We have had a run on custom Mercedes pickups here lately on Barn Finds, with at least one other W123 in recent memory. This is a conversion I had not seen much of prior to these last few months, which makes me wonder if I missed a whole segment of vehicle enhancement that concentrates on converting bread-and-butter station wagons into pickups in the tradition of a Chevy El Camino. The 1980 300TD featured here on eBay was built by an aerospace engineer who did a half-decent job of fitting a custom rear windshield and bed.
Bidding is just over $1,500 at the moment with no reserve. The seller claims he has been dealing with multiple deadbeat bidders and will not be listing it anymore if he continues to deal with non-paying buyers. That’s the trouble with vehicles like these: they are just interesting enough to catch the eye of someone who never thought they’d own a W123 with a pickup bed, but not to desirable that they feel like shipping the thing after the auction closes. It’s hard to be sure, but I don’t see any ugly rust spilling out from where the custom bodywork begins and the original body ends.
The interior is still classic W123, with hard-wearing MBTex seating surfaces and door panels. The backseat is gone (obviously) along with the rear doors. That, to me, is one of the more impressive details: it looks like the original builder went through the trouble of sealing and filling in where the original back doors resided, so no obvious line remained after the bed was installed. The cabin appears to be in decent shape, but the dash is obviously cracking and needs replacement if you’re a perfectionist. It looks like some of the wood trim is missing around the center stack, too.
The engine is not a turbodiesel, which is a bummer; those models offer some very nice performance with the fuel economy benefits. Regardless, my bigger question about these conversions revolves around the driving experience. W123s were built like tanks, and I wonder what the structure feels like to drive with the rear body so dramatically changed. The quality of the work is often revealed not so much in the exterior appearance but on the parts, you can’t see and accounting for the alterations to the factory design. Would you throw a bid at this oddball Mercedes pickup?
No reserve is a good thing. Just think the car would be best in original form. Sure it gets plenty of looks, but it takes a certain type of personality that would want to be seen in it ! To each his own…
El Mercedo?
Decent conversion, by appearance, anyway.
But those wheels/tires… They just make the whole car (truck) look silly.
A few years ago I spotted a similar vehicle in my hometown, Sacramento, CA. El Mercedino? Benzero? The area behind the cab, connecting to the bed, looked like it was done the same way as your example.
This would make for a fun oddball to have if the price stays reasonable. It’s not a vehicle I’d want to pay too much for as it may not ever be worth a lot. Those wheels would have to go, they’re a little too gangster for a Mercedes.
As truck conversions go, I like this. I’ve seen W123 Ambulance conversions and I’ve seen W123 Hearse conversions. But I’ve never seen a W123 Mercedes-Benz converted into a pickup truck, at lest not in person. But this looks like a great way to do the conversion. Impressive! :)
I drove a 1985 300 CD for a number of years on WVO, never entered a fuel station for over 3 full years! I think that this conversion would of been much better if a coupe had been used, to have a longer door, these conversions using a 4-door (short door) just look ‘funny’. Otherwise the quality looks good and I wouldn’t mind it in my driveway, but I’ve moved on. Those cars are heavy and get up to 25 mpg diesel, so if you have to buy the fuel, is not that economical.
just missing the turbo and pick-up toper? Y? those R da good parts !
Well, scuse me – that’s the million mile motor ! Enuff for the purchase alone…
3150 seems bout right (current bid) + nother 2?
Unless it was made after the remains of a wreck, I would say the wagon it started off life as, would be worth more today than what this Kafkaesque vehicle sadly transformed into.
i have a 300TD and the reason i want to convert it into a pickup is to transport my motorcycle.