Update on 'Marlene Diederich'

Ok, things have been on hold for quite some time now. I am hoping to get started on the project in the next few weeks.

I have been spending some time getting the workspace organized, i.e., cleaning out the garage, adding some tool storage chests, and trying to get rid of some of my spare parts. The main hold up has been with the latter: I have a spare block on an engine stand, and my cherry picker engine crane set up in the middle of the garage... Taking up a ton of space. (See pic in the sidebar.) I have a buyer for it (he actually just wants the crank), but, for one reason or another, we haven't been able to arrange a mutual time for him to come get it. He is coming a distance, and needs to enlist the support of a friend with a truck, and between that, the recent Holidays, etc., we have had to postpone numerous times. I am ready to just scrap it and move on at this point... But I will probably give it one more shot.

Once that clutter is out of the way, I can move "Marlene Diederich" into the garage and begin the work. First on the agenda is a leak down test, and a compression test... To get a better assessment of exactly what is needed in the present engine. If it looks like just head work will be needed (e.g., the bottom end pistons rings, etc., show no serious problems) then I have a spare head that I will have redone, and I will install that one on the original block. If the bottom end also shows a need for work, I will probably just pull that engine and find a replacement used engine to swap in there.

I have a couple of possibilities for that eventuality already, just in case. And that has also contributed to the delay, although not as much as the foregoing. I have a guy with an engine from an early W123 (1977, I believe), pre-turbo, same early glow plugs... That should pretty much swap right in. However, the engine is stored in his friend's barn... When I originally contacted him, he needed to wait for the snow to disappear to be able to get to the barn to get the engine. In the meantime, the rain and snow collapsed the barn (!). In addition to the MB diesel engine, the barn unfortunately also contained a number of collector cars owned by his friend.... And the situation is now mired in an insurance claim. Sheesh. Apparently some of the cars were insured, and some weren't. So it is a mess, in more ways than one. He can't very well go in to get the engine until things get sorted out a bit insurance-wise.

Anyway, I am planning to proceed with the leak down test, etc., and it is possible that it may turn out that I won't need that other engine. That is an optimistic assessment, of course. But I can move ahead on that basis, until I find out otherwise. In that case, I may be somewhat held up waiting to get that replacement engine.

My goal is to have this resolved, one way or the other, in time to drive the car to our annual local Mercedes Chowdah Q on September 10, 2011 in Rhode Island. I am already looking forward to Curt's Famous Burgers, and some more of that Moose Sausage, not to mention Dwight's Famous Clam Chowdah! :). Mark your calendars!