PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - WTF!?!?!?!? V8 4 speed converted 450slc trans shaft.

rwd4evr · #6 06-24-2018, 04:16 AM

I have four of them sitting here at my shop. This is just the first one I've had apart. I can't believe how stupid they are to make the most powerful sports(well sporting) car with a smaller input shaft and some oddball spline size that nothing else used. "Because Mercedes" is a phrase I've come to use a lot working on these cars. All this great engineering and technology for the time but you always find some incredibly stupid thing that just makes no sense and doesn't belong. Be it a screw where there should obviously be a hex head bolt or the dumb plastic bolts that hold some kick panels and of course sending every US delivery car with an automatic trans. I'm glad I'm a hot rodder and modifier at heart and can see past the mistakes that were made by Mercedes unlike many purists and not have a problem changing things. I'm not saying go hack up a 280se 3.5 convertible or some special valuable car, but if you have a decent old car and want to make it your own go ahead. Put a Chevy motor in it, lower it, lift it. Beat the snot out of it. They take it pretty well. One stupid clutch disc that should be $65 buck is $375 because they felt like changing what they have always used for no good reason. That's why I'm not a purist, Like Aufrect and Melcher. They also said FU I can improve that. Ok rant over.

If anyone is interested in a four speed conversion pm or email me. I've got a few and I'm working on a setup for alloy block manual trans conversions too. If you've never driven a manual transmission older Mercedes you really should. Even the U.S. V8 motors feel powerful. Such a shame they didn't put the 5 speed they had in all of them with a resonable rear end gear. With a 3.46 rear snd a .7 overdrive it runs on the highway like a 2.58 and still accelerates great below 40 mph. The autos are power robbers and no fun. Overly soft suspension and lame transmission makes everyone think a BMW is so much better, not so just tuned better. M119 and a ford 5 speed will fix my problems!