Modified version of Mercedes-Benz in the back of the W124 with a cool air suspension. Tuning Mercedes W124 Ambulance company Miesen Bonna on the chassis W124

02.07.2020

Body

Mercedes W124 - the legendary brainchild of the German concern, produced in 84-97. The 124th is the first representative of the E-series, distinguished by a recognizable appearance and outstanding, at that time, performance characteristics.
After improving the appearance, your car will acquire elegance

The body of the 124th was produced in 5 different variations: 4 and 5, station wagon, extended sedan and convertible. The car was equipped with gasoline and diesel engines with a capacity of 135-370 horsepower. Relevant to this day, this is one of the most popular versions of Mercedes in the secondary market.

In this article Mercedes. We will consider changing the exterior and interior of the car, soundproofing, upgrading the engine and brakes.

Tuning options for Mercedes W124

Official deliveries of the 124th Merce to the territory of Russia during the period of its release were not carried out, which did not prevent the car from becoming one of the symbols of the perestroika period. Professional tuning companies AMG and Brabus, whose representative offices are in major cities of Russia, but the cost of their services is comparable to the price of the 124th in the secondary market.

If the tuning of the Mercedes w124 is limited by the budget, we recommend that you pay attention to private car dealerships with a democratic price list, or you can upgrade the car yourself. Details for tuning the Mercedes 124 are widely represented in car dealerships, where you can find everything from exterior components - aerodynamic body kits and spoilers, to reinforced turbocharged engines.

Tuning for 124 Mercedes, based on the direction of modernization, is conditionally classified into two types - visual and functional. Owners who are interested in a radical alteration of the car combine them, and together with the improvement of the exterior, they replace or modify the working units and the mechanism of the car.

Decent car, for those who truly appreciate comfort

Complex tuning of the Mercedes 124 is implemented in the following areas:

Refinement of the interior - hauling, replacement of seats and steering wheel, modernization of the dashboard, soundproofing;
External tuning - windshield tinting, replacement of standard optics with xenon or LED, installation of underbody lighting, installation of alloy wheels;
Improving the aerodynamic characteristics of a car - installation of a spoiler, air intakes, body kits, a lightweight radiator grille;
Modernization of the engine - chip tuning, boring of cylinders, installation of a zero resistance filter and a sports crankshaft;
Modernization of brakes - replacement of brake drums with disk analogues;
Decreased vehicle clearance.

Mercedes tuning is variable - decide on the direction of modernization, purchase the required components and get to work.

Mercedes 124 exterior improvement

Chrome plated, silver color;
Black matte grilles.

There are also combined options in which the matte center is framed by a chrome edging. It makes sense to use standard components from modern German models. Chrome-plated grilles, suitable for w124 in size, are installed on cars E and CE class 300th model.

Matte grilles are sold in a tuning studio or in car dealerships, their cost is . rubles. In order to save money, such a grille can be made independently from a standard chrome-plated design. For this you will need:

Remove the factory chrome grille with fine-grained sandpaper;
Remove dust and degrease the surface;
Open the grate with 2-3 layers of acrylic primer;
After waiting for the primer to dry, paint the grille with black matte paint from an aerosol can (the number of layers is determined individually, it is important to get a rich black color).

Connoisseurs of business class cars recommend Mercedes W124 model

The coating is durable than factory powder paint, however, its cost is much lower.

To change the appearance and improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the car, it is rational to install new body kits on the Mercedes 124. These components are purchased separately or in sets that include:

Bumper pads;
"Eyelashes" on the headlights;
Side sills;
Spoiler or visor on the rear window.

Kits for the complete replacement of factory body kits, like 86-95 4DR from AMG Style, cost between 60-80 thousand rubles. Sets with decorative overlays to change the appearance of standard components - from 6 to 10 thousand. Keep in mind that tuning the Mercedes 124 Station wagon requires special body kits, because the rear bumper of the station wagon is wider than that of the sedan.

Modernization of the car exterior is incomplete without replacing the standard wheels with cast counterparts. On 124 Merc, without modifications to the wheel arches, discs with a size of 15 * 6.5 and an offset of 49 mm melt. Recommends to install disks under low-profile rubber standard 195/65R15. Low-profile tires improve the grip of the machine with the road surface and give a new feeling when driving at high speed.

