I've been plotting and planning while squirreling away parts for an everyday fun to drive manual trans hot rod diesel car/work truck ish tow vehicle forever and have just ended up using my 300sd and sdl with no back seat with grand plans for an elcamino type build from the sdl. It's toast. In just about every way. Electrical gremlins, the om603 just bit the dust and really the killer of all is just tons of rust in structural areas and body work.
So here's the new plan. I picked up a rust free(for the most part, a couple little issues) w123 wagon for 400$ , it's pretty amazing. Granted it needs alot of tlc and some accident damage in the rad support fender lip area fixed, buy my welding skills are up to it.
The front suspension will be the best of what's in the car and what is currently in my 300sdl w126 chassis. This includes the 300mm vented front disc brakes and very likely the front sdl springs relived of at least one coil possibly more. For those who don't know the w126 and w123 share all the exact same suspension components from the inner control arm bushings out so that's all direct bolt on swap from dinky solid rotors to the nice large gen 2 w126 brakes. If any bushings look bad I'll change them. I'm not sure if I'm going to make delrin control arm bushings for this car yet. Kyb shocks are fantastic and affordable.
The drive train is where it starts getting good. Engine is a 1999 om606. Hx35 or 40 turbo to push 300-400 hp with supporting injection pump. It's capable of more but unnecessary. The trans is a 6 speed manual 716.668 from a 2001 c230 kompressor and I just got a 2.82 ASD 210mm ring gear (same as all v8 car diffs since 1973 or so) differential from a 350SDL W126 gen 2 car. This is a computer controlled hydraulic actuated differential locker that is a limited slip differential until the computer would apply hydraulic pressure to a separate system that locks the clutches and the limited slip. Rather than swap in all the complex system to operate it when the car seems its proper, I'll have a small master cylinder with check valve to Pump it Up and a release so I can simply lock the rear wheels together when I want to get some extra towing grip or force the car into drifting duty.
The tricky part here is that the gen 2 w126 differential does not have the same mounts from the case to the subframe, and a w126 subframe does not fit into a w123. So after much head-scratching and staring at parts laying on my shop floor I've got it figured out how to get everything attached and sitting in the exact correct position. The gen 2 w126 and r107 (86 and up)use the same newer style differential/subframe mount system which, instead of using the diff cover as the only mounting point for the rear of the subframe to the crossbeam in the car by four bolts, uses a large section welded onto the top of the subframe and has an arm (yellow marking) that reaches back that connects to the standard type rear subframe mount and then to a different style differential rear cover that has a provision(which attaches under where the green arrow points) to be bolted to the bottom of this arm (yellow) protruding from the top of the subframe. The red dots are the 4 hole areas the w123 and gen 1 w126 gen 1 diff bolts in. Since the w126 and w123 subframes are very similar but not the same overall track width I can cut the rear/top section off the w126 subframe and attach it to the w123 wagon subframe. If I bolt a gen 1 type 4 bolt 210mm into the wagon subframe with a gen 2 style rear cover on it i will be able to positively locate the cut off section of w126 subframe and allow me to trim and fit/weld the new section on to the w123 in the right place. A small jig that bolts to the flex disc yoke and the subframe will positively locate the front section. Once they are in place I can remove the gen 1 diff and install the gen 2 diff and use both mounts, it's original rear mount and the flex disc yoke, to locate the diff where it will live. I can now weld in the plates that the forward mounts bolt to on the bottom of the subframe. Once that is done the flex disc yoke jig will be removed and the diff will mount exactly as it would have if a gen 2 w123 was ever built. The actual rubber insulated rear mount that attaches to the cross beam in the car has a four bolt pattern as well. On the gen 2 type mount it shares the same left side holes in the chassis but in it's right side holes. The other two now offset to the left will have to be drilled and use another threaded insert bar If they are not present.
It seems a little drastic maybe but to be able to positively lock the rear axle is a great thing for me. I would just weld the diff since the LSD are not the most spectacular in operation and I am a drifter, this car will tow my drift car and should I break it severely at an event I will drift the wagon for the rest of the day. Towing on a welded diff is not really a great idea. Nothing more lame than a one wheel burnout too.
The 6 speed trans and flywheel from the supercharged m111 4 cyl bolt right up to the om602/603/606 and m102/103/104 family of engines. I'm having an injection pump built (really the last piece of the puzzle) by either benzforce or diesel pump UK. The stock 603 pump and my propane injection kit will be good for the time being if I don't have it on hand yet.
This engine has been installed in the w123 chassis by a few different people. I've done lots of research and got lots of info on what's necessary. Some custom mounts are no problem, some oil pan trimming is probably required as well. My new Tig welder will come in handy there.
I haven't decided if it will get antisquat rear suspension from a r107 or w126 yet, but it will definitely have all the same delrin goodies I have in my drift car. Subframe inserts, control arm bushings sway bar bushings, all to keep rear sway under control while towing.
I've got some custom body work planned from my very first Mercedes which was a 300td. Modified nose with a w108 grill and split bumper. Some hand made AMG ish side skirts and a small euro coupe rear bumper. 17" wheels I'm pretty sure. I love my 16" rial n weave but they are just dinosaurs and far as tire selection. I've got tons of wheels so that is still up in the air.
Just getting this started so I'll have a list and can check them off. I bought the car in Boston a couple years ago and dragged it home and parked it. It ran but overheated. No vaccum system operating. I just got the car running driving and stopping with a thermostat, vaccum pump repair and some Electric window switch cleaning. It has SLS delete and had really cheap SENSEN shocks that were totally blown out. Only buy them in an emergency, they really are garbage. I threw a used shock in the driver rear since that one was ding nothing but rattling around. I have kyb w126 front shocks going in and probably in the back. I have some air shocks that I may install but I need to see how the rear sits first.


Here we go. This should be fun.

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WARNING!!! VINTAGE MERCEDES MAY MULTIPLY UNCONTROLABLY!!! I have tons of Sl/Slc parts w108 w111 w126 and more. E-mail me with needs
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