I am planning a West Coast trip If I get it running buy the summer. Right now I'm trying to order the radiator but I think the guy is on Vacation. After radiator I need to finish exhaust then I can settle down to electronics. Plan is ship car to west coast meet wife and drive Pacific Coast Highway. Loose wife and start the long drive home. Stop at Bonneville to see what it can do, drive home to CT.

Does your dad still have the Ferrari.
John Roncallo

Yes thats what I figured the 4sp is a solution to go with the non MB ECU. What I'm most concerned about is getting the MB controller with trans controller to work without all of the other modules, ESP, BAS, ADS etc.

Maybe I will luck out and the 107 wheel speed sensors frequency difference might work with my 107 gear set to fool the transmission. The ratios are fairly close I belive It's 2.47:1 for the 107 and 2.65:1 for the 129. I also have the 129 rear but I did want to save that for later as well.

I've seen the your tube many time. I look for it every time I need a boost of motivation.

John Roncallo

It seems to me that you would be better off going with the older 722.3 and all aftermarket controls on the engine.

These new cars are complicated! Whats amazing is that this is an old design! A new SL600 must be like a space ship!

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I guess it seams like I've been sitting on my butt posting BS on these news groups. Well that is only half true. I have actually been completing the design of the radiator and the instructions for the radiator guy to put it together. And building a shipping container that can be used by the radiator builder to sets the lower and side mounts in place. And since I decided to go with a brass radiator I had to remake the side mounts out of brass because you cant weld aluminum to brass.

So here are some pictures. Including the new side mounts, radiator shipping case and a model of the radiator left tank showing a unique upper hose inlet design that I have asked the radiator shop to fabricate. This tank design will allow me to use the SL600 upper radiator hose with no modifications.

The idea of the case is so the radiator builder can setup the location of the side mounts and lower mounts. The radiator will have a factory like fit using the same rubber pads that clip onto the plastic MB radiator.

I have also pulled the chassis main wiring harness from the SL600 and I have started to remove unnecessary wires. Man this wire harness is heavy. Technically at work I would have to have two people lift it because it weighs over 30 lb.

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That detail of the main rad hose bung looks good. I was going to comment that the one in the first drawing looked like it might not flow enough, but the little isometric shows a setup that should flow fine. The inset design is inherently weaker than a conventional setup though and will, IMHO, require heavier guage metal than normal or at least some reinforcing in that area to stand up to the stresses of use.

Great progress, John!

I enjoyed your explanation of the financing of the project and particularly the selling off of extra parts to finance it. You are obviously getting a trememdous amount of work done without spending the mountains of cash that would be required to do this any other way!

Tom W

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[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.

Actually thats an older picture the latest detail is enclosed. I am taking a chance with stress in this area but I don't consider it to be a problem area or a non repairable area. Using this method gives me the ability use a standard off the shelf MB SL600 hose, which gives me all the hose flex freedom of the original design.

Yes buying the car is what made this job a no brainer over a Chevy engine setup. Plus I believe this car will be worth alot more than a Chevy powered one. Although using am MB engine kind of makes me stay more MB oriented and use as much MB parts as possible. This does drive the cost up. Like making it work with an MB upper radiator hose. And of coarse I have to use MB hose clamps. Those air filter may have to go if I can find and MB replacement, although they do look cool. If I could get away with an MB radiator I would have used one.

Buying the wrecked SL600 was actually such a good idea that it would still be worth while buying the whole car even if it ended up having a cracked block. When doing this the engine itself becomes the least of your concern. Don't forget in my position, I'm not a MB technichian in 20 years. The only MB I have to even look at to take a measurement etc are the two 560SL's I own and the wrecked SL600. I tried getting information on these boards about weather or not the engine would fit or not but you never know who your talking to and what they really know and in the end unless someone has done this before your not going to get a good answer without being there. So for me it was buy the SL600 and take measurements myself. I purchased the SL600 without knowing that the engine would:

A: Fit
B: Start
C: Did not have a cracked block etc.

It was an insurance wreck from CA. But I was well aware that I could sell all the parts for what the car cost especially if the engine was good. With the engine in hand and a few quick measurements on both the engine and my black 560SL, I realized that this was indeed a go.

John Roncallo

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Unless the rear end ratio is exact, it will NOT work. Close enough doesn't cut it with ME/TCU electronics. The ratio has to be what it is programmed for. The R107 wheel speed sensors will NOT work. They are the same as the W126 sensors that I've had to deal with during my conversion. I would contemplate bypassing ESP electronics with simulators, etc. and version coding the TCU for a 2.47 rear end perhaps.

Satish

You know its funny you should bring this wheel speed transmission speed issue up. I work with aircraft flight control computers and after a while you sort of get to know how they think. For the last year I have been saying to myself. Self; "If I were MB I would be checking for an error between rear wheel speed and transmission speed" but I was always hoping that since I'm not MB that there would be no error checking between wheel speed and trans speed.

"I would contemplate bypassing ESP electronics with simulators, etc."

