Found 16" Ronals. A story, pictures and a question.
 

I was driving through a rougher part of town today and spied a 1983 300SD sitting in a side yard with grass growing up around it. When I went by I noticed that it had body colored wheels of the five spoke variety. 16" Ronals to be exact. I went back to the house later in the day after work and inquired about buying the car. The people in the house didn't know who owned the car and it was, in fact, on a vacant lot. I took a few pictures with my phone.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos...medium/029.jpg

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos...medium/027.jpg

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos...edium/0251.jpg

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos...medium/024.jpg

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos...medium/026.jpg

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos...medium/023.jpg

Now the people that I talked to didn't know who the owner was, as I said, so I went home and checked the tax maps for the city.
I found the address where the tax bill is being sent which matched a piece of mail that I saw on the front seat of the car. I couldn't see the name through the window on the envelope of the mail but did see the address. I cross referenced the address on the mail with the address that the tax bill was being sent and came up with the same name.

I took my beater truck into the owner's neighborhood and actually did find the owner, nice enough guy, and talked with him about the car.

He said he parked the car about three months ago because it was losing power when accelerating. He stated the car would idle and start fine but wouldn't pull a hill, and would gain speed slowly on flat ground. No power. No overheating. 240K on odo.

He thinks it's a head gasket or very low compression. Sounds like a fuel delivery problem to me.

Anyway, anyway. He told me he would take 700.00 for the car. Not my favorite style Mercedes but my brother-in-law has one so he could use the parts. Heck, I could use the tranny or engine parts.

Now I'm thinking if the Ronals are the correct offset for a 123 chassis this might be something I will follow up on. They are rough but nothing a bit of work won't fix.

So you've read this far, what do you think?

The big question that I really would like answered is are 123 and 126 16" Ronal wheels the same? KBA407094 is printed on the face of the wheels. Is the offset printed on the inside of the wheel? I guess I could go over and test fit a wheel onto the 300D but if your going to lowball you best not show too much interest.

Comments are welcome.

Thanks for reading,

Jay

I've searched some more and found that the offset is printed on the inside of the wheel.

I'm betting these wheels end up being 16 x 8 with a 35mm offset.

Jay

The wheels will fit a W123 and it sounds like plugged fuel filters or banjo bolt to me.

That could be a potentially great car with some TLC! I'd jump all over it for $700! :eek:

They look too much like PT Cruiser wheels, IMHO.

http://www.finishlinewheels.com/prodimg/ALY02252U.jpg

$700 and a fuel filter sounds like a great deal.

I'd say I need to cruise the rougher neighborhoods. I did see a 115 a while back, but it's gone now.

let me introduce you to mr cinder block, mr wrench, and mr jack.

lol. . . I concur

i go through some every day and i pass a W126 200SE that looks like it needs a good home

I think if I tried to "Mr. cinderblock... ", being as I am completely out of my fair skinned, eastern european, white bread element I may be frowned on a bit more harsh than the indigenous inhabitors of this part of Roanoke.:)

Going to make an offer on the car tomorrow morning.
Does anyone know the different offsets offered in these Ronal wheels?


Hey easy on the PT Cruiser wheel comment. Now that is an ugly car.

All the ones I have seen talked about on the forums are ET11

Boardmonger is well versed in R9 and AMG Penta.

Sixto
87 300D

If our PT cruiser had wheels like that maybe I wouldn't want to get rid of it then.

I'd be all over the $700 like white on rice, get it, replace the fuel filters / unclog the alda line and off you go.

I've passed a Mustard Yellow Euro 240D for 3-4 years now. It used to sit in a driveway and now it is parked next to a couple other old vehicles in the back yard. I've always wondered if it contained a true 5 speed manual.
Having said that, there is a ZERO percent chance that I would ever stop at that house, in that neighborhood and ask about it. I can't explain how rough the area is. {even hookers work about a half mile of that sidewalk} :eek:
Nice little 240, and pretty clean for the most part.....:(

adventure!!!
 

Oh, come on, Jimmy. Where is your sense of adventure? Go early in the day --- all the thugs will still be asleep. Take a cultural diversified friend with you. Dress down. If I lived closer, I would go, too.:D

There are 2 300D that a co-worker told me about.....they are in an "odd" place. You can see the cars from the road, but not the house. The farm animal gate that goes to the house has a big NO TRESPASSING sign on it. I'm going to mail them a letter. Gate is padlocked.