Veeky Forums I was at C&C this Saturday and I got talking to the owner of pic related. Pretty cool guy, had a lot of stories. Got to talking about the car and he mentioned he was selling it for 8000
Now I know, 8K is a lot for a 300TE, but this is not a normal 300TE. Back in the mid-90's he had more than $38K of work done to the car which includes: -5.6 SOHC V8 swap from 560SEL -Transmission swap from 560SEL -Shortened driveshaft to account for longer trans -Differential out of a 124 300D -Recalibrated speedo to match trans -Custom exhaust -Valve work when engine was swapped in (he claims it makes 320 over the stock 300 for that engine) -Progressive springs in front -Drilled rotors -Lorinser wheels -Euro style headlights -Debadged trunk lid -Tinted windows -Repaint
He says he needed something exciting to tow his boat. It's obviously been taken very good care of. Interior is perfect, outside is near perfect, just a small road rash on the hood. He claims all the functions work perfectly and he has both keys for the car, with the original leather cover. He claims it's never seen snow. It started life in Georgia as a MB service vehicle, then went to South Carolina. He's had the car for over 20 years now, but he never drives it anymore. He started it up for me and it sounded excellent.
I love the 300TE and this is almost exactly the way I would want it done.
Anyhow, it's near perfect. I love it. Seats 7 and tow a boat whilst also able to do (I assume) almost 150mph
What does Veeky Forums think should I pull the trigger? Is there anything about the 560 engines and trannies I should know? I already have a 300CE 124 so I know a fair bit about the platform but I've never had a 5.6. Thoughts? 8000 seems nice for a well-done swap IMO.
Josiah Gray
I have a 200E but want a 300TE 4matic someday. Sounds like it's all pre-facelift stuff (apart from the clear front indicator) in it which you should know yourself is the best. If its in great condition and has been running like that for so long without major issues, i'd say go for it.
Luis Hernandez
W124 is the best car ever build But one reason for that is the reliability and that it's easy to repair _IF_ something brakes That said it sounds good, but I'm not sure if the car will run without problems after he did so much to it
Connor Peterson
>everyone can buy this
Obviously not
Josiah Smith
This doesn't really seem worth it.
Old Benzes aren't sports cars (save for the 2.3-16, which even then is fairly liberal with the term 'sports') so adding power and engine/transmission swaps is fairly pointless considering that the driving dynamics of these cars is pretty terrible for doing anything other than wafting gently or cruising down a highway. You already know a factory spec W124 with a larger engine (any of the i6s really) will easily and comfortably get you around and up to speed at a fairly rapid pace, and be sufficient.
At 8 grand if you want something sporty there are much better options to spend your money on, a W124 is great at other things but this car seems fairly pointless to me.
Daniel Price
Pointless? I think not. I love the 124 wagon, I want a fun cruiser I can take around with friends that has a bit of extra power than a standard Wagon. I mostly just love the comfort and aesthetics of these cars. I was looking for a 560SEC, but this should be faster and lighter. Also the tires are definitely wider than stock so it should grip well. But no I'm not looking for a sports car with a 4 speed automatic. I want a sufficiently comfortable cruiser that can do everything and be something to talk about. I'm not necessarily looking for a roadster or a muscle car.
Kevin Butler
>but this should be faster and lighter. Also the tires are definitely wider than stock so it should grip well.
but if you're looking for a comfortable cruiser why do these things matter? Personally I would go with the W126, just because it's a much nicer car. Though if you really want a 124 with a bit more power you can quite easily get a larger engine TE and get a remap and you have the same amount of power as a stock 560.
Honestly I think if you really like this car you should go for it, but it just seems a little bit redundant as an automobile, especially at that price.
Christian Wood
w126 trannies are dog shit, i knew someone who had to swap 4 of them to find one that is good. If you want you could him because the engine swap is pretty simple since most part are interchangeable and the old engines are cheap. Also go for a test and look for any slipping or anything wierd.
Joshua Bennett
Offer him a lower price
Bentley Watson
Dog shit how? Not durable? Are they not similar to the 124 trannies? My 124 auto was rebuilt 220k miles ago, now having 320k on it, and it seems bulletproof. He's pretty firm on price. He doesn't have to sell it and I don't want to burn a bridge offering 7500. He already said he's not one to haggle.
