Blue Nelson's 2024 Mercedes W123 Death Valley Wagon Tour

[Jorn]

Epic video of the 2024 Mercedes W123 Death Valley Wagon Tour. Makes me almost want to buy a W123 TD wagon to participate in 2025. Some familiar faces from car meets in LA and I'm sure there are some PP members who are on this trip.

2024 Mercedes W123 Death Valley Wagon Tour.

[P.C.]

I would like a euro-spec 240TD with a manual transmission. Probably won't be the king of the dragstrip, but the idea of a very basic low-tech car of good quality is very appealing to me.

[davidmash]

Originally Posted by P.C.

I would like a euro-spec 240TD with a manual transmission. Probably won't be the king of the dragstrip, but the idea of a very basic low-tech car of good quality is very appealing to me.

Pretty sure you could give a 5 yr old on a tricycle a run for his money. Not sure I would put your money on a win but you could get lucky.

[cmac2012]

I really like my 84 300D. I'm just now starting to get it broken in, I'm somewhere over 150K. Miraculously the cruise control worked. It still does, but it acts funky for the first 10 minutes and then warms up and sort of smooths out. A lot of cruise controls will get sort of herky-jerky when you go downhill - this is starting to do it on the level. But it mostly goes away after a while. I suspect I'll need a new amplifier pretty soon.

But the main reason I mentioned it, I would love to get hold of the euro four-speed. I've read that putting the 240d manual tranny on it is not the best idea, the 3L with turbo has more power.

Two things are a pain with his car: climate control and the tranny. In every Detroit car I can remember that had an auto, you could put it in the lowest gear at will. This car has a 4 speed and it is frequently difficult to put it in first gear. Either with the shifter or with the gas pedal. Annoys the crap out of me, I suspect cars behind me don't like it either. But it runs great on the freeway, 80 to 90 no problem. I think I've got to keep it below 80 though, don't wanna push my luck. You would think someone in Europe would have made a killing by now sending Euro spec 4 speed trannies to our fair shores.

[cmac2012]

Never mind. Unless I get my hands on Jay Leno Garage money, the project would be:

A. Crazy making

and

B. Next to impossible.

I sort of knew that already, but I just found this thread and it reiterated that reality:

https://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/85693-manual-transmission-w123-300d.html

The OP asked if anyone had ever put a four-speed manual in a 300D. This was the second post:

Originally Posted by TomJ

Yes. I have. A lot. Will post on my experiences as soon as they take me off the medication and let me out of the nice canvas jacket and cuddly-cuffs.

[INSIDIOUS]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I really like my 84 300D. I'm just now starting to get it broken in, I'm somewhere over 150K. Miraculously the cruise control worked. It still does, but it acts funky for the first 10 minutes and then warms up and sort of smooths out. A lot of cruise controls will get sort of herky-jerky when you go downhill - this is starting to do it on the level. But it mostly goes away after a while. I suspect I'll need a new amplifier pretty soon.

But the main reason I mentioned it, I would love to get hold of the euro four-speed. I've read that putting the 240d manual tranny on it is not the best idea, the 3L with turbo has more power.

Two things are a pain with his car: climate control and the tranny. In every Detroit car I can remember that had an auto, you could put it in the lowest gear at will. This car has a 4 speed and it is frequently difficult to put it in first gear. Either with the shifter or with the gas pedal. Annoys the crap out of me, I suspect cars behind me don't like it either. But it runs great on the freeway, 80 to 90 no problem. I think I've got to keep it below 80 though, don't wanna push my luck. You would think someone in Europe would have made a killing by now sending Euro spec 4 speed trannies to our fair shores.

Perhaps you can wire a toggle switch into the wire harness for the kickdown. Easy peasy. Zoom zoom. label it 'sport mode'

[Idle]

Euro cars were imported without the fancy AC servo system the US cars got. It is a rather simple job to pull out the current switch/thermostat you have and relate it with a Euro switch that is much like the set up in the 114 115 cars.

These panels show up now and then on Evil Bay.