-
Hi Guest !
Welcome to the 500Eboard forum.
Since its founding in late 2008, 500Eboard has become the leading resource on the Internet for all things related to the Mercedes-Benz 500E and E500. In recent years, we have also expanded to include the 400E and E420 models, which are directly related to the 500E/E500.
We invite you to browse and take advantage of the information and resources here on the site. If you find helpful information, please register for full membership, and you'll find even more resources available. Feel free to ask questions, and make liberal use of the "Search" function to find answers.
We hope you will become an active contributor to the community!
Sincerely,
500Eboard Management
OWNER - Swordfish
- Thread starter Swordfish
- Start date
yeah wicked! 
oh...the 500E badge on the trunk lid looks out of position?! thought i'd mention it as you don't want people saying you've been rear-ended and that it's a new lid. personally i prefer debadged but if u want to keep it on there are measurements on this link from gsxr :
http://w124-zone.com/downloads/MB%20CD/ ... 88-505.pdf
oh...the 500E badge on the trunk lid looks out of position?! thought i'd mention it as you don't want people saying you've been rear-ended and that it's a new lid. personally i prefer debadged but if u want to keep it on there are measurements on this link from gsxr :
http://w124-zone.com/downloads/MB%20CD/ ... 88-505.pdf
This car is for sale now, from a dealer in Great Neck, NY (near NYC):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/150674868013
VIN = WDBEA34E7PB915371
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/150674868013
VIN = WDBEA34E7PB915371
It appears the former Swordfish 500E tribute has resurfaced in da Bronx as a full-fledged 5.0 V8 500E...er, E500:
1993 MERCEDES BENZ E500 SPORTS SEDAN ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE! BY THE EARLY 1990'S, THE FAMOUS THREE POINTED STAR WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE ITS LUSTER. BUT THEN ALONG CAME THE FERRARI-EATING E500, WHICH REVITALIZED MERCEDES IMAGE, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD. LOOK UP THE TERM "SLEEPER" IN THE DICTIONARY AND THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL FIND. THIS CAR MAY LOOK LIKE AN ORDINARY D300 THAT PICKED YOU UP AT THE AIRPORT, BUT THE E500 CAN OUT PERFORM MOST SUPERCARS. THE E500 REALLY GOES! IT DIFFERS LITTLE FROM THE STANDARD W124 SEDAN, BUT UNDER THE HOOD IS A DIFFERENT ANIAMAL ALL TOGETHER. SIMPLY PRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND YOU WILL BE ASTOUNDED WITH THE 0-60 IN JUST SECONDS! AND THE CAR IS CAPABLE OF TOPPING 155MPH. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 116K ORIGINAL MILES, IT HAS OVER 27K IN PAID RECIEPTS TO MAKE THIS EXACT TRANSFORMATION FROM AN E400 TO WHAT YOU KNOW SEE AN IMPRESSIVE E500. PLEASE CALL ME AT 917-577-1597 THANKS $9,495
Optional Accessories: AM/FM,Air Conditioning,Alarm System,Bucket Seats,Cruise Control,Custom Wheels,Leather,Power Brakes,Power Locks,Power Seats,Power Steering,Power Windows,Rear Disc Brakes,Sunroof,
TNT
3766 Boston Road
Bronx NY 10469
(718) 324-9902
Optional Accessories: AM/FM,Air Conditioning,Alarm System,Bucket Seats,Cruise Control,Custom Wheels,Leather,Power Brakes,Power Locks,Power Seats,Power Steering,Power Windows,Rear Disc Brakes,Sunroof,
TNT
3766 Boston Road
Bronx NY 10469
(718) 324-9902
So here we are, 8 years later and yes, I'm reviving this dead thread. Why? I now own this car 
I wasn't looking for this frankenstein of a car, but it popped up at a local impound auction. I couldn't pass it up I guess.
Currently, odometer shows 128,xxx miles and does not appear rolled back or tampered with. Still wears the same wheels, ugly tail lights, and some even uglier 94-95 head lamps which are wired completely wrong.
I've had no issues with this car and drive it weekly with the perfectly functioning air conditioning.
How it ended back up in Oklahoma I'll never know, but it's here again and is starting to show it's age as you can see in my avatar.
Anyway, really enjoying the 500e forums, thanks for having me aboard.
I wasn't looking for this frankenstein of a car, but it popped up at a local impound auction. I couldn't pass it up I guess. Currently, odometer shows 128,xxx miles and does not appear rolled back or tampered with. Still wears the same wheels, ugly tail lights, and some even uglier 94-95 head lamps which are wired completely wrong.
I've had no issues with this car and drive it weekly with the perfectly functioning air conditioning.
