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I am hopelessly smitten with the W211 AMG wagons. Unfortunately, there are very few of them around. I've read that there were only 143(?) of the E63s and 172(?) of the E55s imported to the US. That probably leaves 200-250 of them still on the road, and the prices definitely reflect that ($25k to $45k). On the other hand, there are tons of W211 wagons and E55/E63 sedans around.
So, what I'm wondering is if anyone has successfully ripped the guts (drive train, suspension, brakes, ECU, etc) out of a wrecked E55/E63 sedan and stuffed them into an E320/E350/E500 sedan or wagon, and, if so, how difficult/expensive was it?
I've been working on my own cars since I could drive and I've done just about every part of this operation at one time or another, so i feel like I have the experience to do it. I'm most concerned about the electronics.
i haven't looked into the legality yet, thanks for bringing it up, I hadn't really thought about it yet.
W212 M276 DELA 30 ; W211 M113k, W126 M117, W126 OM617, W211 OM642 ; R107 M117 X2, Sierra 1500 LZ0
Originally Posted by MBWagonNut
I've been working on my own cars since I could drive and I've done just about every part of this operation at one time or another, so i feel like I have the experience to do it. I'm most concerned about the electronics.
i haven't looked into the legality yet, thanks for bringing it up, I hadn't really thought about it yet.
If you live somewhere without annual emissions inspections, you should be fine. Simply register the car with the VIN on the chassis (as long as it's in good standing), they don't care if you did an engine swap.
I honestly feel this would be a cool project but the other part of me screams that this is something that is better off in the long run to just buy the AMG wagon.. Along with coding (which isn't bad), making sure wiring harnesses/connectors...etc. All that little crap to me would drive me nuts.
I don't think you'd have any issues with emissions/legal stuff because it's going off your VIN. So the VIN is going to say that you have Model XYZ...etc. Just because you drop in a new engine and trans and all various other things by default you still have that Model XYZ indicated by your VIN. IE: Putting AMG components in a non AMG car doesn't magically make it a different car. As long as your CEL isn't on or things like that, I don't see why you'd have an issue there.
Definitely seems like it would be a project, and most projects like this not only take lots of time but $$$$..lol
I don't think you'd have any issues with emissions/legal stuff because it's going off your VIN.
In CA it's a pain in the *** to do an engine swap like that. Lots of little hoops to jump through to make sure it's legal.
Many, many years ago I knew a guy with a BMW 2002 that swapped in a newer 6 cylinder out of a 3 series. It was a lot of work to get it legal and after it was done the car had to pass smog as if it was the series that the engine came out of.
A friend also did a Chevy LT1 swap into a Volvo 240. He had issues getting it legal but finally did after a lot of bull****.
Arg... I keep forgetting how strict CA is. Here in VA as long as you don't have a CEL on your dash you are good for the most part. My STi is completely catless/straight piped for the most part and every time it goes in for emissions it passes because they plug their computer into the OBDII port and all systems check OK. My car's tuned so they adjusted for all sorts of things.
I can't even image the BS that you go through for CA. I thank god that they don't have an actual smog test and actually look for certain things like that.
Have you gone this route? I recently sold my E55 and bought a e500 4 matic wagon and was looking maybe do a twin turbo project but this looks like a nice option if the price was a little bit better lol.
So I'm getting closer to actually moving forward on this, though I'm probably still several months away. My plan is to pick up a wrecked w211 e55 sedan and 2005 or 2006 e500 4matic wagon (with a bad engine if possible), tear them apart, and move all of the amg stuff over. I'm also considering going newer, like getting a 2009 e350 4matic wagon and 2009 e63 donor sedan. I think the 2009 has some amenities I'd like and the e63 has more horsepower, though I think the overall cost would go up $6k to $8k just to get the 2009 cars.
I do have one worry, will the 4matic be able to handle the horsepower? Anyone have input on that?
I'm sure someone wants to say just buy an AMG, but I passed up a 2009 amg wagon already, partially because it did not have all wheel drive, which I both really want and need. Also, the AMG is rare, to be sure, but I want to make something that is one of a kind. Does anyone else have a 4matic AMG 211 wagon? I don't know of one. I'm also hoping to eke a few more horses out of it in the process, but I might be spending more than enough and I'll probably spend more than a year on this before I'm done.
As a bonus, my kids are the right age that they are going to be able to be involved and learn a lot in this process.
You're better off using a RWD E320 body instead of an E500 4matic body. The 4matic has a different front subframe, floor pan and strut towers. Unless of course your goal is a 4matic AMG.
