Wiper motor for 230SL

[justken2u]

I'm building a FrankenBenz ... much more to follow on this with pictures in the coming months. I've been one of "those" guys who wanted to put a V8 into a 230SL and (yes, Dr. Benz) most of these never get completed. I've been working on and off on this thing for 15 years. This, however, is the year (well, maybe early next year). The computer with all of my current pictures is in the shop for a screen job, but I promise to come back and post a few. As mentioned in many other posts, there was a LOT of cutting that had to be done. The complete drive train has been replaced. The dash was also completely reconfigured. When completed, this will be a fuel injected, quad exhaust monster that at the low end will generate 330 HP and at the high end 400 HP depending on the chip.

That's the teaser .. now for the real question of the day ...

I need to replace the windshield wiper motor. Obviously from the extent of other modifications done to this car I'm not married to the necessity of replacing it with OEM parts. Anything that will fit and work is fine. Any suggestions (on the wiper motor that is ... I know that there will be a lot of buzz on both sides of the aisle about the ultimate end product. If we could save the beatings until I post pics and progress info I'd appreciate it!)

Thanks in advance.

[Peter van Es]

Just wondering... you've clearly read a lot of the forum, but since you did not register until today, you've not been able to see a lot of pictures... why didn't you register before?

I suggest doing a search on windshield wiper motor...

Peter

[justken2u]

Hello Peter ...

I'm actually not much of a forum guy. I was struggling with this particular part and somebody suggested I check out the forums. Obviously a ton of information here. Hopefully I'll be able to post more as the car progresses.

K

[jameshoward]

I don't get it. You're happy to go that far to mod the car and put in a big shiny engine, roll bars, etc (not passing judgement, mind, simply making an observation)....

...but you're asking about a wiper motor!?

Isn't that bit like the captain of the Carpathia asking the captain of Titanic what sort of iceberg he hit? (Okay, that's a judgmental comment; I couldn't help myself).

Actually, it must have taken a lot of work and commitment to get that far so good luck with the project and I hope it works out for you. I look forward to seeing the finished the product.

And sorry but I have no idea what sort of wiper motor you should use, but I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get away with anything as it's unlikely to be the first thing that purists latch onto as they search for evidence of non-originality.

Not that any of that helps, of course.

[waqas]

The original wiper motor will obviously be easiest to install, assuming the linkage is all intact. But these can be hard to find used (and new ones pretty expensive, last I checked). I believe some of the 111 chassis cars (220s/sb/se, 230s, etc from the early 60s) had the same motor.

Alternatives depend on the orientation of the motor relative to the linkage. Even the wiper motor from an era 108 sedan would be tough to fit (at first glance), due to it's perpendicular orientation.

I guess what James is getting at is if you have come this far making/welding modifications, you can pretty much install any motor you choose.

Unfortunately, I've no answers.

[scoot]

I think I'm missing something too.  Why would you not want to use a 113 wiper motor?

[scoot]

I believe some of the 111 chassis cars (220s/sb/se, 230s, etc from the early 60s) had the same motor.

I looked it up on EPC.  The wiper motor for a 230 SL is either A1108200342 or A1108200442.   Those are common to the following:
110. 000, 001, 004, 010, 100, 104, 110   and   110. 000, 001, 002, 003, 004, 005, 010, 011, 100, 104, 110

So basically almost any 110 car has the same wiper motor.

[justken2u]

Hey Scoot:

Very helpful information. At least now I can widen my search. James ... I hear ya! I guess the big thing about not using the motor from a 113 is first and foremost it would be tough to find a new one - at least at a reasonable price. I was hoping something similar and built in this century would fit. With the information from Scoot I can widen the search in hopes of finding a new one now at a reasonable price. Somebody has one of these things kicking around in a box that they need to get rid of.

Meanwhile, I've got a few spare parts that I will likely be listing. Everyone on here would probably lynch me to learn the trials and tribulations of all the parts that came off this car and which were either trashed or traded for empty promises ... neither one being my intention.

Here's one more teaser picture ... the current progress on the trunk mounted amplifier and sub woofer speakers.

Thanks for the help!

