My 463 LWB project progress (help and advice)
Hello everyone and happy new year. This is my second attempt at this so it may be short and to the point. A bit frustrated as my previous attempt which had taken an hour to type vanished into thin air at the point of trying upload pictures. I've tried figuring out the picture thing before typing but still no success so i'll add a link to any pictures i post. The club website will ony allow me to upload one picture. If anyone knows of another way i'm all ears. I bought a 1991 w463 LWB about 18 months ago but it has been sat gathering dust while i motivate myself to do what needs doing to it. Plus i have wanted to do the 606 engine conversion since we bought our SWB a few years ago but since it is pretty original and runs quite sweet it seems a shame. I have now made a start to this LWB project as i have promised my wife she will be driving the car for her 30th in July so time to get cracking. I am asking for any advice/help anything and everything along the way. Shout out to Gordon at G Restorations who has always been a big help with our SWB and i no doubt going to be pestering you in the months to come. I dont want to be bothering any one person about trivial things and there are lots of people on here with the the info i need so if anyone can help it would be great. The car itself drove and handled better in some aspects than our SWB which according to people i have spoken to who have had both is common knowledge but regardless of this i wanted to do the engine conversion and there was obvious work needed to body and chassis and as we had the space to store the vehicle and work on it plus we still had our SWB for a daily driver this old girl has been consigned to the barn ever since. First things first i have the engine and box out, body off the chassis, rear axle has been removed and rubbed down re painted, spring mounts on axle replaced, new drum calipers and new brake pipe. All rear axle has been wax oiled and as wheel bearings were in good condition i can move onto the next job. It will come as a surprise to nobody that that rear spring and shock mounts are fecked. I have replaced these on our swb with the body on so this should be straight forward now i have room to work but after that my next port of call is giving some attention to two body mounts on the passenger side one in front of rear wheel and one just behind front wheel which is also bracket for the front anti roll bar. Are these mounts availible from mercedes like the shock and spring mounts and if so would anyone know the part numbers. I sometimes feel like i'm going crazy talking a foriegn language when i try explaining what i need to the parts people at mercedes so if i already had a part number it would save time and my sanity.
Sorry for going more detail but with this being a second attempt i left a lot of stuff out. If this posts fine i will add more pictures as i take them.
Thanks again
Dennis
An excellent job on the rust, which I'm genuinely surprised at, I've never seen it as bad as that on a w463, the SWB v LWB ride issue is fairly common knowlwdge but the SWB is better off road. Keep up the good work
'.. sometimes feel like i'm going crazy talking a foriegn language when i try explaining what i need to the parts people at mercedes so if i already had a part number it would save time and my sanity....'
As the project progresses, you're going to need quite a few part numbers. If you look on eBay, you'll probably find (for £10) a copy of the ECP/WIS that you can install on a laptop or PC. This will give you all the part-numbers and for your specific VIN.
Looks like it was sat in salt water for 10 years! Was there any metal to recover!
On the ride quality - I have never driven a LWB, but my SWBs have been a dream to drive, albeit with more pitch and yaw due to be shorter. Am I right in saying the 463 is a firmer and less comfy ride than a 460? Might depend onthe springs.
thank you for the pictures, always interesting, looks like a professional job.
Hi Dennis.
Good meeting you last year at the meet. This 463 has the potential for sure.
Looking forward to seeing it progress, get it done for another get together at your place this year.. hint hint!
James
I'd say the reverse that the w463 is a softer machine all round, softer springs and more powerful power steering,
try (just on of many):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Latest-2018-Mercedes-WIS-ASRA-EPC-Service-Rep...?
£4.95
(I find it invaluable, since most dealers do not know how to find obscure G-Wagen parts, although, having said that MB Brentford is very good)