Additionally, you can order the production of wheel locks - bolts with an individual head profile that prevent intruders from dismantling the car wheels. In the presence of locks, the wheel is unscrewed only with a key of the appropriate form.

Optics is an important component of the appearance of the car. We recommend replacing standard headlights with xenon or LED counterparts, such headlights are distinguished by high luminous flux and low power consumption.

Provides for their tinting, by staining or pasting with a film. We recommend using the film as it can be removed if necessary.

The film is glued without dismantling the optics from the body - the blank is cut to the size of the headlight, the surface of the optics is wetted with soapy water, after which a self-adhesive film layer is applied to it. Further, using a soft rubber spatula, the remaining water is expelled from under the material (movements from the center to the sides) and the film is leveled with a spatula under a stream of warm air from a hair dryer. Do-it-yourself taillight tuning is done in the same way.

Auto glass replacement

Improved tint W 124

Modernization of glasses 124 Merce is carried out in two directions:

Factory glass replacement;
Dimming regular windows tinted.

When implementing each of them, you may encounter related problems. Glass tinting is regulated by the requirements of the traffic police, according to which the permissible percentage of front glass tinting is 30% (the light transmission of the windshield is at least 70%). Exceeding this norm is fraught with a fine of 1 thousand rubles. The actual percentage of tinting is measured at a stationary traffic police post using Blik devices.

Important: according to the technical regulations for a windshield with a width of not more than 140 mm, located in the upper part of the front glass, with a light transmission of less than 70%. on, which is dismantled on the spot at the request of the traffic police inspector, is also not the reason for issuing a fine.

Electrochromic auto dimming allows you to change the dimming level at the touch of a button. The film is a colorless two-layer material, between the layers of which are placed conductive crystals. When voltage is applied to the crystals, they are polarized and the film becomes transparent; without applied voltage, the crystals have a dark color, providing a standard tinting effect.

A similar result is obtained by installing double windows on a car, one of which is transparent, the second is tinted. The position of the windows is regulated by separate lifts, the installation of which requires a serious alteration of the door. The cost of double glazing doors - from 20 thousand.

Eliminate the problem of icing in the winter allows a film for heating the windshield - a transparent material, inside which current-carrying threads are integrated. The film is powered by the onboard electrical system of the machine. The cost is from 500 to 1 thousand rubles.

If the car is insured under the Casco contract and mechanical damage has occurred to the glass, you can demand financial compensation from the insurance company for its replacement.

Replacement of glass according to Casco is paid for in the following cases:

When breaking glass;
With the formation of cracks and chips on it.

The amount of damage leading to insurance payments is determined by the representative of the company on an individual basis.

Unusual and practical Mercedes W 124 engine

It is rational to start upgrading the 124 Merc motor with chip tuning, which consists in changing the factory firmware of the drive control unit. Chip tuning allows you to increase the engine torque, its acceleration characteristics and maximum power without a significant increase in fuel consumption. This tuning demonstrates high efficiency in the modernization of cars with diesel engines.

By contacting a specialized car dealership, you can carry out a mechanical refinement of the power unit. To increase its functional characteristics, the following is performed:

Replacing the piston block with a lightweight analogue;
Installation in atmospheric or turbine;
Replacing the factory air filter with a filter with zero resistance;
Installation of a sports exhaust pipe with a double ramification.

With a significant increase in engine power, it will additionally be necessary to strengthen the engine compartment by installing reinforced spars (suitable from the E500 model) and soundproofing the engine shield from the engine side.

Improved interior design of the Mercedes W124

When changing the interior of the car, the interior of the Mercedes 124 is initially reupholstered. This German represents the business class, and when replacing worn-out seat upholstery, the steering wheel or the entire interior, it is rational to use premium materials - leather or alcantara.

If work has been done to increase the power of the engine, or you are a fan of dynamic driving, it makes sense to replace the factory seats and steering wheel with sports counterparts.

Tuning the interior of the Mercedes Vito is often accompanied by a complete redevelopment of the interior space of the car, the same can be done with the 124 Merc in the station wagon, there is enough free space in it.

The final touch is the modernization of the dashboard. Instead of the factory one on the Mercedes 124 with LED or neon illumination with adjustable glow color.

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Diodes in the instrument panel can be installed independently, for this you will need to disassemble the tidy, dismantle the standard backlight and glue the LED strip in the inner surface of the scales, soldering its wires to the contacts of the factory light bulbs.

