I want to see YOUR modifications!
 

I want to see some pictures or hear about some of the things you have done or want to do! Anything from a painted grill to a different turbo or maybe a nice stereo! I want some ideas of what you are doing to your 123, 126, ect. :)

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...-parts-pic.jpg

I like what I think are practical mods.

Better Fuel Filtration
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/225004-lower-micron-fuel-filter-mod.html

Bypass Oil Filter
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/215593-bypass-oil-filter-setup-617-952-a.html

Air filter/intake
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/280376-washable-air-filter-intake-mod-larger-breather.html

Manual Cable to open unlock trunk
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/304114-manual-pull-cable-wire-open-trunk-123-a.html
I was in the process of installing a nicer Trunk Cable setup up when I found that a Rear Cross Member under the Car was cracked. So I have yet to finis the new Trunk Cable Set-up.
I mounted it to the left Front of the Drivers Side Seat. See Pic.

I added this Vacuum line filter for a visual of oil in the system from the vac shut off valve, and from the Vac pump. not my idea, read it on the forum.


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/265761-vacuum-line-filter.html

Charlie

Since my '84 Euro TD had been 'upgraded' to US bumpers & headlights, I decided to customise it a bit with a spare set of headlight-doors, painted body color. Found an exact match to my wagon's ivory paint in the WalMart paint aisle. Walmart's own Colorplace Almond #20016 spraypaint for $1. Also usefull for touching up minor body scratches, etc...
Good thing I bought some extra cans as Walmart now seems to have discontinued that color.
(And of course I did save the nice 'original' set of headlight doors)

Happy Motoring, Mark

Body Modification
 

My 123 was a real disaster, but had a good engine, so I decided to do a body swap... kept the engine and transmission and bolted on a better body.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1337008343

:D

Cool! I really like the fuel and air filter ideas! Thank you! I wonder how hard the trunk release would be to do.

Good to see some are doing that! Its nice to know if your vac system is being gummed up with oil. I need to get some small in line filters for that!

I plan on getting new headlight doors when i get my e-codes so i will play around with my old ones. I was going to paint the inside of them black to match my grill! Cool idea!

nothing too fancy
 

Some super bright LEDs for running lights in my CD. Pretty much stock other wise except for two tank VO fuel system, Electronic climate control servo upgrade and ipod control Stereo deck.

A 380 with an om617!? That sounds awesome!:D

I wanted all leds in my car but will it make your turn signals really fast? I know you can get resistors for that but how did you do it?

Yeah, I had this spare set of cracked & discolored headlight doors, so I decided to paint them the body-color. I'd seen one or two other W123s with the same mod. Wonder if the W123 would've sold if they had been facelifted with body-color plastic bumpers. Around here, there was a metallic blue 240D a couple years back, that had body-color headlight-doors AND molded-fiberglass bumper-skirts front & rear. It looked kind-of tacky. I didn't know bumper-skirts even existed for these cars.
As for more practical mods, last year I upgraded my TD to a 100+ amp alternator. Only because mine had quit and a friend had already given me this oversized Bosch unit - so I thought "Why not".
Had to run a heavy cable to the starter terminal for the larger alternator's B+, and fuss with the bracket a bit, but ultimately it bolted right in.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Not really a modification - more of an omission
 

I Removed the cooling fan on the front of my OM617 - just look at the space - I could almost stand in there!

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ithout-fan.jpg

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...an-measure.jpg

Bosch European headlights and headlight wiper delete. The stock US headlights are terrible, and the wipers are ugly as hell.

And it has a 3.0 603 instead of the 3.5 engine.

I've tried to capture most of my modifications in my 300D's gallery. However I need to update it also, just recently installed a new oil pan skid plate but I have no pics yet.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=34

Army are you running no fan at all?
I installed an electric fan, and in the winter it never comes on... in traffic during the summer its almost always on. I suppose in your climate I could see never needing a fan.

As for the mods done to my car......... there have been alot over the years. here is a thread where I documented about half of them.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/276987-installing-new-engine-manual-transmission-my-sd-15.html

Sorry some of the pictures don't work. my friend who kindly hosted them for me deleted them with out saving them.

At the moment the car is still in bits. When I ran the car with out the fan I did so for about 9 months or so and I didn't notice the needle moving away from its usual warmed up position. So yes the climate here can really suck!

