The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Mercedes 280?
I was part of the Barbie and Ken team at thunderhill nov/09. We were in rented rx7's. I'm going to build up my own car for the 2010 races. Someone abandoned three rusty mid 70's mercedes 280's (w114) on a storage lot I own. I can probably build 1 decent car with them. Is it a novel enough car to gain entry?
As think any older mercedes is considered pretty cool by the judges.
You'd have a 99% chance of getting in with a W114, I'd say.
Sounds very cool.
KT
With a stupid engine swap, your chances for acceptance get even better!
I think it won't take long until I need an engine swap. I figure i'll go through all three original engines by the end of the first race, if not pre-race testing. The cheapest swap I can think of is a 4.6L ford modular engine and transmission from a $400 crown victoria. But I'm more interested in finding a cvt to use with a small engine. That's got to be stupid enough. A steam engine would be cool but I'm not very interested in a boiler. Seems like it would be heavy.
I think it won't take long until I need an engine swap. I figure i'll go through all three original engines by the end of the first race, if not pre-race testing. The cheapest swap I can think of is a 4.6L ford modular engine and transmission from a $400 crown victoria. But I'm more interested in finding a cvt to use with a small engine. That's got to be stupid enough. A steam engine would be cool but I'm not very interested in a boiler. Seems like it would be heavy.
The Ford 4.6 Modular has proven to be one of the most reliable Lemons engines, and it should fit- the W114's engine compartment is made to fit an OHC engine already.
Thank you. I'll be seeing you in scrutineering.
I think the OEM W114 engine would last no problem. I'd dump the Mercedes fuel pump though, my mother's new at the time 280 went though at least one fuel pump a year.
m110.921 = 160hp
ford 4.6L = 205hp minimum
ford parts are probably cheaper too.
I'll stick with the oem m110 engine as long as it lasts. But then i'll make a swap.
and here is the next 114 for Lemons, the newest lemon caged car by EGR, i really enjoyed building it, now i want one too!
It's a great cage, John. Thanks for doing it. I'm glad I sprung for the extra bars.
more great cage building from Evil Clint......
Heres an idea....................run a Porsche V8 and Mercedes transaxle automatic in one......it works for the estate quite nicely....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W114
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M110_engine
Assuming you have a later K jet engine...those make good power....170-185HP with similar torque..if you have a 4 speed manual then it should be a pretty solid Lemons racer!! I wouldn't change the engine unless its blown...but they did test fit a 928 V8 in this series of Mercedes to test it!!
while i had it on the lift, the tranny looked quite simular to the 928's, personally id choose to supercharge the twin can straight six, with a manual tranny and a porper 4 link rear end it would be a well wicked racer! lighter and just as powerfula s the v8ovlo
-clint
Change the semi-trailing arms to a 4 link???
I'm going to try to get the engine started this morning and see what i've got. I don't even know if it runs.
Just for the record, I've spent $17 so far towards the $500 budget. A guy abandoned this along with 9 other cars in my storage lot and I spend $170 on legal work to get rights to them. I figure $17 is the share to allocate to this one.
Besides that, the Evil Geniuses managed to defeat the trunk lock for me and discovered that the trunk was full to the brim with spare parts including some still in original boxes! I'll attach a photo of the loot from the trunk soon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W114
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M110_engineAssuming you have a later K jet engine...those make good power....170-185HP with similar torque..if you have a 4 speed manual then it should be a pretty solid Lemons racer!! I wouldn't change the engine unless its blown...but they did test fit a 928 V8 in this series of Mercedes to test it!!
Sorry, said the Mercedes nerd, but W114s were sent to America with a carbureted, low-compression version of the M110. Wikipedia (which, as we all know, never lies) says 143 horses, as opposed to 185 for European injected engines. Of course, it's still a Mercedes, which means brilliant engineering... and expensive parts. Look at it this way-- low compression= easier ghettocharging! I don't see any problem with the rear end, either-- the suspension design is pretty similar to the one in the BMW 2002.
I do like where this is going, though. I've always wanted a W114 for bombing around dirt roads. I still regret not buying a '69 250 with the earlier single-cam six and a four-speed for my first car.
armand4 I've got two more w114's. I'll sell you one.
choices, choices, choices.
icemang17 wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W114
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M110_engineAssuming you have a later K jet engine...those make good power....170-185HP with similar torque..if you have a 4 speed manual then it should be a pretty solid Lemons racer!! I wouldn't change the engine unless its blown...but they did test fit a 928 V8 in this series of Mercedes to test it!!
Sorry, said the Mercedes nerd, but W114s were sent to America with a carbureted, low-compression version of the M110. Wikipedia (which, as we all know, never lies) says 143 horses, as opposed to 185 for European injected engines. Of course, it's still a Mercedes, which means brilliant engineering... and expensive parts. Look at it this way-- low compression= easier ghettocharging! I don't see any problem with the rear end, either-- the suspension design is pretty similar to the one in the BMW 2002.
I do like where this is going, though. I've always wanted a W114 for bombing around dirt roads. I still regret not buying a '69 250 with the earlier single-cam six and a four-speed for my first car.
Sweet low compression engine stock...all the better for ghettocharging!!! With $487 left in his budget I'm sure he can find a junkyard turbo and have it fabbed up.....Evil Clint is DYING to ghettocharge a car!!!
If you can keep the weight under 3000lbs with driver and fuel and get a reliable 200whp you will have a contender....no doubt since winning Lemons racers are around 15.0-1 power to weight
As an owner of a K-Jetronic euro M110 car, I agree with the Ford 4.6L and a manual.
I've got a young guy (21) on my team who appears to be able to fabricate anything. He says he has had a welder in his hand every day since he was 14. He opened his own fab shop when he was 19. He is dying to replace the stock semi-trailing arm rear control arms with a fabricated double a arm arrangement. (The stock semi-trailing arm will give us toe-out oversteer on roll.) He wants to take the front uprights from a 4wd GMC Jimmy that is sitting around here and use them as the basis. He'll fabricate control arms. He says he can do it for about $200 when you consider the cost of the ball joints and rod ends he'll need. His labor is free. He just wants a chance to experiment, show what he can do, put a sticker for his shop on the car, and drive for us.
I like the idea but I'm reluctant to give the go ahead ... don't want to risk being considered a cheater. At the same time, I've seen the photos of the gnome (correction, angry hamster) build - serious milling work was done on some of those parts.
I understand the race series is a contest of whimsy, ingenuity, and do-it-yourselfism and not a contest of dollar spending. I'm afraid of turning this kid loose because what he builds will look like dollars were spent even though it is DIY.
I'm not going for outright wins - although that would be nice. I'm just doing this to have fun building and racing cars. I really want to fit with the character and spirit of the series.
Not sure which direction to go. Need advice.
He built all this stuff (except the engine in one of the photos): scroll up and down
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/show … ?p=4707846
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