As the owner of two 123 Series mercedes with 5 speed manual transmissions and having done several other automatic transmisssion conversions to 4 speed transmission and having been very pleased with the results, I wonder how many of you would be interested in 5 speed manual transmissions fi they were available?

Let's say that you could purchase a low mileage 5 speed in the hundred thousand mile range with shift mechanism and shift linkage, would you be interested and what would be a reasonable price to you. Idealy of course, you'd need a 300D manual flywheel as well. Let's assume that those were also available to those not wishing to use a 240D flywheel or a 110 flywheel, which can be dione and have been done.

Furthermore, all the 280e, 280ce, 280se, 280sel, and 280sl owners could replace those expensive automatic transmissions with these unitsat maybe half the price of a rebuilt automatic.

And best of all the wear and tear on the engine would be less at highway speed and the highway mileage would definitely go up.

What's it worth? And remember, I may just have some available, but is it worth my time??????

Ben

__________________
www.reproduce100s.com

Would also need things like Clutch pedal, mounts and Master Cylinder, hydraulic hose, slave cylinder etc.
Are they the same length as the Automatic, or would we need the driveshaft lengthened too?

What is your price for the kit, delivered in Australia?

__________________
Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

Yes you can probably make money doing this.
How many you can sell is anyone's guess. I doubt it will be a flood.
You will probably sell more if you affiliate with a shop or three that will do quality installations/conversions and repairs for customers.

i have an '80 280ce 4spd with a blown engine. want to put a
turbo diesel in it once i find an engine. can a m110 flywheel be
used? the manual says no. i am looking for a 300d flywheel.

5spd? i'll be content just to get a 4. or maybe not.

don

I would be interested if I had the $$, but it'll be a few years before I could even dream of that...

Well, if you made up an illustrated step-by-step guide to this conversion you'd probably sell more transmissions, and keep selling the book after the transmissions were gone. And you know which one is easier to ship.

Sure, we'd all like to have a 5-spd for the 123. But watch that first step, it's a doozie....

Is the 5 speed an overdrive? I'd like to have one in a 123 car!

__________________
1980 300SD Manganese Brown Metallic Clearcoat 248k
1979 300SD White 148 k
1984 300D Silver project car for daughter
1982 300D wrecked
1980 300SD 310K not running

I'd like to have one someday myself as I'm sure my auto tranny won't last another 100K miles. If I could get everything for about half the cost of an auto tranny R&R, count me in.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Glad to see some people are interested. For everything except the 5 speed, the shift knob assembly and the linkage, a 240D donor car can supply and that includes the flywheel, if you can't find or don't want to pay the fare. Yes, one can use a 110 flywheel which I accidentally did when I first got into 123 Mercedes. The used kit price wiould probably be about half a rebuilt automatic.

I'd have to check with FedEx on a shipping price to WestOz and I'll know a lot more about all this by August 1, 2004. So keep your fingers crossed.

An assembly guide is certainly within reason, all though the whole process isn't that complicated.

The fifth gear is an overdrive and in my 280TE, it has allowed to to get almost 22 mpg and I don't baby the car as it's so much fun to drive. Since my second 5 speed isn't installed in a turbo yet, I can't give specs on a diesel. Since my normally asspirated 300D already gets 32-33 on long trips, I have to believe it would get 35 with a 5 speed tranny.

Ben

__________________
www.reproduce100s.com

Having owned a car with a real overdrive, a fifth gear is still a gear. An overdrive is like being in neutral. There is no compression drive. In my opinion the ride quality of the car became "floaty" and it's something you need to think about when you go down a hill, at least at first.

You probably don't want your diesel dropping to an idle on every downgrade because "it would shake", but it might help the fuel economy.

Count me in! I justed moved from the Bay Area to Sacramento for a new job. Once I get a few paychecks under my belt, I am getting a 300TD wagon. I was planning on doing a 4-spd manual conversion, but if you can get a 5-speed, all the better. The next step will be to contact 300TD4x4 in Pollock Pines for specifics on the the 4x4 conversion for the Lake Tahoe ski season. I hate putting on chains.

I am also planning on doing an intercooler install. I am going to see if a WRX IC will work for easier pipe bending.

__________________
-ggg

I forgot to include the price. I think it would be worth $1,000 to me if it includes the flywheel. You really need to get the one you have into your car first to give accurate driving impressions.

__________________
-ggg

We are talking about 20+ year old transmissions with untold mileage here, right. Are you planning on backing these with any warranty or service?

If I could get reasonable assurances that the tranny is in good shape, I would pay $1,000 for the tranny, together with everything needed to put it in (linkage, flywheel, pedals, master cylinder, driveshaft, etc.)

Please hurry, my tranny is slipping bad.

Gggotvald


Something like this.

Louis.

Attached Thumbnails