FREE...........

thats not right .... I hate central Florida...

TX76513 · #5 06-15-2007, 03:11 PM

Congrats! What an excellent score - but remember there is no such thing as a free Mercedes.

JackG · #6 06-15-2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

They can get addictive........

Now ya tell me

DrewGerhan · #7 06-15-2007, 04:36 PM

I believe this quote came from one of Brian Carlton's posts...."There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes-Benz"

RNCarl · #8 06-15-2007, 05:00 PM

Well he beat me! My 83 300SD was $400 I thought I stole it!

arew264 · #9 06-15-2007, 05:09 PM

Uhhhh, if you left $400 on the ground and drove it away, you DID steal it!

Yes, I believe you should do a search for "money pit thread", and read some of the obscene amounts people spend on these cars!

It's worth it though.

JackG · #10 06-16-2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arew264

I believe you should do a search for "money pit thread", and read some of the obscene amounts people spend on these cars!

I know, I am going into this with both eyes wide open. With what I am paying for it though, my time to drag it home, and gas in the jeep to get it, I have not lost anything yet.
My first objective is to get it started since it has not been run in awhile. Once started, I can evaluate it a little better and make a decision on bringing it back, parting it out, or just selling it to someone else. I do agree that sometimes folks put way more money into them then they are worth...........but they are not making anymore of them either. I am sure if I decide not to restore, someone will.

There are a few goodies on it now that would more than pay for my time, including a Nardi steering wheel and the Euro headlights.......did I forget to mention those

. I have not gotten in the trunk yet to see what awaits there as the keys have been lost

. Anybody know how to pop the trunk without damage or having the car running?

Johnt49 · #11 06-17-2007, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackG

Anybody know how to pop the trunk without damage or having the car running?

If you hook a battery to the car you should be able to actuate the locks by moving the door lock button up & down on the drivers door. If that doesn't work, the easiest way I have found is to remove the rear seat cushion (just push the red levers at the bottom of the seat toward the outside, lift up, then pull towards you). Just inside the right rear door you'll see a yellow vacuum line under the insulation. If you carfully cut that line & apply pressure gently ( not too much or you'll destroy the diaphrams) to the half going into the trunk, you'll unlock the trunk & fuel door. You'll need to use some sort of pump or compressor, just blowing into the line won't give you enough pressure. You can then just splice the line with a piece of rubber hose.
Unlike the 123 bodies, the 126 uses a 12 volt vacuum pump/compressor in the trunk to actuate the locks (vacuum locks, pressure unlocks). The engine does not have to be running.