Classics of the German car industry Mercedes-Benz W124. This car has become a legend and loved by many people. The model was produced for 15 years, from 1984 to 1997. Although it is now 2016, many people still want to purchase and own this car. And many owners of the Mercedes-Benz W124 have a question, how can the car be improved, what tuning should it do?

Ruslan Batykov © magazine Option

Features tuning Mercedes-Benz W124

Previously, this model was not supplied to our market, but this is only official. With the onset of the 90s, this model began to be imported into the country, and it literally fell in love immediately. Even today, in the secondary market, they ask for a lot of money for this car, and demand does not fall.

The car has a German-style design, which even now looks decent. To modernize the car a little, you can contact specialized tuning studios:

These studios specialize specifically in Mercedes-Benz, but their prices are quite high. To reduce the cost of the procedure, you can turn to tuning cheaper. For example, it can be a different studio, or go to the Internet, where you can now find any kind of tuning for this car. Starting from optics and ending with the motor.

Types of tuning

You can improve the Mercedes-Benz W124 by changing the exterior. But quite often the owners do not stop there, and upgrade the following:

interior tuning;
changing the external parameters of the car by installing body kits or foliage;
changing and improving the optics and light of the car as a whole;
glass replacement, installation of additional equipment that allows you to make the operation of the machine more convenient;
tuning of the motor, clutch, exhaust system;
suspension and brake tuning.

It is very important for the Mercedes-Benz W124 to install different original nameplates that indicate the characteristics and parameters of this car. Naturally, the beginning of tuning begins with the wheels of the car! And Mercedes is no exception! Further, the W124 often change the grille. In addition, you can additionally change the bumper, paired with a new body kit. This will improve fuel economy and improve aerodynamics.

Very often, when tuning this model, the optics change. The block headlight is sold ready-made, with lenses and improved lighting. After all, driving on night roads with poor light is quite dangerous. Motor tuning is carried out mainly to add power. With this tuning, either lightweight engine parts or chip tuning are used, and you can also install a compressor or turbine.

In the cabin, as a rule, they change the dashboard to a more modern one with good lighting. And also the entire interior falls under the constriction, fabrics, leather and other materials.

Mercedes-Benz W124 appeared on the European market in 1984 and was mass-produced until 1997. In the early eighties of the last century, it was the first model of an E-class passenger car.
The joint work of designers and constructors of the German concern brought good results. The body of this model has a low coefficient of aerodynamic resistance and increased sound insulation. At the same time, he retained in the main features the conservatism of the lines inherent in Mercedes.

For that time, these were truly revolutionary results, which made it possible to win the love and respect of motorists in a fairly short period of time.

For twelve years, five different versions of the body of the Mercedes 124 brand were released:

four-door sedan that could accommodate five passengers with a body length of 4755 mm
five-door sedan with dimensions 4780x1740x1520 mm;
two-door coupe with a body length of 4670 mm;
elongated sedan with a body length of 5540 mm;
convertible, which was the last in this line and appeared at the motor show in 1991.

All these models were equipped with engines of various sizes and capacities from 136 to 365 hp. with., both gasoline and diesel.

Tuning options for Mercedes W124

This Mercedes model was not officially delivered to the Russian market. Nevertheless, in the nineties, ferrymen brought to Russia many different cars of this class. Until now, such cars are sold quite actively in the secondary market.

Merc 124 attracts with its classic, conservative design, which has not become obsolete even after thirty years since its launch into production.

Nevertheless, in order to feel confident in such a car on the road today, serious tuning of the Mercedes W124 is required. Considering that nowadays Mercedes in the w124 body has become a real legend, serious service studios such as Lorinser, Carlsson, Brabus, AMG are engaged in tuning this model.

Of course, the cost of the services of masters in these studios is very high, so it is best for a person with an average income to contact tuning studios, which are available in all major cities of Russia.

In addition, there are currently a large number of auto parts stores that specialize in the supply of spare parts and equipment, up to body kits and stickers needed to make tuning a Mercedes 124.

Having decided what improvements the driver plans to make for the car, you can order the necessary parts and make modifications with your own hands.

Such work as tuning a Mercedes can be done simply by improving the appearance of the car, but many motorists are not limited to this and make deep transformations in car units. There are several options for such work to improve the vehicle.

