Finally on the road

[GREENPEDRO]

Hi all,

Just a quick note to advise that after roughly three years Pedro is finally registered under historic registration.

Pedro was never intended to be a concourse car but rather a beach type surf car (Woody) so in that respect it has been successful.
Still has a couple of minor issues to attend to such as central locking and SLS but they are low priority to me.

See a few pics of before and after, don't wish to bore people with too many happy snaps.

Cheers
Greenpedro.

[T-Modell]

... don't wish to bore people with too many happy snaps.

You don't, we're all having the same brain defect ... looks great, have fun driving it!

Regards
Thomas

[Honey500]

Very Nice!
Like the fact it has 3 peddles!

[mathuisella]

That looks amazing, especially knowing where you came from :)

Love the manual transmission too :D "Hi Five"

[300TDT]

Well done! Enjoy

[tsharkey]

Good work and great colour. I watched as your son bought this car and then while you two progressively pulled it together. What a great effort. With the board on top, this will look perfect along the coast.

Question - How did you get the engine bay green without taking the motor out ? I am going to respray my coupe a new colour and I want to avoid engine removal if I can.

Fancy thinking that a bunch tragic W123 lovers would be bored by the before and after pickies ....

[GREENPEDRO]

Thanks for the encouraging comments guys, nice that others can appreciate a classic car.
Maiden trip tomorrow to the beach, my mates will be surprised.

Two of the mates, one restoring a 69 Mustang and the other, a LH Torana can't see the beauty in the old 123 diesel manual wagon. I guess I will have to challenge their powerful V8s to a longevity race considering Pedro has 635,000 Ks on the clock.

Sharkey, we cheated a little with the engine bay by stripping off all the peripheral bits which just left the main engine block in place. We then securely wrapped it in plastic and duct taped it up. We had removed all other bits like radiator, pipes, tubes, pumps etc - anything that was removable.
This also gave the opportunity to inspect and restore or replace the ancillary bits.

Cheers all

[GREENPEDRO]

Sharkey, These pics of the engine bay work show to what extent we stripped it to allow a reasonable paint job, not perfect mind you.
You can see there was not much left in the bay.

[T-Modell]

I like the foot on the last pic ... exhausted mate?
Regards
Thomas

[GREENPEDRO]

lol: :color: Did not see that, its my son's foot, I think he was doing some low sanding or something.

[pina4greg]

Congrats. Great achievement satisfying to stand back and look at "what I've done". Bloody marvellous. Wish I had the skills.

[Kcodezd]

That looks fantastic Pedro, I hope mine looks as good when I'm done. I am a little surprised by the historic rego, doesn't that restrict your usage a lot. We all know they can handle daily duties as good as anything on the road. Well done.

[GREENPEDRO]

Thanks Pina4greg, Yes, happy with the result although not up to concourse standard but that was never the intention.
As to having the skills, I don't possess any qualifications, just handy with tools and prepared to give things a go.
I did a lot of the donkey work and it was my son who masterminded the whole strip, respray and rebuild - it was a first for us both.
The only awkward part was that after the strip and respray (a first for him) he took a job in a country town and left me with the rebuild - suffice to say that I learn't a lot along the way.

Kcodezd - Yes, pondered over the historic rego and its practicality to my usage but thought I would give it a go, if not suitable will convert to normal rego. It is certainly much cheaper with historic rego albeit a bit of hassell in some respects.

Cheers

[GREENPEDRO]

Been driving Pedro for a few days now and it is certainly different but satisfying to know that it works.

[EdCox]

How do you like the manual gearbox? Does it have a really agricultural feel or is it refined?

They are a great car to drive. Enjoy the fruits of your labour!

[300TDT]

The 4 speed manual in my old '79 300TD was very smooth - really nice to drive. Not sure how that compares with a 5 speed tho.
But I found it difficult to manage hill starts in Sydney - not enough hands to use handbrake, gearstick and steering wheel at the same time.

