Don't know where the break between "early" and "late" is, but they are different. You will know when you go to bolt the cam gear on and find that the threads in the cam flange are smaller than the bolts that came off of the old cam and you then need to drill and tap while its on the engine, etc., etc.

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Hanno
'79 6.9 Sold (after 27 years)
'83 280SL, 5 spd.
'94 E320 Sdn. 5 spd conversion
'02 E320 Sdn.(on loan to mom!)
'87 300E (5 spd. conversion) Sold
'05 E500 Wagon