Sportline upgrade on 93 Cabriolet
 

Hi all,
I started to investigate the Sportline suspension upgrade to my cabriolet and am very happy to report that the entire kit can be sourced new from Germany from Peach Parts. Every part including the Sportline badges for the fenders.

Q1: So, back in the day did cabriolets get the kit installed at the dealer or was this factory installed?

Q2: Is there any downside to install this it on a cabriolet? Does it affect the structural integrity of the dampening struts found throughout the cabriolet in a negative way?

In particular to the suspension only, here is the inventory of parts for Pelican.

Sportline II CE ( Not for vehicles with self leveling suspension )
1243213104 Springs, front X 2
2013210984 Shims 8 mm X 2
1243206830 Struts X 2
1293230744 Bump stops X 2
1243230192 Bellows X 2
1243237765 Sway bar X 1
1243235185 Bushings X 2
1243234685 Bushings X 2
1243300675 Front lower control arm bushing kits X 2
1243243304 Springs, rear X 2
2013251044 Shims 13 mm X 2
1243262700 Shocks X 2
1243261965 Sway bar X 1
1243260181 Bushings X 2
2018171320 Sportline Fender emblems X 2

Q3: Does this look like all the components for the Sportline upgrade, or were their other part swaps like tie rods or steering box or whatever.

Q4: Is there any reason I would want to keep the stock items from this swap for the provenance of the car?

Q5:n Down the road 20 years will this upgrade make the car less collectible or desirable since it is a post factory install?

Thanks,
Bob

Klobbr wrote:

I started to investigate the Sportline suspension upgrade to my cabriolet and am very happy to report that the entire kit can be sourced new from Germany from Peach Parts. Every part including the Sportline badges for the fenders.

Q1: So, back in the day did cabriolets get the kit installed at the dealer or was this factory installed?

Factory installed

Q2: Is there any downside to install this it on a cabriolet? Does it affect the structural integrity of the dampening struts found throughout the cabriolet in a negative way?

Since it will end up factory-right, it is not harmful.

Q3: Does this look like all the components for the Sportline upgrade, or were their other part swaps like tie rods or steering box or whatever.

List looks right, not sure I'd include the sportline emblems. On my wagon, I skipped the shifter and cladding emblems.

Q4: Is there any reason I would want to keep the stock items from this swap for the provenance of the car?

Depends on your storage space: but if you are thinking about provenance, keep all.

Q5:n Down the road 20 years will this upgrade make the car less collectible or desirable since it is a post factory install?

From a collector standpoint, bone stock is the best option. Buyers will assume you did the suspension work for a (bad) reason.

And to add an opinion:

I converted my wagon and Cabriolet to Sportline suspension, even did the seats in the wagon. However, if I was "at all" thinking about resale/provenance, I would not have done this work.

You A124 is unique enough that I would keep it stock if I were you. The Sportline suspension enhancements have their most value when driving the car hard...how often do you do that?

Thanks!
 

I just thought of another question, did MB offer the Sportline upgrade on 1993 cabriolets?

There is a special Sportline Steering Box.

There are also installation kits for the shocks, front LCA's (the whole LCA is a Sportline feature and includes different steering geometry, you may need a different idler arm too to go with them), Steering box, rear suspension bushes as well as subframe bushes. If you don't go MB Genuine I'd be very surprised if you ended up with a quality kit. We already know LCA bushes are assembled incorrectly by some suppliers. Be careful!

Won't be driving hard...
 

...like track day hard, but we do drive the car with a full load on the weekends through some nice midwestern 2 lane twists at 70 mph speeds. Not looking for a harder or lower ride, just a quicker suspension if you know what I mean. 2 weeks ago I think we are bottoming out the rears on occasion as well in the dips. That's when I started searching out the list. Ad we started buying the bulk of the beer when we got to the lake, not beforehand!

I was looking into just replacing the stock struts and shocks and then thought of the Sportline system, which per Pelican is not as expensive as I thought it would be. Its expensive, but not vintage Ducati expensive:D

Good points--I guess I need to think about it some more. I would hate to put this car's future value into any negative trajectory by doing this.

Would love to hear more opinions on the subject, since one of you folks here could end up being the next owner down the road:y

Bob

WDB is right- add steering box ($600+ new) and steering wheel ($600+ new) to make it a Sportline.

Steering box is a bummer
 

...but good to know. Thanks.

