Lately it seems my trusty dash-cam finds classic cars everywhere I go. Latest victim is this quite beautiful W123 Merc.
When I say “beautiful” I don’t necessarily mean that this 1982 Mercedes is pretty- you could debate over its shape. I mean this example was very well preserved, in a condition I’ve rarely seen with cars that drive in everyday traffic. We were all crawling towards the traffic lights when I spotted it. Well, it was right beside me:
Notice there’s a a small round shape, just ahead of the left-rear amber turn light. Points for the reader who identifies it.
The W123 was very popular in Israel in its day. Many (diesel) cars were used as taxis, but many were also bought as privately owned cars, and loved by their owners for their luxury, quality build and durability. Personally I think it was around that time, circa late Seventies \ early Eighties that MB made some of their best cars ever; the big W126 S-Class, this post’s W123 E-Class and its successor, the W124- perhaps the best of the lot.
As you’d expect, quite a few of these W123s survived, and can be seen- besides at traffic lights- at various classic car meetings:
This was probably the common look for most Israeli W123s; body colored wheel covers.
Most owners would prefer the cars with these desired alloy wheels.
Here the W123 is photographed with its bigger, older W108 sibling.
Some coupe C123s were also imported to Israel at the time, nowadays a very (and I do mean VERY) rare sight.
I like the snapshots of the cars rolling around Israel. I find the different types of cars there to be very interesting.
I will admit that I am surprised that VW and Mercedes products were so popular in Israel back in those days due to the fact that the Holocaust would have been still fresh in peoples minds (A person that survived one of those camps in 1945 at the age of 10 would have been 40 in 1975) especially the VW which was the poster child of the regime. I would think that alone would have killed any chance of German cars getting a foothold in Israel at that time.
The reason Jews brought Volvo 240s was it was the only non German car you could drive with your hat on. Fact…
The Mercedes-Benz W123 has always been among my favourite of the classic Mercedes-Benz cars.
Must admit,
I prefer the painted with chrome wheel cover look much more then the factory painted silver alloy wheels on the Benz., bet finding a set of alloys in good cond. nowadays would be costly. But….I am a fan of wheels and put a set of very slightly tinted black over polished alum 17′ Turbine Style on my 2016 Subaru Outback, didn’t like the original painted silver 5 spoke wheels. Also have alloys on my wife’s car.
As an afterthought I have twelve 1957 Caddy caps stored away for years.
1950 to 1951 Customized Merc guys are the #1 users of them.
Could the silver round shape on the W123 in the video be a keyhole for an additional lock for the trunk in case the original trunk lock is defeated? It’s interesting to see repeater turn signal lights on the fenders of the white, green and silver W123s. Perhaps they were added by the Israeli importer to conform to local regulations?
I’ve had an ’82 123 for several years; I think I acquired it sometime in the late ’90s. It’s a 230CE, a euro gray market coupe with the smaller bumpers but with the round headlamps. It’s the same color as the featured sedan, Silberthistle, with the Tan vinyl interior. It has the 2.3L 4 cylinder gasoline engine, with a 4 speed manual transmission. Power sunroof and crank windows. I quit driving it awhile back, after a small mishap damaged the rear lower fascia. The join between the front of the muffler and the tailpipe had rotted away; the muffler dropped and caught on a slab mismatch as I was easing to the shoulder. The muffler punched through the rear fascia on its way out, twisting the bumper in the process. I finally found a replacement bumper, but haven’t figured out a practical way to repair the sheetmetal damage. It was a fun car to drive but the HVAC system was feeble. One of these days I’ll get to it, when I get some time…
My guess on the silver object near the taillight is the key operated switch for a period aftermarket alarm system. Those systems were somewhat common in the seventies. Usually the switch was installed in the drivers front fender, but it could be mounted in any convenient exterior location.
That was my first guess as well. I remember seeing one on a Cadillac sometime in the 70s and thinking it was very high-tech.
A nice looking car indeed ! .
I’m not a real fan of the M110 DOHC i6 engine as it is a thirsty beast and likes to spit the cam shims when you cane it and why have a Mercedes W123 but for the fun of caning it and surprising those who don’t expect a Sedan to get up and boogie ? .
I too expect the round thing is a key switch for an alarm system .
Notice how the gasser Euro bumpers are leaner and prettier than are the Diesel Euro bumpers…..
