W123

my hood hinges on 85 300 td wagon got all bent...on one side the hole in the engine compartment that the hinge connects to rusted out...can i just change one side...trying to do this and having a hard time replacing the 13 mm bolt that goes through the hinge into the body of the car can't get a socket wrench in there and can't get enough pressure putting the bolt into the hole to get the threads started...am i making any sense? any recommendations??? thanks for reading...

Hey everyone, So this is my story and I'll try to keep it as brief as possible. I recently bought a 78 240d though an auction on ebay, pretty much sight unseen. This is my first mercedes, let alone a diesel. The car is pretty solid for what I gave for it, hardly any real serious rust,body is actully real straight, and besides a couple of small items everything seems to work.

Short story - a rushed valve adjust on a 1981 300D. While moving vacuum box attached to top of valve cover, ALL five vacuum lines became dislodged. And no, I didn't jot down a diagram or take a photo first. So, I put the lines back in as best I could remember, but now the inevitable shifting problems have appeared. Seems fine on level, but not so hot on hills (revs as if slipping intermittently, doesn't shift or downshift correctly some times). All was just fine before the valve adjust. And I can't find any other dislodged lines or cracked lines/connectors. I know little of this, but it seems the positioning of the five vacuum lines leading to the rubber block attached to the valve cover box is critical.

i have a 84 300D and the floor is rusted out.. i was wondering if the 126 chassis has the same floor design. Since I wanted to cut it out and replace it, and the only floor I will have access to is from a 126 chassis. Thanks!