OWNER 300CE 6-speed manual swap

[DLL]

(Admin - delete or move if wrong section)

Last week, got back my 92 300CE Sportline Coupe, with a 6-speed manual swap.
Most fun I've had on back roads since my mis - spent youth!
The car is completely transformed. (If I took the Previous Owner for a drive blindfolded he wouldn't know it was the same car!)
More power - better cornering - I guess due to power availability.
The fun factor - just exponential.
Now the availability of power and torque is highlighting tired suspension and driveline bushings - I'll do those this winter - likely everything end to end.

 

[sheward]

Not just a 5 speed, but 6 speeds! I can imagine the fun.

Nice!

 

[alabbasi]

I'm guessing that from the red line being at 7000 that it's an early m104 with the CIS, I have a manual in my 300SL-24 and it's a blast.

Did you farm the work out? What's the back story?

 

[DLL]

I'm guessing that from the red line being at 7000 that it's an early m104 with the CIS, I have a manual in my 300SL-24 and it's a blast.

Did you farm the work out? What's the back story?

Hey, so back story-
I bought this Sportline Coupe a few years ago non running, got it running well, but it just wasn't 'interesting ' to drive.
I had pulled a 5-speed and all related parts from a 190E 2.6 parts car I had, but last winter stumbled upon the 6-speed from a C-Class Kompressor. It's a closer ratio transmission, stronger if you have more power, and better shifter.
I began collecting parts again.
The actual swap done by a friend (I do a lot of my own work, but knew this was out of my depth) He's a heavy duty Peterbilt mechanic by trade - but a Mercedes enthusiast as well. He has a W124 E320 - used to be his Grandfather's, done this swap to it a few years ago.
Bought a new single mass clutch and flywheel assembly from Kangaroo in Europe - great to deal with. There was a laundry list of new parts - mostly from Spareto in Europe. Lines, Bushings, clutch and slave cylinders etc.
There was some fabrication to make it all work - a little to tunnel (BFH), shifter, manual transmission rear mount, driveshaft of course.
We used a 400E cluster (bought a parts car just for that) with a Dakota Digital adapter, swapped back my original 7K rpm Tach. Yes, M104.980 engine with CIS & distributor (maybe EFI later).
In some areas would have been badged 300CE-24.
All of that said, it cost about twice what I expected (like everything!), but well worth it. It's a completely different car.

 

[Glen]

Hey, so back story-

We used a 400E cluster (bought a parts car just for that) with a Dakota Digital adapter…

Does the transmission provide vehicle speed to the Dakota box?

 

[DLL]

Does the transmission provide vehicle speed to the Dakota box?

No. All V8 W124's, and every model after (AFAIK) had electronically driven speedometers. A pick-up was needed - into the Dakota Digital adapter, then to speedometer

 

[ArauzMotoring]

That shifter looks oem in there!!

Very nice!

 

[Glen]

No. All V8 W124's, and every model after (AFAIK) had electronically driven speedometers. A pick-up was needed - into the Dakota Digital adapter, then to speedometer

Right, but where does the Dakota box get its signal? What pickup are you using?

 

[DLL]

Right, but where does the Dakota box get its signal? What pickup are you using?

IIRC, off the driveshaft

 

[DLL]

That shifter looks oem in there!!

Very nice!

It does! He did a nice job!