Has anyone does a 300ce 5 speed swap? Is it worth having a stick shift? Or is it more of a novelty? I want to do this swap to a 93 300ce blk/blk, a 9 out of 10. I just don't want to ruin it or waste time and money if I don't gain much.

On the emotional side, it would feel real cool driving a 300ce stick.

They were offered with a stick I believe. These cars are old enough that the automatics are a bit dicey to keep operating as designed so converting to a stick makes a lot of sense to me.

They were designed for doctors wives so they came with an auto. The gearheads like us probably prefer sticks to autos.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The W124 300E was available with a manual transmission in 1986 and 1988. No manual was offered on the CE in the U.S.

The 4-speed stick in my W123 says more "trucker" than "racer" by the way it shifts.

IMHO, I wouldn't consider switching to a stick shift 300CE. Driving an 88 with the M103 for 10 years, I just don't think there's any more fun to be had with a stick over an automatic. I also think a converion to stick would limit resale interest. I've had my share of stick shifts along the way... cars, trucks, and two wheelers. The car is too heavy and the M103 too pokey to have much more fun than driving with the roof and windows all open in the D-coupe.
Commenting on the auto trans... I had a rebuilt one dealer installed when I bought the car..Dec 1991. No problems since( 90k miles). Still shifting fine. I do have the car in for dealer 30K service, so the trans gets its "normal" attention.
It sure isn't anything like the modern 7 speed auto, tho.

But, you pays your money, you make your choice.

Happy Motoring!

I'd say it would increase resale interest -- I've had notes under my wiper leaving phone #s and offering to buy my car (4-speed W123). Called a few of the people back, they were all interested in a Merc with a real transmission, not a wussbox.

Even though the 4-speed isn't exactly nice-shifting, I wouldn't trade it for a 2-pedal car. Unless it was something like a 1960s Citroen with the 4 on the tree, a gas pedal, and a mushroom coming out of the floor for brakes.

My 5 speed is looking for a new home in a 93-95 124 wagon with busted autotragic.

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A properly sorted benz stick shifts just fine. It is not a Miata or S2000 though.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Not to mention, even a pristine example of of a CE goes for between $6-8K? Resale at this point is moot.

I could never stand the unpredictable, power sapping automatic in mine. The trans. from the 190-16V is the way to go if you're doing it. But honestly, if you're looking for more enjoyment from a car, try something else, and leave the CE alone. If you want more enjoyment out of that car, go for it. It will never be a miata or RX7, Supra or anything like that no matter what you do. It's great at what it is, and handles like mad with just springs, especially for such a long wheelbase. But it's still a cruiser. With a stick, it's a cruiser with a stick.

My biggest complaint was in the shifter itself, so refresh all the little parts in the mechanism, get solid bushings and probably even have a welder shorten the shifter arms.

Just installed fresh derlin bushings in mine yesterday. Makes a hell of a difference.

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It's not even a BMW or VW of the same era (IMHO).

Resale value. Many, many cars, inexepensive and expensive, get modified and will never see the resale value go up, as compared to the money that went into them-whether it is a Honda, Mercedes, Toyota, when would you ever really get what you put into it. . . . common upgrades like rims, paint jobs, cold air intakes, turbos. . never get your money back.

190e manual tranny vs. 300e manual tranny. I was told that the 190 tranny is weaker?

5 speed vs. Auto. I do think that the auto tranny, well taken care of, is a good tranny. However, I don't think that the 5 speed is any less inferior, just think, they made the car for the autobaun.

emotional vs practical. It is easy to leave my 1993 (m104 bty) 300ce Black Beauty stck with it's executive package (phone) as the tranny is the smooth at 200k miles, with immaculate service records-it would be practica. However, I might invest about 1200 to 1500 for the entire conversion. so I am not looking to raise resale by that much, but I would guess that I would also have notes put on my car with offers to buy.

at the end of the day. I don't want to regret the new feel my car will have with the 5 speed. I could probably swallow the 1500 bucks. But I don't know if I woud forgive myself for being compulsive and wanting to be one of the few to have a 300ce s speed, just to know deep in my heart I gained nothing.

300ce will always be a cruiser. With the solid and over engineered w124 chassis, I would partially agree. But then I have seen some power junkies put turbos in their 300ce, at which point I wouldn't classified them as cruisers.

Japanesse rice burners. Yes there are plenty of fast Japanese cars, sticks or autos. But we are talking 300ce's, with the windows rolled down-mono air circulation, with one of the greatest timeless body styles. Not interested in rice burner comparisons. I own a civic, but I have no interested in making a flimsy body and chassis go 0 - 60 in 5 seconds. It would never look as colls as a 300ce.

Final Decision. I am already commited, but I think I will find a non-expensive 88' or 89' 300ce, with a clean body, take out the door crash bars and door panels and make carbon fiber panels, take out the back seats, turbo the engine, and put in the 5 speed and see if it is still a cruise. I just can't put 300ce Black Beayty under the knife just yet.

Any futher comments are greatly appreciated, even those that will say a turbo will not add much horse power.

The 190 and 300 share the same 5 speed. 16v is different.

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So I should shop for a cosworth 5 speed?

If you're really into the backwards shift pattern...

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