W113 230sl to a W111 280se engine swap

[AndySteingasser@aol.com]

I am about to under take a multiple engine swap. I have a 1968 W111 280 se with automatic floor shift. I bought a 3.5 v8 with automatic floor shift that I want to put in it. I also have a 1964 230 sl with a bad engine (rings and valves) with a four speed manual. What i want to do is.....put the 3.5 auto in the 280 se,
put the 280 se engine and trans in the 230 sl. Dump the 230 engine and trans

Anyone ever put a NEW (like a 1980's or newer) engine in a w111? How about a 4.5 from a W108? I have seen the 6.3. But what about a 500sel etc?

Any ideas...does and donts...watch out fors etc.

Thanks

Andy

[abdoul]

Planning to sell the 113 shell?

[300SDog]

I think the P'goda will need the 113 tranny cooler/radiator combo if you're keepin the auto-tranny with the 280SE longblock package - unless you get damned lucky with w111 coupe radiator fitting under the 113 hood (bloody unlikely).

If you stick with the original 4-spd for the P'goda - then the only question is whether the 1964 230 flywheel is compatiable or can be drilled and force-fitted with the 1968 280 longblock.

Irregardless of trannies, that's probably what you wanna do, you understand, swap the longblocks - and keep the 1964 P'goda FI fiddly bits. For sure there's gotta be electric crap and vacuum junk on the 1968 280S_Einspritzen system that you dont wanna rewire the sports car for. And the P'goda 230 is NOT a carbureted engine, correct?

What year is the 3.5 V-8 and what chassis# was it pulled from? We gotta know in case MB did something crazy back in '73 like build em with larger sump or half block on the 350 that will fit the 116 and 117...... but NOT the 111 or 112 and NOT the 108 or 109.

1973 was cusp year for radical design changes, you understand.

1980's w126 or later donor engine in 1968 w111 coupe ye say?? That sounds like wiring harness, engine mount and drive train nightmare to me. Would probly be cheaper to buy *brand new* original equipment Stuttgart 6 cyl longblock that fits the coupe like hand in glove.

I hope this helps...... aint no expert with P'godas and havent done an MB V-8 swap lately.

[TA250SL]

Ask the experts in the Pagoda club about the engine swap. I know it's been done, but they can tell you the details. Good luck.

www.sl113.org

[Arthur Dalton]

Care must be taken with 113 chassis swaps as the early [ 127 eng] has the flywheel balanced with the cramk shaft as a unit, where the later [129/130 eng ] were balanced alone/seperate..

[cth350]

To convert the 113 from std to auto, you need a new shifter & drive shaft. You could probably swap with somebody that wants your clutch pedal & shifter assembly.

To put the 3.5 v8 into a car that didn't have one, it's quite messy...
- For one thing, you have to change the tranny tunnel. The current one is too small.
- Change over the suspension, steering & brakes.

For both swaps, getting the radiators right will be a challenge. Your 111 coupe in theory has the right size radiator w/oil cooler, except that the cooler is on the wrong side of the radiator. If you're real lucky, you can exchange them.

As for recent engines, I have an M103 from a 190E 2.6 that I will drop into a W112 coupe as soon as I work past the problems with the missing air suspension pump (and when I have free time).

I know of a 280SE MFI engine in a ponton, as well as an M110 EFI motor in a W108. Both swaps are "straight forward". The ponton one did require cutting and welding to handle linkage issues and the like.

-CTH