Fast As Molasses: 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D
This next car comes as a tip from Dave in Tampa who wrote: I owned a 240d, a W114 chassis like this in burnt orange back in the early aughts. It was absolutely mint condition with a four speed stick. It was so slow I became convinced that speeding tickets were impossible. A few months into ownership my cocky ass was headed downhill on a stretch of 290 out of Austin TX and plainly saw the cop cruiser on the median yet blissfully continued on my way … until the blue lights came on behind me. I’d forgotten about gravity. Ancient stories aside, I wonder if a paintless dent repair guy could make the passenger door presentable again. I can also attest as to the immense improvements modern rotary ac compressors make when replacing the giant, inefficient piston units as seen in this one. Find this 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D offered for $4,400 in Saint Petersburg, FL via craigslist.
From the seller:
1976 mercedes-benz
condition: excellent
cylinders: 4 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: diesel
odometer: 99800
paint color: green
size: compact
title status: clean
transmission: manual
type: coupe
1976 MERCEDES 240d. One owner vehicle. Diesel 4 cylinder stick shift. Rare green color and manuel transmission. This is an estate sale. The vehicle has not been driven in over 10 years. It’s been garage kept. There are spots of rust. Minor dent on rear passenger door from previous owners last drive. The vehicle is being sold as it sits. The battery is dead and the fuel will need to be drained from sitting so long. Interior is in excellent condition for the year. This vehicle is worth 12k plus after minor work completed. No low ball offers needed. Vehicle ran great when it was parked in garage 10 years ago.
See a better way to drive slow and green? tips@dailyturismo.com
Probably start right up, but this would be a really nice EV conversion.
The smell. You know what it will smell like. Partly like old leather, even if the leather is MB-Tex. Is it the horsehair in the seats?
Another one with a distinctive smell this week was the Corvair. 60s GM smell. The vinyl. The old plastic. The unleaded gas.
Damn right a PDR guy could get that out, especially competent are Florida pdr guys who travel to other states to fix dents at massive car lots after hail storms. I know such a maestro in Jacksonville, I’m sure there are several in Tampa st Pete also. The only caveat is the heavy gauge steel of the 114, but aside from that small upper crease, doesn’t look too bad. $4400 seems like a decent buy. Go for it Erik Estrada, it’s in your back yard.
Tempting! Ironically, my ’49 Beetle is at Tampa’s Track & Field Motors getting two dents PDR’ed, some minor paint blemish touch-ups and Ceramic Coated in preparation for the big Amelia Island Concours in March. My dance card is full up, which is a shame because I have a great wellspring of good karma for my very Zen and slow 240d – especially now that I’m 20 years older and in much less of a hurry.
It’s a diesel, that old fuel should be just fine shouldn’t it?
Sounds like that big old dent was the take the keys away moment. 😕