Zen and the Art of Mercedes Maintenance.

This is not a hobby, this is a deranged obsession. Heaven is a grunting and groaning in a junkyard on a Sunday morning in mid May. It is true zen. Most people think I am crazy, there are a few lunatics out there like me though. Few things in life allow me to meditate and accomplish something at the same time (biking is the other thing I can think of). Working on my Mercedes' is a rewarding job that few understand. The satisfaction of fixing something broken instead of buying something new is overpowering. I could say its environmentally friendly, the energy and materials to make a new car far outweigh the amount of pollution it will create in its use. Really it is keeping something so perfect, running forever.

Forums and mailing lists.

I belong on a variety of forums and mailing lists devoted to the three pointed star :

  • W123
  • W124
  • L508D

1985 W123 300D

my benz

The Mercedes Benz W123 chassis is one of the best produced by any car maker in the world. With 2.5 million units sold, you can find many of these "young timers" still in service in many war torn and third world countries, a true testament of their reliability. I love these cars for their simplicity, bountiful headroom, panoramic sun roof and overengineered reliability. Wiki quote: Production of the W123 chassis ended in 1985 but in many countries as many as 75% of the cars originally registered remain on the road today 20 years later, a testament to the quality and durability of the original design.

  • Completed
  • Projects
  1. Manual 4 Speed transmission swap
  2. Euro tow package installed
  3. Warne Drei Ecke installed
  4. ALDA mod, shimmed, replaced original hoses
  5. EBC green brake pads installed
  6. W126 2nd gen brakes
  7. New Bosch (made in India) injectors
  8. Moog w115 sway bar links
  9. 15mm rear sway bar
  10. 24mm front TD sway bar
  11. Vogtland sport springs (50mm drop)
  12. Bilstein HD's on all four corners
  13. Front end rebuild:
    • Ball Joints
    • UCA
    • LCA bearing
    • Tie Rods, Drag Link
    • Idler Arm rebuild
  14. Rear drive axles replaced
  15. New windshield
  16. Stock airbox replaced by paper filter
  17. Massive degrunging of the inside
  18. Replaced emergency brake pads
  19. Boost/egt gauge cluster in ashtray
  20. Monovalve replacement
  21. 07/22/10 Vacuum pump
  1. Paint
  2. More degrunging of the inside
  3. New header/headliner
  4. Carpet redye and shampooed
  5. A/W IC
  6. VNT Turbocharger
  7. Head rebuild (sticky valve)
  8. Upgraded injection pump
  • 1987 W124 300D
  • 1991 W124 300D

1987 W124 300D OM603

1987 300d

Got this car for my wife and instantly fell in love with it (6 hour drive back after purchase). The multilink rear suspension is utterly different than the W123 (which is IMO the superior trailing arm setup period). Speed bumps are all but gone. Cornering you can feel the tires are still flat on the road. 85mph and you can't hear anything inside. I love the sunroof vent and the fact that the lock system has its own vac pump. The rest of the gimmicks, elecric seats, electric rear headrests are lost on me.

  • Completed
  • Projects
  1. Radiator replacement
  2. 3 coats of wax (more to come!)
  3. Viscous fan clutch
  4. Water pump
  5. Dash replacement
  6. Misc vacuum pods underneath the dash (center vents work now yay!)
  7. Rewired the window wiring at the door jambs (why do they break in the back and not the front?)
  8. E400 front swaybar
  9. Oil gusher #1 fixed, side oil pan gasket
  10. Drivers b-pillar replaced
  11. Rear headrests replaced
  12. Bilstein sports in the front
  13. Front LCA rebuild (bushings and bj)
  1. Multilink/bushing
  2. Hydraulic valve tappets on #1 (new head!)
  3. 5spd transmission
  4. More leaks
  5. Cig lighter rewired

1991 W124 300D OM603

1987 300d

Not much to say about this one. Paid too much and its just about perfect.

  • Completed
  • Projects
  1. 1 Engine mount replaced
  2. Kickdown switch replaced
  3. Interior B pillar reglued
  1. Window regulator is not going all the way up, clicking.
  2. Lowish power - boost?
  3. The other motor mount

1974 L508D Motoram Monarch

pic of the motoroam

I think the nickname of NightMare is quite apt, don't you?

  • Completed
  • Projects
  1. Towed back from Mississippi
  2. Gutted
  1. IP Replacement
  2. Brakes
  3. Tires
  4. Electricals