Hey FTE, if you plan on collecting on that bet you better do it soon! I've been picking away at all the little "detail" stuff and am getting pretty close to being ready to fire this thing up. I haven't been posting pictures or progress reports because so much of the stuff I've been doing is so small and boring, but the list is getting pretty short.

Here's the list of what I've finished up over the last month or so:
1) oil and tranny coolers, including mounting and all the hoses
2) power steering including mounting the remote reservior and customizing the lines
3) secondary oil filter mount and plumbing
4) electric fuel pump, fuel filter, and plumbing
5) electric cooling fan modified and mounted
6) remaining exhaust pieces all fabbed and mounted
7) pieces spliced and fit together to make a couple of unique radiator hoses
8) figured out all the routing & connections for the rest of the wiring

So, here's the list of what's left:
1) wiring is all sorted out - just need to clean it all up (mainly shorten & re-splice a bunch of the wires), and install new battery cables.
2) vacuum system is most of the way done (for the front axle and the heater controls) - just need to mount the reservior tanks and run a few more lines
3) battery tray - probably going to have to make one custom
4) put couple of clamps on the exhaust to finish it up
5) get a longer rear driveline
6) get a shorter front driveline
7) reinstall the front axle
8) put the front panel/grill/bumper/headlights back on

I'll continue to put in a couple of hours after work a couple of days a week on it, and then if I can just get in a couple of good days on weekends, it should be about ready to roll. God willing and the creek don't rise, it should be ready to drive by the end of the month!

So like I said, if you plan on collecting on our bet (first one to drive all the way to the other guy's house) then you better make plans on a road trip REAL SOON - or else I'm gonna' be knocking on YOUR door first!

 

No prob! I would like to get up there, but haven't had the chance. So far I have logged @ 3000 mi on my rig, mostly back and forth to work and running around. The next chunk of time I get I need to drive out to Walla Walla to see my folks, so as you can see spare time is far and few between. I also added to the pile, I just picked up a Ranger pu for the next transplant, so I need to pull the head off the first benz motor and see if it is fixable, did you say you might have a spare piston? I think I have sorted out all of the little issues and like it more every time I drive it (I wish it was a stick) that said for an automatic it is fine, I just never cared for auto's. I guess thats the trucker in me! BTW the ranger will be a stick. Can't wait to see your rig!

 

Yeah, I have a motor with at least one or two hammered rod bearings, but the pistons and rods should all still be usable with replacement bearings, and at least a couple of them very well may be OK with the bearings that are in them.

So you gonna' put an AX-15 in that Ranger? That ought to be pretty sweet. Does it have enough radiator to firewall space for the OM617? I know most of them came with either an I-4 or a V6, but both of those are quite a bit shorter measured from bellhousing to crank pulley...

 

I am going to try and use the m5r1 thats in it first, if that won't work I plan on a t5. Yes it is a little tight but there is alot more room foreward of the core support. I have done alot of measuring and it will be alot easyer than the jeep was. I am going to use a 240 flywheel.

 

So, I guess the plan is to mod the core support and mount the radiator in front of it to get another 4"-6" of space?

I have the full "kit" for a 240D 4-speed conversion (flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, TOB, pedals, shifter, linkages, etc.). I know most folks who've done a 4-speed conversion on a 300D using the flywheel from a 240D have had vibration issues but it still seems to be an open question whether that is due to the flywheel or something else in the drivetrain. It will be interesting to see if you have the same problem. That should answer the question of whether or not the flywheel is the cause of the vibes, once and for all...

 

The motor fits without moving the rad(barely) minus the fan. I plan on using the benz electric fan in front of the rad. I scored on the flywheel,bell etc at the pic&pull the other day,they had TWO!! I will match ballance the flywheels.

 

Well, I FINALLY fired it up for the first time today!

Had to use a gas-soaked rag over the intake manifold opening to get it to light off the first time, and a few more times until the fuel system got its final prime. Stumbled a bit at first but then after just a few minutes it smoothed right out. Looks like all my wiring is good, it cranks starts and shuts down with the key, just like it should.

All that's left is to put the front axle back under it, lengthen the rear driveline and possibly shorten the front one, put the front end (grill, headlights bumper, etc.) back on and she's ready for a test drive! God willing I should be able to finish pretty much all that (except maybe the front driveline) this coming weekend!

I AM STOKED!

 

awesome, we now need video with audio......

you straight piping it or using some sort of muffler?

 

Stock muffler to start with. Probably a glasspack when I put the turbo on...

 

how does it sound? exhaust quiet? what about the engine noise?