1984 Mercedes 190E 16V

The Parts Car

2012-04-03T04:05:20Z

Well, if you have a vintage vehicle in need of restoration and in pieces and with boxes of parts that you hope equal one whole, then you need a parts car. If you want to locate simple but impossible to find parts outside of Germany, then you need a parts car. If you don't know what you don't know, then you need a parts car. If you find a model of your vehicle in sorry state about to go to the crusher, you need a parts car. I need a parts car.

Slow Progress

2012-01-30T09:00:39Z

The mating of the chassis and motor is being done by a well-regarded shop in the area. The motor is completed, and the car is now ready for reunification. I stopped by to visit, and the car is approaching the bay in the shop where it will have the final leg of work completed. Not very much progress, but we are on the verge.....Stay tuned...

Chassis-Motor Proximity

2011-11-15T17:01:01Z

I am pleased to report that for the first time, the motor and the chassis are in the same zip code. In fact, they are now a few hundred feet from each other. With a little luck, they will be re-united in 2011. I borrowed a friend's trailer (with a winch) to get the chassis transported. The 190E is not a light car, even without the motor in it. The winch came in handy as we got the car relocated. There is now a formal possibility of a running vehicle in the (hopefully near) future...

Owner of a Lonely Heart

2011-09-20T17:50:00Z

Well, many months later, the engine work is actually completed. It sits on the engine stand all alone awaiting installation into the chassis which is some 50 miles away. The assembly job was a pain as it involved short stints of progress followed by long stints of waiting for parts. The timing chain gears are ridiculously expensive to add insult to injury. Next to it is the manifold and injection assembly. Although I had hopes of having the car move under it's own power this fall, that is probably not going to happen. I'm hoping for before year's end....

Motor Movement

2011-04-12T00:47:22Z

Behind the scenes, the motor has been liberated from the car and the block has been checked. The cylinder bores are right on target at first repair (96 mm), and the deck is flat. All of the pistons are also within specifications. This is very good news as one of them looked a little nicked up on one of the ring lands. Turned out to be ok. It would have been very difficult (not to mention expensive) to find a single ECE piston at first repair size (or even a set).

With the pistons and block ok, I went looking for a set of rings. The Euro sizes are different, and while you might be able to find stock sizes off the shelf, first repair is again a tough search. After being advised to send a piston out to one of the race shops like JE pistons, I came across Deves from one of the forums. A few measurements later, and they said I could have them in two weeks. They arrived and measured ok. The crank checked out ok after an emery cloth session, so now it is time for bearings and let the assembly begin...

A Delayed Arrival From Europe

2011-03-10T17:10:06Z

I have long been a fan of these Cosworth-engined cars even though they were overshadowed in their time by the E30 M3. This is a Euro 5 speed car with the motor in a state of partial rebuild. It is going to take some sorting out, but the body is in good shape and tolerable paint if it is a driver. The interior is the euro vinyl and cloth combo, but the driver's seat is pretty worn. Lots of work to do, and a lot of parts that came with it, so time to get the pieces inventoried and organized.