Possible Modifications to 1991 300ce?
Super Member
Joined: May 2003
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From: Boise, ID, USA
300D, 500E, E420
Yep, this is why I keep saying that for a street-driven car, you really don't wanna go much below 14.0" from wheel center to fender lip, front & rear, with full tank of fuel. I consider ~13.5" to be the limit of daily-driveability. That's why I ended up using 400E Sportline springs to raise the front of my 300D to ~14.0 as it was ~13.75 with the tallest (#30) Sportline springs. And it's why I use Sportline springs instead of aftermarket... you have multiple springs to choose from, to dial in the ride height. Can't do that with aftermarket springs. 
The other fun thing is when you bump into something hard, and your lower radiator support gets pushed in... making the lower splash panel mounting holes not line up, and in severe cases pushing the radiator into the fan with predictable consequences. BT, DT.
You can get away with a slammed car if you have billiard-table-smooth roads where you live, and/or you are insanely careful while driving, but that gets old real fast. The tires-inside-the-fenders look is best reserved for show cars that move around on trailers.
The other fun thing is when you bump into something hard, and your lower radiator support gets pushed in... making the lower splash panel mounting holes not line up, and in severe cases pushing the radiator into the fan with predictable consequences. BT, DT.
You can get away with a slammed car if you have billiard-table-smooth roads where you live, and/or you are insanely careful while driving, but that gets old real fast. The tires-inside-the-fenders look is best reserved for show cars that move around on trailers.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,491
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From: Vancouver, BC
Enzo, my Benzo
Now I'm curious to measure MY ride height...been driving this car (that's lower than any of my previous sports cars) for 10 years. While I've learned how to drive it everywhere, it's still annoying to have to limit rear passengers to one or MAYBE 2 in such a big sedan haha!
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 330
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1987 300E, 1995 C280
alternator is good! ended up being a battery.. charged fine, but smelled.. guessing it was boiling.. stuck a interstate megatron in there..
gonna take out the alternator to change the regulators, and give it a good cleaning..
but every damned thing seems to be leaking >.>
and all my friends are into the lowered crap.. i'd rather pay for a well built clean sound system than lowering my car like that.. (i do plan on lowering it sportline height or maybe about an inch)
they run some STIFFFFFFF *** coils.. have no ideas what their bearings look like and go crying when they hear squeel squeel squeel...
gonna take out the alternator to change the regulators, and give it a good cleaning..
but every damned thing seems to be leaking >.>
and all my friends are into the lowered crap.. i'd rather pay for a well built clean sound system than lowering my car like that.. (i do plan on lowering it sportline height or maybe about an inch)
they run some STIFFFFFFF *** coils.. have no ideas what their bearings look like and go crying when they hear squeel squeel squeel...
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2006
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1990 300ce 24v I6
Anyone interested in a barely used Koni Yellow + H&R Sport setup? I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to go back to stock :C I can't drive my car anywhere in my town, and I've cracked my exhaust hangers getting out of my driveway.
Edit: This SUCKS ***. The car handles perfectly like this. I hate that I'm going to have to give this up. **** NY and NJ and their **** public roads.
Edit: This SUCKS ***. The car handles perfectly like this. I hate that I'm going to have to give this up. **** NY and NJ and their **** public roads.
Last edited by Saijin_Naib; Apr 16, 2012 at 10:26 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 555
Likes: 1
88 W124 300CE
Anyone interested in a barely used Koni Yellow + H&R Sport setup? I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to go back to stock :C I can't drive my car anywhere in my town, and I've cracked my exhaust hangers getting out of my driveway.
Edit: This SUCKS ***. The car handles perfectly like this. I hate that I'm going to have to give this up. **** NY and NJ and their **** public roads.
Edit: This SUCKS ***. The car handles perfectly like this. I hate that I'm going to have to give this up. **** NY and NJ and their **** public roads.
Can't you just come back up a fraction to get that driveway clearance ?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
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1990 300ce 24v I6
He's informed me I can keep the Koni Yellows with whatever springs I decide to use, so I'm going to keep them.
