Helllooo ladies and gentlemen. It's been a long time coming that I've been wanting to do a 'fun' Mercedes project and in virtual tradition of Mercedes coupes being given a 'black' edition, I've decided to do my own version of a black edition R171....but with a highly modified M156 ("63" motor) as the powerplant.

The M156 motor is a beast indeed. As the first V8 built completely by AMG it pushes 525hp in it’s stock form in the late model S and CL motors. Dual overhead cams mixed with 4-valves per cylinder scream race quality compared to the single overhead cam and 3-valve motors of the late generation ‘55’ motors. (I have a CLS55 so I’m not bagging on it).

With the fuel regulations being imposed in America and fuel costs around the world creeping upwards, it is truly a sad day that this wonderful powerplant is perhaps the largest displacement production-performance motor that AMG/Mercedes will EVER put put. Recent reports are that new generation performance AMG motors will be of smaller displacement (5-5.5L) and utilize turbos to gain power while maintaining fuel efficiency.

As such, it is only fitting to give this wonderful powerplant a good ‘leg stretching’ and really give it a good run through race-level modifications before it goes into the history books.

This thread will be a journal towards the modifications I go through not only on my M156 motor, but also the smallest modern chassis I could squeeze it into. A convertible top was an absolute requirement for me in this endeavor.

You’ll watch the transformation of a M156 engine and ultimately a stock R171 chassis as it gets turned into an absolute monster. Normal aspiration was chosen to pay homage to the original engine design...but wait till it starts spinning as the internals get swapped for titanium.

There will be many things that need to be custom, but the amount of expert-level skill and talent here in Southern California to accommodate such tasks is available.

Stay tuned as I report on the progress of this project which initially require replacing vital moving organs of the motor to titanium and the bulky airbox into a masterpiece of trumpets with independent throttle bodies feeding each cylinder.

First pictures are just components of this wonderful motor after initial teardown.

 

Subscribed, you need to post this on the E63 forum. This will get the most attention there, when it comes to the upgrade work your doing on the engine.

 

Awesome project!

To rebuild a 6.3 AMG engine and install it in an SLK 171 chassis is an amazing concept. What will be even more amazing is getting 800 hp from the 6.3 AMG N/A engine. You will definitely need one Hell of an intake system and a lot of compression. Good luck bro!

 

I look forward with great anticipation to reading about your progress. I'm 62 years old and my moding days are over. Thanks for sharing your project with us.

 

........Don't forget the brakes...and maybe a parachute.Everyone wants to go a million miles per hour...nobody wants to stop.

 

Yeah, he should think of using the SLK 55 with upgraded 030 Performance Package brakes and suspension as his platform of choise. That car can barely even handle 400hp much less double that!

 

Slk55 setup is far from being good enough to handle what I'm planning on doing. Low level bolt-on gear isn't likely to make the cut for most components.

Drivetrain, suspension, brakes, and modifications for fitting more rubber are going to be addressed properly. Those are just a couple of the many problems that need to be addressed when cresting certain horsepower barriers....and I plan to address them all .

When I start getting head-flow numbers back from testing valves then I'll make a post on the E63 forum.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

Prostock perhaps?

I would love to see an SLK tubbed and gutted. That little thing would fly!

Are you building the chassis for a specific type of track like 1/4 mile drag or road course?



TTAMG has a project to twin turbo a 6.2L M156 and make over 1000 hp. Unfortunately, like most of the custom built AMG engine projects on this forum, his has been a year in the making. Hopefully his project will be completed this year. Below is the link to his thread..

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk63-bla...bout-time.html

 

Never seen that picture of that 'gullwing'.

This car isn't going to be built for drag although I'd imagine it would end up somewhat capable of doing so. Running prostock times is definitely not going to be happening .

The chassis will be designed more towards being capable on a road course rather than drag. While heavily race-inspired and surely hitting racetracks, I'm leaving a few creature comforts like air conditioning intact. I still want to use it for fun up in the canyons on occasion.

I traded a few messages with TTAMG about his build as I was considering going a similar route. Seems like a good guy but unfortunately I believe that project is scrapped. Perhaps a boosted 63 will be my next build after this one

 

Yeah, that Gullwing is very tuff. Too bad it has a chevy engine in it!

Sounds great bro! Good luck with your project and I look forward to see your progress.

 

The "largest displacement" Mercedes performance motor was the 6.9 in the 450SEL 6.9 of James Hunt fame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_450SEL_6.9

 

haha, I thought someone would comment how the original 63 was slightly larger or that AMG had the 6.8 red pig. Didn't even think about the 450's. Perhaps I should just say production AMG instead of bothering to include.

 

In 1995 and from 1998 to 2001 AMG sold an extremely rare SL73 AMG with a 525 bhp 7.3 V12 which was the most powerful engine ever put into an SL up to that time.

 

Few more pics of some of the guts. About to get some extensive headwork done...

Full Titanium valve train anyone? The guides that you see will need to get punched out and replaced with custom guides that can withstand titanium valves. No simple coating and refitting here!

Flow testing results to follow...

 

Good luck

 

Many people have attempted this project and ended up abandoning it. I hope you go through it all the way and produce the first high hp 63 engine

 

Titanium valves, retainers and keepers – are you doing away with its hydraulic lash compensators?

You’ll be well above 9000 rpm to trot those normally aspirated ponies out that displacement.

 

Good luck with the build!

 

Oi ! Or is that oi vey ? If you're having custom pistons made, it might be prudent to get a matching set of lower compression made at the same time for when you do go F/I. Sweet project !

 

Quick update. Still waiting for parts to do a full porting. Initial porting increased flow by more than 5%. Will have to get all the titanium parts in before doing it again.

As awesome as these engines come from the factory. There's still a lot left

 

I was wondering what was going on..Keep us posted!

 

what's happen where is update?

 

My own laziness. need to get cams over to my head guy and just haven't found the time to get over there . Guess i'll take it as motivation to get it over there. haha

 

 

How’s it coming along?