Got 3/4 of what you were looking for Steven!

[CincinnatiFiero]

Its a wagon,


Its a diesel,


And... oh shit!


But its 2WD, so were are 3/4 of the way there.

Its a Euro 1987 200TD. It has a US shortblock and a 230TE euro differential. In America we got the OM601 in a 2.2L version with EGR and Cat rated at 73HP, in the rest of the world they got a 2.0L version with no emissions rated at 75HP. This car has a US shortblock with the euro pump and euro emissions (aka none) so I'd wager she's knocking on 78, maybe 79HP!

The 200TD came stock with a 3.91 diff, this car has a 3.65. So on the highway in overdrive it cruises really nice at 75mph, once you get there... With the 3.91 diff, and converted from imperial to US, Mercedes claimed 43.5 highway MPG out of the 200TD wagon, so I'm looking forward to a drive to Cincinnati to see what it gets.

Its anemic but really not awful, its better than my dads 67HP 240D with an automatic. And it has hydraulic self leveling rear suspension. The pump and hydraulic rams work but as you can see its sagging a little. The SLS suspension used nitrogen filled accumulators which are effectively bags that dampen bumps, over time they leak out. Not unreasonable for them to have gone bad over 26 years. New ones are around $125 at the dealer, aftermarket is $103. So I'll do those soon.

Pretty fucking cool I think.

[Emc209i]

Needs some wheels.

Just curious, if you wanted to replace the wood trim, are their aftermarket companies that make that sort of thing, or do you have to find an oem piece that's mint?

[CincinnatiFiero]

I don't know anyone that makes aftermarket wood for Mercedes so usually you just look for better used wood.

However Mercedes is a little crazy with their button placement and they don't do like plastic blanks for options you don't have so the wood can be very different car to car.


This car is a wagon so it has additional buttons for the rear wiper and rear washer, around the climate control. And this car is a euro so the climate control is Europe specific. So the climate control wood would be impossible to find here.


As for the center console this car has power front windows but crank rear, so that makes the wood wierd. Also since its only got dash speakers there is no fader knob next to the mirror control. Its also got heated seats which is uncommon everywhere us or euro.

So basically finding used wood for this car here or in Europe would be a huge bitch. My dad found a guy who restores guitars and he said he will give refinishing Mercedes wood a shot.


As for the wheels, the euro hub caps are uncommon so I like them. I wanted to do cool wheels but then I'd need to lower, then may tint... Etc I'm not ready for it to get out of hand.

[Emc209i]

Gotcha. Thanks for taking the time to explain all that. I would love to see what the guitar guy does if you ever get that far.

[Series8217]

Very cool car. Still want my AWD though
I agree with Emc, it really needs some rims.

Subaru is finally bringing the diesel Outback to the US in the next couple years. No manual transmission option though.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Since the hubcaps are a euro only thing and I've never seen another 124 gray market car in the US with them, I'm going to rock them for the uncommon factor for a while.

[Aaron]

Subaru is finally bringing the diesel Outback to the US in the next couple years. No manual transmission option though.

I'm not familiar with the car specifically, but a manual trans swap probably isn't impossible.

[Series8217]

Subaru is finally bringing the diesel Outback to the US in the next couple years. No manual transmission option though.

I'm not familiar with the car specifically, but a manual trans swap probably isn't impossible.

It is impossible in California, the land of great weather and horrible emissions laws.

[Aaron]

I keep forgetting about that! No emissions here, recently titled and registered a 2-stroke dirt bike for the street.

[CincinnatiFiero]

On topic, but off topic.

Some people on the Mercedes forum in California were putting SR20s into Mercedes 190s to make drift cars, and to dodge inspections they just started with 190Ds. Since they are diesels are however many years old they don't get inspected. I found that to be rather resourceful for the drift crowd, until one of them gets caught that is lol.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Subaru is finally bringing the diesel Outback to the US in the next couple years. No manual transmission option though.

I'm not familiar with the car specifically, but a manual trans swap probably isn't impossible.