I spent nine hours and seven Junk Yards chasing old W-123c parts to – day, still looking for light alloy disc wheels in 14″ .
I don’t like the ” Bundt ” alloys .
-Nate
Nate,
The bumpers with rubber covers on the side were part of 1982 refresh for the international models, matching the beefier-looking battle ram bumpers on American/Canadian models.
That revision also eliminated the round headlamps and fog lamps for four and five-cylinder motors, and the entire range had switched to rectangular headlamps with ‘louvred’ stripe at bottom previously found on six-cylinder models.
Actually the bumpers used on non U.S.A. models differ quite a bit between gasoline and diesel models .
The front bumper on my ’84 Ca. Spec. 300CD is from a ’79 280E Sedan, it’s the slimmest, prettiest version and is the same as 1984 230CE in Canada .
I have to source parts from a wide variety of old Mercedes’ to make my U.S. Spec. Diesel Coupe into a European looking version .
-Nate
This is so “Israel” (including the person collecting “charity” at the lights) it made me laugh. Adding that there were tons of W123s in Israel back then but most were 7-seater cabs, all powered by diesels (as the one below, surrounded by the then very popular Subarus). The presence of those – just as in Europe – never seemed to cheapen MB’s reputation, and the non-cab W123s owned by the public were always recognized for their quality (although woe betide the person who neglected his or her car – when something goes wrong with those, parts and labor are never cheap).
As for German-Israeli relationship after 1948, this is complicated subject which I cannot hope to deal with here but, broadly speaking, in the early 50s it was indeed extremely rare to see German cars in Israel, and the ones you saw were mostly pre-wars (WWII and 48) survivors. However, after the German Federal Republic was formed and political relationships were established, things started to change (in particular after the reparations agreements were signed) and at some stage there were even Glas cars assembled by Kaiser Ilyn in Haifa I believe. Some people never forgot or forgave (my father would not knowingly buy German-made products until the day he died) but others (blieve it or not, even holocaust survivors with reparations rights) recognized the inherent qualities of cars like the Beetle; by the late 60s early 70s they were very popular in Israel. Nowadays things are very different with Berlin for example being a very popular destination for many Israelis (not just to visit, but also to settle). The car market though has been taken over not by the Germans but initially the Japanese and then the Koreans, although the Germans retain the upper hand on the luxury car segment of the market…
Same street (Hagefen St., Haifa) these days, with only one Subaru and no W123s…
Thanks for your comments.
The round shape on the W123s rear fender was indeed an 1980s alarm key hole. Very popular at the time with cars of the Merc’s caliber. I remember the early ones were using a simple thread, so anyone with a Swiss knife could deactivate the alarm…
As for Holocaust victims and German cars, Turtle answered. I’ll just add that currently Israel’s president is being driven in an Audi A8- unheard of in past years.
All coupés have chrome bumpers.
And 280/280E sedans.
All other models have chrome/rubber corners.
Coupés and 280/280E sedans have chrome strip under rear lights.
They also have chrome grilles at windshield. (Late models have black).
Round head lights on early non coupé/280/280E sedans.
In my opinion, the last of the ‘drive forever’ Mercedes, (at least if rust didn’t get them) They’re from the end of an era when Mercedes still built cars for smart people, instead of rich people. They were still in use as taxis in Morrocco, until recently when the government (so I’ve read) banned them as many had supposedly deteriorated into horrible condition. I have an ’82 240D, with virtually no rust and a factory replacement engine, but needs paint badly. Compared to the two rusty, tired ones I had before, it’s an amazingly solid, nice driver.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Here’s a pic. of them in service .
I wasn’t able to find my photo of them junked and all piled up .
-Nate
I actually prefer the 108. Uncle Garland and Aunt Connie had one. Drove it one time. It was a wonderful car.
Yes, the W108s are the older generation, with more old-school craftsmanship and prestige.
Unfortunately, they typically get horrible gas mileage – to the point where many have received diesel transplants in Europe. And maintenance costs have skyrocketed.
Not that it’s been exactly dirt-cheap to keep up my two W123 diesels – but they have required less maintenance than one of the old gassers and they do still allow me to afford to drive a Mercedes.
Happy Motoring, Mark
I’ve always preferred the color-matched hubcaps, myself. In Israel or here, though, one of the few 30+ year old cars that is unsurprising to see still on the road.
Like so ? .
This was last Month in the Sierra Nevadas @ 9,600′ El.
-Nate