Gina is getting a new rear-end!

[Tomguy]

Ed: Well, so long as you realize that it will be putting more stress on it. Don't want to see an MB die young

Mark: He probably thought of that and took the 160MPH speedo from the 4.5 he got the rearend from

[240 Ed]

Actually, I think the speedos are the same unit.

The speedo is calibrated by the gear at the transmission, and I don't know if the gears are compatible with each other, as they are different transmissions. Mine is the 4 speed, and the V8 uses a 3 speed.

Mark, that is what I want, for the trans to start out briefly in first. The later transmissions did exactly this!

On the W123 for instance. This trans would psche out a lot of people-folks would think that their trans was acting up...
What would happen is when you came to a stop, the trans would downshift only into second gear and stay there.
Then when you stepped on the throttle, it would jerk down into 1st gear and away you go.
Supposed to do this!

I wonder if that trans would fit the M108 engine???

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Well. if I started seriously thinking about tranny swaps, I'd go for a stick shift. Then I could decide what gear to be in. I do have a 4 speed manual box for my '72 250, but I don't have the shifter, pedals, flywheel, etc....
(If only I could find one of these cars with a 5 speed!)

Happy Motoring, Mark

[240 Ed]

Hi,
Thanks for the interesting comments concerning transmissions.
The car in question is "Gina", my name for my 68 250S. She has a 6 cyl GAS engine with the funky type of transmission which is supposed to start out in second gear.

I was thinking that if I wired the kickdown switch closed, I could regain a normal progression of 1 through 4 gears. I shall experiment and let everyone know.

You are apparently an expert in swapping rear ends. I couldn't believe how HEAVY this axle is compared to the W123 type axle!

[Tomguy]

diesel: Nope, a 250S is a 108 chassis.

[240 Ed]

diesel

How weird!

That is EXACTLY my car! Even the two piece wheel covers are the same. Same color! That's my Gina! ...Hey, what is she doing in Europe?

The finnie had the same rear axle as the 108 I think. Actually the cars are pretty much the same. I pulled a nice grill the other day off of a finnie that looks like it will fit Gina.

thanks for your info and interest, and this weekend should be perfect for Pick and Pull. 70+ degrees!!!

[240 Ed]

Progress thus far.

Sucessfully pulled old rear end out of the old dear, and set it beside the "new" one. Hmmm, a different pumpkin with a pipe shaped like a umbrella handle, I wonder what that does, and will it hit anything?

Had to source new brake lines as I cut the ones from the junkyard, and I figured I might as well change them anyway as one of them was original !
Surprisingly, Intex had them on the shelf! Grand total of $38 for two. Made in Italy. good deal.

Offering up the rear end was interesting . Hefted it up onto the saddle of the floor jack was traumatic to the back, but I survived .(Crikey that thing weighs a lot) But trying to figure out how to get the one side over the muffler, whilst rolling it into positon by myself was a bit of a chore I can tell you.

It resolved itself. The muffler did a slow drop down to the ground, due to the pipe deforming somewhere up near the front of the car. Rats.

Now the balancing act. Jack it up and maneuver it into the hole in the middle of the car where it hangs from the trunk floor. AND locating the side-link into its bracket, AND feeding the shocks into their respective holes. Wasn't too bad really, just took my time and took several breathing breaks and tried not to rush things. It is better to be slow and safe when balancing 12 ton objects on a floor jack! Perhaps I am exagerating a bit...

So it is now mounted to the floor, and the left shock is mounted.
The next chore is to mount the 4 ton compensator onto the axle. This is not good. I can't get all the rubber cushions into the hole and start the nut. Rats. So I will eliminate one of the cushions. There, now that side has the thing hanging so at least I don't need to hold it up by hand, for the previously 4 ton weight has magically creeped up to at least 6 tons!

Oh crap, now the two socket head bolts won't line up! I need to somehow compress this monster to line up the holes. Yeah right.

Ah Ha! I shall jack up the right side of the axle shaft so it lines up. Shazzam! and bada bing!

Now on to the trailing arms and springs...no light, getting weak, time for a beer and TV with a fluffy cat on the lap! It shall wait for tomorrow, or the weekend.

[leathermang]

Ed, you clearly need someone out in the garage with you... even a child... with a cell phone to call 911 if you need it...

[240 Ed]

I need a tranny for my 230.4

I see these once in a while, but like anything else, if you aren't looking for it, you might not notice it...

Perhaps there is more than one model that will fit your car.

FWIW, I have a transmission from a 1968 250S which I am pretty sure is good. It shows evidence of being rebuilt twice. It was once painted blue (common for rebuilt) and then steamed off when it was rebuilt again. When I pulled it the engine was greasy, but the trans was still clean. It still is and sits in my driveway because I didn't need it. I mis-diagosed the whine in the drivetrain, thinking that it was coming from a transmission bearing. The one in my car shifts great, etc.

You can have it for $150 and I will deliver it to you in the bay area. It has a riteted plate on the side which says "230 SL" on it.

[240 Ed]

I DID IT!!!

Rear end installed and everything hooked up correctly. I was a little worried because the new one looked a bit different from the old (it was from the V8 model). But it all fit and after much getting up and down for tools etc. (good exercise too), it was time to slap the tires on and go for a test drive.

NOT SO FAST STOOPID !

Oh yeah, need to bleed the brakes and fill the rear end!
The drain plug was almost all the way out because the junk yard drains all the fluids from the cars before putting them out in the yard.
Uh, uh ! It's a flood! Quick get a pan. too late...
Oh yeah, guess I should have bought some new oil first...

Anyway, suffice it to say that everything fell into place eventually, and the time was nigh for a test drive!

Ease it out of the drive and into the street. Do a brake check.
Holy Crapp, what is that noise? Just the rusty brakes trying their best to come back into the world. Whew.
Out onto Curtner Blvd and up through the gears. Hmmm. Feels the same....? WTF?
then it shifted into high. Wow, COOOOOeLLLL !
Onto hwy 87 freeway on an ascending on ramp. The straight six goes Wahhh through its 4 barrels and up the ramp we go! Wahhhhh, gasp, Wahhhh. Lets go already! Here comes the traffic to merge with, Wahhhh...
Crikey, this thing is a lot slower now!

BUT, what a sweetey on the road! Drifting along at ...I dunno. Must be 70 easy, showing 58 on the speedo... Oh so serene and easy, what it should be! A real viable car!!!

The "new" rear end came with new rotors and new shocks in the bargain, so combined with the polyeurethane bushings in the rear control arms, Gina handles everything with assurance and aplomb, goes through the curves with unflustered serenity and shows her true class.

Well folks, this is the end of the saga (the current one...) and it turned out to be a success. It all started with a suggestion from one of the regulars on the forum to change ratios for these old girls with the V8 rearend, and whoever you were; Thanks. and curses too! LOL.

[240 Ed]

An unexpected developement;

Gina goes so fast now, that I realize the tires need rebalancing!

AND, I can now hear the exhaust whereas it was lost in the whine!

[dieseldiehard]

Ed, you better get a set of "V" rated tires for Gina now!
dieseldiehard