Measures are being taken to improve the interior design.
Quite often, the owners of this car install new or additional body kits, which largely change the appearance of the car.
Much attention is paid to the selection and installation of more modern lighting equipment.
Modern manufacturers offer new types of windshields and other glasses, as well as additional equipment for them, which facilitates the operation of the machine. Tuning specialists are also involved in their replacement and installation.
Often, additional or more modern equipment and parts are installed on engines and exhaust systems.
For a car like the Mercedes 124, an important and sometimes mandatory action is to replace the suspension and brake systems.
The vast majority of motorists emphasize their belonging to the famous brand and install all kinds of overlays, plugs and nameplates with the appropriate symbols.

There is a playful statement among specialists and motorists that car tuning begins with the replacement of rims. And this fully applies to the Mercedes with a body 124.

Mercedes 124 exterior improvement

Improving the appearance of the car, experts first of all offer two options for the radiator grille:

chrome - Mercedes 300E, 300 CE W124 94-95;
black with chrome trim - Mercedes W124 300 CE, 300 DT, 300 E.

The front and rear bumpers need to be replaced. It is also desirable to install an aerodynamic body kit that improves driving performance and reduces fuel consumption. The stores offer several body kit options:

86-95 E-GLASS W124 4DR AMG Style;
86-95 CE-GLASS W124 C43 Style;
86-95 CE-GLASS W124 C36 Style.

Spoilers and chrome moldings give the car a sporty look. Chrome-plated stainless steel door handle trims and external side mirrors will be a very useful addition.
In order to improve the appearance, many drivers install a muffler exhaust pipe with a chrome tip.

When doing body tuning on a Mercedes 124, one should not forget about replacing the front headlights and taillights. Front lighting is especially important, which helps when driving at night. On the spare parts market, block headlights are offered complete with turn signals and crystal front headlights.

Auto glass replacement

Automotive glass performs important functions by protecting the driver from sunlight, headwinds and noise. When choosing glasses, it is best to buy green ones with a slight acceptable tinting, which has not only light-protective, but also noise-insulating value.

On modern glass, you can install a rain and light sensor, as well as a heated windshield.

Engine tuning

The most common option for improving the operation of an internal combustion engine is engine chip tuning, that is, a correction of the program of the power plant control unit. This correction gives the best result on turbodiesel engines.

You can increase the power of the Mercedes 124 engine by installing a lightweight piston group. Of course, it is better to entrust such work to specialists at the service station.

Important! In order to improve the dynamic characteristics of the car and increase engine power on Mercedes 124 cars, experts advise installing a compressor. It improves the composition of the fuel-air mixture without interfering with the elements of the fuel system.

In addition, the installation of a compressor helps to increase the shelf life of engine parts.

Sometimes motorists install a turbine instead of a compressor. However, this requires major additional changes in the design of the engine and new software.

Improved interior design of the Mercedes W124

It is better to start tuning the interior with a change in the dashboard, if it remains on the car in its original state, that is, in the form in which it was installed in the eighties or nineties. Nowadays, it is possible to install devices with neon lighting.

The next step is to replace the upholstery with modern materials. You can also replace the seat upholstery. Today, a wide range of special fabrics of different quality is offered. But you can also just buy new seat covers for the driver and passengers. It will cost less.

To complete the tuning of the cabin, you can install overlays on the interior thresholds. They can be either plain chrome or backlit. There are also special pads on the pedals. If desired, the steering wheel is changed to a special version of the sports type.

In the cabin, deeper changes can be made. For example, on a Mercedes Vito, tuning is often done with a redevelopment of the interior. The same work can be planned and performed on a Mercedes 124 station wagon.

In the same order, tuning the Mercedes 190 is performed.

Tuning work on a car like the Mercedes 124 requires serious preparatory work and a fairly large cash investment. It is necessary to prepare for this in advance and carefully monitor the progress of the planned work.

"Mercedes" - the legendary car of 1984-1997, produced by the German concern. He was the first representative of the E-series with a distinctive design and excellent technical characteristics.

The body of the Mercedes 124 car was made in five modifications: a station wagon, a four- and five-door sedan, a convertible and an elongated sedan. The car was equipped with diesel and gasoline engines with a capacity of 135-370 horsepower. In the automotive markets, the Mercedes model is still very popular and is considered the eternal classic of the German car industry.

