Hey John,
Welcome back buddy. I'll come over and help out as much as I can. OSHA wants me to move to a position in North Carolina. I may or may not take it, I'm not sure yet. However if I'm here around show time for whatever reason, we can work together to get your two SL's and my SEC, up to par for the show. Two of us working together should prove for better results for all three cars. If I end up taking the transfer, I'm sure I'll be gone by showtime, but will come over and be of as much assistance as I can between now, and when I actually leave anyways. Will call you, in the next few days, as I said, welcome back buddy.
Nick

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Hello Nick

Hope you can make it to the show.

My car trailer just fell through. Does anyone have a car trailer I can borrow in CT?

I completed most of the front end painting today. I'm now just waiting for the control arms to dry before assembly.

Front end restoration will consiste of:
1) Power stearing gear re-seal
2) Stearing gear flex coupling
3) Upper and lower control arm bushings.
4) Lower ball joints
5) Upper ball joint boots
6) Idler arm bushings
7) Stearing stabilazer

The BOGE shocks and center link are in too good a condition to replace. The stabilizer bar cannot be installed without modifications so those links and bushings will wait.

Then comes the wiring, I just cant wait.

John Roncallo

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How much more does the M120 weigh vs the M117? You may need stronger front springs. Maybe even putting the battery in the trunk to try to get some weight out back?

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

The M120/722.6 engine and trans combination weigh 185 Lb more than the Alloy M117/722.3 engine and trans combination. See my post under engine weights. The subframe modification added and additional 17Lb. I'm estimating a 215Lb delta when complete. Accouding to my calculations this will lower the front ~ 17mm. By using early 450SLC springs I estimate I could recover about 13mm of that. The battery on the 560SL is already in the trunk. Lets see what happens with the stock springs first. I may want to keep it low and lower the back or go with bigger tires up front, since I will be staggered widths anyway.

John Roncallo

Does H&R offer anything for that car? I know they made spring kits for the W126. Dropped the car a bit and they are more stiff.

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

I havent investigated springs much. All I know is that I used to work on formula type race cars years ago and I could get springs made to any specification I wanted at the time. The prefered supplier 20 years ago was Rockwell. I forgot wher they are but I'm shure I can pick up a magazine and find them or someone. I have seen a few aftermarket kits for the 107 with springs for ~$1000 a pair thats a rip off.

John Roncallo

Friday and Saturday's work included fitting of the 129 fuel pump into the 107 along with some front end preperation. I also did some investigating into springs and custom hoses. I did find the Rockwell company has been bought out by someone else but they still make the custom springs no price yet. I did get a price on SLC springs a $350 each. I'm expecting the Rockwell springs to be about the same so sooner or later I will have to bite that bullet and get something.

My original plan was to just use one of the 560SL pumps, since they have about the same performance individulaly as the single 129 pump. But I was delayed for parts so I bit thwe bullet and fabricated a mount for the 129 unit

John Roncallo

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Sundays work consisted of complete installation of the front end, with the exception of 1 shock which needed the threaded shaft repaired. The car now is sitting on its own wheels. The ride height looks normal so far but Ive yet to roll the car.

Tomarrow the breaks will be blead and the shock will be repaired and installed. Then I can roll the car outside and work on my neglected 1988 black 60SL.

Yes there is an M120 under that hood.

John Roncallo

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Your work looks great!

It might be due to the camera angle, but the front end looks like it's sitting a little high.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Hello John. I just stumbled across this post today. Amazing! Thanks for sharing your experience. I've had an SL600. When you get to drive it, the sweet spot is 3500-4500rpm in top gear. Keep the pedal nailed to the bulkhead. Just like afterburners coming in. Do you think I could squeeze my spare M100 6.9 into my crumbling W111 220SEb Coupe? It's so rotten that anything goes.
Best of luck on the Home Run.

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'66 W100 600 SWB
'05 W463 G55K AMG
'91 W126 500SEL
'93 W463 300GDL
'84 W460 280GES
'83 W460 300GDL
'66 W111 220SEb Coupe
'58 W121 190
'58 W180 220S
Have previously owned '99 SL600, '99 ML320, '79 450SLC, '79 450SEL 6.9 x 2, '68 600, '91 190E 1.8, '90 190E 2.0, '85 190, '90 500SL, '92 500SEL, '97 E300Turbodiesel, '91 300D, '72 280S, '82 300D, '81 300SD, '85 230E, '56 220a and I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

When I say top gear, I mean when it upshifts from 4th at about 110mph (? not sure, 4 years ago), hard on the limit switch all the way, then it just goes wild. Scary stuff. BTW, I've no original tranny for that 6.9.

The stock 560SL will shift into 4th at 123 MPH at WOT. I love the M100 engine but I prefer the 6.3 with Mechanical FI. It just looks cool. And I love that 280SL some one put an M100 6.3 into.

Years ago my brother wanted me to put and M100 6.3 in his 69 Mustang Mach 1. It still may happen, but since he saw my M120 now he wants that in the Mustang.

John Roncallo

Hey John,
How are ya? I got your message and I'll call you tomorrow evening about it..Thanks, Nick

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Thats it for the weekend. This is the first time SadieInRed saw the sun light in about 7 months. The car is on wheels still alot to do before starting it up. Hopefully next weekend if I get my pipes I will be able to do the exhaust. Im not sure whats going on I ordered some pipes from Racing Solutions and they said they would ship them 3 weeks ago. So far no pipes and no one answers the phone. I hope they dident go out of business.

You know what I like about the second picture is that it just looks soooo stock.

John Roncallo

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John.

I bought a set of lowering springs for my 107 from SPAX in England (they have a web site). Ordered from Johnson Performance, 443-557-0086. $323.00
for the four, delivered to CA. Should add that was over a year ago.

JD