I Can C Clearly Now

Here’s how I ended up spending $42,310 on a $25,000 car. And I’m not done yet.

Last summer, I decided that our Citroën DS21 would be moving on after the SCM 1000. Longtime SCMer Allen Stephens mentioned he was pleased with his W114 Mercedes-Benz 250C as a classic four-person long-distance cruiser. I had barely started my hunt for one when a car found me. 

During the tour SCMer Ron Rader told me he knew of a one-owner 1972 250C for sale. I bought it based on pictures and a phone call. Good friend Chris Bright drove it to Portland from Los Angeles, a harrowing trip, as it turned out. An overheating engine liked to stall at inopportune moments, returning single-digit fuel economy for the trouble.

Twice around the odometer

Ignoring his cautionary tale, I drove my new prize to the Oregon Festival of Cars in Bend, a 400-mile round trip. It was terrible.

While the car was handsome, rust-free and straight, the mechanicals and suspension were a mess. Every one of its 211,000 miles was apparent. There is no tachometer in the car, but the engine felt like it was turning uncomfortably high revs on the freeway. 

The underside was covered with 50 years of accumulated filth and gunk, so I had it cleaned using a dry-ice process. Then I turned the car over to Chip Starr at Race Car Resurrections to transform the Mercedes into a reliable cruiser.

Through no fault of Chip’s, this has taken longer and been more expensive than I anticipated. (When is it ever otherwise?) While the car had never been abused, neither had it received any significant refurbishment of the engine or suspension.

Underwater heresy

Despite this being a point of some controversy with W114 purists, I decided to convert my 250C to Weber carbs and an electronic 123 distributor to gain more power. And “while we were in there,” Chip swapped out the rear end for one from a 300D for more-relaxed cruising. Installing a radiator from the same model helped engine cooling.

In addition to adding Bilsteins, every suspension bushing and element of the braking system was gone through. New half-shafts and flex discs were installed. Fresh tires of the proper size were mounted. As a finishing touch, we sourced European headlights from an SCMer in Germany.

My receipts for the car, including the purchase price of $20k, now total over $42k, and we are not quite done. I can count on spending at least another $1,300 to reupholster the rear seat cushion in matching Parchment.

$42k is nearly twice the going price for a 250C — and more than I have ever seen one sell for.

Cool car

We now have a delightful cruiser. It is happy at 70 mph, the engine runs cool, and the rebuilt air conditioning blows ice cold.

I can easily fit my mobility scooter into the spacious trunk, a real bonus.

But the car is not perfect. Under initial throttle tip-in, the linkage to the Webers is not as smooth as it was to the Solexes. The Webers don’t have an automatic bump in idle speed when the A/C is on, so Chip has advanced the ignition to increase the idle. This is a workable solution but less than ideal. Thankfully, with its low compression, the car does not “ping” under acceleration.

My son Bradley thoroughly enjoys driving the 250C. Its high seating position and tall greenhouse makes him feel like he is a “king” going down the road. He says he prefers driving it to our modern Mercedes, a 2004 SL55 AMG, as he actually “feels like he is doing something” when he is behind the wheel.

As I continue to acquire collector cars, I am gravitating to those that still require some work to hustle along on a road trip. More-modern examples may barely break a sweat at triple-digit speeds, but they are also not as rewarding. It’s the old “driving a slow car fast” adage.

Putting on the miles

The 250C will be our ride for the 2023 SCM 1000 — all 1,700 miles, including the traverse from Portland to Spokane, WA, and back. Then we plan to drive it to Monterey and return. (I will be staying at the Portola Hotel & Spa in downtown Monterey from Wednesday through Saturday and look forward to seeing you there.)

In hindsight, if I had known my costs were going to be so high, would I have been better off with a different car? Should I have waited for a “best in the world” W114 offered by a known specialist like Dean Laumbach?

On the other hand, when would a car of this exact spec have come along? It’s my dream car: no sunroof, a floor shift, power windows and factory A/C. It is a great metallic blue with Parchment interior. It runs strong with its improved carburetion and easily keeps up with traffic.

Was I was better off building the exact car that I wanted, rather than waiting and hoping and perhaps saving a few thousands of dollars? I will never know.

While I am surprised by the amount this has all cost, I am not disappointed in the results. The next step is to explore the “value in use” equation and see how many miles and smiles the car will deliver. ♦