'87 MB 300D Totaled

retmil46 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:31 am

Maybe my luck over this whole deal is changing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... &viewitem=

That's my new '87 300D. Did the verbal phone handshake over the weekend, and tomorrow start doing all the financial and legal stuff.

And no, I didn't get it for the $1500 listed as the last bid. I wouldn't dream of insulting the owner by offering that low of a price. I spent several hour-long phone calls talking with him. As good a shape as that car is in, the work he's put into it over the last two years, along with all the spare parts and extras he's throwing in - plus the fact it has a LEATHER interior, not MB Tex vinyl, rare on an '87 - it was well worth the $4500 he was initially asking on the MB forum.

Here's the scary part - both cars were built 7/86. VIN numbers are only 2000 apart. Engine serial numbers are only 100 apart, same with the cab/chassis serial numbers. They were probably built the same week, if not the same day. Means that my original wrecked '87 will be an exact match as far as swapping over any mechanical or electrical parts.

Given the history of our CRD's, with new problems such as u-joints and brake master cylinders still popping up, and if Chrysler goes under making it problematic for getting replacement parts - I figured it might be a wise investment in these times to have a reliable second vehicle, that has already had all the major maintenance items taken care of, that only takes elbow grease and wrenches to work on, and for which I already have an ample supply of free spare parts "on the hoof". :wink:

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:03 am

retmil46 wrote:

Maybe my luck over this whole deal is changing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... &viewitem=

That's my new '87 300D. Did the verbal phone handshake over the weekend, and tomorrow start doing all the financial and legal stuff.

And no, I didn't get it for the $1500 listed as the last bid. I wouldn't dream of insulting the owner by offering that low of a price. I spent several hour-long phone calls talking with him. As good a shape as that car is in, the work he's put into it over the last two years, along with all the spare parts and extras he's throwing in - plus the fact it has a LEATHER interior, not MB Tex vinyl, rare on an '87 - it was well worth the $4500 he was initially asking on the MB forum.

Here's the scary part - both cars were built 7/86. VIN numbers are only 2000 apart. Engine serial numbers are only 100 apart, same with the cab/chassis serial numbers. They were probably built the same week, if not the same day. Means that my original wrecked '87 will be an exact match as far as swapping over any mechanical or electrical parts.

Given the history of our CRD's, with new problems such as u-joints and brake master cylinders still popping up, and if Chrysler goes under making it problematic for getting replacement parts - I figured it might be a wise investment in these times to have a reliable second vehicle, that has already had all the major maintenance items taken care of, that only takes elbow grease and wrenches to work on, and for which I already have an ample supply of free spare parts "on the hoof". :wink:

Well thats good....so your going to keep your old one around for parts then eh?

retmil46 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:14 am

Sir Sam wrote:

Well thats good....so your going to keep your old one around for parts then eh?

That's the current plan - at least this way, I'll still get some use out of the money and work I put into the old one. Putting the money into another '87 while I'm still employed, such that I'll have a vehicle I can keep running even sans job, seems like a good way to CYA.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:17 am

retmil46 wrote:

Sir Sam wrote:

Well thats good....so your going to keep your old one around for parts then eh?

That's the current plan - at least this way, I'll still get some use out of the money and work I put into the old one. Putting the money into another '87 while I'm still employed, such that I'll have a vehicle I can keep running even sans job, seems like a good way to CYA.

sounds like a plan stan!

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:54 am

retmil46: After spending most of my life in the "SALT BELT", there are a few things to check out. The "87 had some of the best corrosion protection of any car, but steel is steel and not 316S Stainless Steel. Holland, MI gets a lot of Lake effect snow and they do know how to use snow plows, Detroit and most of South Eastern MI tend to use salt instead of snow plows..
1) Look along the underside of the rocker panels and along the front sub frame rails for cracks that look rusty, no cracks in the old coating, chances every thing is OK.
2) Look around the rear sub frame rails and pay close attention to the upper shock mounts.
3) Look at the seam where the outer door panel is joined to the inner door.
4) Check parking brake cables, salt loves them.
5) Check the exhaust, salt does eat up 304 used in the exhaust system.
6) Buy a tube of dielectric paste, to put on light bulb sockets and electrical plugs after you clean them.
7) Check the grounding termination points for the rear lights and front lights, clean them if the bulbs look dim. I need to do this on my Wife's '99 TDI.