I have bought an electric fan - a kenlow (English company who seem to sell most of their products to people who drive MGBs) but I'm a long way from fitting it.

http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid670.photobucket.com/albums/vv68/epowers777/benz2.mp4

Here is a video i sold the benz and you can see the headlights i got from e bay. Old honda intake cut out oil separator there ya go. Faster spool and spooling noise.

In no particular order:

Modified EGR circuit.
MAF eliminator.
Prototype 7.5mm pump elements.
Powder coated intake manifold.
Red painted valve cover.
3 step injector nozzles.
2005 E320 wheels.
3 gauge aux panel.

To come:

Eaton M90 supercharger.
Holset HX40 turbo.
Full stainless 3.5" exhaust.
Aeroturbine muffler.
Electric fuel pump.

Awesome and yah thats what we need ricer body kits for our 123s LOL :D I do plan on getting a 150a alternator soon!

Wow that is a ton of space! Easy to change belts? Do you run your aux fan?

I agree! The euro 126 lights give the front a "softer" look :cool:

Just checked out your car i have seen it before on the fourm! That is one of the best if not the best looking 123 i have seen! You have done a great job on it! Freakin beautiful man! If only w123 coupe parts were easier to get...

Hi Dr. Nick!:D hehe love your profile picture! Im going to look at your SD now...

Wow i need to copy and paste most of that in the search bar :o It all sounds VERY interesting!

Thank you.

Most, if not all, of the items I've installed, are compatible with coupes. The only item I would be reluctant recommending would be the sonnenrollo (sun blind). The instructions were for sedans only. Aside from that - the Euro lights, 15" bundts, etc are all compatible with the coupe.

In fact here's the cheapest modification I made:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/6...3fa7e861_c.jpg

The one I use a lot is the additional trunk lighting:
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/legom...s/p1010022.jpg

Hey I'm new to this forum but not to forums in general. I've removed the stock air cleaner assembly and replaced it with a fram 8038 paper filter, got some H4 headlamps (round type to replace the sealed beams), adjusted to boost up to 12lbs, and this weekend I plan on swapping in some non-egr manifolds I have in the garage, and also adding water/methanol injection.

I really like some of the stuff I've read in this thread, like the additional trunk lighting, and the manual trunk release, I might have to add these things to my to-do list.

In the next couple months I'm going to attempt mate an overdrive unit from a Volvo M46 transmission to the back of a 4-speed manual from a 240D Mercedes and swap them in, but I need to get the OD from my friend first before I can start working on it (already have the 4 speed and pretty much everything needed for the swap)

I forgot to add, I have added additional brake lights to the empty sockets in the tail light assembly, so I have 4 instead of 2

Yes more space for those pesky belts - in fact I've found it much easier to change the alternator belt by removing the water pump pulley rather than messing about with the alternator bracket (which some struggle with). Much easier when the fan has gone.

I don't have airconditioning so I don't have an auxillary fan.

I realise this "modification" isn't appropriate for places where there is a big yellow bright thing that sits in the sky...

...I've been told that in some places the sky isn't always gray and that it stops raining!

The only mechanical mod I've done is disable the EGR and lock the intake flap next to it fully open, this is the best mod on the NA 606 engine apart from slapping a turbo on it. Externally I've put on clear side indicators, as orange doesn't go that well with green :) Other than that the car is 'stock'.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...toffside-1.jpg

Inside I've upgraded the head unit to a digital radio/mp3/cd player and high quality speakers, put in a 'hidden' cable and velcro dash mount for my sat nav, a dash mounted in/out temp gauge and some chrome trim for the fan controls and gear surround, and changed the horrible plastic gear knob that came with the car to a nice leather one:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...fromabove1.jpg

I really need to put some effort into organizing my trunk. I love your extra lighting and umbrella holder. I have a set of Yakima bars that live in my trunk. I wonder if I could mount them like your umbrella.

Thanks for the insperation

R107 leather
 

Full stainless sill covers, home made Afromosia steering wheel, seats from a Saab 9000. Total re-trim in Scottish hide with contrast stitch. Wood re-veneered in Afromosia to match the wheel. New contrast carpets. Delete hi-fi. Auxilliary gauges in center vents.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ts/trim035.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ts/trim036.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ts/trim030.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ts/trim020.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ts/trim017.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ts/trim019.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...oortrim013.jpg



OM606.962 turbo diesel/Getrag 5speed being fitted.....but enough for now? :D




.

