The 1999 November / December issue of the Star Magazine has an article about a 1973 107 chassis 350 SL that had a 6.3 liter conversion.

The article is three pages long, and the number of modifications was enormous.

The 6.3 liter engine is too tall to fit. They had to cut out the top of the front cross-member then made plates and gussets and welded them into place, lowering the engine about 4 inches.

The 3.5 liter transmission could not be used, so they had to use the 6.3 transmission, which was much larger, with its linkage and a modulator sticking out of the right side. Like the 500E of 20 years later, they had to widen the transmission tunnel. The shift linkage also had to be modified to work with the 6.3 transmission.

They had to fabricate a complete stainless steel exhaust system, from headers to muffler. The cooling system had to be altered to accomodate the different hose fittings.

Once the engine and transmission was installed, they found they still had to modify the hood. With those big plenums sticking up, they had to cut a hole in the hood, and ended up fabricating a new hood out of fiberglass with a huge bulge in it.

The rear suspension was changed to an adjustable-camber type, and a 2.65:1 rear axle from a 450 SEL 6.9 was installed.

The radiator was replaced by one from a 560 SEL.

A modified 450 SEL 6.9 distributor eliminated the contact points.

The York a/c compressor was replaced with a Sankyo SD 508.

The oil filter housing was removed, and new oil-fittings were attached to the block, allowing dual spin-on Mercedes Benz oil filters to be installed on the left inner firewall.

Despite all these changes, the only non-Mercedes parts are the a/c compressor, the tube on the air cleaner housing, the exhaust system, and the custom oil filter housing, which had to be machined.

They apparently spent over $30,000 on the conversion. And that is $30,000 1973 dollars. An enormous sum.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".