[Andrew Noakes]

I've found a 1980 diesel estate in a scrapyard. Can anyone suggest which parts I should try to rescue from it?

What costs a lot to replace, but is reasonably easy to remove from the donor vehicle? I'm thinking mostly of body or running gear parts as my 123 is a petrol car - but are there any common ancillaries that could be worth saving?

 

[Ed Mclass]

Things to save

Check any wood worth saving on the dash. Very expensive to replace. Will fit sedans or estate vehicles. Rearview mirror is worth saving, center and on both doors. Glass is sometimes worth saving, and the rear hatch with wiper is very desirable if in usable shape. Electronic components are shot more than likely if it's been sitting. Grill, and bumpers if good are worth keeping if not too rusty. Spare tire. Steel wheels not so desirable as alloys.

 

[Ian P.]

Ooooo Nice.

You definitely need a new rear hatch prop.
Yours looks a bit crude.
I would suggest a more svelt broom handle or go all out for the aluminium tube type.
Good Luck

signed....
Smacked On The Head.

 

[Andrew Noakes]

Props

Good point, well argued.

It's an old pic, actually - I replaced just one of the gas struts a few weeks ago and now the tailgate works as Daimler-Benz intended!

 

[Ian P.]

You Are The Master..!

Now that you have performed this amazing feat of engineering and dexterity....maybe you could explain how, so we mere mortals could replicate the effect.

Signed
Hate Getting Smacked On The Head.

 

[Andrew Noakes]

Amazing feat

See http://www.benzworld.org/publications/pub.asp?id=86

 

[Ian P.]

WOW.....
Thanks, this is great.
Too bad I have no more excuses.
Whwew we are, the hatch...

WOW.....
Thanks, this is great.
Too bad I have no more excuses.
Whwew we are, the hatch will stay up if the temperature is above 5 deg C but colder....look out.
There is definitly a new strut in my future.

Some future Frenologist will thank you or at least assume I was a sedan owner.

Thanks
Ian P.

 

[MercedesMax]

Save any specifically Euro parts

Over in North America, Euro headlights (if they are the full rectangular style) are worth money. Being a diesel, it may not have these.

Also, if it has the safety triangle, we don't get those over here, so worth saving also.