Good deal!

I assume the mechanic is in DFW area?

SQ

 

Yes he has a private shop right behind Park Place Mercedes near downtown Dallas. He was very interested in my project and getting paid with the leftover V6 was what he was looking for. I could tell he was hinting at wanting the engine. If the electronics prove to be easy he gets a great deal, if hard I get a great deal. He said he hasn't done a conversion like this but has done some other similar "weird things" and has always managed to make it work.

 

Heck why not go all the way and make it a true Mopar...Direct Connection is selling the new 525 HP 392 Hemi crate motor, fuel injected long block with all the management software and computer for $1,999...drop, plug and go play! LOL! Or there's always the 900 HP blown 426 Hemi crate motor?

Terry

 

It would take a lot more to make it a true Mopar, like a 727 torque flight and a Dana 60, but I would love to see a new Hemi in one of these. Where did you see an engine with computer for 1999? I never found anything close to that for a Hemi. I have heard that the new Hemi is similar to Mercedes engines in some ways liked the dual plugs and they both use a Mercedes Automatic.

 

Pick up the new MOPAR PERFORMANCE catalog...While I was having the Lighted Sills installed on my X fire today I whimsically asked the Parts guy to look up the cost of the long block 392 Hemi, which I assume is new for them. Last I heard the 392 went out of production in '62.
They have some choice offerings in crate motors when you look it up here's a starter list.
650 HP aluminum Hemi Crate engine
900+ HP Aluminum Hemi/Supercharged Crate engine
610 HP 528 Hemi Crate engine Cast Iron/Aluminum heads
525 HP 472 Hemi Crate engine Cast Iron Block/heads
465 HP 426 Hemi Crate engine Cast Iron Block/heads
525/540 HP 392 Hemi Crate engine $1,999 fuel injected $1,899 carbureted was the price I was given...of course they have been giving me a little more than 20% discounts, this engine includes distributor-less coil-on-plug ignition system P5153605
5.7L 360 HP Hemi Crate engine
and don't get me started on the proliferation of small blocks...let's just say the top of that list is this big block power small block stroker...
440 Super Commando crate engine with an impressive 540 HP & 550 Ft Lbs Torque (est)
It has always made me sick to see Dodge and Plymouth street rods with Ford or Chevy engines...now maybe we Moparholics will get due attention (long overdue) with factory assistance in these new crate motor offerings at these prices it looks much more enticing to use Mopower in project vehicles.
Kool! "T"

 

A long block is usually just a short block with the heads attached. There is still a lot more parts needed to complete it. If you are telling me that you can get a complete new crate engine with computer for $1,999. I would like to see it. I was looking online on the mopar web site and see a 5.7 for around 9 grand.

 

I would have wanted to do this same thing, the 4.3 liter v8 would have been my choice as its the same engine with two less cylinders. Your going to have one fun car there, congrats man, if this works out I may find myself another crossfire in a couple of years to do this.

 

Actually the best engine for this conversion from an "easier" standpoint is the C43 AMG engine. The regular 430 engine presents the same challenges as any of the other V8's. I would have preferred the AMG55 Kompressor, but not in the budget. The 500 engine I ended up with has the same stroke as the 430 but larger bores. A super charger latter on will get me close to around 450 HP.

 

It has been noted that the new Hemi is vastly cheaper to produce than the long lived LA series V8 (318/5.2, 360/5.9).

 

)Pretty much all of those motors except the new Hemi have been sold by Mopar Performance since the dawn of time. I think the old Hemi and big-block was reintroduced in the early 90's with the different sizes you see above because the supply of useable old Hemis and to a lesser extent the big block were becoming hard to find. Also, if you had an original Hemi car, you could take the original Hemi out and store it and put in a new one and not have to worry about wearing out an original Hemi motor.

I think the main reason people use Ford and Chevy engines is that they're easier to find and modify and usually a lot less expensive.

As for factory support, Direct Connection has been back in business since 2005 to help serve your Moparholic needs.

 

Today's progress:

I found a good shipper for the engine. $163.59 CA to TX.

Spent some more time talking to the mechanic that will handle the electronic issues. He is very comfortable that he can reprogram the ECU, He has both the Starmark and Autologic computers. He said he can make it work but his real goal is to make it operate as if the engine came in the car. This means unlocking the ECU and reprogramming the VIN number to match the car so that state inspections will be easier to get done. He said to unlock the computer it would need to be sent to Beckmann Technologies:

http://www.beckmanntechnologies.com/index.html

He also told me he has the Euro spec tuning for the CL500 and can flash that in if I like when he re-programs the computer. I am feeling much more confident that this may actually work!

 

i'm sorry if this might offend but this post is better than viagra!

 

yeah! and this is just foreplay too, can't wait for the action to start...

 

You guys are too funny. I am headed for Savannah to see my two daughters in college. Will be back Sunday night. There won't be much now to report until the engine gets to my house. The first thing I will do to the engine is make it look nice and show quality. Not sure what all I will do. Ever since manufacturers started using engine covers. the actual engine has gotten uglier. I notice that Startech paints or powder coats their engines red. I will do something to the engine and use a lot of polished stainless fasteners around the front and on the valve covers. I also located the C43 exhaust manifolds today for $300 pair used. Haven't checked the new price yet.

 

Good find on the shipping and the ECU contacts Lantana.

Looking forward to the rest of it.

SQ

 

Dude you gotta chrome the pulleys on dat biotch, actually I would mill out as much material so they still have good structural strength, and then chrome finish...that will really upset the Mercedes crowd...

 

BUMP!

did anything ever come of this ?

 

wonder if Latana could coerce this gentleman into making this a business for others.

 

We need an update!!

 

I met with the mechanic who will be doing the ECU reprogramming. We are sure we can get this thing to run, but ideally we want to imbed the Crossfire VIN into the Mercedes ECU. Beckman technologies is going to try to do this. They are concerned that the first three digits of the VIN cannot be changed. The first three digits identify the car's brand ie: Chrysler. If this cannot be changed we are gong to rig the OBDII port to get a "No Read" when going to the state inspection. The inspection office will then have to manually enter the VIN (window) instead of pulling it off the ECU. The mechanic said he has to have the car in his shop to do the programming. So if any of you wanted to do this with my mechanic you would have to get the car to Dallas.

I am waiting for the shipping company to pick up the engine. After that I should have it in about four days at the most.