1. remove original engine/trans
2. remove steering box and linkage
3. cut out crossmember and make holes in trans tunnel
4. mount steering rack on new cross member


5. see if it fits




6. patch up the trans tunnel.


7. cut rear lower control arm pivots and patch them up(for extra exhaust clearance)
8. add crossmember to framerail supports


9. add some seamsealer and undercoating

more to come...

Wow, this job is way beyond my DIY capability or even imagination. Hat off!

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1996 E320 since 1/16/08, 171K miles as of Feb 2011

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1989 300CE - R.I.P. Dec 29 2007
Other MBs (sold): 1992 300E-24 - 1979 350SLC - 1984 230E - 1990 300CE

I would add a little more support toward the rear of the engine mount. 400HP is a lot of torque on the sheet metal frame,,, but I've never done anything like that and am no mechanical engineer,,,

what chassis is that anyway?

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Chassis is W201
Engine mount "pedestals" are sitting on 3/16 steel bent to the contour of the original crossmember.
I plan on making another crossmember on the bottom going between control arm pivots, also a strut tower brace.

Rear subframe is another story, might just make aluminum bushings or solid mount. Anyone seen a solid mounted w201 rear subframe?
Need to beef up the 4 torque loaded link mounting points with gussets.
Most likely getting an '03 ford explorer aluminum 8.8

I understand that the pedestals might be strong enough, but all the torque is being applied to the two area's circled,,,

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Alot of people are dropping LS1's into 240 and 280 z nissans and running 12 second quarter mile times.
Nissan framerails and subframes are pretty chinsy, but they dont seem to have any problems.
Time will tell I guess.

It runs!
Makes some loud alternator squeal when I rev it up, need to mess with that later.
My aluminum expansion tank didn't come yet so I rigged up my coolant fill funnel.
Also need to bump up the idle a little with this cam.....all in good time.
heres the link....
LS-190 runs!

I mounted a ford t-bird/lincoln mk vIII cooling fan to my radiator....fits like it was made for it.
Found some radiator hoses that fit perfect.
I'll take some more pics tommorow.

Nice Chunx! Getting it running is a major accomplishment. What is left besides the obvious stuff?

Put on the www.rdmtek.com Shock Towers/Camber Plates (Black or Silver). An accessory strut bar is in the works, however yours will be entirely custom, but I can take care of that. Bring it up for a weekend, and we will get it done.

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Lots of stuff left, but this was a nice hurdle.
Your camber plates are sweet. This car isn't worthy of those yet.
Are the strut bars going to be aluminum?
It will be a while before its drivable, but I'll make a trip up the hill when it is.

Ok, next time I am down, I will stop by and take some measurements and check it out. Great progress!

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Congratulations

It sounds good. Must be a nice feeling. And I just noticed the front part of the cross member installed now it looks stiff enough.

John Roncallo

That's a lot of work for a meere 400 h.p.

I'd have built a real engine out of that thing that makes atleast 500/550 h.p. or better, and done a little bit more reinforcement work, and made everything else the same.

You can bolt a turbo, or supercharger onto a stock 5.6, and make more than 400h.p. and not have to go through that much trouble or work, leaving everything original intact, in the front frame work.....For less money and time, too..

Don't mean to insult, because it looks fantastic, and it looks as though you've got all of the details taken care of as well. I'd just have done it all for more power than that.

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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Whats stopping you?
But then it wouldn't have 8 sweet ignition coils
I have lots of time and money to spend.

I am confident that more power can be arranged quite easily by Gen3Benz. But it is probably best to just get it running and find out the weak links and get everything dialed in with 400. 400 HP is a really good number in a 201, 550 is way too much in my opinion. 385 PS in the AMG hammer w124 does enough damage as it is.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

I don't have any time problems and definately haven't got any problems with money either. All I was saying is that it's a lot of trouble for such small numbers. Nothing more.
Nick

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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]