W202 c43 structural changes from lower specced models?

[popuptoaster]

Hi all, hoping to pick some expert brains, I am wondering what changes (if any) were made to the W202s shell to fit the AMG parts? I have a slowly decomposing E55 estate which is complete but would need more spending on it than it would cost to just buy a clean lower mileage one so rather than part it out when it inevitably eventually fails an MOT on the rot I thought it might be fun to drop as many parts as possible into a W202.

I'm not interested in spending what it would cost to buy a good C43 and then swapping just the engine so knowing how much work could be involved using a lower specced car would be be useful, if it's going to require a lot of fab work anyway there are other models I may think about but if its just a few changes I may go ahead with it.
Cheers folks.

 

[Skd884]

Hi

I am quite certain the c43 shell does not differ from non amg models.

 

[badgx]

^^^ X2

The shells are the same, so no problem there. You may need to get hold of the engine bracket, it may be different. And the wiring loom and ecu will need to be carefully transferred over.

I know some of the older Merc from that era had those awful degradable plastic on the wiring loom, so will need to check the condition and anticipate and potential cost of loom. You can check that as you have the car.

Will be an awesome fun project, keep it posted with photos if going ahead

 

[badgx]

This video may help with the motivation

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[badgx]

And another desert

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[Skd884]

The 43 and 55 looms do not suffer.

 

[noogieman]

Front and rear brakes are the same between cars also the brake master cylinder.

You could take the engine and transmission and lift over to the C43.

 

[popuptoaster]

Yeah I had been told the brakes are the same, possibly need to source a diff or alter the cradle to accept the bigger E55 one but I'd want to add an LSD anyway, not sure about the gearbox yet, very tempted to put a six speed manual in it as I've seen a few done on the You Tubes now and if I pick up a manual car anyway half the work is done. Thanks for the input so far, sounds like a plausible conversion.

 

[BlackC55]

I have converted a few 43's to 55's and its an easy swap.

The 202's are getting seriously rusty too. We have one at work now and its getting a re-furbished sub frame as its so bad. One of my friends with a 55'ed 43 had an arm snap off the sub frame while giving it a boot.

 

[Jukie]

I have converted a few 43's to 55's and its an easy swap.

The 202's are getting seriously rusty too. We have one at work now and its getting a re-furbished sub frame as its so bad. One of my friends with a 55'ed 43 had an arm snap off the sub frame while giving it a boot.

Yikes re your friend!

Out if interest, what's the cost of a refurbished sub-frame?

 

[popuptoaster]

I have converted a few 43's to 55's and its an easy swap.

The 202's are getting seriously rusty too. We have one at work now and its getting a re-furbished sub frame as its so bad. One of my friends with a 55'ed 43 had an arm snap off the sub frame while giving it a boot.

Yeah I accept that there are many that will be rusty, but finding a clean shell is a LOT easier if you don't care what spec and trim level it is, i wish mine was economically worth saving but with the amount of work that needs doing and that fact that it has over a quarter of a million miles on it, financially it would make more sense to just buy a better, lower mileage one, i know they are reasonably rare but there are still plenty left and they don't cost that much.

 

[BlackC55]

Yikes re your friend!

Out if interest, what's the cost of a refurbished sub-frame?

£240 from Germany on eBay

 

[andy27168]

Hi
There are no structural differences in the C43 202 shell an a lesser model.
Though if you are gong to fit the 55 diff you will have to alter the floor pan of the 202 shell to enable the bigger diff casing to fit, it should fit the sub frame without modification.
When AMG made the official 202 Special C55 they used a standard C43 and just modified the floor pan in the diff area.

 

[BlackC55]

Hi
There are no structural differences in the C43 202 shell an a lesser model.
Though if you are gong to fit the 55 diff you will have to alter the floor pan of the 202 shell to enable the bigger diff casing to fit, it should fit the sub frame without modification.
When AMG made the official 202 Special C55 they used a standard C43 and just modified the floor pan in the diff area.

Andy's car above was the first 55 swap we did.