Just Bought an "88 560 with a blown motor, tranplants?

[560Rally]

Hello, I apologize if my plans are sacrilege, but I was planning on building a Fiat Spider into an Abarth Rally car, see the attached picture. However I now have a line on an '88 560SL with a blown motor. I want to build a "560SLR" or "SLRally" like the old SLC Rally cars. I plan to lower the weight by removing the bumpers, etc, but would really like the car to have a 5-speed. I am thinking that since you can now get 250 lb-ft plus out of a V6, and the 560 V8 is really heavy, and there seems to be no 5-speeds that bolt to the original engine, I would source a V6 or I6 with a manual transmission for the project. My first thought was a BMW 535i, but I think there are more powerful options; Toyota Supra? Nissan 350Z? GM Vortec 4300? I am anxious to hear your ideas, and thank you for your input in advance. feel free to extol the virtues of the original powerplant as well.

Thank you,


Cappy

[nobby]

Originally Posted by 560Rally

Hello, I apologize if my plans are sacrilege, but I was planning on building a Fiat Spider into an Abarth Rally car, see the attached picture. However I now have a line on an '88 560SL with a blown motor. I want to build a "560SLR" or "SLRally" like the old SLC Rally cars. I plan to lower the weight by removing the bumpers, etc, but would really like the car to have a 5-speed. I am thinking that since you can now get 250 lb-ft plus out of a V6, and the 560 V8 is really heavy, and there seems to be no 5-speeds that bolt to the original engine, I would source a V6 or I6 with a manual transmission for the project. My first thought was a BMW 535i, but I think there are more powerful options; Toyota Supra? Nissan 350Z? GM Vortec 4300? I am anxious to hear your ideas, and thank you for your input in advance. feel free to extol the virtues of the original powerplant as well.

Thank you,


Cappy

There have been a couple of transplant projects on the SL.

There is a pretty cool one floating around the net with a Nissan motor in it.

I'd have to look for it.

[compu_85]

The 560 V8 isn't all that heavy, it's all aluminum. It weighs less than the 3L diesel 6.

-J

[Roncallo]

See this thread for manual bell housings.

Also the 129 with an M104 215HP 6 cyl engine, was available with a 5 speed. This should be a fairly easy swap.

[Strife]

Originally Posted by Roncallo

See this thread for manual bell housings.

Also the 129 with an M104 215HP 6 cyl engine, was available with a 5 speed. This should be a fairly easy swap.

Given the market for early W129's, I'm surprised that no one has done this. It would be a pretty cool car.

[alabbasi]

To me, if you're going to go through the effort of doing a one off conversion, why do it with a small engine like an M104 when you could with something like an M119?

Now that would be something interesting.

[ericdee]

Nice Spider! Let's see some more pics.

[markusfmeyer]

There was a thread on a M120 in an SL before, pretty neat but a lot of work.