[V8] Touring car musings.

Thu Jul 9 03:13:14 PDT 2009

Yes, well, I have always wanted to have a W123 Coupe and the 300SD is a
handsome car, and perhaps the best of Mercedes "generation" cars...the type
that they no longer build.  

But in the end, you are probably right.  It is very hard to get past the V8
and there are many things that I would like to do with the car that can be
done for short dollars.  

For instance, I am working up my nerve to push the pocket book a bit further
right now to buy some BBS wheels.  But first it goes to the wrench next week
for an oil change and a couple of tweaks that have needed tweaking,
including a new bomb, new cruise control module and a fix for the ABS
circuit. Then an inspection sticker.  

Then next up will probably be tackling the Blows radio issue.  I loose
signal from time to time, and the antenna is stubborn about going down all
the way...sometimes it stops about 3/4 of the way down.  Needs a new
antenna, I'll bet.  Most of the time it works fine, but I suspect that the
antenna connection in the rear is not tight or something.  I can fix that
myself and will sometime.  For now, I am content to ride and muse, ponder
and dream up new inanities to write on the V8 list.  

And listen to the engine. ALWAYS listen to the engine.  

Yeah, I really want some Euro headlights sometime, and then as you suggest,
just stocking up on V8 parts is a noble pursuit. Even if only to sell one to
some other fool who can't let the car go.  When the barn is built, I'll
start.

No, that's not right.  I have started already.  About six months before I
bought my V8, I found a new in the box hvac motor on eBay.  I bought it for
pretty cheap dollars and it is now sitting in its box on the top shelf of my
closet.  Just in case....

Frame gaskets.  Haven't thought about frame gaskets.  Hmmm....going to
Bangor today, maybe I'll stop in at the Audi dealer and have a chat with the
parts guy.....

You guys will be the first to know.

Roger

-----Original Message-----
From: diemarthadie at aol.com [mailto:diemarthadie at aol.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 7:25 PM
To: rmwoodbury at roadrunner.com
Cc: v8 at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [V8] Touring car musings.

Roger,

I think you already know that you'll never escape the V8.  So, that 
settled, why not begin stockpiling OEM parts?  Buy new, perhaps in bulk 
with Bastian's help.  Buy the things you know will go unobtanium like 
frame gaskets, UFO rotors, and other oddities.  Pick up spare sensors, 
and maybe fuses and such.  Instead of spending $9k on a car you won't 
like as much, spend $2k a year on spares.  Talk to a dealer or two and 
ask if they have leftover V8 parts on the shelf that they'd like to 
offload cheaply.  I bet you'll find some.

Maybe look at some of those amazing interior options that were only 
available in Europe and add one of those to your car.  So many things 
could be done for the $9k and leave you happy and with change in your 
pocket.

You know the V8 is your automotive ring, it's precious and you won't 
give it up ;)

John

PS - but if you really want a diesel Benz I'll see if the one locally 
is still for sale, it was ridiculously clean with full service history.

PPS - Ed has a 928 you can buy :)

-----Original Message-----

From: Roger Woodbury <rmwoodbury at roadrunner.com>

To: cobram at juno.com; tonyandlillie1 at earthlink.net

Cc: v8 at audifans.com

Sent: Sun, Jun 7, 2009 5:16 pm

Subject: Re: [V8] Touring car musings.

Ah, yes.  The perils of buying a car from the rust belt. ANY car.   And 
if

you ever have a chance to buy a car that has spent more than ten 
minutes in

Maine, don't.  Here in Maine they have given up sanding the roads with 
salt

and sand combinations in large measure.  Instead they water the roads 
with

some sort of noxious liquid that is supposed to melt the ice and snow 
and

wash it away.  It works great.  And it washes all that nasty ice, snow,

shock absorbers, shock mounts, exhaust flanges, exhaust pipes, mufflers,

suspension bushings and assorted other rubber gizzies right before you 
eyes.

So, I have few illusions about how long a W123 Mercedes that was rust 
free

might last in Maine at all now, and it isn't long.  So, even if I 
really,

really wanted one of these cars, it could only be for very late spring,

summer and early fall driving, then to bed and asleep in the barn until 
next

spring.

But what really scares me is what I am going to do when my V8 either 
can get

parts or gets so corroded that it won't pass inspection.  Then what?  
Maybe

a walker of wheel chair by that time.

Roger

-----Original Message-----

From: cobram at juno.com [mailto:cobram at juno.com]

Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2009 2:50 PM

To: tonyandlillie1 at earthlink.net

Cc: rmwoodbury at roadrunner.com; v8 at audifans.com

Subject: Re: [V8] Touring car musings.

The rose colored glasses of time?

I was buying 300D's, 240D's et. al. for export by the (half) dozen in 
the

late 80's early 90's, and even 20 years ago the examples to be found 
here

in the rust belt were rot buckets.  They rust, they rust big time, they

rust everywhere and anywhere.  Early 70's were rust buckets, late 70's

were rust buckets, early 80's were rust buckets, mid 80's were rust

buckets.  Thanks to a friend with a Mercyless Benz shop, I bought mostly

one owner cars owned by people who maintained them better than factory

recommendations.  The owners all loved the cars, they all hated to part

with them, they all parted with them for very cheap to nothing...because

they were rust buckets.  Non-turbos are underpowered, smoky, noisy and

the second reason we still can't convince people diesel is an option.

Countries I shipped them to would completely disassemble the cars (I 
mean

completely) and rebuilt them from top to bottom.  I followed the work on

many of them, and can even remember how strange some of the rust was.

The 123's?  They're sneaky and tend to rot from the inside out, under 
the

cowl, between fender panels etc.  I've seen 123's that looked pristine,

beautiful, but try and lift it by the jack point....and the distinct

sound of crunching corn flakes.

I'll do anything mechanical, but I hate body work, chasing rust is even

lower on my list of things I enjoy than dental work is.  If it wasn't 
for

that, I never would have looked twice or put up with the kind of

mechanical "peculiarities" that all the type 44's are known for.

I still have an '87 300TDT I drive regularly, it was supposed to go

abroad but the buyer never came up with all the cash.  Figured it was

better to keep it limber.  After driving this one, which has the 6

cylinder turbo, I can't see an MB diesel head ever going back to the 5 
or

4 bangers.  Will be selling it soon, I have a small pile of notes left 
on

her over the years asking for dibs on it when I decide to sell.  There's

a cult out there for these cars,  having been baptized and ex

communicated, I'm sure I"ll wane nostalgic for it a few years after it's

gone.

BCNU,

http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/

I enjoy escargot, but I prefer fast food.

"Tony and Lillie" <tonyandlillie1 at earthlink.net> writes:

> The only significant thing that appears to go wrong with the w123's

> is the

> compressor. Built by GM of course, and thirty plus years old to

> boot. Do

> that, the R/D, and expansion valve, and you are good to go. BTW,

> when I was

> younger I always dreamed of a souped up 300SD (turbo five cyl)

> engine

> stuffed in an older body style (mid 60's) 190 or 220.

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