I've been fantasizing about the same thing, ever since buying my E500 wagon earlier this year. Now I have an E55 as well and would love to combine the M113k with space and 4matic of my wagon. I've been in touch with someone on Facebook who has very nearly completed this swap, and I'm anxious to see how reliable his wagon ends up.
I've been doing "labor of love" in the past, but looking back, I could spend my time better.
I don't know what is the obsession with 63 engine? Comparing newer engine, standard E350 from last few years has more HP than E55 AMG from 15 years ago, so you can get basically the same performance buying just newer car without hassle of doing the swap.
Common knowledge is that mechanical swap is easier part. Swapping computers usually is much harder.
There is TV show "Monkey garage" about shop who specialize in hot-rodding the cars. They swapped modern engine into older car and being top-end rebuilders they had to call car programmers from all over the country to make computer working. That was on US brand, while with MB you are going exotic.
I've been fantasizing about the same thing, ever since buying my E500 wagon earlier this year. Now I have an E55 as well and would love to combine the M113k with space and 4matic of my wagon. I've been in touch with someone on Facebook who has very nearly completed this swap, and I'm anxious to see how reliable his wagon ends up.
Thanks for the link, I was hoping someone had done or was doing this ahead of me. It's going to be very useful to have their experiences available when I tackle it.
You're better off using a RWD E320 body instead of an E500 4matic body. The 4matic has a different front subframe, floor pan and strut towers. Unless of course your goal is a 4matic AMG.
I'm likely going to buy a 2014 - 2016 E63S Wagon, which are all 4matic, sometime in 2019. I've decided that once under 80k mile cars get close to $40k I'm getting one. However, the 211 has its hooks in me that I don't think a newer one ever will, and I want to do this anyway. Besides, the new ones just don't have the road feel and feedback of the 211s, and there's something about the look of the 211 that seems nearly perfect to me.
Also, I want to paint it the Porsche 993 yellow, lol.
We do have W211 and W212 at home
Switching the car even wife always notice how W211 feels floating on the road, while W212 has crispy handling.
W211 has 16" wheels, W212 had 17"
I don't know what is the obsession with 63 engine? Comparing newer engine, standard E350 from last few years has more HP than E55 AMG from 15 years ago, so you can get basically the same performance buying just newer car without hassle of doing the swap.
First off, I would love to have an M156 in my W210 wagon. That would be a dream swap if I had the money to do it. I have both cars right now so it's possible, just not going to happen.
A 2016 E350 is rated at 302hp/273tq, that's a far cry from a W211 E55 that was rated at 469hp/516tq. Even the W210 E55 was 349hp/391tq.
So it is 302 HP from modern V6 v/s 349 from older AMG V8.
I had that AMG engine in ML55 and the performance wasn't there.
My new Ford dually has better kick , than ML from 16 years ago
Now would somebody find a way to install 440 HP/1000tq powerstroke in MB wagon, I am all ears
Since you brought up the new V6 vs the older V8: the 2016 E350 has 302hp, the 2005 E500 has 302hp. The 2016 E350 does 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, the 2005 E500 does it in 5.2 seconds. The V6 can't beat the torque of the V8, but also the new car is like 800lbs heavier. I'll take the 211.
To take it a little further, I could spend $70k on a new E450 (362hp) and it would only beat my E500 by 0.1 seconds 0-60. (5.1 seconds).
This is just comparing the E500, not even getting into the 211 E55s. I don't know about the 210 AMG, but the 211 V8s and AMGs took it to a new level and that's why people love them.
I know it is lovely to have high HP available, but what is the point?
Ken Block is having like 1600 HP in his modified Ford and for what he does - that makes sense.
I've been diesel guy most of my years and even driving 90 HP econo VW wagon - I was passing all the Brabuses, Corvettes and such on any long run.
I frequent Las Vegas - San Francisco route and with diesel I can make 560 miles without fueling, while I average +-80 mph. Here is 20 minutes gain on 7.5 hr driving right here since any V8 will have to make 1 fuel stop, if not more.
I know it is lovely to have high HP available, but what is the point?
Exactly! My E63 has way more power than needed for a daily driver. I'd rather drive my W210 wagon that has less than half the power, which I do. The E63 is fun as ****, but I don't want to drive it daily.
Originally Posted by MBWagonNut
What is the point of continuing to post comments that are, at best, tangential to the topic? If you aren't here to add something useful then please move along.
Just wait until you need his help...
There also isn't much technical talk in this thread. You're just posting about **** you want to do.
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