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| November 1999
Paul’s Purple Panzer Think of `Mercedes Benz’ and words such as luxury, expensive, lumbering great tank and diesel fumes might spring to mind.
But the reality is that, just as Holden has HSV and Ford has Tickford, so Mercedes has AMG. Born in the early 1970s, AMG has a long and illustrious connection with the German car manufacturer, having been involved in numerous road car projects and years of Formula 1, Touring Car and GTP racing. Nearly 500 people are employed by AMG in its Affalterbach plant near Stuttgart, and in 1998 the company had a turnover of approximately $A250 million. It’s worth mentioning too, that after a very close working relationship of nearly thirty years, Mercedes (or Daimler-Chrysler Corporation to be precise) are now in the process of actually buying AMG. Facts and figures aside, you aren’t going to see much of AMG here in Australia and giving your Merc’ the AMG treatment is not a straightforward procedure, as Paul Newson, the proprietor of Car Audio Excellence in Perth, and owner of this decidedly different auobahn-sturmer, explained; "When I rang up Mercedes in Victoria, they knew what I was after alright, but gave me the number for AMG in Germany and said I should ring them directly." Expecting to have to speak in slow, clear English, Paul dialled the number in Germany, yet was amazed at the response. "Kathrin Freimuller at the other end spoke perfect English, knew exactly what I wanted for my model and could rattle off any part number !" Piling the parts together Of course, a trained Mercedes mechanic had to be let in on the secret, yet Helmut Oppermann from German Engines in Perth didn’t need asking twice. In fact, Helmut brought back those gob-smacking 17’ three-piece alloy AMG wheels from Germany after a training course.
Indeed, AMG are right into ‘stroker’ cranked V8s and many of the actual AMG cars you can buy in Europe are equipped with petrol V8s (who said that Mercedes only know how to build diesels ?) that pump out in excess of 240kW. For Paul’s big purple Panzer though, it was a case of ditching the original 3.8 litre V8 and dropping in a hotted up 5 litre unit. Classified information?? All the internals, from the crank to the rods and pistons, are from AMG and that’s about all anyone is saying. The 5 litre aluminium block was sourced here in Australia and fully prepared by German Engines, although silicon crystal treating the bores is a process that’s not exactly common. Whether this has something to do with the supposed re-bore to 5.5 litres is not being revealed. Up top and the heads, although once again from you-know-where, were finished off with a good port and polish job in Perth. Unlike us Aussies and the Americans, European manufacturers tend to follow the overhead-cam configuration for their V8s, this particular one running single cams each side. Interestingly, the cams are not AMG items but are German Koenigs, with Helmut applying his own final ‘secret’ grind to their lobes. Induction is achieved through a modified and ported Mercedes intake manifold, while a good ‘ol Bosch K-Jetronic EFI / ignition system (as fitted to many 1980s Euro’s cars) keeps things in perfect harmony. This is backed up by a support cast that includes high-flow injectors, a 10 bar Bosch EFI pump, stainless lines and a surge tank. With combustion completed, the gases exit via AMG 2" headers which feed into a custom 2 ½" exhaust system built in Perth. There are more than a few sundry AMG and custom parts under the bonnet, and while the car has never been put across a dyno, Paul reckons there’s about 400 genuine horses at work. An estimation like this isn’t just based on pure speculation either. Paul has owned some forty (yes 40 !) cars in his time, including numerous hot rods and bombed to the max Aussie V8s. When this bloke reckons an engine puts out 400 ponies, chances are it does just that. The extra horses are fed through to a German Engines-prepared Mercedes four-speed automatic cog swapper, which has been fitted with a two-speed sport lock out and a 2,500rpm hi-stall. The tailshaft and rear LSD diff’ are stock, but as tough as nails and more than up to the task. No attitude problems, just attitude The bright purple paintwork, fat rubber bags and lowered stance all combine perfectly to give this panzer tank a really aggressive attitude. The car sits a full 4" lower than standard and rides on Bilstein Sport shocks and springs on all four corners. Stopping nearly two tonnes of German muscle requires good anchors too, but the ATE vented discs and calipers front and back do the job perfectly. Incidentally, if you think that’s a misprint which should read APE, you’re wrong. ATE is one of Germany’s leading brake manufacturers. The body kit comprises Lorensa front and rear air dams with Zender side skirts, though you have to look hard to spot the ‘Californian’ spec’ headlight clusters and tail-light assemblies. Again, it’s all good privately imported German. And so to the paintwork. Applied in two-pak format by German Engine’s own panel shop, the colour is a custom blend that has been dubbed, "Majestic Purple’. It’s had a fair bit of metallic flake added in and numerous coats of clear have been applied, rubbed back, applied, rubbed back....you get the idea.
In the interior meanwhile, nothing short of full luxury would suffice, because at the end of the day, it is still a Mercedes we’re dealing with here. The interior is now a neat mix of lambswool, leather and woodgrain, with everything from the roof lining to the doors, seats and floors being treated. With a privately imported Lorensa steering wheel and a sound system headed up by a Clarion DRX 6375 head unit, this Mercedes certainly hasn’t lost its luxury tag. If it’s too loud, you’re too old… There’s no less than four subs and four sets of splits living up on the back shelf and Paul says he didn’t cut any metal to get it all there. Verrry interesting... Not surprisingly either, the power circuitry to run this mobile purple disco is equally heavy duty, with four 60 Amp fuses in the car and a 100 Amp circuit breaker, plus a 120 Amp alternator. Yet it’s the performance bug which has bitten hard and Paul now wants to show Australia just how far you can go with a Mercedes. That man Helmut is just as insane and is trying to convince Paul about the benefits of twin superchargers on a 6.9 litre AMG V8. Just imagine that with a perspex bonnet, side flutes, tubs, 335 tyres and lowered another 3" in addition to what you see here ... Das ist gut Mein Herr ! Nuts`n'Bolts Vehicle 1984 Mercedes Benz 126 ENGINE DRIVELINE SUSPENSION & BRAKES WHEELS & TYRES BODY INTERIOR
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But what about performance ? No way, you’re thinking, not in the
Fuhrer’s wildest nightmares, never ever…
The heart of the matter is what we’re all interested in of course, but
have no fear, because AMG know their stuff when it comes to engines.
Serious
attitude for this Mercedes isn’t just limited to the Go department of course.
There are probably a few other stand out colours Paul could have painted his
Merc, but somehow we don’t think that bright pink would look quite the same.