Despite the strict features of the car, many car owners are trying to tune 124 Mercedes. Changes made to the machine can be very diverse, as will be discussed below.

German car classic

Many motorists from all over the world have appreciated the excellent technical characteristics, a small indicator of aerodynamics, good soundproofing of the cabin and the conservative design of the Mercedes. Despite the fact that the 124 model did not appear on the Russian markets, in the 1990s, many of its modifications were imported into the country.

The last released version of the Mercedes 124 was a convertible - in this body the car was produced in 1991-1997. Coupes, convertibles and sedans were equipped with diesel and gasoline engines; their power ranged from 136 to 365 horsepower. Today, all these models are in need of significant processing and modification: time has not been kind to them, despite the fact that some copies are well preserved.

Professional tuning 124 "Mercedes"

Unfortunately, not all tuning studios agree to undertake restyling of the legendary car. Such work, affecting various parts of the Mercedes 124 car (body, engine, interior, etc.), is performed only by large and well-known service centers with a worldwide reputation: Carisson, Brabus, Lorinser, AMG. In such professional studios, you can order a truly chic and unique tuning of the "German", but you will also have to pay a rather large amount for the services.
Not every owner of such a car is able to afford it. However, tuning 124 "Mercedes" can be done on your own, without resorting to the help of eminent masters.

tuning options

The most common options for upgrading a car are tuning the interior. "Mercedes" 124 and in terms of exterior - a good platform for creativity. Such changes relate only to the appearance of the car, without affecting its technical characteristics. The latter can be improved only through a comprehensive refinement of the German car.

Tuning 124 "Mercedes" includes the following changes:

Suspension and brake system replacement.
Interior improvement.
Adding parts to the engine, installing an improved exhaust gas removal system.
Replacement of optics - new and modern headlights for Mercedes 124.
Installation of additional body kits, almost completely changing the exterior of the car.
Transmission replacement - manual transmission for automatic transmission "Mercedes" 124.

Design Modernization

Changing the exterior of "Mercedes" almost always begins with the replacement of glass. They are very scrupulous in their selection: if you follow the advice of experts, it is better to choose glasses of a greenish tint and always tinted. They protect the interior from excess scrip and reduce the effect of sunlight on the driver's eyes. It is advisable to install rain and light sensors and power windows. "Mercedes" 124 thanks to this will become an even more convenient car.

The next step is to install new bumpers. The acquisition of an aerodynamic body kit will not only give the Mercedes a more modern appearance, but will also significantly reduce fuel consumption and improve the performance of the Mercedes 124 car. It is advisable to purchase body kits only those that are suitable for this brand and model of car.

You can give the car a sporty character with the help of spoilers and chrome moldings. Metal door handle trims and stainless steel side mirrors with chrome finish will help to complete the look. Don't forget about the grille. A small addition will be a silencer with a chrome finish.

The latest changes in the exterior of the car may be the rear and front lights: it is advisable to choose crystal sets with turn signals.

Interior improvement

The seats are the first to be changed. "Mercedes" 124 initially has a boring trim. You can either purchase ready-made covers, or sew them on your own. The first option is more profitable - ready-made kits will cost less than their manufacture. The only negative is that it is quite difficult to find a suitable color in the markets, so if the owner wants something original, he will have to take care of buying material and making his own covers.

The next step in tuning the interior is the instrument panel. "Mercedes" 124 produced in the 80s has a morally and technically obsolete dashboard. The dashboard will have to be completely changed; to facilitate the driving process, you can install a display, a video recorder and a navigator, a reliable multimedia system.

Car interior tuning may include the following changes:

Installing a new steering wheel.
Placement of special pads on the pedals.
Installation of overlays on thresholds of salon. Such parts are either made of chrome or decorated with backlight.

Specifications

In almost all modifications of the Mercedes 124, the characteristics are excellent: the engines have a good margin of power and durability. The latter allows you to slightly expand your horizons and increase the technical potential of the iron horse. The main work in this direction is the installation of a compressor: it improves the quality and performance of the air-fuel mixture. The advantage of this option is that the fuel system remains intact and does not require modification.

The compressor allows you to increase the power of the car engine, improve its dynamics and controllability, while having a positive effect on the life of the Mercedes.

