You seem to have the driveshaft figured out well. about 1.5 degrees offset is what Jaguar usually includes to prevent false brinelling in the UJ's. Keeping the shafts short should avoid resonance problems.

Is that an XJ40 rear, or XK8 maybe? This will be a huge advance over the original live axle.

XJ40/XJ6

Even though I have a lot of projects, I am contemplating installing an OM617 inside a DeSOto Suburban, probably a 1948, or possibly a 1951.

I might ask you about parts when the time comes. The stick shift does make it more authentic

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Strelnik - Suggest you peruse my build thread on here. If you search for my name you'll find it - starts with "I'm Back....." but I never can remember the rest of my clever title.

I put an OM617 and 4 speed manual in a spot not designed for it ('86 S-10) and had to solve most of the issues one would find doing a non-traditional swap of this drive package. If I did it over again I could have avoided a ton of hassles if I knew then what I know now. It's 2 years later and I'm just now almost ready to fire that puppy up - probably just after the first of the year (I hope). So learn from my screw-ups!

Dan

For the near future, I'm going with the automatic simply because I will likely be driving the truck in Atlanta stop and go traffic where continual clutching and shifting can be a real pain in the nether region (and the leg!).

Thanks for the offers of help, Dan and Strelnik. I may be calling on you in the future.

A Mercedes diesel in an old Desoto would be cool and likely one of a kind.

Feel free to PM me. I don't have any guru-like wisdom to offer, just the lessons of a ton of skinned knuckles - and a skinned wallet! Your project is EXCELLENT!

Dan

I'm glad a 2000 Dodge Dakota isn't considered a sweet truck.

Sorry for the off topic post, charliebob --- keep up the good work.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Or lightweight.

Take care David!

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Update.

Seats were an easy install and they go with the Mercedes theme. Comfortable too! Hard to believe that the seats are 45 years old and were found at pull-a-part for $28/each.



Front sheet metal and bed mounted. Now I have to take it all off again to treat with CLR and make the inner fenders (and engine) shiny.



I've driven it up and down my dead end street several times and no problems so far.

Instruments and lights next.

Low and slow!

Finished panels for instruments and a console, but I'm not sure they will count as progress! Too much bling!



Panels are made out of the back side of aluminum road signs, finished with nothing more than a random orbital sander with a scotchbrite pad.

Instruments in the center panel were borrowed from another project. My original plan was to use VDO gauges or modify a OEM Benz panel. Maybe I need to go back to my original plan!

On to wiring all of the instruments. UGH!

I think it looks GREAT! NOT too much. Personally, I don't mind doing the wiring but if you do you could start with a Painless or similar harness. They make universal street rod harnesses with lots of wires for pretty much anything you want to hook up. I made my own as it's pretty simple given the race truck status.

Keep the updates coming, please.

Dan

Thanks, Dan. Looking forward to reports and video of your S10 runs in May.

Looking good! Whatcha using all those gauges to read?

Nice seats!

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The three behind the steering wheel are boost, tach, and EGT. Center panel is the usual: speedo, oil pressure, water temp, fuel and volts.

Overkill!!

Instrumentation is one area where our old diesel tech is not as good as modern OBD-II systems. I pulled the 5 center gauges from my 36 Dodge coupe with LS engine, and replaced them with a $80 tablet, $5 app, and $10 usb WiFi that connects to OBD. Gauges and real time diagnostics, all much, much cheaper than the traditional gauges.

Wow! That looks great! I like how you put the stuff that's actually important in the center. I don't care how fast I'm going, I'm worried about oil pressure.

Any chance you have links or more info to that tablet setup? I already have the tablet part. I have a new Nissan Versa and curious about oil pressure with all the vvt setup.