FS: 1992 500E 114k $15,999 in PA - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 01-03-2004, 10:59 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2452238774

#2 01-31-2004, 12:49 PM

I miss my 500E. I think I will be an owner again some day.

The A6 4.2 is much better in the snow......

++db

Alain V. · #3 02-02-2004, 11:20 AM

Dave, I know what you mean,,,,,,, when you sell one car to get another, then really miss the one you sold.

I have recently been considering buying one of those Mitsubishi Evo 8's and adding a few mods, for a fun "all season" car.
I've been reading up on them and alot of guys are getting them to run low 12 -hi 11, 1/4 mile times with bolt on mods.

....only problem is that I'd have to sell something, in order to get one,,,, and I have been trying to figure out which one of my current cars I would sell.

ke6dcj · #4 02-02-2004, 11:26 PM

Alain- when did you pickup a 1986 AMG Hammer?

:-) neil

PS: PICS please and details!

Alain V. · #5 02-03-2004, 08:39 AM

I'll be posting some pics on my clubphoto page soon.

I got the car a few months ago. I've known the car and it's original owner since it was new.

It is a signal red, 70k mile car with a perfect interior, nice body (a few chips here & there and the rear quarters are turning a little pink-fading).
I hope to be able to buff the car,,,,but may have to respray the rear quarters.

Now for the bad news:

#1, not too big a deal, but the original chrome wheels are flakey and in bad shape. I can have them restored by a wheel shop for $200 a piece, ,,,,,,or I can try and hunt down another set of them.

#2, the original AMG 6.0 hammer engine is long gone, and some butcher replaced it with an engine/trans from a 92 500sl.

This was done back when the original owner had his own "private mechanic" (who is a complete moron).
Apparantly the car had some overheating problems.
I know the "butcher" had the heads off the car once then I believe the car ended up with coolant in a cylinder & destroying itself.

Well, all I know is that the original engine is nowhere to be found and he then dropped in a low mile 500sl powerplant.
The only problem is that the 119 engine doesn't fit well without proper mounting, etc,,,,so the guy couldn't even get it to run.

The original owner got fed up and had the car shipped back to Westmont Ill (AMG USA) in order to fix it. The car was there for over a year and the owner had to threaten a lawsuit to finally get the car back. They did manage to get the car running, but it was a complete hack job.

The engine didn't even sit level in the car, the ex manifold were wrong, nothing lined up or fit properly.

Finally the steering box couldn't take it anymore. The driver side ex manifold was literally sitting against it & beating on it.
A few motnhs ago the car showed up at my place to fix the "steering leak".

I told the owner that if I was going to fix this car, it would be done right,,,,,,which meant removal of the engine/trans, totally gutting the engine compartment,,and doing the install right. (along with replaceing the cooked steering box)

HE is now in his early 80s and didn't want to fool with the car anymore,,,,he asked me what I thought it was worth, and voila, it is now in my little collection.

I have already removed the engine and trans, and gutted the entire engine compartment. Next, I need to drill out all of the factory spot welds & replace the crossmember, so I can install one for a 400/500e. This will allow for the correct engine mounts and brackets, so the engine will fit in the right place.
I also need to get some proper ex manifolds for it along with some other bits/pieces.

The 500sl engine now has right at 50k on it and is fine, so I'll just do a nice detail on it before reinstalling.

I am also planning a complete "true" dual exhaust system with an X pipe, using oval shaped tubing for better ground clearance.

It is a project, but the car is definately worth putting back together.
It is a low mile rustfree car and all of the other AMG equip is still in tact.

I dunno,,,,I've been getting kind of burnt out lately on all this stuff. ...been thinking of selling something and just buying a rice,,uh mitsu evo 8 to just go out and drive the wheels off of.

MBlovr · #6 02-03-2004, 08:33 PM

Dave,

I've allways thought of the A6 4.2 as Audi's 500E. How do they compare?

Thanks

#7 02-04-2004, 09:38 PM

wow Alain - that's impressive! If you ever get tired of trying to restore it - you know how to send me an email

Couldn't you just buy a euro 500 engine and send it off to Westmont and have the engine rebuilt and put the car back to it's original state? I'm sure that would be expensive but the car might retain more of it's value.

oh well, I'm still very impressed - if I had a Hammer I would always be inmy garage drooling just looking at it

Peter

#8 02-05-2004, 08:08 AM

Hi MBlovr,

That is the reason I bought it. I needed a "winter" car and the Quattro system is incredible.

The car , although, is very different.

The Audi is fast to leap off the line. If you just tap the gas it lunges forward. I guess I am still not used to starting in 1st gear.

I find on the highway it does not pull through every gear like the 500E. The gears seem taller. You know how the 500E will pull 3rd gear the same as 2nd gear....just ruthless power no matter what the speed? The Audi seems to take a long time to get through 3rd. I do still have all of the factory settings and chips. I read that there is a "sport mode" that I need to program as well as a chip.

The Audi is a great car and exactly what I need. I just don't see myself hitting 130 EVERY TIME I DRIVE HOME again.....alas.

++db

P.S. The cup holders and heated streering wheel are nice.

Alain V. · #9 02-05-2004, 08:33 AM

Ooops, sorry Dave......
I kind of hijacked your original thread.

BigPoppa, there is no way to source or locat the original AMG heads needed to make a proper "hammer" replacement, so the next best thing (actually better in my opinion) is to use the 4 cam 119 series 500sl engine.
This is what the factory used as a starting point for the 500e, and mine will have a custom free flowing exhaust among other minor mods.
This car is also lighter than my 500e so it should perform quite well.

After flipping wrenches non stop for over 20 years on these cars, i am getting a little burnt out.

I am considering maybe selling both my 500e and the Hammer(when it's done),,,,,,,and just go buy something new off the showroom floor with a "warranty",,,,,,, so I get to be the picky customer for a change.

....of course I want something the performs well, which is why I've been looking at the Mitsu Evo and the WRX STI,,,,,,,,but I've never owned a "gasp" ricer before, so I'm not sure yet if this is the way I'll go.

I like the idea of the all wheel drive, MANUAL TRANS, turbo evo, for right at 30k and be able to make a total rocket out of it for less than 5k more.

Ahhh, who knows, maybe once I get the Hammer back on the road again, I'll be happy with it. The biggest thing I wish I could have in either one (the hammer or the 500e) is a MANUAL TRANS,,,but that would be very expensive,,,,,even for me to do myself.

One thing's for sure,,,the Hammer won't be back on the road until it is done "right",,,,and then it will be one bad machine.