The compressor is placed in the form of two snails. Masters at the service station are able to carry out such tuning of 124 Mercedes in a few hours. The compressor in theory can be replaced by a turbine, but such changes in the technical component of the car can stretch for a long time. Improvements will require significant changes in the design of the engine and the selection of suitable software.

Other ways to increase engine power

You can increase the power of the Mercedes power unit in several other ways:

Installation of AMG carbon fiber clutch and manual transmission.
Installing a new, lightweight piston mechanism to replace the old one.
Chip tuning, or correction of the control unit.

Chip tuning

Separately, it is worth paying attention to this type of tuning. It is carried out, as a rule, only for cars equipped with turbocharged diesel engines. In the case of gasoline engines, such a procedure will not give the desired result: the increase in power will be minimal. It is impossible to carry out chip tuning on your own: all work, and especially system tuning, should be carried out only by professionals. In the absence of the necessary knowledge, mistakes can be made that completely disable all systems and components of the car.

Replacing rims

External tuning 124 "Mercedes" is not complete without replacing native rims with cast ones. Wheels with low profile tires are ideal for such a car. These tires are recommended by experts for their improved traction at high speeds, which makes the car more manageable and driving comfortable.

You can always decorate the wheels of a car with bundles - bolts, for which an individual head design is developed. This is not only an aesthetic, but also a practical solution: such fasteners do not allow intruders to remove the wheels from the car. You can unscrew the bundles only with a special key with a suitable head.

Glass tuning

Modernization of glasses is carried out in two main directions:

Factory glass replacement.
Installation of tinted analogues.

Each of the above options has both its pros and cons. Tinting must comply with the requirements of the traffic police, according to which the light transmission of windshields should not be lower than 70%, respectively, their tinting should not be more than 30%. In case of violation of the indicators, the owner of the car faces a fine in the amount of a thousand rubles.

Separately, it is worth noting that the rules allow the use of a tinted strip on the windshield, the width of which should not exceed 140 mm. Such a strip is placed in the upper part of the glass; its light transmission should be at least 70%. The traffic police inspector does not have the right to fine the owner of the car if there is a removable tint on the windows, which is shown at the first request of a traffic inspector.

A modern option for tuning car windows is electrochromic auto-dimming, which is adjusted by pressing the corresponding key. Between two layers of such a film there are conductive crystals, which are polarized under voltage, due to which the film becomes transparent. The tinting effect is achieved by the same crystals without stress being applied to them.

Double glazing a car can give a similar result. Such a change of "Mercedes" requires the installation of two glasses, one of which is transparent, and the second is tinted. Alteration will require significant changes in the design of the door and the installation of additional lifts.

The heating film placed on the windshield allows you to cope with frost in the cold season - its structure includes current-carrying threads. Such a device is powered by the on-board system of the car.

Radiator grille - one of the stages of tuning

Changing the "muzzle" "Mercedes" involves the installation of a new grille. Chrome and matte black grilles look the most profitable and solid on 124 German car models.

Often you can find combined options: in them, a chrome edging frames a matte black center. It is desirable to use standard components from German cars with such tuning. On 124 "Mercedes" chrome-plated grilles installed on cars of E and CE classes are suitable in size.

Matte black grilles can be purchased at auto shops or tuning studios. However, you can make them with your own hands from standard chrome. The procedure is quite simple:

The factory coating is removed from the radiator chrome grilles with sandpaper.
The surface is cleaned of dust and degreased.
The grille is covered with several layers of acrylic primer.
After complete drying of the primer, the surface is painted with matte black paint.

A completely dried grille is installed on the car, giving it an original and unique appearance, thereby completing the tuning of 124 Mercedes.

Passion for old cars of the 1980s and 90s, especially Mercedes, passed to the owner of this copy by inheritance from his father. He considers them the most beautiful, charismatic and reliable. Even taking into account the fact that the family has always had a lot of different cars, one of them certainly was with a star on the hood. This coupe is the third Merc in the owner's collection (there were also the legendary W123 and W126) and the only one that remained with him after moving from Alma-Ata to Moscow. A real classic that he couldn't afford to sell.