I had several customers who had older MBs and BMWs when I had my shop. Hope these tips will make keeping your new ride in great shape.

I will be in Thomasville,NC this week, cars down there look better than most of the Salt Belt.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:46 am

Fortunately, this car was a Florida baby all but the last 2 years of it's life, when the present owner picked it up. He says he spent 2 years looking for a good southern car with no rust, low miles (had 180K when he got it), leather interior, and well maintained. He's an MB enthusiast that's owned several over the years and an automotive mechanical engineer as well. He refuses to drive it in the winter in Michigan, so it sits in the garage for half the year. That's part of the reason he's parting with it - he can't afford, for family and other reasons, to have the car permanently taking up half of his garage for half the year.

He's a nice guy, and quite knowledgeable. We spent several hours talking over the last few days, not only about his car, but MB diesel and other cars in general. If he owned a KJ CRD, he'd make one heck of an addition to this forum.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:55 pm

Sounds like we should try and get him into one! At least then, he'd be able to drive it year-round, and skid plates can be a 'sacrificial' part to protect the underbody...

retmil46 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:00 am

Well, "Rodolph" should be here tomorrow (Saturday) morning around 11 AM. Got a call from the transport driver today about 1:30 PM. He'd ran into a bunch of snow and ice coming down from Michigan and had been picking his way carefully. He has one drop off in Winston Salem, and then he'll be heading this way.

What sounds like a good omen - he has his wife along with him on this trip, and he mentioned she just loves the way that car looks. For someone in the auto transport business, who's probably seen nearly every make and model there is, to pay a compliment like that.....

Initially they had estimated the car would be here Thursday, and when it didn't show up today I called the transport company, who verified what I suspected, that the weather up that way had turned quite nasty and that was the reason for the delay. Told them no problem, there was no huge hurry on this - no piece of machinery was worth risking someone's life.

But before that, I called the PO up in Michigan. He'd mentioned that the rig that had picked it up was a hot shot operator - a fifth wheel trailer towed by a large diesel pickup. Partly out of mischief, I asked "That guy wasn't driving a Ford Powerstroke was he?" :twisted:

He assured me that no, he was driving a Dodge Cummins dualie. I told him "Good, that rules out the six point oh no breakdown factor". Thought the poor guy was going to die laughing.

An inline six diesel car being transported by an inline six diesel pickup - just as it should be. :wink:

retmil46 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 20, 2008 6:35 pm

IT'S HHHHEEEEERRRRREEEE!!!!! :lol:

nursecosmo · **Posted:** Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:33 pm

congradulations on the new toy.

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:55 pm

retmil46 wrote:

IT'S HHHHEEEEERRRRREEEE!!!!! :lol:

Congratulation, I hope you have many good years with it. I once asked my wife about getting an older model diesel MB but she won't accept an old car. A fellow at work has one for his wife and she prefers it over a newer one.

tulsa · **Posted:** Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:44 am

Mitchell,
I assume that this car has had the updated connecting rods installed, or whatever the 603 fix was. I did not see it in the description. Sure looks like fun to drive.
Lewis

retmil46 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:35 am

Body, paint, and interior look even better in person than they did in the pics. The lighting in tthe pics made the minor cracking in the leather stand out and look really worn - in person, it's virtually invisible. Wood in the center console is near cherry as well.

And that is the smoothest running 603 engine I've ever heard - from 10 feet away you'd swear there was a gas engine in it - it's quieter than the engine in the CRD. Tranny feels nice and tight as well.

Quite pleased.

'87 MB 300D Totaled

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