Im getting kinda tired of my 240 as a boring sedan and placing sharp objects on the back seat.

Im seriously considering making a benzamino out of it eventually

The one twist is I want to make a mini flatbed instead of a full on 'amino idea.

This is the car stock-
   

it seems like the most typical benzamino cut is here, they go for this cut line and do something with the roof to close it off-

   

what im thinking of is making the cut lower, on the trim line instead-

   

and building a flatbed and pipe structure that provides structure for the car, as well as something to build into a ladder rack of some kind. Sort of anchored at the front and back, and going into the cabin structure. Then I would make short aluminum or wood stakebody sides for it, and leave the pipe surround open in the back, so taller items can be loaded if need be. Nothing heavy, just to preserve the utility-

   

what do you all think of the idea? The biggest two issues I can see so far are-
1- keeping it from bending during the cut in the first place, before the flatbed, roll bars/rack, and back wall are complete
and 2- filling the fuel tank, which I propose to move up to behind the driver and passenger seats, with the fill right behind the passenger door, old chevy truck style

I was just thinking I might someday do this to my 123. I bet you could leave the whole roof. Just take out
* back window
* back seat, and backrest
* trunk lid
* fuel tank.

Then there would be a bit of cutting between the trunk area and backseat area. You might end up with a super cab instead of a standard cab.
And some amount of the roof would cover the front bit of the bed.

Also, I have cut a 123 in half with an abrasive disc. Even after lots of structure was removed it was still holding it's shape well in the driveway. So, I doubt you'll break it under just its own weight. More so worry about the 'long' term integrity.

http://www.powerful-cars.com/php/mercede...pickup.php

Post #323
http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/Thre...6#pid45106


http://nast-sonderfahrzeuge.de/MB-Exoten...order=time

http://nast-sonderfahrzeuge.de/MB-Exoten...p?id=87080

http://www.w123club.nl/w123-pickup-300d-t6453.html

awesome, awesome, and awesome.

I have now seen what welding in a rusty door will ultimately do, a flatbed cut right around where I want to cut mine, and a genius idea leaving the lower part of the rear doors openable for storage!

Thanks for the links! some really nice solutions and some really horrendous warnings!

Yeah if you weld the doors skin them first.

I'd love a compact coupe, basically cut a 300D down and then cut some out of the trunk, maybe push the grille back and run a turbo 616....

(01-15-2014, 08:36 PM)Simpler=Better Wrote: Yeah if you weld the doors skin them first.

I'd love a compact coupe, basically cut a 300D down and then cut some out of the trunk, maybe push the grille back and run a turbo 616....

We have similar daydreams, though I envision a two door short wagon, kinda a 123 chassis fastback

do ett!

autch. Looks like a "epa" (Registered as a Tractor. max. 30km/h, on two gears forward)

(01-15-2014, 04:43 PM)Simpler=Better Wrote:

That to me looks like a w115 factory Pick-up with a w123 front end put on it.

As rare & pricey(in Australia anyway) as a w115 pick-up is, it might still be the cheaper & easier option to buy one of those & then put the w123 front end on it.

(01-26-2014, 08:41 PM)Eric78 Wrote: That to me looks like a w115 factory Pick-up with a w123 front end put on it.

As rare & pricey(in Australia anyway) as a w115 pick-up is, it might still be the cheaper & easier option to buy one of those & then put the w123 front end on it.

wheres the fun in that?

also it would cost a fortune to get one of those in the US. As far as I know, none of those were imported.

whereas there are plenty of rusty sedans, and lots of angle grinders.....

(03-31-2014, 12:25 PM)JB3 Wrote: also it would cost a fortune to get one of those in the US. As far as I know, none of those were imported.

They're about $10,000 - $14,000 here, Wikipedia & most internet sources say they were only built in Argentina & are all 220Ds but all the ones in Australia are six cylinder Petrol, the w114/115 series was being assembled at Port Melbourne for the Australian market so I suspect that we were probably also manufacturing the pick-ups but I can't find any source to back this up.

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/4345523674.html

That's hideous! I want it.

I know that I am bumping an old thread.

I too am thinking about doing an ugly ghetto benzamino out of my w116. The issue I am having is what to do with the fuel tank. What should I do about the hardlines and mounting?

Beer keg fuel cell

I thought about doing that with a toyota trail truck build, it's more of an issue of not owning an AC tig welder. I don't think it will be hard mounting the facorty tank further forward, cutting a hole in the floor, and clamping the hoses to the short end hardlinrs. That's all it should take right?

I'm making a fuel cell out of a beer keg for my Mazda.  I own a 100a 115v welder, stainless wire and argon shielding gas.  It's almost like welding mild steel with gas, not too different.  You only need a TIG welder if it's going to be food related (ie brewing beer or an illegal still)

I still think I'm going to just end up using the factory tank. Aside from that where and how would be the best way to reinforce the chassis? This being that the car is unibody.