300E 5speed

I have looked at several places trying to find the production number for US manual transmission 300E (1988).
If anyone knows I'd appreciate it! I know it's fairly rare, just how rare?

Thanks,

Shaun McCarren

It is still a 124 030 chassis and the transmisson is a 717 430 Very rare indeed

According to some private correspondence I had with Walt Anderson former President of MBCA and a 5-speed owner:

In 1986 there were 781 US legal 5 speeds imported to the US. There were none in 1987 and 311 in 1988. There have been none since 1988. These figures were quoted by MBNA in a letter to C. Robert Beltz, MBCA Legal Council and Past National President.

[vrsmith]

Hi there,
Both of you should respond to our post:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=20266

which is keeping track of the 5 speed owners. There is quite a thread of discussion about our cars. Generally, we seem to agree that the 5 speed is a great transmission and way too few were imported. See you on the other thread.

I offer great thanks for this information. I knew the US number was low and thought it was less than 1,000. Being the owner of an '88 it is fun to know the exact number imported.

Thanks again and have a great day,

[vrsmith]

Larry,
I though my car was rare until I saw the import figures for your 1988! Maybe if I get another '86, I can trade them both for one of those elusive '88's.

My thanks, too, for this information, "Stick6"

vrsmith,

Of the numbers you asked me to look for on my data plate, I found the 446 and 491 numbers present. I did not find 506 on there.

Have a great day,

is there a kit to transform my 88 300e 4-speed into a 5-speed manual? THAT would be cool

My father just sold his. It was ordered in a dark Blue with the red interior, probably the only one. The amazing thing about this car was that at 130k miles the clutch was still like new. There is no comparison between the auto and the 5 speed they are completely different cars.

My first clutch was replaced at 240K when the throwout bearing died.

My car is starting to show some serious rust in the rear where I was whacked in late 1997. Also around the jack points. My driver's seat is mess and the plastic bits are extremely brittle. Various systems are dying on me. Still runs like stink, though, and doesn't burn any oil after my third or fourth set of valve stem wipers.

A conversion kit is called a donor car. My dream is to buy a 1995 w124 based E320 and use my car as the donor to make a 1995 5-speed.

Does any one know of an an outfit that has reverse engineered the electronic FI chip for the M104 engine?

[Holson Adi]

I hate the fact that they don't sell 5-speed E320's here. My dad was close to buying his friend's 1994/5 E320 Masterpiece (that's how they denote the special edition in Indonesia.. maybe Asia in general)

It was a fully loaded E320 w/ every option possible except for heated seats (who needs them when it is always 100F) and Automatic Climate Control (dont like em anyway). It even had a 5-speed mnual box. I drove my friend's E320 and boy it was a seriously zippy car w/o the 4-speed auto.

[bobbyv]

Originally posted by Holson Adi
I hate the fact that they don't sell 5-speed E320's here.

you mean to say 5-speed manual - the W210 E320 has a 5-speed automatic transmission.

i agree with you - if there was a 5-speed manual W124 E320 available here, i would buy it. Moreso if it had the SportLine package.

[Holson Adi]

Yup that's what I meant. Not the 5-speed electronically controlled auto trans.

I never saw an E320 Sportline actually.... I've seen a whole bunch of 300E/CE Sportline w/ the 5-speed manual...

hhmmm imagine a fully loaded E320 Sportline Coupe w/ 5-speed manual gearbox.mmmmm

the only improvement there would be if it was an E300 Turbodiesel Coupe with a 5 speed manual