Celicasaur
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2011
- Messages
- 199
- Car
- W212 E63 AMG PP
Hi folks, I'm seriously contemplating getting a W123 coupe to restore and get fairly close to mint. My intention is to do most of the work myself, like welding on the underside, re-spray on the outside, general suspension refresh and basic engine tlc (oil leaks, vacuum leaks, fuel set up etc etc).
That being said, I know with my A124 cab, with certain parts being NLA, it was a major pain to get the car to where it is today and honestly, it killed the enjoyment of ownership (you might recall a thread I made last year moaning about it). My concern is....how much of an issue will it be for the 123 model? Assuming I find a car without missing trim pieces and reasonably straight body panels, are things like suspension, engine parts etc reasonably priced and accessible? Crucially, how are the gearboxes holding up at this age nowadays? My E320 cab shifts are not great and the only solution is a rebuild for £2k. Which I'd do, if I actually liked the car, but I don't. Are the W123 autoboxes holding up better than the later Mercs? I'll assume the engine will go on forever and ever, assuming I do the correct basic checks when buying.
Any other tips for a prospective buyer are welcome. With me doing the vast bulk of the labour, I'd like to aim for a total spend of 6k for what should end up being a very tidy example. Any thoughts?
That being said, I know with my A124 cab, with certain parts being NLA, it was a major pain to get the car to where it is today and honestly, it killed the enjoyment of ownership (you might recall a thread I made last year moaning about it). My concern is....how much of an issue will it be for the 123 model? Assuming I find a car without missing trim pieces and reasonably straight body panels, are things like suspension, engine parts etc reasonably priced and accessible? Crucially, how are the gearboxes holding up at this age nowadays? My E320 cab shifts are not great and the only solution is a rebuild for £2k. Which I'd do, if I actually liked the car, but I don't. Are the W123 autoboxes holding up better than the later Mercs? I'll assume the engine will go on forever and ever, assuming I do the correct basic checks when buying.
Any other tips for a prospective buyer are welcome. With me doing the vast bulk of the labour, I'd like to aim for a total spend of 6k for what should end up being a very tidy example. Any thoughts?
