W124 Coupe 4 Wheel Drive Conversion

[ADY1983]

PROJECT: W124 Coupe 4 Wheel Drive Conversion

I was looking for a replacment engine for the coupe after being told that the big end bearings needed replacing.. Not happy as I only just replaced the engine it was from Ebay.
So rather than getting another engine, I was looking for a whole car that was running well. When looking I came accross a couple of 300E 4Matics This got me thinking... So I had a chat with Ian B Walker, about what would need doing, and a long story short I have ended up bying a 1989 300E 4Matic... it is stardust silver, with mushroom leather and only 93K on the clock I picked it up for £400 as it has some panel damage, it was used for weddings before being vandalised .
I picked the car up from Plymouth on Friday I have now got them both togeather.
There is a lot of work to do but should be worth it, as I don't know of a 4 wheel drive coupe.
Here are some pics there will be lots more to come...

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f335/mondy688/IMG_0639.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f335/mondy688/IMG_0640.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f335/mondy688/IMG_0647.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f335/mondy688/IMG_0648.jpg

 

[grober]

4matic coupe

You are a brave man taking on a project like this! If you succeed you will probably have the only 4matic coupe in the uk.
I would start by getting the 4matic system working properly in situ on the original car first if it isnt already? Transfer box would be the first thing to check out since its probably potentially the most expensive to repair and could make or break the project. good luck.

 

[big x]

I didn't know the front spring was bent upwards to make room for the front driveshaft !
The later W210 4-matic is a bit more elegant

http://mb.braingears.com/W210/w210/chass_33_98changes.htm

http://mb.braingears.com/W210/w210/chass_33frontaxle.htm

Do you have a crane to get the engines out ?

 

[fuzzer]

Nice one dude

Look forward to it .

 

[ADY1983]

I didn't know the front spring was bent upwards to make room for the front driveshaft !
The later W210 4-matic is a bit more elegant

http://mb.braingears.com/W210/w210/chass_33_98changes.htm

http://mb.braingears.com/W210/w210/chass_33frontaxle.htm

Do you have a crane to get the engines out ?

Thanks for that, that looks much better set up on the 210, I am picking up a crane this week for £50 but he will want it back.

 

[Mercedes cozy]

A wicked project, let us know your progress, will try and assist to you with any helpfull advise.

 

[jayrash]

man before u start ur conversion, u have to check all sensors for the 4matic and the wire loom, then there is the front end reinforcement especially for the front spring seats
the ones that hold the top of the spring as they r known to crack on 4matics even after reinforce. then don't forget that the handling and performance will be some what shot due to extra weight. a 4matic is often 200kg more than a non 4matic. i am not putting sticks in ur wheels, but know it is no small conversion.
sorry for me broken english.

 

[bolide]

I didn't know the front spring was bent upwards to make room for the front driveshaft !

I think the idea of winding a spring with a gap for the driveshaft is elegance itself!

It's easy to determine the arc of the driveshaft, and the spring will deflect as the driveshaft moves, so it only needs a couple of inches for the shaft to pass through. It just takes German engineers with balls of steel to sign off such a simple & elegant idea. Most other companies would have made it far more complicated and less reliable

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Ian B Walker]

Job must be going well No phone calls or pm's

 

[Howard]

The 4 Matic system on the w124's falls into two categories ....

Those that have gone wrong

and

Those that are about to go wrong ......

Brave man Ady, good luck with it ......

 

[Rose Chap]

Massive admiration for you to attempt this piece of work, but respectfully, and I do mean respectfully, why?

Do you really need 4wd in a classy coupe? No doubt 4wd is useful on the snowy roads of Europe but in drizzly England I'm not so sure. You'd be sacrificing the turning circle, some of the smoothness of a rwd chassis, not to mention you'd get through tyres faster.

I'm not trying to be negative or in any way detract from the engineering marvel that this car would be, but it does seem to be a lot to take on for perhaps questionable benefits.

As others have said, good luck to you.

 

[ADY1983]

Sorry to disapoint but I have decided not to do this conversion , for lots of different reasons... so the 4MATIC is on Ebay if anyone wants it, PM me
Thanks for all your replys.
Maybe I will have ago at this conversion later on.

If anyone has a 320 or 300-24 engine or car for sale please let me know.

 

[Howard]

Ady , did you see this thread .....

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=29584

might be of interest ....

 

[ADY1983]

Ady , did you see this thread .....

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=29584

might be of interest ....

Hey Howard I did thanks It is a bit expensive at the mo, I might put an offer in if the 4matic does well, its here...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1990-MERCEDES...oryZ9855QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And mine is a 12Valve so If it needs an ECU I obviously cant use mine.

 

[Howard]

Nice car , but it seems to be sitting massively high on the suspension ....

Is that right ?

 

[ADY1983]

Nice car , but it seems to be sitting massively high on the suspension ....

Is that right ?

I dont know I thought that looking at the photos it doesn't really notice much sat on the drive...

 

[Howard]

LOL!! Not your car - the gold 300e 4 matic !!!

Your coupe looks fine !

 

[ADY1983]

LOL!! Not your car - the gold 300e 4 matic !!!

Your coupe looks fine !

I know I just changed my signature...:bannana:

 

[Howard]

LOL !! People will moan that it is too big mate ...... guaranteed ....

 

[grober]

lowering is deffo out!

Nice car , but it seems to be sitting massively high on the suspension ....

Is that right ?

The 4matics do sit high on their suspension and because of the extended front spring layout they cant really be lowered.