Photos courtesy Mercedes-Benz.
So, how about those 1983-1993 Mercedes-Benz W201 190s? Yawn.
Alas, compared to Munich's 3 Series, the 190 "Baby Benz" - even the legendary "Cosworth" 190E - is practically invisible. But while prices for E30 BMWs continue to climb, the 190 remains a bargain for those who can appreciate the engineering resources that Mercedes-Benz poured into these cars. At the time, the compact 190 was the most expensive project Stuttgart had ever developed - its $2 billion Deutschmark price tag driven up by the construction of a new plant in Bremen as well as an expansion of the existing Sindelfingen plant.
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Despite its boxy-European-car-of-the-1980s looks, the 190 was surprisingly aerodynamic with a drag coefficient of 0.33.
The goal was to build a featherweight compact sedan that was economical to drive, but rode, drove, and was every bit as safe as a top-of-the-line S-Class. The finished car tipped the scales at less than 2,500 pounds, had a drag coefficient of 0.33, yet offered the interior comfort of larger Mercedes-Benz sedans. Its ride was buttery smooth and its handling sophisticated, thanks to a new multi-link independent rear suspension.
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Mercedes-Benz considered many different suspension designs before settling on the multi-link setup that inspired designs the company uses in its cars today.
After attending a press introduction for the 190 in Spain, occasional Hemmings Muscle Machines contributor Joe Oldham wrote in the April 1983 Popular Mechanics: "You can do really stupid things in [the 190] and not hurt yourself. The car's handling is so good that you don't have to be a good driver to look like one."
While you likely won't hear too much about it, the 30th anniversary of the 190's introduction is next month. The official launch was on December 8, 1982, and by the time production of the Baby Benz ceased in 1993, M-B had built 1.8 million examples.
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Diesel-powered 190s made use of extra sound-deadening panels and insulation to keep engine clatter from reaching the driver's and passengers' ears.
Initially, only the (carbureted) 190 and (fuel-injected) 190 E models were available with 2-liter four-cylinder engines, but in the fall of 1983, Mercedes-Benz presented the 72hp 190 D "whisper diesel" at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt.
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The 16-valve engines were installed to homologate the 190 for Group B rally racing and the German Touring Car Masters series. Cosworth provided the twin-cam 16-valve head.
Also making its debut in 1983 was the high-performance 190 E 2.3-16 model, with a Cosworth-developed 16-valve twin-cam cylinder head that helped the four-cylinder make 185hp. In 1988, M-B upped the ante with a 2.5-liter 16-valve "Cosworth" engine, that made around 200hp. The 190 E 2.3-16 and 2.5-16 sedans were also equipped with Getrag five-speed transmissions, a limited-slip differential, a functional body kit that made the car slightly more aerodynamic and Recaro bucket seats.
The greatest 190 performers were the winged Evolution cars. Mercedes-Benz built 502 190 E 2.5-16 Evo Is and 502 190 E 2.5-16 Evo IIs - enough to qualify them for competition in the German Touring Car Masters series (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters). The Evo I's 2.5-liter engine used a short-stroke design to allow it to rev and could be optioned with an AMG PowerPack kit that added another 30 horses. The EVO II made the AMG tuneup standard and sported a radical body kit with wheel flares and a huge wing.
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Other 190 notables include the 190 D 2.2 and 190 E 2.3 models, specifically built for export to North America. The 190 was also built with a 90hp five-cylinder diesel engine, the 190 D 2.5, and with a six-cylinder, the 190 E 2.6.
Today, nice Mercedes-Benz 190 Es trade for between $5,000-$8,000 while the Cosworth 16-valve 190s can be found for less than $15,000. In either case, if you're considering making the plunge, it's best to spend the money for a car that's been properly maintained and stored indoors. Parts availability for Mercedes-Benzes is excellent, and these cars aren't difficult to work on, but you can quickly run up a big tab at the local M-B dealer's parts department trying to repair a clapped-out car.
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Recent
Photo: Lingenfelter Performance Engineering/Rand Phillips
Building a 427ci engine within the LT2 architecture is all about packaging. It used to be that all an engine builder had to contend with to assemble a traditional small-block Chevy was to stuff a 4.00-inch crank inside the small-block casting, clearance the pan rails, and miss a couple of cam lobes.
The stock LT2 offers some packaging improvements to fit the engine behind the driver in the C8 Corvette. Among these changes is the integrated dry sump tank that in this image is the black tank attached to the front accessory drive. This replaces the separate tank used in previous dry sump iterations and reduces total capacity to 7.2 quarts.Photo: GM Media
Today, it’s a more complex story of accommodating the flat dry sump oil pan, piston oil squirters, variable cam timing, and perhaps a half-dozen other variables that would still result in a reliable powerplant. It’s a little like trying to hit three, 70-mph curve balls with one swing of the bat. But LPE has accomplished just that with an engine they call the Eliminator Spec S 427.
