Building w124 250d 1988

[team45]

Hi everyone,

I have very limited technical knowledge and I need some advice.
I have right hand drive w124 e250 diesel 1997 (imported from India I think w124 stopped in uk on 1995) and I am abroad now I would like to use parts from this car to build 1988 250d left hand drive. The reason I would like to do this because e250 diesel (1997) is newer and has very low mileage and it has lots of good things like aircon, good interior, etc but very rusty and damaged body and 250d (1988) has very good body but it has very high mileage engine, no aircon and very bad interior and it is left hand drive which is advantage in this country. If anyone knows what parts I can transfer from newer e250 diesel (1997) to older 250d diesel (1988). Would engine fits without any modifications or it is a big job?
Thanking you in advance.

 

[NW_Merc]

You would be able to transfer over most of the parts, but the gearboxes on both cars may well be different i.e. one may be 4 speed while the other is 5 speed. If they are both the same then ideally everything would be a straight swap if you have the time and inclination......

 

[team45]

Dear NW Merc,

Thank you for your advice, it was very much appreciated. The mercedes I want to build is 1988 and I don't know the gearbox because I only saw photos of it on the net. If I know it is possible I will go and buy it. My biggest worry is if W124 250 diesel mercedes has the exactly same body for all years between 1985 to 1995 I know newer models front grill looks different. Other question is, if I can transfer the gearbox and the engine together from 1995 e250 diesel to 1988 250d because engines are completely different between these two cars, 1995 e250 diesel engine looks like the one in c250 diesel has but 1988 250d has old style diesel engine. By the way I am not going to do the work I am planning to pay someone and get it done. How long do you think it will take to do the total work.
Many thanks.

 

[bolide]

I think if they are both autos (or both manual) you will have very few problems transferring all or part of the running gear

The differences between the two cars are mainly in the induction system, engine & gearbox. If you swop the engine / ancilliaries / induction system / vacuum system, engine mounts (fit new ones), gearbox, prop, diff, instrument binnacle, glow plug relay & cabling and idle stabilisation ECU I think you'll be OK

Nick Froome
the independent Mercedes Estate specialists

 

[219]

There would probably be a bit of work in transferring the air-con over to the other car - the dash would probably have to come out to change the heater assembly , pipework would need to be run into the engine bay and the radiator/condenser etc fitted from the air-con car - then you would have to get it gassed .

Not impossible , but a fair bit of work and probably best done while the engine is out . if you are changing the interior , then it will be easier to strip out the dash at the same time .

I guess the later car will have an airbag ( or two ? ) while the earlier one will not ? The steering wheel with airbag could probably be swapped , but the passenger one in the RHD dash would be on the wrong side - maybe it can be put in place of the LHD glovebox ? I'm not sure . Crash sensors , control unit etc would all need to be taken from the donor car .

While you are doing this - you should think about other options you would like - even if it means searching for other donor cars - things like electric / heated / orthopaedic seats , OTG , HWW , cruise control ........ all these things would be easier to fit while the car is already dismantled .

 

[Dieselman]

While you are doing this - you should think about other options you would like - even if it means searching for other donor cars - things like electric / heated / orthopaedic seats , OTG , HWW , cruise control ........ all these things would be easier to fit while the car is already dismantled .

Judging by the 1988 car having no rust, I guess it's in a warm climate so additional heating options are probably not required.

 

[team45]

Thank you everyone for your advice,

My plan is to transfer the engine, interior (seats, door panels), aircon, and maybe some of the mechanical parts under the car if they are better in the donor car. My main question is regarding the engine and gearbox transfer. Is the engine bay and mounths the same in both cars, because the engines are different. If I remove the engine from 1995 e250 diesel will it fit straight foward to 1988 250d or do I need to do lots of modifications on the engine bay? Is this the same for the gearbox? Because donor (1995) car is manual but the one I want to build it (1988) can be manual or auto I have the opions to choose it. There are couple of cars available to choose from. They are 1986, 1987, 1988 years range. My biggest worry is if the body (or chassis) same on every W124 250 Diesel models for every year? (Between 1985 and 1995)
I am not going to transfer all the little bits and pieces between the cars because it is not worth it to go through such detailed work.

Thanking you in advance.

 

[Dieselman]

The sub structures are the same on all models bar the E500.

 

[bolide]

I didn't spot that one was LHD and the other RHD. That'll make life fun for sure with the electrical stuff!

Nick Froome

 

[Dieselman]

^ just turn the loom over.

 

[team45]

Does it make difference for elctrical connection to engine between lhd or rhd. I was guessing mercedes engines electrical connections would be standart for both side cars? or do they have different engines for rhd cars than lhd cars so elctrical connection would not fit if you put engine from rhd car to lhd? I am just asking this question for engine and gearbox swap. (sorry no offence I have limited technical knowledge)

 

[bolide]

The battery, ECU, ABS ECU, OVP, fuse box, servo, steering column & binnacle swop sides. Most of the rest of the hardware doesn't

So every cable that terminates at the fuse box will be the wrong length...

Nick Froome
the independent Mercedes Estate specialists