Picked up a nice W123 Estate wagon!!

vonsmog · 12-08-2015, 03:14 PM

Have been kicking the idea around for a few years on getting one of these. Prices seem to be creeping up. Found this one on Craig's list about 85 miles away. Talked to the owner (a woman) and figured I would make the drive. She said it does not run. Said she drove home one day and went to start it the next day and it would not move, and that there must be something wrong with the transmission. So it sat for almost two years. She even got another transmission out of the same year and model car. Well the brakes were locked from sitting, battery flat and it was covered with dirt from sitting outside all that time. Well I pull all the wheels, pry the pads back so the wheels will turn. Winch it up on the trailer, and away I go! Its a 1985 with 241k miles on the clock. Car spent it life in TX, until 2013 and never driven in a NY winter. So no rust, but has had a Macco paint job, so the clear coat is peeling off. So it will need a paint job very soon! So after getting it home, a pop in a new battery and it will not start. Bleed the fuel filter, still no go. Next crack the fuel line nuts and she fires right up! put it in gear and she moves!!! Nothing wrong with the transmission, just needed to put in new glow plugs to get in start as it should. The woman spent over $5k in repairs since 2012 on it and just gave up on it. So now to fix a few bugs and paint and it will be ready for the road! Oh, the purchase price was only $1300!

billybek · billybek's Garage

Nice!

onewhippedpuppy · 12-08-2015, 03:21 PM

Nice, congrats!

Chocaholic · 12-08-2015, 03:25 PM

Where's Shaun?

A930Rocket · 12-08-2015, 03:25 PM

Great looking car!

Baz · Baz's Garage

Congrats, Von............she's a beauty!!!

Skytrooper · Skytrooper's Garage

Nice score Von ! I like those estate wagons !

BeyGon · 12-08-2015, 03:45 PM

The only thing I would like better than that is if it were that Bittersweet color some came in, just don't know the actual name of the color.

strupgolf · 12-08-2015, 03:56 PM

Here'one I picked up for only a few more dollars. Needs nothing.

72doug2,2S · 72doug2,2S's Garage

Love those. I had my eye on a light blue one. They don't make them like that anymore. Congrats.

slow&rusty · 12-09-2015, 03:48 AM

Amazing! Congrats on a sweet purchase and getting it back to tip top mechanical health.

vonsmog · 06-16-2016, 07:03 PM

Just a little update, stripped the car down to bare metal and give it a windows out respray in the original color, Cypress Green Metallic. Now just have to finish putting it back together and put the new interior in, which is coming from the parts car I picked up that has been parked inside since 1992!

jyl · jyl's Garage

That's just beautiful. I love W123s. Had a 280CE. Wonderful.

nvr2mny · nvr2mny's Garage

Nice!!

impactbumper · 06-16-2016, 08:38 PM

sweet

Nataraj · 06-17-2016, 12:57 AM

Thanks for the posts!

NY65912 · 06-17-2016, 04:02 AM

Congrats!

I had an '85 TDT as well. That car was bulletproof! Allthough the steering was somewhat sloppy, even after putting in 2 rebuilt steering boxes.

Good Luck and enjoy.

tdw28210 · tdw28210's Garage

Very nice. I dig German wagons. Wifey has an '06 BMW AWD 530xi. In-line 6 is a great engine. W123's are the last of the truly rugged MB's.

Otter74 · 06-17-2016, 06:26 AM

Great color! Now you've got to refinish the bumper rubber so it looks as good as the paint.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Paint look good in photos, did you do this all yourself? If so, I'm very impressed.

Kind of surprised that you didn't remove the roof rack or window trim, did you just mask it and paint around it?