How it ended back up in Oklahoma I'll never know, but it's here again and is starting to show it's age as you can see in my avatar.
Anyway, really enjoying the 500e forums, thanks for having me aboard.
Welcome aboard! Glad you were able to rescue it and drive it. What have you done to it since you got it? What maintenance items does it need?
Maybe the PO (@Swordfish) can chime in from his end as to what happened some years back.
Maybe the PO (@Swordfish) can chime in from his end as to what happened some years back.
Welcome aboard! Glad you were able to rescue it and drive it. What have you done to it since you got it? What maintenance items does it need?
Maybe the PO (@Swordfish) can chime in from his end as to what happened some years back.
I'll try to make a long story short...At the time they auctioned this car, of course it brought a lot of attention. I had to have it and at the time I didn't have enough "time" to run the VIN so I just went with it. It did run and drive, and the story is, the guy who owned it was arrested for a DUI and was sent to jail then rehab and never "claimed" the car.
Aside from the obvious "neglect" the only thing I've done is a coolant flush, fuel fitler, new thermostat, and a fresh oil change. Everything else checked out ok.
Overall, the car is solid aside from the transmission having a weird "slip" when cold or about the first 300 feet of driving. I've not delved into that issue yet but have followed some of the tech you all have posted on making sure the transmission is HOT when checking the fluid.
I did find out who the DUI owner bought the car from. He and I met up one day so I could get all the new parts he had for the car. (new front end parts, headlight switch, etc). I did some research on the VIN and that's how I found this forum.
Not sure how far I plan to go with the car, the wrong headlights bother me, as do the "crystal" tail light lenses. I read some of the previous posts about the car and many of you are correct about the little things (warped rear bumper - the muffler is tucked right behind it with about a 1/2 inch gap so I'm assuming it's heat warped), but first, if anyone can give me suggestions on repairing that cold slip in the transmission I'd be grateful. After about 300 feet of driving it will shift and seems to function normally, it only happens when it's cold and right about when it needs to do the 1-2 shift.
Thanks for reading and I appreciate the warm welcome!!
Sure seems like a ton of work for an impound carWow... that's full of rare parts! Nice find. Impound auction!!! 5.0L engines are cheap now, drop one in and you'll have a fun rocket.
It's very balanced and yes, more HP would be the ticket if I could source the 5.0. I seem to recall reading where this car did have the 5.0 dropped in when it was converted and the only thing they didn't swap in the drivetrain was the diff? 2.82? I'm probably "wishing" that it had the swap already done though hahahah
Just a thought but are you aware these cars have cold upshift delay?
It is a system whereby the first few upshifts when setting off with a cold engine hang on or are delayed to increase engine rpm and heat the cats faster.
It is a strange sensation which I did not like in my 500E. I treat cold engines with care so it was cringe worthy to have the car trying to hold onto like 3 - 3.5k rpm or whatever it was before it would upshift. Hence I disabled that "feature"
It may not be what you are experiencing but worth pointing out just in case
Sure seems like a ton of work for an impound car
If this is the same car I'm thinking about, I'm fairly sure your correct about the 5.0 swap being done already. I'll try and find the posts for it, I believe this car was for sale on the BW forum a long time ago, and then again at the used car place in Westchester County way back then. I recall thinking about looking at it, it was within driving distance, but I decided against it at the time, I think it was selling for around $8K or so back then, something way less than was spent to install a new 500 motor.
Anyway, If I remember correctly, the owner at the time of the swap spent something over $20K . ?? to purchase and install a 500 engine, and outrageous cost at the time, even today..
Look at the engine serial number, shouldn't that tell the story one way or the other... Post the car vin and the motor serial number. If this is the same car from BW many years ago, the conversion story is accurate... I'll see if I can find those old posts, maybe 10-11 years ago... good luck
@SchmutzigEier -- you should start your own OWNER thread for the car under your ownership. We can transfer your posts from here over to that new thread, if you'd like.
I know Mike "Swordfish" well. I'll let him know there is discussion again on his old mule.
I have a picture from a long time ago of it next to my 500E. A nice tribute car for sure and I always loved the white tan color combo.
The owner who did the swap is/was a doctor and seems he spared no expense in building it; albeit with some missing or incorrect parts. From what I remember Mike needed to find the correct rocker cladding under the doors to visually finish it off. An yes, the rear bumper cover was warped back when he got it.
No ASR !
I have a picture from a long time ago of it next to my 500E. A nice tribute car for sure and I always loved the white tan color combo.
The owner who did the swap is/was a doctor and seems he spared no expense in building it; albeit with some missing or incorrect parts. From what I remember Mike needed to find the correct rocker cladding under the doors to visually finish it off. An yes, the rear bumper cover was warped back when he got it.
