What Does it Take To Restore A W123 Diesel to Become a Reliable and Enjoyable Daily Driver

Notice I added in here - enjoyable. You can have a reliable diesel mechanically, but that does not necessarily mean it is going to be enjoyable. If the seat springs are broken down, heater works sporatically, power windows stick and make noise, water leaks into the cabin, glove box door won't close, etc., etc., etc. - then it may not be all that enjoyable.  There is nothing that can put a bigger smile on your face than when you get into an old W123 diesel, starts right up, drives smoothly and everything works - even the cruise control. - the smile will be even bigger if you have done all the work yourself!.

This happened to me this past month as I completed the restoration on White Lightning - my 1983 240D 4-speed with 129,000 miles. The seat back nets and the lighted mirrors were the very last thing to fix. What a pleasure now to drive. The following is a full  list of everything I did on the car. You are welcome to use this for a checklist when you work on restoring your own diesel.