This 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300E was bought new in Saint Louis, Missouri on November 10, 1986 and then moved to California in 1990 and has shown California registration since. Finished in Black (040) over Red MB-Tex (177), power is provided by a 3.0-liter inline-six with a Mosselmann twin-turbo set up paired with a 5-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. Modifications are a full Zender body kit installed in the ‘90s with 500E headlights, amber corner lights, Zender wheels, Zender original style body decals, H&R lowering springs, Bilstein shocks, Heckblende, black monochrome trim, a Bluetooth capable Continental radio with aftermarket sound, and a red Dino steering wheel. Factory equipment includes a power tilt/slide sunroof, heated power front seats, headlamp wiper/washers, an automatic antenna, automatic climate control, cruise control. Recent maintenance consists of drivetrain maintenance, suspension refresh, new stainless steel exhaust, drive belt system refresh, cooling system refresh, engine/trans mount, transmission refresh, and much more. The six-digit odometer currently shows just under 163k miles. This 1986 300E Zender is now offered for sale by the current owner in Los Angeles, California with recent service records, dyno report, and a clean California title.
The exterior is finished in Black (040) with paint matched lower body cladding and black Zender body kit consisting of front/rear bumpers, rocker panel covers, and boot lid spoiler. The body kit was done in the ‘90s and is a genuine Zender kit. Exterior equipment includes a power tilt/slide sunroof, heat insulating glass with added tint, a heated rear window, Euro headlamp wiper/washers from a 500E, a power passenger-side door mirror, and an automatic antenna. A new Heckblende was installed behind the rear license plate to match the ‘90s modifications and a newly installed period-correct Zender gold body decals streak down the side of the car. The Carfax report shows no accident damage and the owner just had a two-stage repaint done.
Period correct 15” Zender wheels are finished in bronze with a metal lip and come wrapped in a set of Lionheart LH-501 tires measuring 195/65 front and 205/60 rear that the seller installed in preparation for the sale. Power-assisted disc brakes are mounted front and rear with dual-circuit ABS. A suspension refresh was done including new spring pads, Bilstein B8 shocks front/rear, and H&R springs. New flex discs have been installed along with a new stainless steel exhaust system, drive shaft center bearing, and new brakes with a fluid change.
The interior is upholstered in Red MB-Tex (177) and features matching carpets and floor mats with a black upper dashboard and red Dino steering wheel. Black plastic trim lines the center console with an Innovate digital AFR/boost gauge and a dash mat covering the dashboard which exhibits a few cracks. Both front seats are power operated with originally optioned heated seat elements with the driver side including two-position memory. Additional interior features include automatic climate control, cruise control, a power-adjustable steering column, a Continental Bluetooth radio paired with an upgraded, period-correct 1,000 watt sound system with the amps visible in the trunk. The driver seat shows cracks on the thigh bolster. Red Mercedes-Benz floor mats are seen in each footwell of the cabin. All windows, sunroof, air conditioning, and heat work as intended.
This W124 is powered by a 3.0-liter gasoline M103 inline-six engine which was factory rated for 177 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque, but this example has a Mosselmann twin-turbo setup which is dyno rated at 260 horsepower and 267 ft/lbs of torque to the wheels. The Mossellmann turbo setup highlights two small Garrett GT25 turbos which peak at 6.7 PSI. The low pressure, small turbos means power all over the rev range and minimal turbo lag. An intercooler is seen where the airbox usually is and oil return lines are tapped into the oil pan with braided turbo feed lines seen going to the turbos. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a rare 717-435 Mercedes-Benz 5-speed manual transmission. The transmission was serviced under the current ownership including new fluid, slave bearing, pilot bearing, clutch slave cylinder, master cylinder, new flywheel, and a clutch replacement. Recent maintenance includes new turbos, resealed timing chain covers, mustache seal, water pump, all new pulleys, bearings, tensioner, serpentine belt, injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel accumulator, new radiator and coolant reservoir, fan clutch, engine mounts, and transmission mount. Service history from current ownership is included and documented in the photo gallery along with detailed underbody photos.
The Carfax report shows the car was bought new in Saint Louis, Missouri on November 10, 1986 and then moved to California in 1990 and has shown California registration since and an indicated “not actual mileage" odometer exemption. This 1986 300E Zender is now offered for sale by the current owner in Los Angeles, California with recent service records, dyno report, and a clean California title.
A driving video, dyno video, cold start, are included below along with a segment from The Carmudgeon Show podcast highlighting Jason Cammisa ranking this example as his favorite car he drove in 2024.
Life works in funny ways. We are enjoyers of The Curmudgeon Show podcast and we remember listening to Jason Cammisa rave about this exact car. Months later, we found ourselves across the country in Monterey, California during Car Week with this Mosselmann 300E on a rally, keeping up with pre-merger AMGs and 124.036 cars. After judging Legends of the Autobahn, we took over a pullout overlooking the Pacific ocean for a pre-merge photoset. While the photographers were doing their thing, we started poking around this 300E as our cars were stuck for the photoset. The owner looked at us and said, “I’m bored. Let’s go get gas. Hop in.” If you ever want to kidnap The MB Market, pull up in a modified Mercedes-Benz and you won’t even have to lure us into a car with candy. Sitting three deep, we proceeded to deplete what fumes he had left in his tank and exercised those little, baby turbos. We were in AMG Hammers, E60 AMGs, and the nicest 500E/E500s all week and this car left us with the biggest smiles. It felt like a more responsive 2JZ-GTE under the hood and sounded like a M52 had inhaled a hissing cat. We were sliding ass end out of corners and terrorizing Monterey locals in this menacing looking E-Class cackling like six-year-olds at a poop joke. We pulled off at the gas station and a E36 M3 GT pulled up next to us along with a 1955 Cadillac 60 Special. We got to chatting about ITBs vs twin turbo in-line sixes while the Caddy owner filled up his tank through his brake light and asked us if we went to the auctions today. “No sir, we were just exploring opposite lock on 17-Mile Drive in this 40-year-old E-Class.”
This car is so rare with the modifications and these Mosselmann kits just don’t exist anymore. We talk about cars that cannot be replicated on the site sometimes, but this truly is one of them. The seller did a ton of maintenance to the engine, transmission, and suspension to get this car driving right and he had the Zender livery custom made to make it look as it did when new. We’re in love with this car and we hope it goes to a good home to someone who understands how special it is and who will drive the pants off it.
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1 Comments
$5,000 bid placed by @ProdigalPetrolHead
WOW! Finally, a modified/tuner car that has both a full-throttle video from a standing start, and also a dyno run! Huge props to the seller. This also shows the engine is making full power. Any chance of also posting the dyno printout showing the full power curve? Peak numbers look good for the M103. These Mosselman turbo kits are quite rare. Neat to see one alive and well. GLWS!