I posted this somewhere else, but photobucketed it so I could put it in this thread also-

heres a domestic NV3500 S-10 tranny, with a 123 chassis 5-speed in the middle, and a 115 chassis 4-speed on the bottom.

The shift linkage for the two MB trannys would put the shifter about 8-10 inches beyond the NV tranny, right about where the NV tailcone ends I think. If you were to get the NV into your MB, the stick would come up somewhere under the climate control in other words.

I have an older late 80s chevy transmission out of a van which is closer to the MB size, and also has a positionable shifter, ill get a pic on that later on, but if it could go straight back it could possibly work. Some kind of Tremec variant. Its actually a 5-speed out of an Astro minivan, so just about as rare as a 123 5-speed. But the transmission might be common to late 80s chevy products, I have to run some numbers

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you would end up using the conversion kit for those two though, the starter is on the wrong side for the diesel 123s, would be great for the later models though.
So the euro 123 chassis 280CE and such had the starter on the driver side?

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MG5 NV3500 4.016 2.318 1.401 1.000 0.729
M50 NV3500 3.490 2.160 1.400 1.000 0.780

MB/Getrag 4-speeds
A 3.90-2.30-1.41-1.00
B 3.91-2.32-1.42-1.00
C 4.23-2.36-1.49-1.00
D 3.91-2.17-1.37-1.00
E 3.98-2.29-1.45-1.00

Getrag 5-speed 3.82-2.20-1.40-1.00-0.81

If you were to make the M50-NV work, you would need a 3.69-3.46 diff to keep 1st and 5th gears usable. The MG5 wouldn't work with the OM617's torque band, 5th would lug the engine under 75mph with anything higher than a 3.69 and that would make 1st a useless granny gear.

Doh, you're right. Those are for the 250 and 280E models.

Im mostly using it as an example of a typical domestic RWD pickup setup, where the shifter will come out if you bolted it up in a MB sedan.

Interesting to know the ratio's on it though. I ended up selling it to a S-10 tuner thug when I found my other chevy tranny, which probably has the same ratios

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I have been keeping an eye out on German Ebay. There was a few of these months ago. I contacted the sellers, but no luck. But thanks anyway Forced Induction.
As for other engineers out there, I contacted some folks up in WI or MI -- I forget -- and they do a conversion with a common Chevy 5 speed. They actually list their product conversion for the OM617.952 engine on their web page. They only sell the plate and the plate was a bundle. I called them and they indicated that they have nothing to do with anything else in the conversion. By email, they pointed out the obvious, e.g., need linkage, flywheel, driveshaft, et cet. So, assuming that Forced Induction is correct, sticking with MB parts may be cheaper in the long run. Not sure, however, since I cannot locate a Getrag 717.400

Right. You'd spend $800 for a good genuine 5-speed, $50 for a shifter and $150 for a driveshaft cut. But compare that to having to make a completely new driveshaft, custom build a shifter, build a custom mount, build a custom clutch or flywheel and source an adapter.

For $1000 you'd have a known working combo that practically falls in place (and if you find a euro 5-speed 300D it will literally fall into place) compared to a jumble of custom parts and 100+ hours hours planning/fabricating. And with all that custom stuff you'd likely spend more than $1000 or end up saving a few hundred at most. It all depends on your resources and if you would truly enjoy the work.

Hey Forced Induction,

Would you be interested in the above if I offered you a finder's fee? I don't know, 10-15% assuming the $850 is in the ball park. I can handle the drive shaft cut on my own. Obviously, I would handle the shipping costs. Please let me know. Thanks.

HA! If I had $1000 lying around I'd have spent it already.

At least if you acted as my "buying agent", you would have at least 10-15% towards your purchase of the elusive Getrag 717.400 manual 5 speed transmission.... LOL

It is possible to also modify a W201 tranny to fit. I did this with decent success for my 240, but it was about the same price and more time invested than just sourcing a euro transmission. After about 10-12 thousand miles I took it out, took it apart, and its now destined for my 115 behind a turbo 617.

http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/Thread-How-to-adapt-a-W201-5-speed-to-OM616-OM617-applications

The 717.411, .410, and .412 are all slightly different W201 boxes that might work

However, all three are way less robust looking than the .400 I also have. (sourced actually the long way around from FI, who originally pulled it!)

The 717.400 has what appears to me to be larger, better synchros, larger gears overall, and seems heavier duty. The one I have is potentially blown though. (Reason I have it cheap). Im trying to figure out how to take it apart currently, only made it as far as overdrive inside.

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Yes, a VERY early production model. Serial number 000 039 from a 280E. Too bad it had internal water damage too $$$ to recover, I would have liked to keep it.

Id love to get it completely apart, I can tell you that the overdrive gear seems to be OK, but I do see some bluing of what looks like 3rd and 4th gears.
Its tricky, because of its rarity, and also because of less than complete disassembly instructions (I printed the diagram from the EPC), Im super reluctant to use any force to try and get it apart

For instance, its really hard to tell from the EPC how the overdrive gear is removed. If it was anything like the W201 boxes, it should just slide off once the sychro is disassembled, but it looks like it needs to be a puller of slide hammer that will remove it. Its completely different


Originally I was thinking I could replace the bad gears I found with spare parts from several blown 412s and 410s I have, but the overall size of the internal gearset seems to be larger.

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All I have is the 716 manual.

The astro van t5 very rare, me have a cople, parts guy at one of the oldest dealerships in the area stated repeatedly the did not exist, after I told him I just pulled two out of the mini vans, just as hard to find is that bellhousing-with the ford gearbox bolt pattern.

hahha

What a familiar argument. Im sorry, but the next parts guy who knows as much as an enthusiast who isnt an enthusiast himself will surprise me.

I can't believe you found two, lucky dog! I had to coax mine out of a PITA guy in the midwest, and all said and done, its completely blown. Did you rebuild any of yours? have any rebuild kit part numbers or anything?

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