I have owned this 1959 180-D since 1980. It had been a long way when I got it, maybe 5000 miles since -- no idea how many times the 100,000 mi odo has been around, but the front suspension bushings were pretty well worn out, which is hard to do with those threaded bushings, so I suspect it's carrying at least 250,000. I had the engine rebuilt, re-bushed the front end pivots and kingpins, replaced shocks and engine mounts, swapped in a little-used transmission and rear end from my parts car (a 1960 gas 190); it runs and everything works fine, but my emphasis has been on function and not everything is original (e.g., an electric temp gauge mechanism replaces the leaky capillary unit, but it hides behind the original face on the dash and turns the original needle -- and the original series glowplugs have been replaced by parallel ones with a much higher heat output, but the original glowing coil behind the saltshaker in the dash still lights up just as it did with the old ones).

Trouble is, I'm getting too old to crawl around under this car the way I used to. I gather that high prices for old classics don't fly, here or anywhere else, but I'll accept suggestions concerning prices, and entertain any offers I get.

I tried to pass along a picture, but it didn't work. I'll maybe try posting in "Classifieds" and meantime see if I can fix the picture file -- maybe shrink it down some.

I did shrink it -- to 52K -- but trying to embed it still gives me an error.

But I did want to add that I have a full set of oroginal M-B manuals for this car -- Model 190, Modell 180 - 220 SE supplement, and the OM636/621 diesel engine manual -- also the original owner's manual, though it has been a bit wet, and also a bunch of looseleaf factory updates I got to help me with an injection timing issue that wasn't in the basic manual (what do you do when the flywheel has maybe been replaced and you suspect the timing marks are wrong?)

 

I can appreciate your comment about not being able to do some things as well as before. I have the same problem at 59. As far as value, INHO today's antique car market is a roller coaster. The hot cars from Jackson Barrett this year were muscle cars from the 60's up Corvette's late 50's thru 60's but only certain years in the 60's. Of course the Ferrari, etc usually sell well and at high prices, some model draw 6 and 7 figure bids. I watched most of the Barret Jackson auctions and don't remember seeing too many Mercedes except for a Gullwing and the 300sl drophead version. I am not familiar with the 180. My daughter bought me a book for fathers day Mercedes Benz 110 of Excellence. The section on the 1950's car doesn't mention this model at all. The do mention the 170D which was the first post war car and was built from 1947 to 1955 which 153,475 during its production run and according to the writer was the most significent car for Mercedes during that time, interestingly the 170 was also produced before WW II. There is a picture of a post war 170, handsome but very 1930 looking, it didn't say what the model year was, but quoted a a 1949 article about the 170 The engine was for the D was a 1.7liter diesel developing 38HP and 3200 RPM. Then the books goes to the type 300 series and conpanion 220. This being said, this book doesn't say whether it covers all models ever produced, but it is interesting reading and the photo work is frist rate. My advice is you want to sell it is, to spend $38 and joint the Mercedes Benz Club of American, there magazine The Star has a car listing service for people who want to sell a car. I took a quick look thre the selling ad and no 180's listed. Also, MBCA is a wealth of information for Mercedes people especially older cars. I passed on a 220 a few months ago after I wrote one of the antique car experts and he advised me what to look for. Save me a lot of $$ If the photo is digital try decreasing the size via a editing program, most computer today come with one either as a trail and less features, but most will let you do editing, croping etc for the life of the computer

 

Allan- thanks for your input. The 180-D was the diesel version of the popular 190 series in the late 1950's. It probably isn't mentioned in your reference work because it was the plain-vanilla economy model; vinyl not leather, Bakelite dash not walnut. Road and Track did a road test on one in 1958 (I have a copy) subtitled "A decade of cozy thrift." It sold then for $3500, compared to the VW at $1800; the fuel mileage (30 mpg) and the performance (top speed 68 mph) were also comparable. (My first car was a '58 VW.)

I used Photoshop to shrink the car's picture to a 48K JPEG, and the website says it'll handle pictures up to 250K, so I don't think size is the problem. Maybe it's my browser -- I'm using Mozilla on an old OS9 Mac. Wonder if Internet Explorer would work better? Maybe I'll try that.

--Allen Moore

 

OK, I'm here on Internet Explorer, and I'm going to try once again to embed a picture. Here goes!

Guess that was it -- the message says it was uploaded successfully. But does it display? We'll see!

--Allen Moore

[IMG]local://upfiles/6758/6F67929DE0AA449EBA158B8D96CD0E39.jpg[/IMG]

 

Thank you, I am new to Mercedes, I got my first one 3 plus years ago. I was a Bimmer person, but had a tumor (benign) that left me partial handicapped) and now have chronic pain and back problems, removed from my back and couldn't drive the bimmer as their seats are hard as a rock. My 99 C280 is very comfortable and that was one of the main reasons I bought it. At least I can drive for a while now. Thanks for the photo and information about a 180, even at 59 you still learn something everyday. Good luck and I wish I could be of more help.

 

Hey, Allan, you've been very helpful. I'm surprised you weren't comfortable in a BMW -- Daniel Pinkwater called in to Click and Clack saying a 730 (?) was his choice for comfort -- but his problem was size, not back pain.

My wife and I just bought a VW Jetta diesel -- can't shake the diesel addiction. But we now have too many cars and she says it's time -- the 180D has to go.

 

Before my back problems I drove a Z3, I tried to switch to a 5 series and rented it for a week, the blostered seat didn't work. By this time I couldn't work full time and a 7 was out. But the 99 C Class was so comfortable I bought that. My has continued to degenerate among other problems and I very seldom drive to far now. Also I had a cardiac event earlier this week, and this had complicated matters further. I at one time also was a collector, 86 Porsche, 72 VW droptop, a early Prelude which I had restored for my son, and a MGA, and Austin Healy 3000. They were all sold off, when my back problems got worse. Not to dumb on anyone on the board, but I need to tell someone, out of the blue my wife of 30 years is divorcing me as, "she can't copt with my back problems, med problems and my a heart condition, she said your on your own. This was a total surprise and I am still in a state of shock. To compound thing I bought here a new car back in March, the day after she told me this she was in an accident, and got hit in the rear passenger door, quite hard. She received a citation and held at fault for not yielding to oncoming traffic. The car is registered in my name, as we always have done it this way. But in order to protect myself I issued her a Bailment Order, outline how and how not she now can use the car. Sorry but I had to get this off the chest and I know this is not the place, so moderator please pardon me.