For anyone not familiar with my project, this is a 72 250C bought on e-Bay in 2000. It was a failed project car that last ran in 1988. I put it all together only to discover that the auto trans was totally hosed.

So I decided to convert it to a 4-speed. After many adventures, get all parts needed, only to discover linkage rods are too long and I need to order from Mercedes ...

The linkage rods for the four-speed came in today, so I installed them and after various adventures got all four gears plus reverse to engage. Tried it out on the jackstands. Rear wheels turn. Could shift it through the gears.

Decide to go for it. Put tires back on. Start car and back up three feet. Much creaking and groaning. Engage first and try to move forward. Car dies. Needs much feathering of clutch to move. Discover 3rd works much better. I have obviously not corrected the linkage correctly. Blame the funky diagram in the Haynes manual.

Do back-and-forward drill a couple of more times. Determine that brakes work. Back out of garage and roll to end of driveway. Put in 3rd-really-1st and drive 50' back into garage. Do it again. Large grin refuses to disappear.

Put a couple of gallons of gas in car, and drive it up to neighbor's driveway, turn around and drive back three driveways, managing to get into 3rd gear. Note nasty howl from rear-end and that braking is somewhat un-Mercedes like.

Call it a night and write this post.

Thanks to CTH especially and others who have helped me get here.

:-)

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe