I really love my '87 300 TD - and am getting to be somewhat obsessed with working on it tweaking this and that - particularly since it isn't even my daily drive - but my wife's.

I am looking for another "hipper" project car, and have been looking at wikipedia and other locations on model year info to find a somewhat older model diesel convertible to "search" for and purchase - but I am having a lot of difficulty finding anything.

Are there any w124 or w123 diesel convertibles - or are there other diesel convertible models out there in the 70's and 80's timeframe?

I appreciate any advice.

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Jimmy M.

87 300TD 230k mi's

No MB Diesel convertibles since the 170D (W136) variants. It's a prewar car that continued into the early '50s. There might be some models in the last couple of years that aren't sold in the US.

[edit] Actually, I think the open top 170D was more of a phaeton than a cabrio.



No factory W123 cabrios.

Since you mentioned 'project,' drop a 606 or 606 turbo into a 124 cabrio. Should be fairly straightforward.

Sixto
87 300D

Somewhere I've seen a convertible 123 coupe. I think it was Crayford conversion.

Found one. It's a gas. But could be converted to diesel. Good luck finding one though.
W123 280 convertible for sale in Holland




This one is a Crayford conversion from this site
http://www.angelfire.com/al3/alfie/123/gasrobe.htm

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there were a number of aftermarket 300cd ragtop conversions. i have seen one on ebay and you will see a couple searching for "w123 convertible". sounds hard to find though.

There is a diesel 113 chassis, 280SL in the DC area., a conversion of course.

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Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

A 606 will fit into a w124 cabrio. It's about te same size as the m104. I would change the injection pump to the 603 version.

Looks like poop with the top down.

Jay.

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

Diesel convertibles:

Humvee (Trust me, you don't want one of these. They are junk)
M35 duece and a half <- not fast, but they are cheap to buy and easy to work on and very tough.
M813 5 ton <-same description as above only in a bigger vehicle.
M923 5 ton <-ok truck but it's automatic and the brakes are unusually grabby, even for air brakes.

Diesel Jeep Wrangler-I have seen more than one, but unfortunately they were never sold in the U.S.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

I agree the coupe looks like poop with the top down.

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was the liberty available in ragtop with cage?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Aren't you forgetting some models of Unimog? I mean if you're going to bring military style rigs into it, at least you could mention the Mercedes!

Oh, and x3 on the poop coupe! I think converting an SL to diesel would be far cooler than turning a 123 into a convertible.

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'82 300SD - Somewhere over 220k - Becoming reliable...

And it would be quite easy (compared to rag topping a coupe)

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All Diesel Fleet
1985 R107 300SLD TURBODIESEL
2005 E320 CDI (daily)

LOTS of parts for sale!


EGR block kit
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/355250-sale-egr-delete-block-off-plate-kit.html

1985 CA emissions 617 owners- You Need This!
Sanden style A/C Compressor Mounting Kit for your 616/ 617 For Sale + Install Inst.

Sanden Instalation Guide (post 11):
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/367883-sanden-retrofit-installation-guide.html

I don't know, but.... do you think you really want to have all that diesel exhaust intruding on your open air experience? I have two gas convertibles, and I love them, but... I don't recall ever seeing a factory diesel cabrio. VW made lots of cabrios, and lots of diesels. ....And never the twain did meet, did it?

Maybe it's just me.

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[SIGPIC]
Tom
SE Connecticut
1975 W115 300D

visit my blog:
http://mercedesdieselrebuildingdiederich.blogspot.com/

Not in the U.S., as far as I know. I don't know if they ever did in Europe. People have done conversions (it's pretty easy to take an engine from a diesel Rabbit and drop it into a Rabbit Convertible) but I've never driven one.

I'd actually worry more about noise than exhaust, in a diesel droptop. Gasoline exhaust is no fun either, and actually more dangerous, so convertibles are designed to keep the exhaust stream out of the passenger area. The vast majority of the airflow you get in a convertible comes over the top of the windshield, down behind your head, and curls around in a big eddy; this is why those wind blockers behind the headrests create such a nice bubble of quiet air.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

I'll be converting a SEC, or a 80's SL to a diesel hopefully within the next year. Always wanted a diesel MB ragtop.

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1987 300SDL #1, 1987 300SDL #2, 1980 240D, 1982 300SD, 1994 S350, 1990 350SDL, 1991 350SD, 1985 300D, 2005 E320CDI

Gone, but not forgotten: 1981 300SD, 1982 300SD, 1987 300SDL, 1983 300TD, 1980 300CD, 1981 300SD #2, 1987 300D, 1987 300TDT, 1980 300D