500/560 SEC Project advise.

[GT500E]

Greetings.
I have decided to sell my current weekend car which is a 1967 Eleanor. I spent 6 years building it and upgraded nearly every component on the car. I miss having a project so I have started looking for my next one! Here is a link to a write up so you can see the detail i went into with the Mustang. Reinis Babrovskis Photography: Shelby Mustang GT500E - The Eleanor

So here is what I am thinking in terms of a SEC....Find a decent condition 1985+ SEC, install the wide body kit in metal, full respray in black, add the Recaro Classic C seats. Upgrade the sound system but not much else. I don't want to go full "gangsta" on the car but would rather keep the looks in line with the original AMGs of the time.

What other recommended upgrades/modifications can be carried out on the these cars? Suspension/Brakes/engine?

And here is the big question....... Has anyone tried putting a M156/M157/M275 engine/gearbox from the modern 63/65 cars into a W126/C126??? any forums/build threads/websites you can point me towards?

Thanks,

Johnny

 

[grober]

The problem with modern MB CANBUS engine transplants are the complex electronics. Fitting the engine in an old SEC is the least of your problems. The trick is to stick to engines with simpler electronics. For the adventurous the demon SEC transplant at one time was the W140 6 LITRE M120 V12. Enjoy.
[YOUTUBE]QpytnbbMfyw#t=33[/YOUTUBE]

ps Pagani used an ENLARGED version on the ZONDA

 

[grober]

more piccies

Motorwerks Projects - V12 Conversion on a W126 Coupe

 

[Red C220]

The best possible motor and transmission swap for an SEC would be the running gear from an R129 SL60 AMG. The 6.0 M119 would be more in keeping with the car and would comfortably run 400hp, which is more than enough for the chassis.

Even that would probably create issues with the steering box.

 

[John Jones Jr]

So here is what I am thinking in terms of a SEC....Find a decent condition 1985+ SEC, install the wide body kit in metal, full respray in black, add the Recaro Classic C seats. Upgrade the sound system but not much else. I don't want to go full "gangsta" on the car but would rather keep the looks in line with the original AMGs of the time.

What other recommended upgrades/modifications can be carried out on the these cars? Suspension/Brakes/engine?

And here is the big question....... Has anyone tried putting a M156/M157/M275 engine/gearbox from the modern 63/65 cars into a W126/C126??? any forums/build threads/websites you can point me towards?

Thanks,

Johnny

So, you're selling. Must have been a difficult decision. Good luck with the sale.

Can't assist on the SEC only to say I'd be looking for the best spec & colour combo and keep modifications to a minimum or decreet - S/C it with standalone Efi? Yeah, I know I'm not helping

 

[WDB124066]

As nice as the SEC's are their big drawback for engine transplants for RHD cars is the steering box. The Japs stuck with the original block but used later heads maybe you could recreate this.

Or, an E320 Coupe is similar in shape - there are turbo kits for those that will take them out to 900HP odd, they seem to survive 450HP very reliably from the M103/4, the limiting factor is that that is about the realistic limit of the chassis without more serious mods. Perhaps a satisfying project if you could tear yourself away from a V8 and an SEC that is - it would certainly be faster and more agile, you could even put a manual box in it if you wanted....


You'll have to forgive the rather unique marketing approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hspLd_8w74

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYUojlM0NkM

 

[GT500E]

The problem with modern MB CANBUS engine transplants are the complex electronics. Fitting the engine in an old SEC is the least of your problems. The trick is to stick to engines with simpler electronics. For the adventurous the demon SEC transplant at one time was the W140 6 LITRE M120 V12. Enjoy. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpytnbbMfyw#t=33">YouTube Link</a> ps Pagani used an ENLARGED version on the ZONDA

I was thinking that about the modern MB engines. Pity it's not like the states where you can buy a modern Efi V8 ready to run out of box and drop it into any car.

I wonder how hard it would be get my hands on one of those V12s?

 

[GT500E]

The best possible motor and transmission swap for an SEC would be the running gear from an R129 SL60 AMG. The 6.0 M119 would be more in keeping with the car and would comfortably run 400hp, which is more than enough for the chassis. Even that would probably create issues with the steering box.

I'd imagine finding the running gear from the SL60 will be difficult?

