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#1
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Looks like I finely get a Mercedes.
Looks like I finely get a Mercedes. I have spent all of the weekend looking at /8 Mercedes and it looks like I located a candidate. It’s a rust ball like all of the others I have seen but this one; don’t ask me why, I really won’t to keep it.
The car was only 1 registration but in getting from shop (once again the /8 survives longer then 1º owner). The funny thing about it is that according to the shop the 1º owner wanted a diesel engine and at the time it wasn’t available. So Mercedes Portugal, grabbed a 220 sedan gasoline W115.010.50 and installed a 3L diesel engine, 617.910.10. It is all is in the original registration and property papers, and the job it’s so professional that I would say it’s a production line car. What I find so strange is that according to what I have checked there is no 3L diesel engine being sold in 1972 so is it possible that this conversion was made in 1972??? Was Mercedes building this engine for other models??? Any tips will be welcome, thanks |
#2
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The 617 was first installed for the US market in 1975, and I believe this was about the same time as for the rest of the world.
The swap is pretty easy, all the parts are available and the original fuel tank will work with no changes. Probably pretty expensive, but hey, it's a Benz. I would guess the conversion couldn't have been done any sooner than 1975, but a 615 could easily have been installed at purchase, then swapped for the 617 later. Diesel conversions were pretty popular in Germany, quite often in the W108 V8 sedans by later owners. The taxes are terrific on the 3.5L gas engine, and you get decent performance with the 617 turbo with MUCH better milage to boot. Peter Peter
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1972 220D ?? miles 1988 300E 200,012 1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles 1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000 1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs! |
#3
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Actually, very few 300D/8's were imported into the USA, same as 116 SD's which were imported for just a couple of years. And if this engine also appeared in trucks, mini-buses and commercial vehicles (that we never see on US shores) is another question.
Its a mystery to me why Americans should assume they get the newest models first. Have heard that deluxe feature cars like factory 2-tone painted 110's with sunroofs never made it out of Europe at all. It could be an historical first-run prototype engine. And if production run was established at '75 then you can bet they had them as early as '73. By comparison, findbody cars werent released until '60 or '61..... yet their design (kept under wraps) dates from 1956-57 according to the Netherlands Heckflosse site. Engine serial numbers appear on the block below the cylinder head on driver's side. MB should be able to tell you when the engine was made. Get back to us on this thread when you find out when the conversion occurred. Factory work should be recognizable by quality of dashboard work and electrical wiring to accomodate the glow plug system. ......and post some pics too. |
#4
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And here's the Netherlands Heckflosse article that describes 1956-57 development of the finbody....... http://www.heckflosse.nl/dad4.htm
For sure, it would not surprise me if custom prototype-style "/8" models somehow slipped into the civilian population. MB at Germany should be very, very interested if you've got one of their first 5 cyl engines in a car you drive everyday...... especially if mileage, maintenance and repair has been documented for all these years. Another possibility is that alot more work went into blueprinting, ballancing and building the 5 cyl engine from its early pre-production run..... so it could be an exceptional engine you've got there. |
#5
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You Ill not believe this but I have seen several /8 in the weekend and whit the excitement this was the only car I dint take pictures …
I don’t believe this was a prototype, unless MB was building the 617 for other models. The engine n. º is 617.910.10.025670 so unless this engine is fitted on other cars the n. º is too big. I’m almost sure the conversion was made in Portugal by MB so I don’t believe it was an experimental car, I cant imagine MB Germany sending the car to Portugal to be tested. One thing I’m sure the work is definitely top quality; from the engine to the fitting of the glow plug system all was professionally made. In the other end the papers are all original, look to be from 1972 and they say that the car is a 220 Sedan 300D and the engine n. º and chassis n. º mach (W11501050093242). I don’t think Ill be able to find much more before next weekend, so Ill just go there and by it. The car is in a small fishing community in the north, same 400Km, cross my fingers and hope that it’ll make the trip. |
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