Sharing an interesting car - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

brucem105 · #1 06-21-2009, 12:12 PM

So I was perusing the online classifieds a year or so ago, looking for vintage AMG rides, AMG gear from 80's, etc.

I got a hit on craigslist for a late '80s 190E with some AMG bits, not running in a garage, but supposedly low miles.

So I go to check it out, and it's pretty cool. A 1987 190E with only 28K miles. Red with black interior. Headliner sagging from age and lack of use, but seats, woord, etc really nice and obviously a low-mileage car.

Even better, the car is an AMG 190E widebody, with all the period-correct AMG body parts, AMG suspension, exhaust, wheels, steering wheel and more. So that constitutes an "AMG barn find" in and of itself, although at the high asking price it's probably not worth buying the car for parts alone.

So I ask the owner why it was parked so long, and he tells me how it ran hot, and he had a race shop put in a NASCAR-quality radiator and cooling system, but it still did not help. Then he had an engine rebuild done for $8K+, and had new head gaskets fabricated and that still did not cure the running hot issue, so he parked it i his barn and never got back around to it.

He shows me the paperwork for the engine rebuild, and it's well documented, and expensive, but something looks weird. Too many parts, too many part#'s I recognize from my W126 exepriences. Could it be?

We pop the hood, and I blink (twice) to make sure I am not imagining anything. Someone has stuffed an AMG 6.0 SOHC V8 into the engine bay! Not only is it a stupidly expensive (back in the day) AMG car, but they custom-engineered fitting a punched out M117 V8 into it. They relocated the A/C components to underneath the car and in the trunk, etc etc. This car had to cost $150K+ if it was done by an AMG tuner back in the day. Ridiculous!

So running properly or not, that was enough for me. I buy it, and ship it down to Jonathan's shop in Atlanta. He's got it now, bringing the motor back to life (they sleeved the block improperly, used incorrect 5.6 head gaskets, etc), and getting it mechanically sound.

Then I'll take it back and do some minor paint, headliner, put in a period-correct set of Recaro C seats, and fire it up for the road! I can't wait.

Here are a few pics if you are curious. You never know what's out there I guess.

Bruce

#2 06-21-2009, 01:08 PM

Bruce: I've seen that car over at Jonathan's. It's going to be one hell of a fun car after he gets it back up to scratch.

That car is going to take some work - last person who turned wrenches on that motor had best find another line of work - but you're going to love that car when it's "back."

brucem105 · #3 06-21-2009, 09:22 PM

I hear you. The amazing part is the rebuild was very "no-expense-spared" and doneby a NASCAR quality race shop.

The problem was that they are used to small-block Chevys, and really did not know what to do with this German motor. That, and they ordered head gaskets for a 5.6 litre engine, not knowing it had been punched out to 6.0 by AMG.

I think we are going to substitute a strong Euro motor, headers, etc and put down the same HP as a US-spec 6.0 SHOC; about 340 at the crank.

Should be fun in a 190E chassis!

Bruce

bsmuwk · #4 06-21-2009, 11:58 PM

Wow.

tbomachines · #5 06-22-2009, 08:24 AM

Unbelieveable! That car will be a lot of fun once you get it up and running, great find!

POS · #6 06-22-2009, 08:21 PM

I'd like to see/hear a video of that monster when you complete it, Bruce.

#7 06-22-2009, 09:26 PM

I'd be happy to take it for a little test run (under JH's supervision of course) if you'd like.

:-)

In all seriousness that is one heck of a cool car, never seen one w/ the A/C condenser relocated UNDER the car before!

JimmyL · #8 06-22-2009, 11:38 PM

Hard to believe that that amount of $$$$$ could be spent on a 190!!!

Sure, it would be fast, but it would still be a $100K+ 190........

Skid Row Joe · #9 06-23-2009, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucem105

This car had to cost $150K+ if it was done by an AMG tuner back in the day.

$150,000 is a lot of money to have spent on a 190 and taken it to numerous mechanics, and still runs hot. NASCAR, no less.....that's quite a reach for a German engine and all. Especially with only 28K miles. Looks like it is badged 6.0 or 6 point something on it's rear end.

LUVMBDiesels · #10 06-23-2009, 07:41 AM

That is amazing. There was one other 6.0 litre 190 floating around the forum a while back also with the rear AC modification. I wonder how you are going to keep this thing down to legal speeds

What I would do, is put on a 2.3 badge and go Corvette hunting!

brucem105 · #11 06-23-2009, 08:30 AM

I had a 560SEC non-widebody 6.0 DOHC with a documented $205K sticker price. The engine option alone from AMG was $43K, plus $7K for the install! The custom blood red leather interior was $20K, including a charge of $2900 to ship it back and forth to CA for dye.

They'd take your money (probably in $5's and $10's with white powder residue on it back then) if you wanted to spend it.

Bruce