W140 newbie intro
 

Hi,

I am a W140 newbie and new to this site.

I have looked around in the postings, and I am pleased to see the seriousity and activity here. I look forward to gain some information from it, and to share my experience as I get it.

My W140 is 1991 300SEL (European model is one year ahead). It is Brabus equipped (rims, suspension, muffler, seats, steering wheel and maybe engine modification) and has 2000 facelift as you can see at the picture.

The car is very nice but has a long series of technical problems, which I intend to clear one by one (probably finishing after a couple of years due to limited time available).

As for myself, I have a background as electronics engineer with radars and associated computer systems as speciality. That should help me (and hopefully others) a bit in the troubleshooting.

I have Alldata and Mitchell access, and I have ordered the two CD library to assist me.

Looking forward to share information with you guys.

I have never seen a W140 with a W220 facelift.

It looks like the fenders and hood came from a W220, and everything from the windshield / A-pillar back is standard W140.

How in the world was this accomplished?

Welcome to the forum :) . You probably have the only W140 with a W220 front in the forum, but there are many people who have W140s and who have a strong knowledge on how to address some of your concerns.

Good Luck!

There is a company in Belgium, I believe, who offers the conversion. They have many of the conversions as well. I don't remember the website.

Only the headlights are original W220 parts. Some brackets hold them in position.

The whole front is longer than the W220. Hood, fenders and front bumpers are part of the facelift kit.

Also rear bumper, mirrors and side panels are modified.

I have seen these conversions on various European car magazines. There are at least three or four companies that does them in Germany. Also, if I am not mistaken I have even seen an ad on the Dupont Registry about a similar conversion done in the U. S.

Funny thing though, I have always seen full conversions on the subject (front AND rear), using all original W220 front and read lights and bumpers. I have also seen several pics on conversion from R129 SL's to the new current model.

To my owm personal taste, and PLEASE: this is just my humble opinion, I don't quite like them. To me the W140 is the paramount and pinacle of Mercedes-Benz engineering and design (everything else from there just went downhill, including the W220). I am sure Mr. Bruno Sacco would agree with me on the matter.

Besides that, I congratulate the new board member on his new acquisition and hopes he will enjoy his new car for many years to come.

This site may be of interest to you http://pages.prodigy.net/jforgione/MB_S500.html

Cheers,

Richard

I definately agree with you, that the W140 in genneral is more elegant than the W220.

However, I do like the W220 front better than the original W140. And on the W140 it becomes longer and slimmer (and more elegant).

I had my car standing next to a W220 the other day (unfortunaltely at the Mercedes shop), and the W220 seemed somewat clumsy in comparison.

But as you say, it is all a matter of taste.

And originals are always special.

Still I like mine.

To each his own if you like it thats all that matters. :cool: Personaly I think it looks amazingly like a late model LS430.