Neil,
I'll be on the lookout for a possible chassis here in my area, but considering where you live, there are other possibilities. To do the steering swap correctly, the engine and tranny should be out of the car which I assume you would be placing up for sale. To ship the car to you in California is not cheap and if not driveable, a surcharge is usually added to the freight. You'd have to check out of curiosity with some shippers....many can be found in Hemmings. What the freight would be alone, you could probably get the job done there by a good street rod facility and they could probably make engine mounts etc for you. Most have bare blocks and tranny casings to work with for setups. If I had to do it all over again, this is probably the route I would have taken to save so much time...and they have more experience. To find a reputable shop, ask around in the street rod/gearhead groups
for recommendations. It's similar to finding a good independant
shop to work on your MB.

Let me know what you decide and if you can find a shop.

Good luck,
Tobias MB
4 MBs

Noticed you guys who are swapping engines do a lot of discussion on the rear diff setup. I got a 1990 190E 2.6 stock setup w/ a growl inthe rear diff that is getting worse. SHop I use found a new one in Jersey they will install for $1900. I found a used one for $350 I have to install. Anyone know what diff from what years I can use to replace my bad one? I was told a 1990 190E 2.6 could use a 1991 rear diff, but a 1992 will not work. Will older ones work? I really would like to get the posi rear diff from something to install. Please help.

__________________
Christopher Henkel
1990 190E 2.6 - Arctic white SOLD
1986 190E-16v - Blauswartze
1993 300CE - SOLD
2003 W208 CLK 320 Cabriolet - Magma Red

Call Rick at RC Imports ( http://www.rc-imports.com/ ) and tell him you want a limited-slip for your 190E.

He has rebuilt ones for approx. $425

Your 190E should be able to take a 3.27, 3.47, or 3.07 limited-slip, esp. if you don't have ASR.

Good luck,
:-) neil

Neil, you are the man! Thanks a lot...could not find info on a rear diff anywhere, let alone the posi diff
Thanks again
Christopher

__________________
Christopher Henkel
1990 190E 2.6 - Arctic white SOLD
1986 190E-16v - Blauswartze
1993 300CE - SOLD
2003 W208 CLK 320 Cabriolet - Magma Red

No problem. You may or may not need to change the ABS diff. sensor (get one from Rick). Whatever you do, don't purchase it new.

Also, please post back what you end up doing.

Take care,
:-) neil

Man, am i seeing what im seeing!
a 190E with a V-8!..... damn nice!
not to mention that it doesn't look like it has a V-8...
sleeper :p

But where would you get a "3.8" badge, or would you call it a 380E?

Actually, I made a 3.8 badge by cutting the 3 and the 8 out of a 380 badge and placing them between the decimal on the old 2.3 badge. It looks like it came from the factory! I was just going to leave it debadged but you could see the faded 2.3 sign in the paint and it looked bad without a paint job. Neil should have a view of it in some of the pics I sent him. (I can't seem to post pics here for some reason.)

Mike

How much experience does an engine/tranny converstion like a 190E to a 5l ford?

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George Carstens

George,
It takes about the same as with all reliable conversions: initiative,
time and money. All not being equal! The hardest and most time consuming part is the replacement of the OE steering system with rack and pinion, either front steer or rear steer. This HAS to be done as there is no motor besides MB that has the clearances
to clear all the steering mechanism. This is the 'money' part...have a professional do it if you're not comfortable with your skills.

I've built and done swaps for over forty years and this is a toughie but well worth the effort, almost equal to the Corvair/Z28 I did back in '72. A great sleeper for the street!

Once the chassis is setup, steering again, the rest is not much of a problem as the room is there. For the small block Ford you have to go with the serpentine belt system and shortened water pump used in newer motors. A T5 5spd tranny fits fine but with the use of a McLeod hydraulic throw out bearing that slides on to the guide tube of the tranny as there is no room for a throwout fork. An aluminum radiator 26"wide by 19" high fits nicely and is common. Mine is a 26 X21 to better cool the 5.66L motor. Motor mounts are stock MustangGT with adapters to the crossmember.

Mine has all the OE accessories...P/S, A/C, and a 120A alternator
along with 3" exhaust, Bassani SS muffler, Corvette diff w/LS, 400E brakes, adjustable rear swaybar and a host of other mods. Weight is 2980 and is 54/46% f/r balance with aluminum heads and the battery in the trunk.

Any questions, feel free to ask...
Tobias MB
4 MBs

there is no way that i think i could handle any kind of conversion so i guess i would need to find someone else to do it for me....where would I even begin to look for soemthing like that?

__________________
George Carstens

George,
I'd open the yellow pages and look under Automobiles, racing and sports cars to find a fabricator. Look for a shop that does street rods or performance work. As large as Hotlanta is there must be one close, if not I know of one just north of you over the SC border on I-85 near Greenville. Ask around at any speed shops or engine builders as they usually know/deal with them.
That is also a good way to check their references before committing $$ to them.
Good luck,
Tobias MB

Did you say Corvair/Z28 ? Do you mean a rear engine flat six in a Camaro

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5 speed '91 190E 2.6 320,000 mi. (new car, fast, smooth as silk six, couldn't find any more Peugeots)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.5l Turbo Diesel 266,000 mi. (old car, fast for a diesel, had 2 others)
5 speed '01 Jetta V6 (new wifes car, pretty quick)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.2l Turbo Gas 197,000 mi. (wifes car, faster, sadly gone just short of 200k )
5 speed '83 Yamaha 750 Maxim 14,000 mi. (fastest)
0 speed 4' x 8' 1800 lb Harbor Freight utility trailer (only as fast as what's pulling it)

Did that conversion after I put the Z28 motor in the Corvair. It was the only way I could sell off all the leftover parts! Found it was easier to sell a six cyl, air cooled Camaro that could be driven than sell the pieces.
Never drove the Camaro very fast (6 cyl!) but had the speedo on the Corvair between 10 and 15, the second time around, or roughly 155mph. Was racing a 440ci Roadrunner top end at the time.
Tobias MB
4 MBs

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