1999 C43 AMG Salvage Repairable CAT D

[ant500sl]

Its now sat in my garage!

Heres a bit more info.

Stolen some time in 2002 and shipped abroad, still not sure where as the plates are very odd. The engine is a 2004 E55K unit that looks barely run in, its been fitted with two MAF sensors on the airbox hooked up to what looks like a c43 or early e55 loom. Not sure if the original installation actually ran the blower or if it was just for show.
Interior is immaculate and apart from the salvage related damage the body is in good shape.
My next step is either:

Get a whole set of modules from a 55k car. (not really an option due to cost)
Stick in a NA E55 motor and sell the 55K as they fetch 4 to 5k on ebay!
Get the engine running on a NA 55 ecu and get a piggy back module to run the blower, lots of supercharger specialists about so may be best option.

Test drive available to whoever can come up with a better option!

The salvage guy specialises in Jap cars and thought the blower was just some odd airbox!

 

[Inkyskin]

Good luck with it! Can't wait to see if this gets to run properly

 

[seymansey]

Pics, we want pics!

 

[Donza]

Just read this thread!

Pics please!!!!

 

[Dieselman]

ant500sl. That sounds great. I'd look at using an E55 ECu and piggyback module.
If you have to get involved with variant coding for different engine/gearbox configurations things could get very interesting.

 

[vincenz]

How did it end up back in the country?


And best of luck with the project!

 

[bobby]

Good luck Ant! Keep us posted !

 

[greekCL]

God this story .... is to write a book from
Would like to know the outcome

 

[Kompressor_Dude]

Good luck! If you could keep us up to date with pictures and progress etc. i'm sure there'd be lots of very happy people on the forum! :bannana:

 

[ant500sl]

Will sort out a better camera but I think its going to be a long job.

Loom has been butchered and has had the earlier type connectors put on that match the c43 ecu, looks like the idea was to get the car running and pass it off as a C55 with a false identity. All the chassis numbers in the various have been altered or fabricated. Suspect that the car was found while the work was being done.

Still can't work out the reg plate, it starts GL and has 3 numbers then 3 letters. It looks similar to Spanish plates, perhaps from the costa del crime? No news from the salvage company as to its history, since universal got bought out they don't even give a basic description of the cars.

Also found a guy in Estonia who's running a custom ecu on a 55K engine in a 129SL!!! May attempt to go this route as its looks viable.
http://www.vems.hu/wiki/index.php?page=MembersPage/PeepPaadam/MercedesAMGSL

 

[gurpz]

Thanks for the update mate. Have you tried punching in the current VIN into the russion VIN checker and seeing if its valid ? That loom looks a right mess, hope you get it sorted.

 

[BlackC55]

You really need a salvage E55K complete car. You would have a winner then.

You need to convert the C to an E electricly.

Well done on the purchse......GIT lol

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
Sorry to drag up an old thread, i was just looking at the thread regarding C43 exhaust and i looked at the link that Adam230k posted an noticed this other video clip.
Am I imagining this, but i,m sure the car in this thread is the same one in the clip below, i know the front bumper was a standard one and the one in the clip is different, but this might explain why all the wiring was ripped apart as they were trying to bypass the immobilser. But it would mean the kompressor engine has been running in this C43, it has the same wheels IRCC, kompressor wing badges, same colour, similar looking foriegn no. plate
Shame the original E-bay pics have long gone, What do others think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDQ7tWJiLFM

 

[gurpz]

IIRC the one on ebay a while back didnt have those alloys and neither did it have the blue part in the number plate.

 

[Dieselman]

The one in the Video is billed as a C43K whereas the ebay one was a 55 engine, wasn't it.?

 

[andy27168]

Are you sure? as i felt pretty sure of the wheels, Its just a bit coincidental eastern european plates, 210 mirrors, 55 kompressor engine, black, kompressor wing badges, front bumper on e-bay car poorly fitted (possible recent change, theives would change this as the other would of been conspicous). I can,t imagine to many people have attempted this.
Just wish the e-bay pics were still there.

 

[gurpz]

The one in the Video is billed as a C43K whereas the ebay one was a 55 engine, wasn't it.?

Thats right

 

[gurpz]

Are you sure? as i felt pretty sure of the wheels.

Positive, it had this style in 19''

 

[Alps]

the one on ebay was also a 55k engine, look at the pics further up of the actual engine

 

[pentoman]

Very very cool. Would love to keep hearing updates.
Wonder if a full aftermarket EFi conversion is an option. Plenty of places specialise and it would be completely mappable on a rolling road. However the supercharger, variable valve timing and any other fancy gubbins would probably be hard to learn how to control (if its even possible with aftermarket EFi)!
Best way would probably be to sell the engine or get full E55k running electronics inserted. Without the right ECUs etc surely it'll never run like it should. It might run but would the mapping be right, would the variable valve timing be working, would the supercharger clutch in properly... all that stuff.

Good luck, brilliant history to that car!!