[justken2u]

Oh ... and Waqas! Thanks for your input as well ... forgot to thank you before hitting the Reply button!

K

[scoot]

I hear ya! I guess the big thing about not using the motor from a 113 is first and foremost it would be tough to find a new one - at least at a reasonable price. I was hoping something similar and built in this century would fit. With the information from Scoot I can widen the search in hopes of finding a new one now at a reasonable price.

If someone has a wiper moter in a box that is new I doubt that it's going to be inexpensive.  I would strongly consider getting a used one from a junkyard car.  Maybe next time I see a 110 at the junkyard I'll snag one myself.    I have a good motor from a 111 but I seem to have proven to myself that it isn't the same...

[Witt]

.....just looking at the pictures makes me shudder....why did you not use a Detroit muscle car to build a "pimp-mobile".....
BTW why do you need a wiper motor, you got no windshield ?

CHEERS !
WITT !

PS: Please do everybody a favour and remove those offending pictures and please refrain from posting any more !

[justken2u]

Ahhhh ... Witt ... the "purest" side of the aisle has spoken 

I'm sure there will be a lot more dissention as the car progresses ... just do me a favor. If you ever see it at a car show, please throw the vegetables at ME, not the car. The car means you no harm. And sorry ... more pics to follow. This is, as you know, the R&D board. I'll keep it off the purist boards.

But before I sign off ... Witt .. this is for you, buddy (all in fun, brother ... all in fun ...)

Rear end and front brakes

[scoot]

.....just looking at the pictures makes me shudder....why did you not use a Detroit muscle car to build a "pimp-mobile".....
BTW why do you need a wiper motor, you got no windshield ?

CHEERS !
WITT !

PS: Please do everybody a favour and remove those offending pictures and please refrain from posting any more !

Naughty naughty.  I share your shudder, but think he is entitled to Pimp His Pagoda here.

[Dash808]

Kind of funny seeing a white gas tank. 

Next time I'm in Orlando I might have to look you up to see this monstrosity.  Don't worry I'll probably be unarmed and tomato-less. 


A wiper motor would be the least of my worries. 

[Peter van Es]

Need those hefty rear-axle mods to carry the weight of the loudspeakers and amps? By the way, keep posting... to each his own! And yes, this is the R&D forum...

[scoot]

Need those hefty rear-axle mods to carry the weight of the loudspeakers and amps?

...and what happened to the spare tire!!!  You are worried about your wiper motor and you have no spare tire?

[justken2u]

I love you guys ...  

And as a side bar, thanks Scoot ... our secret will always be vouchsafe with me   As for the spare tire, isn't that what girlfriends are for? Pimps, afterall, do need their hoes to help out once in a while "Baby, hitch hike to the nearest gas station and get this flat fixed whilst I sit here and look cool, would you? Love ya!"

Oh, and Dash ... by all means drop by if you happen to be around Mickeytown. Hopefully everything will be done by then. The wiring has become a bit of a bear since there are two guys working on it. The stereo guy had to take off for a couple of weeks, and something he did is screwing up the conventional wiring. Without cutting everything apart that he did and starting over, the conventional wiring guy is going to have to wait until he gets back to continue with his part. Building a car like this is a constant pain in the butt and the wallet. My guess is that either the alarm or the keyless ignition is causing a shut down of the main circuits and without the guy who hooked it up working directly with the conventional wiring guy it's at a stand still. It can't go to the interior shop until all of the wiring is in and functioning flawlessly so the project has pretty much come to a grinding halt for now (I can hear the cheers rising in the background and an international wave being done by the purists -"death to the heretic ... death to the heretic!!") But fear not my fellow R&D enthusiasts ... I will soon proclaim from our secret lair in the greater Orlando countryside, "IT'S ALIVE!!!!"

The clever repartee  has earned you boys another glamour shot. This is the current state of the area behind the seats. The box in the middle is actually a fingerprint activated gun safe. Every gangsta needs a place to keep his heater. Oval grills are sound ports from the trunk for the bass, which will always be at a manageable level. I'm not a fan of the heavy thump-thump-mobiles but I do enjoy some quality bottom end to my sound. The smaller cutouts are for the 3 way fill speakers. All in all the system will have the highs and the mids in the front kick panels, the 3 way fills behind the seats and the twin subbies in the back all powered by a McIntosh 6 channel amp and a Pioneer GPS/stereo head unit. Diamond speakers all around.

