1993 300 CE or 1993 E320?
11-30-2011, 11:42 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
1993 300 CE or 1993 E320?
Stormtigers and found an anomoly in the vin of my car, it appears that my 93 cab has a 3.2 motor in it. Sounds like a mystery, so I wonder if anyone can point out the visual differences between the 3.0 and 3.2 motors, if there are any? Or, is there an id stamped somewhere on the engine block or head that will help determine the displacement?
Here's the vin if you want to see the detail. The has a build date of 12/92, which makes this even stranger...
WDBEA66E1PB910777
Thanks,
Bob
Here's the vin if you want to see the detail. The has a build date of 12/92, which makes this even stranger...
WDBEA66E1PB910777
Thanks,
Bob
11-30-2011, 12:11 PM
#2
Member
Thread Starter
No mystery, actually. As of October of 1992 the 3.2 motors started going into the cabriolets. Mine was built in December so I have a legitimate 300 CE with a 3.2 in it.
11-30-2011, 06:14 PM
#3
Ahhh Grasshopper when you burn your wrists on the glowing hot dragon pot one gets enlightenment, not too mention lots of pain !
Yeah it is an interesting one Bob - seems there are a few floating around but still to my mind, they are in a pretty elite category being a hybrid of 2 vehicles !
But seeing that the didn't make that many cabriolets in the first place and being that "in-between" mix of the two models I would think makes them all the more collectible ! (I want one toooo ! )
On one side they have all the bits and pieces of the 300CE but on the powertrain side they have the extra get up and go of the E320 !
One thing I think important we have gleaned from this though is that when you go shopping for bits relative to powerplant/transmission you will be looking for E320 3.2 engine parts and not 300CE 3.0 engine parts.
To quote from wikipedia :
Mercedes launched a cabriolet (convertible) version in Europe in 1991, the 300 CE 24V, and in the UK (RHD) and Japan (LHD), the 320CE, and North America, the 300CE, in 1992. These versions were re-designated as the E320 in 1993, complemented by the less powerful, but less expensive E220 in 1993, and the mainland-Europe-only E 200 in 1994. Mercedes brought the E320 cabriolet (convertible) to the USA and Japan from 1993 to 1995.
I have asked a mate in the UK to keep his eye's out for some 320CE badges as I think a couple of guys are interested in badging their cars that way.
So IMO you lucked out ! Thought you were buying a 3.0 after you missed out on the E320 in Chicago and still sort of ended up with an E320 anyway !
Go Figure !
Yeah it is an interesting one Bob - seems there are a few floating around but still to my mind, they are in a pretty elite category being a hybrid of 2 vehicles !
But seeing that the didn't make that many cabriolets in the first place and being that "in-between" mix of the two models I would think makes them all the more collectible ! (I want one toooo ! )
On one side they have all the bits and pieces of the 300CE but on the powertrain side they have the extra get up and go of the E320 !
One thing I think important we have gleaned from this though is that when you go shopping for bits relative to powerplant/transmission you will be looking for E320 3.2 engine parts and not 300CE 3.0 engine parts.
To quote from wikipedia :
Mercedes launched a cabriolet (convertible) version in Europe in 1991, the 300 CE 24V, and in the UK (RHD) and Japan (LHD), the 320CE, and North America, the 300CE, in 1992. These versions were re-designated as the E320 in 1993, complemented by the less powerful, but less expensive E220 in 1993, and the mainland-Europe-only E 200 in 1994. Mercedes brought the E320 cabriolet (convertible) to the USA and Japan from 1993 to 1995.
I have asked a mate in the UK to keep his eye's out for some 320CE badges as I think a couple of guys are interested in badging their cars that way.
So IMO you lucked out ! Thought you were buying a 3.0 after you missed out on the E320 in Chicago and still sort of ended up with an E320 anyway !
Go Figure !
11-30-2011, 07:51 PM
#4
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1966 250SE Cab, 1985 500SE Euro, 1985 190e 2.3-16 AMG, 1986 300E LeMons Car
You got the M104. Only downsides are leaking headgaskets and you got the biodegradeable wiring harness. But you also got more power!
11-30-2011, 08:25 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
I am really happy to report the head gasket service is in the books as well as a replacement wiring harness. But, I have spent bucks on the hydraulic cylinders (rebuilt them all) and a front crank seal and now an alternator swap. (It was not caught by my pre sale inspectors so I am a little sore about that but its already replaced with and OEM unit.)
Right now I have a shop trying to re-connect a stock Becker radio into the car (for originality sake, I am not a car audio junkie) and while doing that they have discovered a lot of audio butchery, so I probably should just go aftermarket but I'm just stubborn and want to see it through. They noted the speaker connections from the trunk amp to the speaker wiring harness has been cut and discarded. I sent a note to Becker Autosound but if that dead ends I guess I'll go with the boring but modern Nakamichi.
I should know by tomorrow.
And I would like to get a hold of a 320 CE badge for sure.
Cheers,
Bob
Right now I have a shop trying to re-connect a stock Becker radio into the car (for originality sake, I am not a car audio junkie) and while doing that they have discovered a lot of audio butchery, so I probably should just go aftermarket but I'm just stubborn and want to see it through. They noted the speaker connections from the trunk amp to the speaker wiring harness has been cut and discarded. I sent a note to Becker Autosound but if that dead ends I guess I'll go with the boring but modern Nakamichi.
I should know by tomorrow.
And I would like to get a hold of a 320 CE badge for sure.
Cheers,
Bob
