I picked up a strong running 240D winter car for 200 bucks, best 200 I ever spent. I'm really glad I'm not using my TD for another winter - she's too nice for that.
I decided to rallyX it for fun, it actually worked pretty well, definitely suprised some folks! The 4spd manual was a god send, as was that crazy suspension travel. The only problem I was having was on a couple runs where I was hitting this bump hard, catching some air - the throttle linkage would pop apart.
I'm commuting 500 miles+ weekly, I have really fallen in love with 240D's, what a great commuter these are. This one is rusty, but I'll keep her around for another winter.

That is friggin AWESOME! The Finns and Swedes swear by the 200D with the skinniest tires possible.

Nice, 123's really are budget rally cars. That 8.5 inches of travel is nice and cushy...

(02-16-2009 09:52 PM)kamel Wrote:  Nice, 123's really are budget rally cars. That 8.5 inches of travel is nice and cushy...

Thats a great pic!
I was thinking of a gutted CDT (they can go on a serious diet!), 4 spd, welded rear, use some thick spring pads to lift her up a bit maybe? That could be a great rally car! Especially on rough courses!

Instead I picked up an 87 Quattro for cheap - an incredible deal on a rust free PA car right in my town, I could not turn it down for 300 bucks. I have always liked these cars, and they are an awesome car, but the crowd liked the W123 so much, and the RWD class is alot of fun - you always have a good excuse! Now I'm runnin with the big boys! Very competitive class!

(02-16-2009 09:52 PM)kamel Wrote:  Nice, 123's really are budget rally cars. That 8.5 inches of travel is nice and cushy...

Hey that car looks familiar....

Now this is the kind of post I like to see!

Here's the only video i have offroading. Back before I had a turbo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0EzwrNpv...annel_page

The other pics disappeared, here are a couple more. The Audi is the current Rx'r, the RWD's really struggle at the many winter events. I will eventually prepare a W123, but this Audi has been rockin for now.

When I first bought my 240D, my boss told me a story about them. He was a factory trained Mercedes tech at the time these cars were new, and grew up in Connecticut were they were common.

If I recall correctly it was the Paris-Dakar rally, and for one year Mercedes entered the W123. They fitted them with the biggest FI'd six they had coupled to a 5 speed manual transmission, appropriate tires on stock wheels, not too much different from how you could order one, at least in Europe.

As he told me, the 123s came in something like 8 out of the top 10 spots, and all of the other factory drivers were pissed off...they all had tons of modifications to the car, stiff suspensions, they were holding on for dear life in all of the corners...meanwhile they'd get a chance to look over at one of the Mercedes cars, and the driver is one-handing it, and the navigator is drinking coffee, they're chatting and relaxed...this is supposed to be a rally! And not just a rally, the Paris-Dakkar! Mercedes figured their point was proven and didn't bother entering the next year.

I'm sure you guys know more about the racing history of Mercedes than I do, you can maybe verify this, my boss was pretty savvy though, makes his money servicing classic, Euro, custom, exotic and rare cars in the LA area. I just like the imagery

Do they have an 'open' RWD class for Rally-X? I'd like to run a 240D, the engine would just have twice as many cylinders . I've seen Mustangs run certain courses, I always wondered about entering a V8 powered S10 4x4 with the AWD transfer case. Then again, I've always wondered about one of those, period...

Does anyone know of any rally events in the socal area?
Id really like to compete in my 240D