I think it may be best for you to consider the basics and settle for not having a complete Sportline set up. I would not be inclined to change the steering system LCA's etc, as I think it might be all incompassing and you will effectively end up with all new parts, very expensive. Bushes, Springs, Shocks with the mounting kits should be safe and a nice improvement. I am not so sure it would devalue the car, I for one would be more interested in a car like that (with Genuine MB Parts) than a standard non Sportline car........

I agree. What about Sportline wheels?
 

I think once I get the funds I will put this Sportline stuff on the car less the badges, steering wheel, steering box and other.

Seems odd that MB did all this and then kept the standard 15" 8 slot wheels.

Were there ever any Sportline wheels or just the AMG upgrades of the period?

Sportline wheels were wider as were the tyres, together with a lower profile.

There was a factory option for 16'" wheels for the Sportlines too, although I haven't seen a car with them fitted. They had a 46 mm offset IIRC.

I'm pretty sure the coupes and cabrios didn't get the faster steering box, although the got the steering wheel.. I can't recall where I read that.

The faster steering box was only on the sedans and wagons.

Here they did.

W124Performance Wheel Chart
 

Full credit to w124performance.com for this awesome wheel chart.

Find it here:
http://www.w124performance.com/image...heel_chart.jpg

What a nice visual reference for fitting all sorts of period correct wheels to these cars.

long since sold box, but useful info:

https://mbworld.org/forums/suspension-braking/341418-fs-w124-sportline-steering-box-300e-300d-e320.html

Thanks!
 

One more anomoly for the cabriolet to think about. Sigh.

Yes the last two in the 8 hole table is what you want, one is painted the other is as machined and clear coat. Alloy Wheel Direct have them, MB-Genuine, new.

Kit ordered, new thread coming in around 14 days.

what did it cost all together?:)

Sportline II kit cost...
 

I just went over the invoice again, I bought some other parts from them as well.

The kit totals out to $2398.30 shipped to my installer

That parts for the kit is listed up above. I also asked them about the Sportline Shift knob and although MB listed it for 100 bucks they are no longer available.

You got an airbag in that thing Bob ?

I know I am gonna get in trouble with Mrs Klobbr for posting these to you.

Original W124 CABRIOLET Sportline steering wheel about $400 US

http://bilder.afterbuy.de/images/592...nkradbis94.JPG

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mercedes-E-Kl...item3a70abd429

AND

W124 Sportline Gear Knob/Shaft
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7733/img0026lv.jpg
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mercedes-Benz...ht_3917wt_1209

Bob, that steering wheel is to die for,. My Cab has a really nice wood wheel, and I love it, but if that is an original Sportline sized wheel, it would cap off this work incredibly, you would notice it each time you drive.

The shifter? not so interested, I did not do shifter or fender labeling. But agree with this level of conversion, they would not be inappropriate. The wheel above...I paid just about the same, and would choose that one if I had the choice when doing the work.

The wheel is great, but what about the airbag?
 

My steering wheel is like the Comfort wheels, first two in the main pic, so my airbag cover would fit those, but what about the actual SportLine wheel?. Not sure how this works out, but that is a great looking wheel for sure. Seems like they wont fit my 93. And they don't come with an airbag or cover???

In any case, it looks like the Comfort wheel was at least used in this Final Edition Cab found on the Classics Center website.
http://newsroom.mercedes-benz-classi...icles/?cid=172

Cool color combination, too.

This is a genuine Sportline 124 Cabriolet wheel sold new in NZL. It is the same as the one on that Cabbie at the Classic Centre. If anyone has a genuine one of these in top condition I will pay very well for it!

Not too sure that gear leaver is a genuine Sportline one either, it looks to me as if the badge has been inserted into an existing non Sportline gearlever - rebadged if you like.
I have an original Sportline one spare, not too sure if I want to sell it, but could be persuaded if I could find a proper Sportline steering wheel in top condition, just like the one in the picture and on the MB site........

I've seen two sportline shifters for automatics, too.
 

The one Stormy posted looks like it is missing a chrome collar on the bottom, I can't imagine MB would leave it that untidy. The other I saw in a 2010 thread showed one like you describe, with the badge inset into the leather.

I agree, from many pictures that the inset version seems to be for real.:)

I take it the "silivering" of the star logo in the center of the cover on the pic you posted is painted by hand, right?