This is what I'm currently contemplating. But knowing what needs to be simulated and what doesn't and how will be the challenge. If its just rear wheel speed piece of cake, but I have a feeling there is more. Some times it seams like this freaking car wants to know that the door is closed and mirrors adjusted correctly for the weight of the guys ass sitting in the driver seat, for this thing to work.

"and version coding the TCU for a 2.47 rear end perhaps."

Is this possible? even if it were who might be able to do it. I cant picture going to an MB dealer with much success, and saying, "hello, I would like you to version code my TCU for a 2.47 rear". Worst case is I put the SL600 rear in. Doesn't look too challenging and it is on the futer agenda.

You know I haven't gotten to this point yet and at this time I don't know what I do know or what I don't know. All I know is I am about to find out. I sort of feel like the lady in the movie Terminator, at the end, when the gas station attendant says to her it looks like theres a storm coming. And she knows its coming and she knows its going to be big.

John Roncallo

If you get as far as having everything operating less TCU coding, then you can maybe send me the TCU and I would have to find an SL600 with ME engine management, swap out the TCU and version code it.

We have the complete world engineering version of the MB STAR Diagnosis System.

Satish

I certainly appreciate that I may take you up on that if I cant get it done locally.

John Roncallo

Well Happy new year.

Today I started the permanent fabrications of the exhaust. If you look back at post 95 I had temporarily installed the exhaust and found some clearance issues with O2 sensors etc. The work around requires some major surgery. I had to cut the forward end off the 2 cats and then I had to remove 1/2 inch of outer shield for welding. A plate is in progress of being fabricated to cover the hole and form and entry for a single 2.5" inlet on each cat. I'm currently looking for someone who can build me a set of parallel "Y"s as I have to bring two 1.75" down pipes into a 2.5" pipe before entering the cat. I have a few contacts to get in touch with this week on that. Cutting the front off these cats was a bit scary and probably why I put it off until now. But it does seam to be under control.

Here is where this project is starting to cost me a lot of cash. Most of the welding I've been doing to date has been essentially practice and will be redone. But I cant take that approach with this because it's too expensive. So most of this welding will be sent out and be a permanent solution, I hope.

Another thing I found today is that my new engine mounts appear to be sagging over time, or maybe due to cold fluid. It is costing me clearance that has to be taken care of. I will have to do a few in car mods on the subframe and make engine mount lift plates.

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drgas.com. They make every kind of crossover, merge, reducer you could think of.

Well, it's not like I sat around this weekend, but my radiator deal fell through. The weekend was spent doing web research and trying to make phone calls. It looks like I'm back to Aluminum but I'm not sure I can get enough performance out of it. Right now Griffin is the only company I found to custom make a 1.5" thick core aluminum radiator. the original 560SL radiator is 40mm tubes 10mm on centers. I need to see if Griffin will reduce there tube spacing to 3/8". That would only make the radiator equivelant to the 560SL. The SL600 ~15% larger. Its looking right now that the best alternative may be to cut off the 560SL end tanks and weld on custom tanks. That still leaves me ~ 15% short on cooling over the SL600 radiator.

Maybe if I put Water Wetter in it that will make up 15% (Wishful Thinking).
Lets see what Griffin comes up with before I panic.

For some sense of real progress, I did get the end plates fabricated and welded to the inner portion of the R129 cats. That enables me to replace the twin ovel inlet tubes to the cats with one 2.5" round tube. On this tube I can reposition the O2 bungs so that the cats will fit in the car. I can now start the sizing and welding of the rest of the exhaust at least to the cats. I will have Pypesmith (a division of Timevalve) do all final welding and exhaust past the cats.

John Roncallo

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John, you have inspired my to do a motor swap in my wagon.


I think there may be an M116/M117 going into it...

My dad does not have the Ferrari anymore...



I need some help with measurements if you wouldnt mind..

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I found its very difficult to get generalized engine dimensions. If you tell me exactly what you want I can get it or maybe the best thing is pictures of the engine with a ruler beside it.

If things go well I may be in CA this summer, with the V-12

I have to ask you think before you start. I wouldent put an M117 into anything unless an M117 came out of it. Even if I got the M117 for free. There is just too much work involved to be putting in a gas guzzling low tech engine. With the market for M119's running about $2500, this is a much more worthwhile option. Or modifying your 6 would be far more cost effective and you would get more power with better handling. 35 years ago the M117 was a state of the art engine. Today it's a boat anchor. At the difference in cost, between the $2500 for the 119 and $700 for the 117. Once you consider your time, the money you will spend and (the money you don't know you will spend) against the total outcome of the car, the extra doe for the 119 becomes a no brainer.

After the M119 all other alternative MB engines become too expensive Like an SL55 AMG engine, or too complex like the M120. The M119 is a very cost effective HP per dollar conversion.

Now that being said I have a beautiful running 560SL engine, Transmission, Computer, Wire harness and Fuel Pump, everything the hot rodder needs to drop into any vehicle. It runs excellent but burns oil. $1000.00. I would be starving if I sold used cars.

John Roncallo