interchangeable parts coupe/sedan

[grezm0nkey]

found 2 junked cars in a "pick a parts" salvage. need to know if some parts are the same. one is a 230s fintail and the other is a 280sel. i have a 250se coupe.

will the bumpers on either fit?
will the foward and rear window trim fit?
is the rear diff the same?
will the seats fit?
will the calipers?

i grabbed some turn lights(left/right), back up/license plate light(left/right), 5 hub caps, wiper motor(straight shaft), 4 chrome seat belts, washer spray nozzle, hood inlet chrome grill, engine oil dipstick, oil cover cap, trunk emblem, trunk handle, head light assembly and cover(left/right), fuse box and cover, 4 window cranks and 4 door handle trims, white steering wheel w/ center pad missing. hope i got a good deal, i spent 130 skins.

the 280 is fuel injected but not sure if its a runner. looks ok. would like to pull the motor/trans and rebuild. the rear end too.

can anyone tell me what else i can grab for spares on my coupe? thanks.

grez

[Mark DiSilvestro]

The bumpers on the sedans are different, though I think they may still bolt on your coupe. The SEL bumpers might be a closer match to your SE originals, as the Fintail bumpers are much fatter.

Probably on the calipers but don't know for sure.

I'd say no on the window trim.

The SEL rear axle should fit (Fintail has rear drum brakes) The SEL axle ratio depends on if it was a six or a V8. Some have installed V8 rear ends in their six cylinder cars, to give more relaxed and economical highway cruising, at the expense of acceleration.

Sedan rear seats may fit.

Sedan front seats may bolt in but lack the fold-forward seatback to access the coupe's back seat.

Are those sedan seats the same color as your coupe's original interior? Also, Your coupe's original interior is probably leather, while the sedan seats, especially in the Fintail, could be MB-Tex and the sedan door/interior panels won't fit your coupe if you want a match.

With any substitute parts candidates, measure first!

Happy Motoring, Mark

[grezm0nkey]

the finny had tex tan color interior. the sel had tan leather. my interior was redone in the past and is brandy.

i need to go back and look at the sel harder. i wouldnt mind the axle ratio different, if the rear end will fit. i cant go very fast in it now as it is.

theres difference in a 280 and 250, right? as far as physical size, just the displacement.

thanks

grez

[FMM]

The front bumper from the 280SEL will bolt right on. The rear will bolt on at the back, but the brackets at the forward ends of the bumper are different. You can either heat and rebend the coupe brackets, or use the brackets off the 280 and drill the matching holes in the quarter panel. Using the 280 brackets looks cleaner, but you have to drill the holes.

The finback bumpers won't fit, they're about 1.5 inches too narrow for the width of the coupe.

Motor, trans '69 and earlier, and rear end will all fit. If you're changing the rear from drum to disk brakes, you'll also need the brake pressure valve mounted on the body above the diff. Trans '69 and newer should also fit, but you'll also need the rear crossmember, shifter, and may need to have the driveshaft shortened.

Also, grab the fuel pump at the tank from the 280. They're always hard to find.

FM

[Mark DiSilvestro]

My reference gives axle ratios for various Mercedes models as follows -

250SE 2.5 - 3.92
280SEL 2.8 - 3.92 (US 4.08)
280SEL 3.5 - 3.69
280SEL 4.5 - 3.69 (US 3.23)

Awhile back, I measured my spare '58 220S engine and the M130 2.8 in my '72 W114 250 for someone on this Forum. The 2.8 block was perhaps a 1/4 inch taller than the 2.2 but the other dimensions appeared to be about the same.
In theory, I could easily soup-up my Fintail, adding about 40 hp by dropping in a 2.8, but to retain my stickshift, that 2.8 would have to come out of a manual tranny car (the crankshafts are different) - a more difficult proposition!

Happy Motoring, Mark

[grezm0nkey]

I was just thinking of fuel pump after i sent my last post. couldnt do anything yesterday on valentines. i had to go thru the motions with my wife. theres always some kind of distraction from the important buisness isnt there? hehehe.

going down today after work, 2:30pst and see whats left. i forgot to mention i got the clock too. not sure if it works tho. i will take the bumpers and brackets. how about the air compressor? think its a york.

i'll let u all know later.

grez