[Himanshu809]

I just have one word for you Mr. Perera sir, bad-ass!

The way you have painstakingly cleared up the interiors and made this look and feel newer than the newest car off a factory floor. There's no car that can match the road presence of this car, it will turn eyes wherever it goes. A beautiful blue blooded Mercedes and it's really satisfying to see it get the care and treatment it deserves.

[mugen_pinaki27]

Wow! What an absolutely sweet restoration of an ageless classic car. My memories of the W123 are from late 90s and early 2000s Bollywood movies where any person of prominence (mostly a villain) came to a scene in a W123. Awesome work guys! You should consider opening a restoration business. Your work doesn't look any less than that done by pro restorers. Kudos!

[Bibendum90949]

@Perera,

My friend shared the below pics of a similar coloured W123 which he spotted in Bangalore in Feb 2020. It was apparently bought by a gentleman from Calicut and was about to be taken to Kerala.

Just wondering if your car has any Bangalore antecedent

[AZT]

That back seat is drool worthy. I love the look of the seat fabric, the colour also goes well with the red exterior.

Fantastic car!

[Marc3800]

Amazing job Mr Perera. Your 123 looks great, I too own a 1980 LHD W123 200D in Trivandrum and will definitely take it out next Sunday and try to spot you!

[ron_9191]

Let me borrow Max Verstappen's words for this.... "simply lovely" That is one restoration job! Awesome!

[dr_petrolhead]

This is definitely at the top of my favourite threads list on TBHP now! Mr. Perera your car is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I love the colour on both, the inside and the outside. This makes me want to someday buy a classic car and restore it myself (I am still a student and don’t even own a regular car lol). Thank you for this amazing write up! Please keep updating this thread with pictures from your drives. The car is droolworthy!

[TrackDay]

Great job ! The car is indeed a piece of art.

That is a fine looking Mercedes you have there Mr.Perera ! The interior restoration has given the car a fresh new feeling. I bet it must be like travelling back in the time and driving a Benz with fresh interiors from the showroom. Also nice to show all the parts and their pictures with all the details.

Looking forward to more updates on this thread !

[sgm]

Simply amazing The attention to detail is excellent. What a dedication and passion. The car looks beautiful.

[no_fear]

Every time I look at the 123 series, I wonder where Merc went wrong in the 21st century. In its quest to be uber modern, the new models are nice, but they don't stand out. If I had to buy a Merc, I will, for the comfort and the luxury, but not for the the looks. I feel its so diluted.

You put this old beauty beside the new series, and I will be running to sit in the 123 anytime.

[theexperthand]

Excellent job, Mr. Perera.

This thread is like a fresh breath and it is really nice to see the painstakingly restored interiors.

Please do keep the thread updated with more pics, when you change the headliners. Oh, and your car certainly deserves some beautiful exterior snaps.


--Anoop

[Latheesh]

Hello Mr. Perera, interior now looks awesome. More pictures please.

You have the matching car for your personality now. Missing things are - a fine suit, pipe cigar, and 2 beautiful ladies to accompany you in the rear seat.

[Mr.Perera]

Originally Posted by Himanshu809

I just have one word for you Mr. Perera sir, bad-ass!

Thanks a lot Himanshu.

Originally Posted by mugen_pinaki27

Wow! What an absolutely sweet restoration of an ageless classic car! You should consider opening a restoration business. Your work doesn't look any less than that done by pro restorers. Kudos!

Thanks ! Actually it was due to the free time we got during the lockdown we took up this project. I believe if anyone has this patience and passion, all this work can be done easily. Since older cars are relatively easy to work with. This was definitely a big motivation to us, and we are actually thinking to take this up as a hobby, to get a classic car and fix them during free time. Will see how things turn up.

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Just wondering if your car has any Bangalore antecedent

Thanks Bibendum. The car has been a Kerala resident all its life. I guess the pic you shared is a different car of the same colour and by the badging it looks like a 200 petrol rather than the 200 Diesel we have.

Originally Posted by AZT

That back seat is drool worthy. I love the look of the seat fabric, the colour also goes well with the red exterior.
Fantastic car!

Thanks AZT !

Originally Posted by Marc3800

Amazing job Mr Perera. Your 123 looks great, I too own a 1980 LHD W123 200D in Trivandrum and will definitely take it out next Sunday and try to spot you!

Thanks Marc3800 ! Thats great lets catch up one day, also lets not take the car out this Sunday considering the weekend lockdown in place we might end up as a Mercedes Rally to Museum Police Station

Originally Posted by ron_9191

Let me borrow Max Verstappen's words for this.... "simply lovely" That is one restoration job! Awesome!

Thanks a lot Ron !

Originally Posted by dr_petrolhead

This is definitely at the top of my favourite threads list on TBHP now! Mr. Perera your car is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Please keep updating this thread with pictures from your drives. The car is droolworthy!

Thanks dr_petrolhead. Will surely try to keep the thread active and will post more pics soon !

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Great job ! The car is indeed a piece of art.

Looking forward to more updates on this thread !

Thanks TrackDay !

Originally Posted by sgm

Simply amazing The attention to detail is excellent. What a dedication and passion. The car looks beautiful.

Thanks sgm.

Originally Posted by no_fear

Every time I look at the 123 series, I wonder where Merc went wrong in the 21st century. In its quest to be uber modern, the new models are nice, but they don't stand out. If I had to buy a Merc, I will, for the comfort and the luxury, but not for the the looks. I feel its so diluted.

You put this old beauty beside the new series, and I will be running to sit in the 123 anytime.

Completely agree with you. Nowadays most modern Mercs look so similar. These old Mercs had so much character and emotion attached with them.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Excellent job, Mr. Perera.
This thread is like a fresh breath and it is really nice to see the painstakingly restored interiors.
Please do keep the thread updated with more pics, when you change the headliners. Oh, and your car certainly deserves some beautiful exterior snaps.

--Anoop

Thanks Anoop ! More pics are coming soon.

[Mr.Perera]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Hello Mr. Perera, interior now looks awesome. More pictures please.

You have the matching car for your personality now. Missing things are - a fine suit, pipe cigar, and 2 beautiful ladies to accompany you in the rear seat.

Thanks Latheesh ! Well the Suit and Cigar is certainly doable. Due to current circumstances, I would be able to take only my wife and my 2 year old daughter beside me as the beautiful ladies

[no_fear]

@ Mr Perera

Are you planning to take this for any entry to the classic car rallies? This will be a head turner for sure.

You can pose with the cigar at the rally with your Mrs and the daughter.