I have no useful advice, but this is interesting. I had not been aware of the OM636. I couldn’t help but think that people who complain about the performance of the 240D and the various 300D iterations with the 617 Don’t know how good they have it.

Not meaning to knock the 170DS, But that motor reported put out 43 hp and 74 foot pounds of torque, from a displacement of under 1.8 L. I saw a video of the 170DS and it looks pretty neat. The grill and headlights especially. But I suspect it was no speed racer.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K