It is impossible in California, the land of great weather and horrible emissions laws.

Off topic some more... I realized that because the Shelby was offered with a manual transmission, the Northstar can be used in engine swaps with a manual transmission. I'd just have to "obscure" the "4.6" cast into the side of the block... if the referee even knows to look for it. I'd just have to pass the car off as a "98 Oldsmobile Shelby" swap instead of a Cadillac Northstar swap.

Shelby's also had pretty minimal emissions equipment, so that simplifies certification also.

[The Dark Side of Will]

On topic, but off topic.

Some people on the Mercedes forum in California were putting SR20s into Mercedes 190s to make drift cars, and to dodge inspections they just started with 190Ds. Since they are diesels are however many years old they don't get inspected. I found that to be rather resourceful for the drift crowd, until one of them gets caught that is lol.

If they run a big turbo with no muffler, it almost sounds like a diesel anyway.

[Series8217]

Off topic some more... I realized that because the Shelby was offered with a manual transmission, the Northstar can be used in engine swaps with a manual transmission. I'd just have to "obscure" the "4.6" cast into the side of the block... if the referee even knows to look for it. I'd just have to pass the car off as a "98 Oldsmobile Shelby" swap instead of a Cadillac Northstar swap.

Shelby's also had pretty minimal emissions equipment, so that simplifies certification also.

Oh my god.

It looks like it's OK: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/cer ... _4d0_1.pdf
Also I didn't realize there are naturally aspirated ones too. The certification also lists "M6" (manual 6-speed). Wow. Epic win. Finding the catalytic converters may be tough.

On topic, but off topic.

Some people on the Mercedes forum in California were putting SR20s into Mercedes 190s to make drift cars, and to dodge inspections they just started with 190Ds. Since they are diesels are however many years old they don't get inspected. I found that to be rather resourceful for the drift crowd, until one of them gets caught that is lol.

Yeah that is SUPER ILLEGAL.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Oh I know they'd get fucked if they get caught but I thought it was clever.

[Emc209i]

Are you moving to California Will?

[Series8217]

BTW this is a letter describing the Federal EPA laws on engine changes:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources ... switch.pdf

They're essentially the same as California. The EPA just doesn't enforce the rules (yet).

The California laws are allowed to pre-empt the EPA's because apparently they were in place before the EPA had these rules.

[The Dark Side of Will]

On topic, but off topic.

Some people on the Mercedes forum in California were putting SR20s into Mercedes 190s to make drift cars, and to dodge inspections they just started with 190Ds. Since they are diesels are however many years old they don't get inspected. I found that to be rather resourceful for the drift crowd, until one of them gets caught that is lol.

My dad's kinda done that too... he has a '90 Diesel Suburban with Caddy 500/4L80E... of course VA doesn't care.

Are you moving to California Will?

Not any time soon. My girlfriend's son is in high school here and appears to have a legit shot at a college football scholarship, so we're here for the next 2 years.

I have, however, used "my car is illegal there" one of a raft of excuses why not... so now that's gone.

[AkursedX]

I forgot to mention this, but this car is owned by a guy in our local vw group. He had it out yesterday at a local gathering and I finally got to see it perform. Holy hell is it awesome.

Was - 97 B4V GLX VR6 Auto
Now - Built to the hilt ALH TDI, compound turbos, TDI geared audi TT trans/haldex, peloquins F/R, KW V3's, euro seats, among other things.

Driving it is interesting; it's only 15:1 compression so it has no balls off boost, it's like a 1.6NA diesel rabbit. Hit 1800rpm and it's waking up, a little after 2K it feels like someone rear ends you. With current tune in the ecu I have 50psi by 2800 and carry it to 6000rpm. Boosted launches with the awd controller turned on are brutal, I would bet every bit of a sub 5 sec 0-60. If I didn't have to shift to 3rd, could probably get damn close to a 4 flat.

[The Dark Side of Will]

And its a single cam, too!

[CincinnatiFiero]

They didn't go 16V until the 2.0Ls I don't think.

That car is bad ass.