You may have read that I was trying to help someone with an 83 SD with what would seeem to be a minor accident, however there was a fair amount of damage the significant of which is a bent, cracked and torn lower crossmember at the radiator, ripped the radiator and oil pan open, bent the crossmember to the lower control arms, twisted and tweaked the trans mount crossmember.

So its becoming a parts car, from which I am pulling the things I need and or are better than mine.

First in a series of 4 pics, this of the donor.

Don

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

Looks like a LOT of work. Its a shame too- that car was one of the desirable white color cars. The local 84 I was/am considering is also a white car.
I have to say though - I would hate to know that I owned a car that had been apart like that. I do not know how anyone could get it back properly. I guess since you are dismantling it for parts, I guess no one would really have a need to take a dash apart like that- or at least a task I would not want to tackle.
Good luck......

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Nothing to it really. It looks lots worse than it is. When I take something complicated apart, I do it in sections and keep parts, scews and bolts in seperate bins. So the seats parts are in one box and dash parts in another and so on.

A car this old has either gone through this or will, you can't get to some of the climate parts.

I will post progress pictures as it goes back together. I hope to have it mostly complete tomorrow.

Don

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

At least you are also getting experienced on how these cars are put together. Are you going to put this parts car back together?

No plans to put the parts car back togehter. It would be kind of like putting back together a turkey after thanksgiving dinner!

I plan on taking it apart section at a time until there is only a body. I plan on selling the best parts, giving away the scraps and then junking what is left of the body.

I will be going through it in this order.

1. Interior
2. Suspension
3. Drivetrain
4. Exterior trim
5. Exterior body parts
6. Off to be crushed unless someone needs a clip.

Don

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

I have an 82 300SD that the POs kid hacked up to put a stereo in. My center console is cracked and broke around the stereo area. I would be interested in the console if you are selling it.

Rob

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'82 300SD 206K miles Anthracite Grey received 250,000 Km badge
'93 GMC Turbo Diesel 1-Ton Dually 113K miles Stolen 17 Jul 05
2005 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab D-max 22K miles Love it!
'68 Corvair Monza 110 Coupe 26K Sold
'66 Corvair Monza 110 Convertible 123K
'52 Ford 8N Sold
'66 Ford 3000 Diesel (204 hours) For Sale
'86 White 2-65 MFWD Iseki Diesel

It does look like quite a mess there! Not a big issue if you're not putting it back together I suppose, but I'll be taking mine apart soon to replace the center console among other things, and I certainly want it back in one piece at the end... I hope it doesn't get too difficult to get back together. Has anyone else here tried reassembling an interior after it was in that sort of state?

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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel)
'83 300SD 180k
'84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out)