For those asking for pictures of my half million mile 240D, I am offering these pictures in spite of the fact that she is sitting out next to the barn awaiting attention.

She has served me like a faithful old horse. I drove this car personally from 17,000 miles after it was new and brought to the US as a Grey Market car in 1985 until I handed her over to my son when he turned 16. His goal was to see 500,000 miles on the odometer before he went away to the University of Texas. He accomplished that goal. He is not a car person and could care less whether or not there is oil in the crankcase as long as there is fuel in the tank, so I don't really understand how he did it. I think Ol' Silver had more of a hand in this than did my son. Just before going away to the university, he ran it scarily low on oil.

When he left the car sat up. I was too buisy to do anything with it and newer more fun cars to drive.

My job situation changed in late 1999 and I brought her out of mothballs, did a little work and began driving her 180 miles a day. That lasted a few months 'til, for the first time, she laid down away from home, lost oil pressure. Every other lay down or incident she had ever had was within a mile or two of the house. She had an amazing homing instinct.

She came back home that time on a rollback wrecker. I bought another Euro, four speed car and got the engine as an interim engine. That engine didn't last as long as I thought and she ended up back out to pasture.

I now have the original engine on an engine stand and I'm trying to decide whether to put my woodworking equipment back in place for some winter projects, or start on the 240D. The deciding factor will probably relate to the funds I need for the engine work. I have a plan that may solve that.

I would like to do a functional restoration and put her back on the road by spring to make a few treks such as the MB Autowerks Grand Opening.

It remains to be seen just how long she will stay out to pasture.

Same offer stands here Larry. Bill and I could both host your pics and all you have to do is link the URL in your post. No limit on number of pictures in a post that way.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

This has probably been covered before, but I saw an old Mercedes the other day with a 500,000 km badge on it's grill.

It was a real old-timer, running boards etc, looked a little like an old citroen. It was being used as transportation for a couple of newlyweds who were having their glorious day photographed in the park.

Anyway I naturally quizzed the owner and apparently Mercedes will send you the badge if you can verify that the car has done the distance.

Maybe ol' Silver qualifies, and can wear the badge with pride.

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306D 1975 (camper) - rusting away
W116 450 SEL 1975 - sold
W114 long wheelbase ambulance, 3 litre diesel 1974

VW Golf 1 convertable - midlife crisis item
VW T4 van - support vehicle

Yes, and here's what the badges look like on the grille.

Have a great day,

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And here's Ol' Silver as I described in the first post of this thread where I couldn't get them attached.

For an old sway back, she doesn't look bad.

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And another try at the speedometer. I think that the camera I'm using is focusing on the lens which is an inch or two from the speedometer, so I can't get a good focus, and it's difficult to do away with the glare.

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Great story and great pics!

I need the link to the URL that all these pictures are going to. I've taken dozens myself during my rebuild.

I hope my machines make it as far as yours has.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

It sure looks as good as new! I notice how the wiper sits comfortably as it should by the base of the windscreen - what a joy as compared to many I see on the road that sits a little higher.

What is meant by a euro-bumper? I thought all 123 bumpers look the same?

GREAT PICS LARRY!

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... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

Larry, How did you decide on where to place the badges. I struggled with this when I started putting badges on my grille. I only have the 250,000KM so far, but also have a MBCA, and a Stuttagrt coat of arms badge. Currently I have them sort of centered in the grille.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

bet you a slightly used 18mm socket to a breaker bar that Old Silver calls out to you in the night and that cherry chest of drawers will have to wait.....nice car, nice photos...
William Rogers.....

An amazing vehicle! Get her back on the road and restore it to its former glory.. take her to 1,000,000 miles!

Oh, and I noticed those wierd "sharp" turn signals.. I thought they were only used in the 70's.. is that an older instrument cluster?

Bill - I'd be most keen to see a US-bumper (if you can direct me to a link or a pic).

Yeah - noticed the antenna. We have them all parked at the rear fender. I noticed that the front seems a favourite position for the Aussies and Kiwis too. Any ideas why?

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... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've been proud of this car since I bought it over 15 years ago, but you guys are making me even more proud. It has served me (us) well.

skalie,

You can get the high mileage award badge by dialing 1 800 FOR MERC and asking for an application form. They will mail it to you, you fill it out and they will send you the badge and a handsome certificate signed by the CEO of Daimler (or at least a reproduction of his signature).

ymsin,

The Euro bumpers are because this is a Euro car. It was brought from Germany when it was a year old and grey marketed into the US. It had some wierd things done to it for compliance, like square tubing behind the bumpers, and an egr valve added with pipe thread in the exhaust manifold.

rickjordan,

I don't know how I decided. As I recall, I put the 200,000km badge right where it now is, then when I got the 250, I put it to the left, and then put the 500 to the left of that. They're right where I put them when I originally got them and I've never moved them.

turbodiesel,

I assume you're talking about the turn signal pointers in the instrument cluster. This is the original instrument cluster. I assume that they are triangular in Europe. I am now curious to look at the cluster in my Euro parts car. Everyone was nice enough not to say anything about the incorrect clock. The center of the clock is bare aluminum instead of black. The original clock was stopping in cold weather and I replaced it with one from a salvage yard cluster. I didn't notice the aluminum until I put it back in. If I ever take the cluster apart again, I'll paint it flat black, or fix the original clock if I can find it.

I will have to remember to take a picture of the headlight adjuster control on the dash.


Thanks everybody for getting me pumped up about putting Ol' Silver back on the road. I may have to put the wood shop back together first and earn the money to fund the motor.

Thanks,

I finally get to see "ole silver". Thanks for the encouragement to keep my running.

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed