Performance and Handling - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

400Eric · #16 06-26-2012, 02:14 AM

A 12V Cummins powered Excursion would be a sweet rig! We must think an awful lot alike! I have a 94 Ford F700 that came from the factory with a P-pumped 12V Cummins and an Alison trans! The Best of All Worlds!

The W124 is universally known to be the LAST reliable Benz ever built. MB's build quality is supposedly finally getting good again but only on the very recently built cars. Cars that are still too new and hence still too expensive.

Another good thing about the 400E/E420 is the room for improvement. I knocked over a full second off of my 400E's 1/4 mile E/Ts without even trying hard. That's won't be as easy to do in an AMG car that has already been taken close to the max by the factory. Everything on those cars has already been optimized! Same goes for the handling. Most of the handling gain seen on those AMGs can be attributed to the tires and rims. Put those same tires and rims on your 400E and see what happens! My 400E now has 90% of the performance of a same area C36 or 500E/E500 for a fraction of the cost!
Regards, Eric

ColLonewolf · #17 06-26-2012, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

A 12V Cummins powered Excursion would be a sweet rig! We must think an awful lot alike! I have a 94 Ford F700 that came from the factory with a P-pumped 12V Cummins and an Alison trans! The Best of All Worlds!

My 400E now has 90% of the performance of a same area C36 or 500E/E500 for a fraction of the cost!
Regards, Eric

You do not find that your F700 is underpowered with the 5.9L? Would think you would desire the 8.3L.

I notice you have the 400E and the E420. How do they compare?

400Eric · #18 06-27-2012, 07:47 AM

An 8.3 would be nice but those P-pump equipped Cummins engines are about the easiest diesels to get stupid amounts of power out of. I generally do just fine with this rig, it's only lacking is it's acceleration from a dead stop when fully loaded. Once moving, it does just fine. I also have a 2000 MY DT466E equipped International 4700 that, despite having more than one hundred more cubes, isn't any quicker on the highway. It only has an advantage from a dead stop. And getting more performance out of that one isn't going to be as easy.

The cost cutting era that was to later nearly destroy MB had already begun by mid-93, that is why we saw the plastic oil tubes and open deck blocks show up at that point in time. So I feel that the early 400E is a better car from a durability stand point. My own personal experience with these two cars is bearing this out. Also, the E420s are governed to only 130 MPH, while the 400Es are governed to 155 MPH. Yes, that is easily dealt with with an ECU swap but it's still another plus in favor of the 400E and I would be remiss if I didn't mention it. (I have a 155 MPH governed 93 4.2 ECU For Sale BTW for only $65 plus shipping.)

HOWEVER, the cabin air filters and better headlights of the later E420s are a big plus in their favor. Pre-94 headlights are useless and getting dust and dirt and fumes blown on you when you want some air is no fun, nor is having to listen to the wife complain about it.

Just about all of these things can be dealt with without too much difficulty, except for the open deck blocks and cabin air filters. Those two items are a little harder to retrofit.

I'll still take either one of them over just about any other car from the 80s, 90s or 00s except for a good 94-95 turbo Volvo 940.
Regards, Eric

ColLonewolf · #19 06-30-2012, 08:37 PM

Speaking of better headlights, how hard is it to put the 94/95 headlights and grill on the older W124s?

400Eric · #20 07-01-2012, 03:45 AM

Just put the headlights on. There will be a minor inconsistency in one corner where stuff doesn't fit together perfectly but it's not enough of a big deal to sweat unless you are going for a concourse look and is essentially unnoticeable when the hood is closed. Don't try to change the grill as that will require a hood change too. Then you have to do the paint matching and that is getting too involved for my blood. KISS: Keep It Simple Son!
Regards, Eric

ColLonewolf · #21 07-01-2012, 08:57 PM

Good call. Will let you all know how things play out once they start to fall into place. Thank you once again.

ColLonewolf · #22 04-21-2013, 04:03 AM

Sorry to have to say, after much research as well as one heck of a lucky find, I ended up with a BMW 545i. Only had 46K miles on her so had to pick her up. What an amazing ride. Thank you all for helping me along the way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColLonewolf

Thank you gentlemen for all of your inputs. Thinking about retiring my W126 while having a very hard time figuring what car is worth letting her go for. I can think of few other vehicles worth the swap. The simplicity of the W126 makes it that much harder. I have been contemplating the W124 500E/420E/300E, W202 C230 Kompressor and the W203 C32 AMG. The 500 is a bit of a pipe dream. I have also debated the BMW 330/335 Coupes. Decisions, decisions, decisions........