[EdCox]

But I found it difficult to manage hill starts in Sydney - not enough hands to use handbrake, gearstick and steering wheel at the same time.

Not sure how i'm going to go with a foot operated hand brake. Just ride the clutch I suppose.

Come to think of it, I can't really call it a hand brake any more...

[tsharkey]

The 4 speed manual in my old '79 300TD was very smooth - really nice to drive. Not sure how that compares with a 5 speed tho.
But I found it difficult to manage hill starts in Sydney - not enough hands to use handbrake, gearstick and steering wheel at the same time.

The manual wagon is a pleasure to drive. Only real issue for me is 50km speed limit really means stay in 3rd gear as it strains in 4th. On the open road / freeway in 5th is much quieter than the auto.

I like the HANDbrake, clutch combo for starting off at lights on a hill. If it were LHD, not sure how I would go with the foot option.

Not sure how i'm going to go with a foot operated hand brake. Just ride the clutch I suppose.

Come to think of it, I can't really call it a hand brake any more...

Is your 240TD a LHD model Ed ?

[EdCox]

Is your 240TD a LHD model Ed ?

Nope - RHD. I haven't seen many RHDs with the foot brake. In fact, this is the first I've seen.

From what I can tell, it has always been RHD too.

[300TDT]

Never seen one. I didn't know they existed! Maybe it varies by country of delivery?

So you have FOUR pedals down there?
Don't want to hit the brake instead of the clutch!!
Is the parking brake pedal next to the accelerator or by the foot rest?
LHD is far left by the foot-rest.

Is your 240TD a LHD model Ed ?

Nope - RHD. I haven't seen many RHDs with the foot brake. In fact, this is the first I've seen.

From what I can tell, it has always been RHD too.

[EdCox]

Never seen one. I didn't know they existed! Maybe it varies by country of delivery?

So you have FOUR pedals down there?
Don't want to hit the brake instead of the clutch!!
Is the parking brake pedal next to the accelerator or by the foot rest?
LHD is far left by the foot-rest.

It's on the right, by the accelerator. It's a bit further forward when not engaged, so unless your knee pops out of its joint, accidentally hitting it is pretty low risk I reckon.

Looking up some of the option codes for this car pointed me to "version for Gulf states" but I'm not sure about the applicability of that code against the year of the car.

I guessed it came from the UK based on the appearance of the towbar, but it may have come from somewhere else.

[Tony From West Oz]

The UK style of towbar is the European standard. If ordered with towbar from factory, that is what you get.

[GREENPEDRO]

Interesting comments on the manual & foot (hand) brake. Personally do not like foot/hand brakes.
Old Pedro has the usual MB pull out hand brake which is relatively convenient to use on hill starts.

Ed, I find the 4 speed manual comfortable to use, it is not agricultural but not as smooth as modern manuals.

Larry

[3DB]

Looks awesome, Larry.

What brand of whitewalls did you go for?

[GREENPEDRO]

Thanks 3DB,

Trying to keep a lid on costs I went for Maxis tyres at $155.00 each which I thought was reasonable, especially considering that then tyre place came to my home to do the job.

Larry

[brothermaynard]

looks like a sensible restoration - not over the top with the spend but all basics covered. would make a nice daily driver too i'm sure!
would you consider swapping to the 'less fancy' wheels with matching hubcaps? there's a few photos of a similar green 300td on the web with matching hubcaps and a beautiful chrome/wood roof rack, one of my favourites

[GREENPEDRO]

Yeah, could swap to normal wheels with hub caps, but being a lazy bugger, probably won't.

I have a set of those shiny wheel arch trims that I am tinkering with the idea of putting on - do they look too blingy or add to the overall look - any thoughts !!!

Larry

[Tony From West Oz]

Don't tease us, please post a series of photos of your work.

[GREENPEDRO]

Tony, will get to that, at present waiting on a new clutch slave cylinder from MB Spares as Pedro is on stands with no clutch.
Cheers
Larry (Pedro)