Veteran hot rodders and engine enthusiasts will recognize the name John Lingenfelter. John was a legendary engine builder and racer who sadly passed away in 2003 following a tragic drag racing accident in Pomona, California. But his name continues to live on championed now by owner Ken Lingenfelter. Following John’s technological lead, LPE is once again at the forefront of engine and performance development with this new engine for the C8 Corvette.
Mark Rapson is chief operating officer and head of development at LPE and the man behind this big push to upgrade the C8’s normally aspirated 490 hp well beyond the respectable factory effort.
This bump in displacement had to be accomplished while still being able to be patiently compatible with the factory dual clutch transmission (DCT). With software controlling clutch engagement from a dead stop and in each gear change, the 427’s large displacement increase meant that the time-honored approach of adding a lumpy camshaft to radically bump the power was not realistic. The 427’s designers would need to use finesse instead of a medieval broadax to achieve their goals. Welcome to the age of sophistication.
The stock LT2 6.2L engine is a study in complexity compared to its older LS cousins. In addition to the variable valve timing and AFM, there is an additional chain drive for the dry sump pump located in the lifter valley. All of this was retained for the LPE 427.Photo: Lingenfelter Performance Engineering/Rand Phillips
To begin, the best way to achieve the 427 displacement would be with a combination of a much larger bore, pushed out to 4.125-inches, matched with a stroke stretched from the LT2’s 3.62 to an even-handed 4.00 inches.
The first part followed traditional lines and LPE’s own machine shop literally stepped up by machining the LT2 block to accept nodular iron sleeves. This is no easy task since block integrity and cylinder wall conformity under stress are paramount goals that the LPE crew achieved. Sleeve length was also increased because the longer stroke means the pistons will travel farther down the cylinder.
This required major CAD work by LPE engineers to create oil pan clearance since the factory LT2 dry sump oil pan had to be retained as it is an integrated part of the overall dry sump lubrication system. LPE worked with Callies to build a center counterweighted crankshaft to reduce the size of the outboard counterweights. LPE then had Mahle design a set of custom 2618 forged pistons to work with the Callies 4340 forged crank and 6.125-inch H-beam connecting rods. Compression was set at 12.5:1
Once the rotating system was properly fitted and Mahle-Clevite main and bearing clearances were set, this was just the start of a complete redesign of the engine. Engine building is really the art form of combining multiple systems into an functioning whole that performs flawlessly. One issue that older engine builders have not had to face is the task of making sure this new creation will play nice with the new 8-speed dual clutch transmission.
To squeeze a 4.00-inch stroke crank into the tight confines of the LT2 crankcase, the crank needed to clear this flat, dry sump cast aluminum oil pan. The black portion on the upper edge in this photo is the pickup area with the two oval points where it enters the suction side of the pump. Photo: Lingenfelter Performance Engineering/Rand Phillips
Because the clutch engagement is controlled not by your left foot but instead by a computer, the LPE 427 engine could not employ rowdy cam specs. Instead, LPE engineers had to develop a way to balance a smooth idle at a docile 650 to 750 rpm with a strong torque curve while still hitting their 700 hp goal. Even neophyte cam spec fans will understand that a smooth idle and big top-end power numbers tend to be mutually exclusive bed fellows.
Right off, the factory AFM (Active Fuel Management) system was eliminated mainly to reduce complexity and to enhance power but the variable valve timing (VVT) was retained. Understandably, LPE is reluctant to disclose all the details but they will admit to a hydraulic roller cam with a rather wide 118-degree lobe separation angle. This reduces overlap which is what helps to produce the smooth idle. This sacrifices some mid-range torque but also positions intake valve closing at a later point which helps top-end power.
LPE combined this with an intake centerline of 113 degrees after top dead center (ATDC). This also tells us that LPE advanced the cam by five degrees again to help low-speed torque. Another step was to install bronze lifter bushings both to reduce excessive oil leakage around the lifters while also optimizing lifter positioning. All of this is part of the blueprint process.
After the larger cylinder sleeves were pressed into place, the bottom of the sleeves had to be machined to clear the connecting rods. Note how the sleeves were cut around the area where the piston squirters are positioned. Photo: Lingenfelter Performance Engineering/Rand Phillips
On top of pushing the envelope for power, the proprietary LPE cam also had to compromise lift and duration specs in order to include the factory variable valve timing. The span of adjustment was reigned in slightly to make all this work.
Of course, this cam wasn’t created in a vacuum. It was part of the continuing camshaft program that came out of work on production direct injection engines that LPE has been developing for years in conjunction with its cylinder head program. The heads for the LPE Eliminator Spec S engine are production LT2 castings that have been enhanced with top-to-bottom CNC porting.
LPE’s CNC machine quickly enhanced the flow characteristics of the stock LT2 heads that are already blessed with a 59cc combustion chamber and 2.13 / 1.59-inch valves with some additional intake and exhaust flow performance. The LT engines also offer a 12-degree valve angle that is splayed slightly (2.6 degrees for the intake an 2.4 degrees for the exhaust) which automatically improves flow by angling the valves away from the cylinder wall.
