1979 Mercedes Benz 240D

Updated: 29 Nov 2024

My first love was a W123. This makes the second one I’ve owned.

Bought it bone-stock with 115k miles, factory dog-dish hubcaps and all. I started off with black steelies, 15x7 front/15X8 rear, and a 2” drop (cut factory springs, blah blah). Now I’m running BBS reps, 17x8.5 et20 front/17x10 et30 rear. 205/40 up front, 235/40 out back. Now running H&R springs, with a coil hacked off the rears to level it out, and KYB Gas-A-Just shocks.

Stock 2.4L OM616 non-turbo diesel, 722 auto trans (boo, hiss. Manuals are rare in the ‘States. I’ll glady accept donations, though); fuel rack limiter removed, timing advanced 3 degrees, glasspack in place of factory resonator. No dyno figures, but I’d be very happy if it threw 60hp to the rear wheels. Low ‘n slow, but does better in traffic than you’d think.

Runs great on diesel, veggie, or waste auto trans fluid. Averages ~28-31mpg with mixed highway/city driving. Not bad for no O/D.

Comments

wow looks awesome!

Thanks! I’m a little partial.

Love it man. BBS all the things!

They may be a little cliche, but I love ‘em.

It looks very nice, gow fan? haha Maximum speed ? or at least at the speed you did get

Haha, definitely. 83mph. Down hill and down wind, of course.

Still making plenty brain…

Love it! I have an 83 300D and I love it! W123s are the best! I have yet to do any lowering…still checking my options. Does cutting 2 coils make that much of a difference in ride quality/height?

W123 is life. Lol. IIRC the 300s have heavier springs than the 240s, so two coils may not make as drastic a change on your car. For my car, one coil made right over an inch of drop. When I had the black wheels on the car, I hacked two off the front and a coil off the rear (as you can see in the pics) and it rode great on cheap Monroe shocks. A bit stiffer, but definitely not harsh.