The car was purchased at an auction in Japan in 2007. Surprised? In the land of the Rising Sun, owning a left-hand drive car is considered prestigious, and a Mercedes is generally a luxury. There is a special relationship with such machines. For example, at the time of purchase, this copy of the Sportline configuration had a figure of 69,000 km on the odometer - and this is for so many years! The condition of the car was close to perfect, and its beauty was emphasized by the body kit of the court "Mercedes" tuning studio AMG, 18-inch wheels and a lowered suspension. Therefore, Alexei immediately set a bid at the auction so that no one would definitely dare to interrupt it - the car sunk into the soul so much. And the bet really played the first time.

The beginning of the story

At the moment, the mileage, of course, has increased, but only by 20 thousand kilometers in eight years, the car is used exclusively in the warm season and as a “weekend” car. How else?

They don't make them like that anymore, this Mercedes-Benz W124 has charisma, character, and soul.

And how much comfort it has! Power seat belts for easy fastening, folding rear headrests for better visibility when moving backwards, hardtop body (no B-pillar), drop down rear windows, floating power seats with full range adjustment, vertical hood opening mode and much more. Aleksey's car completely suited him, and yet tuning did not bypass him.

The first change made was the installation of a 2 kW music system. Alexey likes to listen to music in the car, and it is completely different, so the audio system must meet high requirements for sound quality. All new acoustics are placed in regular places, and the subwoofer and other bulky components from Lightning Audio are in the trunk behind a false panel.

Heart transplant

Not to say that the stock W124 engine is weak - 220 horsepower of the factory three-liter M104 was enough ... until our hero's brother bought a Toyota Chaser JZX100 Tourer V and let him ride it. Impressed by his dynamics, Alexei even began to look for the same V-shku, but at that time there were already four cars in his garage. The fifth one would definitely be superfluous, and there was no desire to part with any of the existing ones. What to do in such a situation? The answer suggested itself -!

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Such swaps, to be sure, are quite rare, and there is very little data on them. There are only a few videos on this topic from the USA and Thailand, but they just show Mercedes with "Toyota" engines, and there is zero information on how the projects were made. Nevertheless, no one was going to give up.

A swap kit from Toyota Mark2 Tourer V was ordered: an engine assembly with all attachments and a gearbox, wiring and an electronic control unit, as well as a pallet from Toyota Soarer, a fuel pump relay and a cardan shaft. Work on installing a new engine under the hood of the "German" took place in Alma-Ata with a familiar master in his small service. The old engine was dismantled and began to think about how to mount a new one. And from that moment began full improvisation.

Mercedes-Benz W124

Engine Engine 1JZ-GTE (2.5L Twin Turbo) Transmission Automatic transmission from Toyota Mark2 TourerV Suspension Bilstein B6 shocks Brakes Sportline brakes (four-piston) Exterior AMG bodykit

As usual, they used what was at hand: the engine was installed on a native subframe using paws from Toyota Supra in the 70th body and pillows from Toyota Mark2. Part of the engine shield on the side of the turbines and the checkpoint tunnel had to be “finished with a sledgehammer” so as not to cut the metal. A suitable cardan was eventually made of two parts: the front part (from the gearbox) was from Mark, and the rear part (to the gearbox) was native, from Mercedes. The intercooler was located behind the radiator grille instead of the air conditioner radiator, because of which it was necessary to abandon the coolness in the cabin. But this made it possible to make a short intake route, managed to avoid cutting the bumper and preserve the original appearance. The most difficult thing was to solve the issue of splicing the wiring and adjusting the fuel supply, but here everything was managed to be adjusted.

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Periphery

It took about three months for all the work and, importantly, it turned out to do without welding and a grinder - the classic body remained untouched. Of course, I had to install additional instruments, including a broadband lambda probe and an exhaust temperature sensor, to monitor the operation of the engine, especially at first, when the fuel supply problem was not yet solved and there were problems with the mixture. To correct it, an additional controller (fuel mixture regulator) A'PEXi Super Airflow Converter (SAFC), commonly referred to as "safka", was installed. In combination with a boost controller, this made it possible to raise the boost pressure to 1.2 bar, which is more than enough for a city car, given that even at a pressure of 1 bar, the calculated power should be 330-350 forces, and the passage time of the “quarter” will be about 13.7 s.

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The final touch in Mercedes at the moment was the replacement of the lowered suspension, which was already on the car when buying, with an even lower and stiffer one.

This is such an extraordinary project. A German classic with a Japanese heart that looks and drives like many modern cars never dreamed of, yet has a charisma that modern cars can't even dream of.