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new guy here

Started by delux68, 19 December 2005, 01:36 PM

delux68

Hi everyone, about 9 months ago my dad found a 79 300sd for me after I complained about my 93 probe gt giving me problems. I was not very excited about the car due to the fact that I worked as a valet and did'nt like driving the older benz's. Well fast foward to today and this car has really grown on me! I am suprised at how well it drives. It has 190k miles and is all original except for the radio.


This picture was taken in the keys on the way home from picking the car up.

I want to lower (slam) this car and replace the alloys with a set of stock steelies with hubcaps.


This is the look i am going for.

My first question to all of you is:
How do I lower this thing?
Give me the cheap way and the expensive way.
thanks

OzBenzHead

Quote from: delux68 on 19 December 2005, 01:36 PM... I am suprised at how well it drives.

Then why ruin the driving experience? The balance of ride, handling, and chassis tuning is what makes it such a great car to drive. Upset that balance too far and it'll just be another jalopy.

QuoteI want to lower (slam) this car ...
My first question to all of you is:
How do I lower this thing? Give me the cheap way and the expensive way.

Whatever approach you take, delux68, will prove expensive.
Take the cheap way - result: a heap of junk.
Take the expensive way - result: a costlier heap of junk.
Learn to appreciate superb engineering and save your money for ruining crap cars like the Probe.

Merry xmas!   :)
[img width=340 height=138][url="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png"]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png[/url][/img]

delux68

thanks for your opinion. i just like the lowered look on pretty much all cars, that and theres nothing else like like it. i like to be different.

Mforcer

I am far from being an expert but there are two relatively easy things you can do; the first being that at the top of the springs are rubber pads. These come in varying thicknesses and if you don't have the thinnest pads then you can swap them. Just remember that old pads will have worn over the years and a new thin pad may have the same thickness as a new thin pad. The second you can do is get new shorter and stiffer springs fitted. Doing either or both of these things will not lower the car to the same degree as shown in your linked photo but will be noticeably lower.

The more complex thing to do is to replace all suspension with airbags which will probably achieve the ultimate look you want. Just be aware that the rear axle is designed in such a way that performance and handling will be greatly reduced if the car is lowered too much. Take note of the rear wheels and the way they lean into the car. I have no experience here and have not seen it done on a W116 either.

As you say you have a nice original car already, why don't you get yourself a cheap non-original car to have fun with lowering? That way you could do all sorts of different things to it and not regret later on. It is possible that your car has self-leveling suspension in the rear too and this will be an additional obstacle in lowering your car.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

OzBenzHead

Quote from: delux68 on 19 December 2005, 06:59 PM
i like to be different.

delux68: Nothing wrong with that - I like to be different, too - but driving a Benz (or four) is different enough for me in my burgh.  If you want to be "different", how come you want to do the same as the owner of that lowered W108? How different is that?

So many folk I know claim that the way they do things - dress, for example - is their way of being different, yet all they're doing is following a herd.

You might find some more specific advice on your project at the following forum, where some of the main posters (including the administrator and a moderator) are more into modifications to their 116s. The URL is http://www.bbfunplus.com/index.php?mforum=w116mercedesben.

Good luck with it - regardless of my opinions.    ;D
[img width=340 height=138][url="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png"]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png[/url][/img]

Denis

Hi delux68

That "lowered" W109 actually has a "broken" suspension. You cant lower a W116 substantially. Why ? the design of the rear suspension wont allow a major drop without a weird camber that makes the car dangerous to drive.

Still want to do it ?

OK, put an american Ford/Chevrolet live axle in the rear. ..or order hot rod parts from the USA : it will cost a lot but you get the look all right.

On the cheap side, buy an old camaro Z-28 and install everything you can from it into the W116. If you can weld and have a lot of friends to help, it might be cheap...

If you really like lowered cars, get a 1972 Ford Torino and work on that.

Good luck

Denis

delux68

wow! thanks everyone for your replys and the link. this is true, it is a nice example of an original, and one of about 4 that i have seen runnnig around the palm beach area the only one in light metallic blue. the wheels are painted and clean in the pic not polished but that would be nice if they were. it does have a sunroof which is also nice. i did change the wheels to a nice set of 16x8 enkei's with a polished lip and black center that resemble BBS wheels. i removed them last week because the front tires were too big and rubbed to much (225/60/16 all around).i am aware that the eample pic is "broken" and that i will have camber problem is the back. i like the stance of the bare metal car. i know that airbags is the way i want to go but thought there might be some other options. as for modifying a different car i do that too, i have four VW's that are either lowered or going to be in the future. a 68 bus, 71 super beetle, 73 thing, and a 86 golf. i do like the look of the 116 amg (especially the blue one) but i bet the parts are hard to come by and it is a diesel. maybe i could have the only amg diesel!

Mforcer

An AMG diesel W116 would certainly be a special car!
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

OzBenzHead

Quote from: delux68 on 20 December 2005, 03:07 PM... 73 thing

Now that sounds like an interesting vehicle.   ;D

Quote... maybe i could have the only amg diesel!

That would be different. Pehaps exchange the single turbo for twins?

My preferred look for a "hot" car is completely stock - a "Q-car". That way everyone thinks it's just another "aunty" and totally ignores it, meaning:
* cops don't hassle you with roadside defect checks - and you aren't driving a "marked car", known here as "copper bait";
* hoons don't try to drag-race you;
*vandals don't do petty-jealousy things like "key" the paintwork, "badge" the radiator emblem, or steal the wheels.

A wolf-in-sheep's-clothing kind of approach - or, if you prefer a less sheepish metaphor, Pegasus dressed in a colt's pelt.   ;D
[img width=340 height=138][url="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png"]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png[/url][/img]

Mforcer

Quote from: delux68 on 20 December 2005, 03:07 PM
i did change the wheels to a nice set of 16x8 enkei's with a polished lip and black center that resemble BBS wheels. i removed them last week because the front tires were too big and rubbed to much (225/60/16 all around).
I have 225/55-16 on 16x7.5 ET17 rims. 16x8 rims would also fit. What is the size and offset (ET) of your rims? The 'proper' 16" tyre for these cars according to AMG is 225/50-16.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

alabbasi

The picture in question is of a 300SEL which has air suspension, it is normally that low when the suspension is knackered and wont raise by itself. Your car is sprung so you can use lowering blocks or shorter springs.

With best regards

Al
Dallas, TX USA.

Mforcer

Quote from: styria on 21 December 2005, 01:20 PM
Hi all you bods in 116 land, there is no such thing as an AMG diesel going back to that era. So therefore, do not look for that classic vehicle that does not exist. Regards, Styria
We are not suggesting that AMG worked on diesel engines as such but I am sure that if a diesel owner asked AMG to do so then they would have. It would have been silly to have done so and spent the money on AMG kit rather than just buying a sportier MB to start with.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

delux68

i was just referring to the amg body/interior parts and the wheels. and speaking of performance is there anything i can do to make the 300SD quicker? as for the wheels i am not sure of the offset they have about a three inch lip on the front and about 4 inches from the center of the wheel to the outside edge on the back.

Mforcer

If your wheels are genuine MB wheels then they will have an offset around 25. It is not easy to measure offset based on rim lip depth. Any wheel with the correct bolt pattern and offset of 25 or lower will fit your car.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

delux68

well the wheels are not original MB, they are Enkei and they just happened to fit, i realyl dont know anything about them other than the size