After the five-axis CNC machining, the cylinder heads were then assembled in-house with LPE valve guides, springs, and titanium retainers to complete them for assembly on the short block. The valvetrain is topped off with a set of production 1.8:1 rocker arms hat have been treated to CHE rocker bushings. The combination of the tight chambers and the Mahle pistons create a superlative 12.5:1 static compression ratio that is very much pump gas compatible because of the excellent vaporization of fuel from the direct injection.
Lingenfelter Performance Engineering Spec S 427-cu.in. Engine - Details
One way to reduce the diameter of the counterweights is to add another pair around the center main bearing. These counterweights have the least effect on balancing forces within the engine, but there is evidence to support that these center-mounted weights serve to improve crank forces at higher engine speeds.
This photo of the engine on the dyno reveals the pTR carbon fiber intake, 103mm throttle body, and headers used for the development testing. The odd looking assembly on the front of the engine is the factory LT2 dry sump tank assembly without its trick factory cover.
Photo: Lingenfelter Performance Engineering/Rand Phillips
Following the air and fuel flow path leads us to the fuel delivery system. LPE started by adding its 11.5mm bore size Nostrum upscale LT4 pump that offers both additional pump capacity to feed the increased cubic inches but also increased line pressure that also improves output. While the original approach was to develop the engine to function on 91 octane pump gas, this additional capacity also makes it easier to add an\E85 fuel option to this combination so LPE LT4 injectors were also included.
That’s especially intriguing because direct injection engines have been shown to really respond to the use of ethanol-blended fuels because of the alcohol’s dramatic improvement in latent heat of vaporization. This fuel cooling effect when injected into the cylinders offers additional power over just the octane benefits of E85. The larger LPE pump makes using ethanol-based fuels extremely favorable with minimal side effects. To complete the induction systems, LPE retained the stock LT2 intake manifold and 87mm throttle body for initial testing.
Everybody always looks first at the peak horsepower number. And why not when the number encompasses 700? But the more erudite engine masters will study the torque curve. This LPE 7.0L uses factory VVT to help create strong low-end torque where street engines operate. That’s nearly 500 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm, which is more than the peak torque number for the stock LT2.
Courtesy of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering
With the 7.0L engine fully assembled, the guys quickly pulled it into Lingenfelter’s state of the art dyno room, hooked up fuel and all the sensors and not long after recorded a solid 700 hp dyno pull. Note that the chart starts at a streetable 3,000 rpm and yet produces a strong, flat torque curve starting at nearly 500 lb-ft of torque at that low rpm that quickly builds to a torque peak of 599.9 lb-ft at 4,750 rpm - we’d call that 600 lb-ft in anybody’s book.
Horsepower of course continues to climb and the combination peaks at a conservative 6,500 rpm with 703.9 horsepower. Later testing added a BTR carbon fiber intake and a 103mm throttle body and the power improved to 614 lb-ft of torque and 715 horsepower. Like any good development program, you can bet your last carbon fiber nickel that there’s more power left to be uncovered in this 7.0L effort especially when LPE starts with the E85. We’ll let you know how that works out!
Source
Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (LPE)
260-724-2552
lingenfelter.com
Photo: Beverly Hills Car Club
Photo: Beverly Hills Car Club
The 330 GT 2+2 was an unbeatable idea. Enzo Ferrari himself drove a 330 GT 2+2, as did Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Beatle John Lennon, purchased the very day he passed his UK driving test.
The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 was in production simultaneously with the 275 GTB and the 330 GTC, offering colossally powerful V12 driving, along with added rear seats and a deep trunk. Designed by Pininfarina, an element of its styling was intended to draw in American buyers: this was the striking four-headlight nose. Beneath the surface, the 330 GT 2+2 had numerous updates from its predecessor: a wheelbase that was extended by 50 millimeters over the 250 GTE, Koni adjustable shock absorbers, and a Dunlop dual-circuit braking system, which gave both the front disc and rear disc brakes their own servo-assist.
Photo: Beverly Hills Car Club
But midway through the 1965 model year, Ferrari announced an updated version, a Series II model of the 330 GT 2+2. This signaled the end of that four-headlight nose, now replaced by a more attractive dual-headlamp nose, similar to that of the 275 GTS. On the nose the body was enhanced with different louvers for engine bay ventilation. Rounding out the exterior were the 10-hole alloy wheels, which were made standard, and the traditional Borrani wire wheels, which remained available as options. And there were some dashboard changes.
Photo: Beverly Hills Car Club
This is precisely the rare model we presently have at Beverly Hills Car Club, a highly coveted 1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II featured with matching-numbers engine. With only 79,618 kilometers on the odometer (equivalent to 49,472 miles) this Pininfarina-designed Ferrari is a rare find that combines timeless elegance with exhilarating performance.
This particular Italian classic holds a special distinction, having been cherished by the same owner for 44 years. This long-term ownership speaks volumes about the car’s exceptional quality and desirability, making it a rare find for discerning collectors and enthusiasts alike. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a discerning collector, this Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of automotive history that is mechanically sound.
Photo: Beverly Hills Car Club
- Alex Manos, Owner - Beverly Hills Car Club
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