TN 207D, 307D info?
 

Howdy!

I've been tossing around the idea of going to Europe and picking up a 300D 5 speed for my wife, and then I saw some vans, and I got to thinking!

They are the predecessor to the sprinter, which I had a new one back in 05, but I'm thinking pre 85 so I don't have to mess with US DOT emission & safety standards . . .

I have found that these use the same motor as my 240D! (616) They came out with a 409D in 81 with the 617 motor and with a gross weight of 4,600 kg (10,141 lb) They also offered a 407 with the 616 engine, same wheight rating! Not sure if they ran dual rear wheels/tires or not. (My 2005 Sprinter was rated at 9,990 lbs single axle.) They come in three wheel bases, and RWD.

I'm thinking of either the 207D gross weight of 2,550 kg (5,622 lb) or the 307D with gross weight of 3200 kg (7,055 lb) and use it as a road trip mobile, with a bed, and place to relax, but not a full fledged RV . . .

I have also found that they use 215R14 tires, so I'm wondering if they share some of the other parts from a 123?

I have found two that were for sale in the netherlands, one has a 370 cm = 147.7" - 12'3.7" wheel base, the other has a 335 cm = 131.9" -10'11.9", any idea what the other size is?

Also appears that there are different roof heights . . . maybe a year thing . . .

Here is one I found at wikipedia:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s...rcedes307D.jpg
Notice the hubcaps . . .

Here is the 93 high top . . . longer wheelbase of 370cm:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s...z/MB308D93.jpg

And a 1990 w/335cm wheelbase, low top:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s...MBTN308D90.jpg

Does anybody know where I could find more specs?

The 90 & 93 have 5 speed manual transmissions . . .

I've owned a couple of of them (307d and 409d) and I know a fair amount about them. They share blocks with the 616 and 617 but there are lots of other differences between them. For instance, the 84 and 85 have different waterpumps and fan clutches. The fan clutch runs $500. Parts are hard to find in the US. I used to order mine from the UK. I owned the 307d in Europe and the 409d in the USA. I'm of the opinion that they are not the best vehicle in the USA where distances are far greater than in Europe. They are underpowered compared to US vehicles, resulting in a top speed of around 68mph flat out. There are gazillions of them for sale in Europe. www.mobile.de will turn up hundreds. They can in lots of varieties with 4spds and 5 spds and very rarely automatics. I think they may have built them with the 617 in most years but there are VERY few of these in Europe. Some van converters turbo'd their vans but these are even more rare. 1st gear in 5spd is a granny gear. They tend of have rust problems so I would get a very close look at one before purchase. I can remember seeing one on Ebay in the NE that had more holes than solid panels.

Thanx! I knew you had owned a few . . . and was curious if there were more interchangeable parts, since they shared the same engine . . . not needing to get anywhere in a hurry . . .

Any idea where I could get MB specs? Do you know if they would be listed as a truck here in the states as far as importing them goes? I have heard from only one un-official source that trucks have a lot bigger duty due (like 25% compared to 2.5% for autos!)

Edit to add: Would you say they are the size of a US full size van, or more like the mid-size Safari? Similar to my 05 Sprinter? I had the raised roof, longest wb . . .

We probably would do some "camping" in it, but not needing running water, or cooking in it . . . we could have a little "porta-potty" and a camp stove to use when we needed it . . .

This is what got me thinking . . .
 

There are a few 609D's on ebay.de older Transportkrankenwagons! (Ambulances!) but they seem to be bigger than I want . . . but that is what I 1st saw, and showed my wife! (She liked it!) The Vito's are too small, and too new!

The 609's are built on a bigger chassis. The 207d--409d's are built on a van chassis that is roughly the same size as a full size US van. Perhaps a little narrower. I believe they are considered trucks, which is why MB imported the Sprinter's in various parts and assembled them in the US to avoid the full duty on truck.
If you are thinking of camping in it, I'd buy one already kitted out as a camper in Europe. There are tons of them, both homebuilt and original conversions.
For me, the issue isn't just getting somewhere in a hurry, since I typically drive my motorhomes at about 65mph. The issue is that the 616 is spinning very fast at that speed and the engine sits just by your right leg with very little insulation between it and you. It's similar to the complains about 240d's turning too many rpm's at 70mph, except the vans are geared even lower.
The 4xx chassis have dual rear wheels and the 2xx and 3xx have single rear wheels.
Also, some of the 4xx vans are built on the bigger chassis. (not the 201(?) van chassis)
The valve cover, IP, oil filter housing, intake manifold, are different on the van engines. The van engines put out slightly more horsepower than the car engines. Roof heights are not a function of year built as far as I know. They built a vast variety of vehicles on that same basic chassis including car haulers, pickups, vans, dump bodies, crew cabs, etc.

Are these 207, 307's as easy to work on as the 123's . . .I know that the hood is gonna let in less light . . .;)

I am assuming that they are a robust long lived (as long as rust doesnt take over!) vehicle.

I beieve that it was about 900,000+ but not over a million built.

Not much access thru the hood but the doghouse comes off giving good access to the back 2/3 of the engine.
To a search on them at this link for the camper versions:
http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/search.html?scopeId=MH&lang=en

What I meant by this was are they a fairly simple vehicle to work on? simular to the 123's, but it is nice to know that the dog house gives good access, I'm sure that makes valve adjustments and oil changes easier . . . is the oil filter in a different location, than on the 123?

As easy to work on. Only one vacuum line to the shut off valve. Heater and door locks all mechanical. Oil filter housing is in the same general location but points down and back. Much messier to remove.

Recycled
 

for 300sdToronto

If anyone is looking for campers a guy up in CA has a bunch of them. Not cheap, not to expensive.

Weren't most of them on the MB 100 chassis as opposed to the pre-Sprinter van chassis.

Question
 

Do you have any contact data for him??

No but there is a thread here on it somewhere.........