No ASR !
Yes, this is the same car I was thinking about, your comment on the rocker panels filled in a memory gap... I recall it was wierd all that money was spent and the rocker panels still needed to be replaced....
For some reason those rocker covers were hard to source back then, and today for sure. He and I tried to find them ! Sadly, he didn't have the car long....he doesn't keep his cars long, something newer always gets the best of him. I think he is driving a 2014 AMG E63 now after the 2016 Porsche GT4.
I think you are right! I found an old email from 2011 discussing dyno runs, and I think the car DOES have the 5.0L engine.
Not sure about the gearing, but that's easy to figure out... just tell us what the engine RPM is in 4th gear at 60mph.
I haven't found the posts I think may be this car from BW, but found this from MBWorld from much earlier than I thought.. 2005
This may be the same car.. just not sure
If this is the same car, this MBworld thread says $8,700 for a used 500 engine, another $4,500 to rebuild it, then $1,800 to install.
That's $15K into the engine alone, if it's all true...
The posts I remember from BW were probably around 2010-11 with different pictures, and then it was on Autotrader at a used car dealership in the NY city area later on if memory is working properly.... But it's a long time ago...
This may be the same car.. just not sure
400E converted to 500E - MBWorld.org Forums
E-Class (W124) - 400E converted to 500E - Hello everyone Im new to this forum. Im not a Mercedes owner, but I have been hired to sell a E400/E500 1993 Mercedes. This car belongs to a terminally ill friend of mine. This car was his baby. He has converted a lot of the origianl car E400 to a E500...
mbworld.org
If this is the same car, this MBworld thread says $8,700 for a used 500 engine, another $4,500 to rebuild it, then $1,800 to install.
That's $15K into the engine alone, if it's all true...
The posts I remember from BW were probably around 2010-11 with different pictures, and then it was on Autotrader at a used car dealership in the NY city area later on if memory is working properly.... But it's a long time ago...
I remember reading something about it but didn't actually know how it "reacted" for lack of a better word. Out of curiosity how can I defeat it?
I just need to start a new OWNER thread?
I remembered the car had already had the swap as well but It's been a good long time.I think you are right! I found an old email from 2011 discussing dyno runs, and I think the car DOES have the 5.0L engine.
Not sure about the gearing, but that's easy to figure out... just tell us what the engine RPM is in 4th gear at 60mph.
drew
That's crazy you found that thread
I looked for the engine VIN today just above the water neck directly in front of the intake and nothing was visually obvious to me. I'll check again later this week because I need to clean up the engine bay anyway.I appreciate the feedback from everyone regarding this car. I'm a long-time "other German"car guy and what converted me to Benz was the 2001 E200 Diesel I had when I was living overseas. My wife hated it and a few weeks before we moved back to the states the car met it's untimely death when another driver pulled out in front of me. One of the best cars I've ever owned, cold a/c, hot heater, comfortable seats and 56 mpg on the autobahn (true mpg figures). Ok sorry for the drivel. Thanks again everyone!
When I purchased Ms Bornite from Dubai, I sent the owner these marked up picks to show him where to look, he found them instantly, and they matched the data sheet. You may need to get a rag and clean off the ledge, there is room for your index finger with a rag wrapped around it...
See attached
See attached
Attachments
I'm betting mine is on the drivers side rear. I didn't see a stamp plate that big on the front of the intake.
Attachments
If so... then it's a pretty early build engine (1991-92 vintage). Use solvent, rags, and a wire brush on that area up front first.
Photo of the location on the rear of the block:
I'll check it out tomorrow and report back. Thanks!
Hard as heck to see but I have a partial of 9741 2002684 (I think)
Could be a 664 if not a 684, hard to determine
In this case I installed a Eprom Chip from member @gsxr Which did disable this cold upshift feature. There are threads on these chips and I'm sure Dave still offers them for sale I was pleased with mine and an easy DIY install. No soldering
So, it IS a 5.0L?
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes, 119974 = 5.0L engine. You could also verify the engine block casting number (near driver engine mount bracket) which is even more definite proof vs the serial stamping.
And it's from a 500E, not a W140 or R129.
I think I should name this car Frankenstein. I already have a farm truck with the same name though...Fronk-en-steen 
Interesting. I have record in my database of the immediately prior car, WDBEA36E3NB691105, that was totaled out with only 45K miles on it back in 2013. More here on this adjacent car: 1992 500E, Black/Gray, 46kmi, IAAI insurance auction (Fremont, CA) | Cars for Sale - 500E / E500 ONLY