Enjoy.

[w113dude]

I am literally speechless & lost for words! WOW

[ja17]

Hello,

Intreresting project.  I appreciate the craftsmanship shown iin a project like this. In the end it is what gives you satisfaction and make you happy that is most important!

I have some good used sedan wiper motors if you still need one.

Take care,

[mdsalemi]

Personally on a car like this, I'd have a custom made wiper motor fabricated, probably about 5 HP.

[justken2u]

Thanks Michael! Probably a great suggestion for this car actually! hehehe

And Joe, thanks for the offer on the wiper motors. I think based on some of the info I got from one of the earlier posters I was able to find a motor at a relatively good price. Used of course - the new ones were in the $400 - $500 range. I'm on travel but it should be there by the time I get home. The car goes to the interior shop on Friday. I should have some newer pics in the next few weeks. True to form, the guy who was working on the electronics was strapped for cash, so I paid him in full with what he described as a couple of hours of work left to do. He never came back to finish and much of what he did is a mess. His fabrication was amazing, but his ability to hook up the electronics was not what was expected. I've got to get someone to go in behind him and fix it. He surfaced after 3 weeks of being MIA, but now I don't trust him to touch the car. Nothing is smooth in a project like this folks. One way or another, unscrupulous people are going to find their way into the project and ultimately your pocket. My body guy and one of the guys who has done a lot of the mechanical have been both awesome and honorable, but they have had to clean up a lot of crap that was incorrectly done by others as this thing passed from hand to hand and shop to shop over the past 17 years. A bit of a cautionary tale to those who want to take on something of this magnitude. As the Latins say, Idiot Emptor. 

[JamesL]

I think it's cool

Not my choice per se but if offered it, i doubt I'd say no! Credit to you and I really can't wait to see the finished article (indeed an article in/for Pagoda World would be ACE!). I would also love to know the cost but you'll have a unique car and if that's what you wanted, good for you!!

[Drewtee]

I think it's cool

Not sure about that, although It's definitely a unique Pagoda and i look forward to seeing the pics once finished.

Hopefully the car was a shell before justken2u started.

[justken2u]

Hey Drewtee ... excellent question about the pre-condition. Thought I'd post a couple of pre-pics for everyone. Car is going to the interior shop shortly, then back to the mechanical shop to get the engine dialed in. Still a LOT to do on this monster but I will definitely have pics posted of the finished machine.

[justken2u]

Hey Tosh ...

I've been working on this car off and on for 17 years now. It's been in 8 shops 12 times. I've been gouged, lied to, swindled, sued ... you name it. Frankly, I've lost track of the costs but add everything up including all the bad decisions and repurchase of parts time and again and it will easily be over $100K by the time all is done. My advice to anyone who chooses to undertake a project such as this is HAVE A PLAN. I started out with the simple idea of putting a basic north American engine in the car and redo the body. I had a buddy who owned a body shop ... simple transaction I thought ... and to save money, why not just work on it "in your spare time". Error Error Error ... Although it did finally end up at another buddy's shop who has his body business at his house and he has done the Titan's job of getting this car to the stage it is now. He'll probably never take on a project like this ever again, but he has stuck with it and recruited the right talent to do some amazing work. I am truly fortunate to have had Lorenzo in this project. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to find your own "Lorenzo" ... someone who virtually takes ownership and personal pride in seeing the project completed. Then have a plan, deep pockets, and find a shop that can do it all. Park it with them for at least a year and never ... NEVER ... pay in advance. Pay for completed progress. Trying to get anything done by bargain hunting with a car like this will end up costing you WAY more in the long run. You truly get what you pay for ... well, I take that back. You often get none of what you pay for.

Here she is ready for the next stage of her emerging life. Headed to the interior shop as soon as the planets of time, weather and shop availability line up.