For the Springs, I'm trying to see if I can find the firmest/tallest one Sportline made so I can do dirt racing again haha. Rather be that high up and able to race than slammed and confined to my driveway
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,246
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From: North NJ
94 Wagon and 94 Cabriolet
You won't regret this move and will like your car more when you can just enjoy it.
The only regret I have is the cost I spent going "low" before moving to Sportline height. But without the experience, I'd look at the lower cars and drool. Now, I understand the tradeoffs.
I still fly photos of mine all the way lowered, so photo yourself up before the change.
The only regret I have is the cost I spent going "low" before moving to Sportline height. But without the experience, I'd look at the lower cars and drool. Now, I understand the tradeoffs.
I still fly photos of mine all the way lowered, so photo yourself up before the change.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,968
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1990 300ce 24v I6
You won't regret this move and will like your car more when you can just enjoy it.
The only regret I have is the cost I spent going "low" before moving to Sportline height. But without the experience, I'd look at the lower cars and drool. Now, I understand the tradeoffs.
I still fly photos of mine all the way lowered, so photo yourself up before the change.
The only regret I have is the cost I spent going "low" before moving to Sportline height. But without the experience, I'd look at the lower cars and drool. Now, I understand the tradeoffs.
I still fly photos of mine all the way lowered, so photo yourself up before the change.
Well, I probably should have listened to everyone, but you know, youthful exuberance and all that :\
I've got the one set of photos and I plan to AutoX it at least once so I can feel how it is, but after that, its Koni + Sportlines for me.
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
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1990 300ce 24v I6
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Massachusetts
2018 GLE350, 2014 G550, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8, 1995 E320 Cabriolet
Anyone interested in a barely used Koni Yellow + H&R Sport setup? I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to go back to stock :C I can't drive my car anywhere in my town, and I've cracked my exhaust hangers getting out of my driveway.
Edit: This SUCKS ***. The car handles perfectly like this. I hate that I'm going to have to give this up. **** NY and NJ and their **** public roads.
Edit: This SUCKS ***. The car handles perfectly like this. I hate that I'm going to have to give this up. **** NY and NJ and their **** public roads.
One thing I have noticed, however, is that the H&R springs for the sedan and coupe seem to lower the car more than the ones they make for the Cabriolet (they are a different part number). My car is fitted out like your with 4 bump pads up front and 3 bumps in the back and yet it sits much higher than yours as estimated by photos. It seems to be somewhere halfway between your car's height and Sportline height. This makes sense since the Cabriolet suspension has 1 inch less suspension travel possible dues to the need for the left strut tower "vibration absorber".
Good luck with your car. I think that, given what I have observed about the H&R springs for the sedan/coupes, I would go Sportline springs, with the shortest spring pads (probably 2 bump front, 1 rear) and see how you like that. Food for thought.
Thread Starter
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1990 300ce 24v I6
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
1990 300ce 24v I6
I just finished up reworking a map I made for a paper I published last year to submit for a conference tomorrow. I hope I win! I'll get an iPod Touch I can sell to pay down some of the money I owe my father for the car repairs haha.
What is your excuse for being up these nights? Your kid shouldn't be keeping you up at this age, right?
Yeah, I know, I know. I've tried to stay in my little sandbox here and not derp all over the place
Night mattimer
What is your excuse for being up these nights? Your kid shouldn't be keeping you up at this age, right?
Yeah, I know, I know. I've tried to stay in my little sandbox here and not derp all over the place
Night mattimer
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 555
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88 W124 300CE
Hey Saijin and Flooby - did you guys see I gave your rides a showing in the little website I created ? Hope you don't mind ! 
Coupes 'n Cabs
Coupes 'n Cabs
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,968
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1990 300ce 24v I6
Got bored, put some decals on the car. They make me laugh a bit. I'm hoping that with the H atom on the gas cap, I can trick my school's parking officers into letting me use the LEV/ULEV parking haha.
If I had a DeLorean....
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 24
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From: Lennox CA.
94 E420, 1963 Turbo VW Bug
WOW!!! cant believe i read this hole thread lol, but i would like to say i did learn a lot about everything you guys had to say on here headlights, HID's ext, especially about the sports-line suspension and how not to go to low and just have it at the right height, and Saijin_Naib that rear view mirror oh man that is a nice up grade thanks everyone for all the info on this thread.