They might be a little heavy, I would just leave them at home if you do not use them.

Ever since I sold my truck things have gotten a little crazy for the old Benz. The racks have really come in handy. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...429_233522.jpg

Here's the mod you need -

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1337107248

Thats awesome!

ElderBenz
 

Mechanical mods so far:
EGR Delete
Vacuum system simplification
AC change to R134
Manual right side mirror
H4 headlights

Lots of repairs but nothing to prevent the daily drive to work. Love these simple cars.

Wow this is a GREAT thread! Keep em coming! I already see some things i want to do!

Until I find the correct wood trim piece that accepts the headlight beam adjustment, the original fader switch position should work. Only problem is, I have not had the chance to get mine to work properly. Maybe I got a bad switch, but you get the idea.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3588/3...1bdb730e_z.jpg

Some members modify the fader switch to accommodate a USB drive, or a garage door opener (not my photos):

USB:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...er/USBport.jpg

Garage door opener:
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/IMG_0226.jpg

I had my a dome light switch there that was hooked up to force the aux fan on but i got bored with it lol. I do want to put an aux in there because i really love my older pioneer that does not have usb support.

WOW! Those are my dream wheels! Would they fit on a w123 car? What are they? And i love the rack. I think they make something that clips on to the plastic on a w123 car for a roof rack deal. I thought it would be cool to have some removable hella lights up there! :rolleyes:

Their copies of a Centra wheel. I got them from a member on here when he upgraded his wheels.
Funny story. The UPS guy who comes to my work sold me a set of wheels that looked like mine after seeing my car. they were the real Centra wheels. I passed them along to a friend with a W123, they look really sharp on his car.

The roof rack is a Yakima. I keep an eye out at the junk yard. so far I have a set of bars for the SD, 4 bars on my Tercel. I have a roof basket, the bike attachements and the ski/snow board attachements. They are kind of expencive new, but can be had cheap on craigslist, and even cheaper at the junk yard... oh, you might notice the bars on my rack are yellow, thats because when you get the racks at the junkyard they can be pretty rusty, but 3/4" coated ridged steel pipe is the same outer diameter as the Yakima bars with twice the wall thickness. you can get the pipe at any hardware store, its for buried gas line.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...316_183552.jpg

The wheels in my head are turning... those are some great mods right there!

That usb mod is a great idea. one I think I'm going to copy in my 82

Well time to start lookin for some centras :D

I can kind of see that today it looks quite good - perhaps even quite cool? (Don't ask me I wouldn't know cool if it bit me on the arse)

But in 10 years time it will probably look about as with it as an inbuilt record player...

I think these modifications are great but do them in such a way that you can replace them with something else...

...the car will easily out live that kind of technology (especially if it is a diesel!)...

So true... my car once had a hands free system.................

Hey now.:D That's my photo. I did that in my wife's CD. It also allows us to hook up an ipod or mp3 player. I can easily take it out if it becomes outdated too.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/2141354-post23.html

I also put in hand free bluetooth, subwoofer in the first aid kit and the amp in the trunk.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/2237242-post29.html

Sorry! I should have said "like in the picture"...

Great point. The USB hub is installed on what remains of the fader switch, so it's not completely irreversible. Most of the items I installed are reversible, the only things that aren't, are the rear headrests and possibly the rear sunshade, but I see no reason why I would go back to its original configuration.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5132/5...66136cc2_z.jpg

'Reversible' reminds me of what I did with my old Fintail many years ago.
Not wanting to hack speaker-holes in my leather interior, or have some expensive audio unit on public display in the dash to attract thieves, I installed a 100-watt amp, small enough to be hidden out of sight under the dash. I wired this to a pair of compact 50-watt two-way cube-speakers, which sat on the rear floor, behind the front seats. Connected to the amp's stereo input jacks was a headphone adapter-cable that extended to the seat's center-tray, and plugged into the headphone jacks on a cassette-walkman or portable CD-player.
The neat thing about this setup was that it would work with most any other portable music device - Minidisc, MP3, I-POD, XM-radio, etc... that came along and featured a standard mini headphone-jack.
Not up to the level of todays premium car-audio systems, But at the time, I felt it sounded pretty good.

I left the old, stock mono Becker AM-FM radio & speaker in the dash, which hopefully wasn't desireable enough to tempt a burglar.

Happy Motoring, Mark