Trivia question W140/R129
 

I have a W140 500SEL LWB and need a transmission for my R129 300SL.

The transmission is 400 miles away and due to some weird circumstances (long story) I can't have it shipped.. must go to pick it up.

I am going with my 500SEL. I do have a trailer hitch, but don't want to bother towing a trailer if possible.

The transmission is a 722.500. Will that transmission fit into the trunk of a W140?

Bonus question: If it doesn't fit and I instead pull the lower rear seat out and put the transmission there (wrapped in blankets of course), can I fit the rear seat piece into the trunk?

As much as this is a long shot to ask the question, I'm not going to be entirely surprised if someone here actually knows the answer :) :)

I suspect it would fit in either location with proper supports beneath it.

Weight wise, it will bury the rear end with it in the trunk and be very dangerous to passengers in an accident if on the back seat.

Take the trailer and live to tell about it.

Yeah, the "rear seat" idea was really just for an emergency. Assuming I was stuck there with a transmission and couldn't get it into the trunk for the trip home.

Is it really that heavy though? I have been told it weighs 200lbs.

I have a 2000lb boat that I tow with the 500SEL all the time, and the tongue weight is pretty close to 200lbs. And I've certainly packed 200-250 lbs of stuff in the trunk before.

Just wondering.. I figured 200lbs would be noticeable (the car would sit a little bit lower in the rear, but not enough to affect anything) but not pose a safety issue.

Also, the car (being a 500SEL) has the hydraulic suspension and it is in proper operating condition. Wouldn't that be able to handle 200lbs if the rear seat passengers or trunk cargo could easily exceed that?

For the record, there will be a 100lb front passenger, no rear passengers, and no other cargo in the back seat or trunk.

That suspension should be able to handle the weight just fine. I have had 3 times that in the back of the wagon, and a mile or two down the road it levels out pretty good.

Automatics are not that heavy
 

I suspect it weighs close to 100 lbs. You probably have metric pounds in Canada. That would make it even lighter, right. Hey, just kidding

Lifting wise, it would be alot easier on your back, if you put it into the trunk, instead of trying to slide it into the rear (seat).
I would probably put down a sheet of plywood, to protect the trunk floor from becoming disfigured.

x2. If its like the trunk in a W124 sedan, you really should put a piece of plywood down, as it will bend the plastic all to hell.




I have put a 722.4 in the back of my wagon, and the SLS was more than capable of leveling the load.

Can one person lift a 722.500? I am going to be there by myself, but had considered taking someone else with me if it was absolutely necessary.

I've lifted an 80lb flat screen TV to hang it on the wall by myself no problem. And carried things heavier than that too.

I guess the difference is whether it weighs 100lbs (no problem for 1 person) or 200lbs (no way I'm lifting that alone!).....

I thought they weighed around 125 with TC, which means the answer to whether one person could lift it would be - it depends. I would think a ramp could help - something like a 6 ft long 2 by 12.