 

[GT500E]

So, you're selling. Must have been a difficult decision. Good luck with the sale. Can't assist on the SEC only to say I'd be looking for the best spec & colour combo and keep modifications to a minimum or decreet - S/C it with standalone Efi? Yeah, I know I'm not helping

Yea, she is on pistonheads. Few interested punters but not gone yet.

And I want to keep the mod as subtle as possible.

 

[GT500E]

As nice as the SEC's are their big drawback for engine transplants for RHD cars is the steering box. The Japs stuck with the original block but used later heads maybe you could recreate this. Or, an E320 Coupe is similar in shape - there are turbo kits for those that will take them out to 900HP odd, they seem to survive 450HP very reliably from the M103/4, the limiting factor is that that is about the realistic limit of the chassis without more serious mods. Perhaps a satisfying project if you could tear yourself away from a V8 and an SEC that is - it would certainly be faster and more agile, you could even put a manual box in it if you wanted.... You'll have to forgive the rather unique marketing approach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hspLd_8w74 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYUojlM0NkM

Very interesting. Can't believe those E320s can put out so much power with a turbo!

Watched the vids and WOW!!

Some research to be done.

 

[carat 3.6]

Engine upgrade wise, it is not cost effective to tune the original m117 v8. The later m119 and m120 engines are what you need.

The early m120 v12 from the w140 600sel will give you just over 400hp as standard, and can be run on it's original ecu's and wiring from the donor car. There are no steering box issues when fitting this engine in a c126.

There are 3 realistic ways to go about an m119 swap.

1. Is to find an early w140 500sel and rob the v8 and all it's wiring ect, then fit this in your car running it on the w140 ecu:

2. Find yourself the m119.960 engine only, then do as the Japs did and mate it with your m117 to create this: (This is where the myth that m119 heads fit on m117 block comes from)

3. Go absolutely wild and build yourself something like Tims 600+bhp sec:

 

[GT500E]

3. Go absolutely wild and build yourself something like Tims 600+bhp sec:

Thank you. this is great info.

Where can i find more info on Tim's beast? Is he in the UK?

 

[tim.100]

Loved the advert for Eleanor.

[Pedant mode on] Do you have a 428 or 454 engine? The 428 is not 7.4l as stated in the ad. [Pedant mode off]

 

[BTB 500]

I took some pictures of this slightly modified SEC in Germany ... go on, you know it makes sense

 

[GT500E]

Loved the advert for Eleanor.

[Pedant mode on] Do you have a 428 or 454 engine? The 428 is not 7.4l as stated in the ad. [Pedant mode off]

Thanks.

Re: The engine size. You may be right and wrong. With the engine bored out she would be slightly more than a stock 428 but not quite 7.4l.

 

[GT500E]

I took some pictures of this slightly modified SEC in Germany ... go on, you know it makes sense

That might be a tiny bit more than the level of mods i want to do.....

 

[WDB124066]

What ever you are planning to do seeing one in the flesh with the engine you want is a good idea before parting with the hard earned.

You may also want to see an original set up for comparison.

 

[Niks]

Just buy a M113 5.5L AMG engine with a E55 Weistec supercharger and wire it up to a MOTEC 800 - and tune it to 512bhp on a dyno - don't need any of the mercedes canbus rubbish. Hook it up to a 722.6 gearbox using Oleh's transmission controller and you'll have steering wheel paddle shifters to control it from. The Russian's and German's are doing it already.

Then add a Quaife LSD for more fun.

 

[GT500E]

Just buy a M113 5.5L AMG engine with a E55 Weistec supercharger and wire it up to a MOTEC 800 - and tune it to 512bhp on a dyno - don't need any of the mercedes canbus rubbish. Hook it up to a 722.6 gearbox using Oleh's transmission controller and you'll have steering wheel paddle shifters to control it from. The Russian's and German's are doing it already. Then add a Quaife LSD for more fun.

You sound like a man that knows what he's talking about.

Is there much mods needed in terms of engine and gearbox mounts?

 

[carat 3.6]

Thank you. this is great info.

Where can i find more info on Tim's beast? Is he in the UK?

Tim is in New Zealand, the build thread for the sec is here: WIDE-BODY RACE SEC FINISHED - Mercedes-Benz Forum

He's now taken the engine out of that to use in his 190 dtm replica: