W202 - C36 AMG & C43/55 AMG
Discussion
Lovely car. Looks like you've given it a lot of love.
I had the same, C43 with 5.4 from a 210. The best thing I did was fit a quaife diff. It transformed it.
Interesting looking at the performance numbers. Mine figured a consistent 4.9 to 60 on a vbox and a gps 160 top end on a Vmax Bruntingthorpe day. You could feel it hit the limiter. I never got it delimited, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did a real 170.
It the only car I've owned that I still pine after. Loved it. A real pleasure to see this one! Thank you.
I had the same, C43 with 5.4 from a 210. The best thing I did was fit a quaife diff. It transformed it.
Interesting looking at the performance numbers. Mine figured a consistent 4.9 to 60 on a vbox and a gps 160 top end on a Vmax Bruntingthorpe day. You could feel it hit the limiter. I never got it delimited, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did a real 170.
It the only car I've owned that I still pine after. Loved it. A real pleasure to see this one! Thank you.
What a fantastic pair of W202s - thanks for the write up OP. 
My last Mercedes back in 2000 was a 1994 C280 Sport that someone had specced with leather, AMG alloys, Climate & sunroof - very nice! I kept it 3 years and found it great for long motorway trips.
But I got offered a cheap Seat Leon Cupra ex-company car that my employer was selling and felt the urge to get back to something a bit more "chuckable" - plus I was missing a manual gearbox!
Then after that I developed a BMW addiction that is ongoing, but I have some good memories of my W202 - and possibly even better ones of the W201 it replaced.
My last Mercedes back in 2000 was a 1994 C280 Sport that someone had specced with leather, AMG alloys, Climate & sunroof - very nice! I kept it 3 years and found it great for long motorway trips.
But I got offered a cheap Seat Leon Cupra ex-company car that my employer was selling and felt the urge to get back to something a bit more "chuckable" - plus I was missing a manual gearbox!
Then after that I developed a BMW addiction that is ongoing, but I have some good memories of my W202 - and possibly even better ones of the W201 it replaced.
nickboazracing said:
Lovely car. Looks like you've given it a lot of love.
I had the same, C43 with 5.4 from a 210. The best thing I did was fit a quaife diff. It transformed it.
Interesting looking at the performance numbers. Mine figured a consistent 4.9 to 60 on a vbox and a gps 160 top end on a Vmax Bruntingthorpe day. You could feel it hit the limiter. I never got it delimited, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did a real 170.
It the only car I've owned that I still pine after. Loved it. A real pleasure to see this one! Thank you.
Those are strong numbers long live AMG c class meets with their v8’s bad crazy sounds. Hot rods for the road. I had the same, C43 with 5.4 from a 210. The best thing I did was fit a quaife diff. It transformed it.
Interesting looking at the performance numbers. Mine figured a consistent 4.9 to 60 on a vbox and a gps 160 top end on a Vmax Bruntingthorpe day. You could feel it hit the limiter. I never got it delimited, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did a real 170.
It the only car I've owned that I still pine after. Loved it. A real pleasure to see this one! Thank you.
MickyveloceClassic said:
Great to see you’re still enthusing about your C36 Notwen!
I’m approaching 14 years of owning my red C36, and still adore its combination of rarity, compact style, overtaking poke and straight-six noise.
Fantastic to see you've still got the old girl, Michael.I’m approaching 14 years of owning my red C36, and still adore its combination of rarity, compact style, overtaking poke and straight-six noise.
OP - another C36 (former) owner here. Great thread!
I loved that car.
I'll take the opportunity to share a rare pic of my two favourite girls together.
Apologies its a phone snap pic...
C36 helped me pop my 'ring cherry. A weekend I'll probably never forget. Effortless journey from Aberdeen to Nurburg, via Hull.
Cruising down the autobahn at 150ish, felt so easy and refined. My eyes were on stalks and still getting overtaken left, right and centre...somehow.
Blatting round the ring a bunch of times. The car's ability was way better than my driving. Met some great, like-minded individuals there. Back up the autobahn and home.
My abiding memory of the car...comfier than my house and so relaxing to drive, but when you wanted fast, it did that admirably for a car from mid 90s.
Welshbeef said:
Collaudatore said:
The hammer
That is a nice looking car - is it the case that was an E-Class though or a coupe?To me a coupe is something low and sleek, not a saloon with less doors
Notwen said:
Rusty McRust face
Come the tail end of last year, I knew there was a little work to be done with the welder. W202’s rot for fun, while this one looked quite sound, the sill skirts can hide a lot.
The front O/S jacking point started a little suspect, likely due to poor jacking in the past that had compromised the sealant.
With the sealant peeled off and some judicial prodding, plus gravity helped.
Initially I was going to do a repair section. Cleaning back the underseal further along the sill, while not holed, it would have been a job for the future. So went down the full sill route.
Behind the sils was a small flitch plate, with differing curves. Made an absolute pig of trying to replicate it. Then came up trumps with a NOS piece, according to the MB label was actually older than the car. I cut out and remade the jacking point support.
The worse areas were, where there are factory fitted bungs under the rear arches and rear floor.
Cut out and new pieces fabricated.
(this was after me giving the bung a prod)
I really struggled to get the underbody coating to a similar consistency, so will see how it ages.
Another favoured spot for C Class corrosion, is the boot (from leaking batteries missing the vent tube normally) and the section behind the O/S rear wheel. Fortunately the later is still available as a repair section from Mercedes.
Towing eye
MB still list the towing eye, a veritable bargain at less the £10.
Just before Easter it was back on its wheels.
Then outside for a well deserved clean.
Didn't take long for Brian the Beagle to stage a sit in protest, of wanting a ride out.
The plan had been, the week after Easter I was going to MOT it as it ran out in March.
Missing the 6 month extension, it has sat since awaiting a decent run.
Hi rusty mcrust face( or any body that can help me) new to forum, I'm a welder an currently doing the same repair to the rear lower quarter section under side of bumper/ boot floor. I saw you managed to get the replacement panel from mercedes, did you have a part number as I've been hunting now for days and mercedes can't find what I'm looking for even with pics. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Come the tail end of last year, I knew there was a little work to be done with the welder. W202’s rot for fun, while this one looked quite sound, the sill skirts can hide a lot.
The front O/S jacking point started a little suspect, likely due to poor jacking in the past that had compromised the sealant.
With the sealant peeled off and some judicial prodding, plus gravity helped.
Initially I was going to do a repair section. Cleaning back the underseal further along the sill, while not holed, it would have been a job for the future. So went down the full sill route.
Behind the sils was a small flitch plate, with differing curves. Made an absolute pig of trying to replicate it. Then came up trumps with a NOS piece, according to the MB label was actually older than the car. I cut out and remade the jacking point support.
The worse areas were, where there are factory fitted bungs under the rear arches and rear floor.
Cut out and new pieces fabricated.
(this was after me giving the bung a prod)
I really struggled to get the underbody coating to a similar consistency, so will see how it ages.
Another favoured spot for C Class corrosion, is the boot (from leaking batteries missing the vent tube normally) and the section behind the O/S rear wheel. Fortunately the later is still available as a repair section from Mercedes.
Towing eye
MB still list the towing eye, a veritable bargain at less the £10.
Just before Easter it was back on its wheels.
Then outside for a well deserved clean.
Didn't take long for Brian the Beagle to stage a sit in protest, of wanting a ride out.
The plan had been, the week after Easter I was going to MOT it as it ran out in March.
Missing the 6 month extension, it has sat since awaiting a decent run.
Welderman1983 said:
Hi rusty mcrust face( or any body that can help me) new to forum, I'm a welder an currently doing the same repair to the rear lower quarter section under side of bumper/ boot floor. I saw you managed to get the replacement panel from mercedes, did you have a part number as I've been hunting now for days and mercedes can't find what I'm looking for even with pics. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If you put the VIN into https://www.catcar.info/mercedes/?lang=en&l= , click on the model number then close the pop-up ad, you get to a copy of the Mercedes Electronic Parts Catalogue, which may help.
r129sl said:
Great car and great story: thanks for posting.
Yes, the C43 was the first "in house" AMG and the first one built in some sort of volume. There still weren't many compared to C63's and so on. Something like 250 saloons and 140 estates in the UK, for example. I had my first one back in 2003 and would only very occasionally spot another one.Welshbeef said:
What existed before the C36 AMG? Or was this the start of this line of sports sedans?
As others have said, the C36 AMG was the first official collaboration. However, the w201 190 E 3.2 AMG was a semi-production model and could be ordered from the dealer (in Germany, at least); its engine was a 3.2litre version of the M103 12 valve straight six, not the later M104 24 valve job, and it made 231bhp. In many respects one can see that the watershed does not come with the C36 AMG but rather with the C43 AMG.I liked the fact that they were so under the radar at the time.
AC43 said:
Yes, the C43 was the first "in house" AMG and the first one built in some sort of volume. There still weren't many compared to C63's and so on. Something like 250 saloons and 140 estates in the UK, for example. I had my first one back in 2003 and would only very occasionally spot another one.
I liked the fact that they were so under the radar at the time.
Yours still is I doubt many would know it’s a 174mph car from the factory. I liked the fact that they were so under the radar at the time.
Notwen said:
Rusty McRust face
Come the tail end of last year, I knew there was a little work to be done with the welder. W202’s rot for fun, while this one looked quite sound, the sill skirts can hide a lot.
The front O/S jacking point started a little suspect, likely due to poor jacking in the past that had compromised the sealant.
With the sealant peeled off and some judicial prodding, plus gravity helped.
Initially I was going to do a repair section. Cleaning back the underseal further along the sill, while not holed, it would have been a job for the future. So went down the full sill route.
Behind the sils was a small flitch plate, with differing curves. Made an absolute pig of trying to replicate it. Then came up trumps with a NOS piece, according to the MB label was actually older than the car. I cut out and remade the jacking point support.
The worse areas were, where there are factory fitted bungs under the rear arches and rear floor.
Cut out and new pieces fabricated.
(this was after me giving the bung a prod)
I really struggled to get the underbody coating to a similar consistency, so will see how it ages.
Another favoured spot for C Class corrosion, is the boot (from leaking batteries missing the vent tube normally) and the section behind the O/S rear wheel. Fortunately the later is still available as a repair section from Mercedes.
Towing eye
MB still list the towing eye, a veritable bargain at less the £10.
Just before Easter it was back on its wheels.
Then outside for a well deserved clean.
Didn't take long for Brian the Beagle to stage a sit in protest, of wanting a ride out.
The plan had been, the week after Easter I was going to MOT it as it ran out in March.
Missing the 6 month extension, it has sat since awaiting a decent run.
Hi guys, new to the forum. Currently working doing the same job on the rear lower section as you have in pics, you said the panel was still available from mercedes. Did you have a part number as I been huntingvfor days an cannot find it and mercedes are clueless. Even though I've sent pics of the panel your doing lol....please help😭.Come the tail end of last year, I knew there was a little work to be done with the welder. W202’s rot for fun, while this one looked quite sound, the sill skirts can hide a lot.
The front O/S jacking point started a little suspect, likely due to poor jacking in the past that had compromised the sealant.
With the sealant peeled off and some judicial prodding, plus gravity helped.
Initially I was going to do a repair section. Cleaning back the underseal further along the sill, while not holed, it would have been a job for the future. So went down the full sill route.
Behind the sils was a small flitch plate, with differing curves. Made an absolute pig of trying to replicate it. Then came up trumps with a NOS piece, according to the MB label was actually older than the car. I cut out and remade the jacking point support.
The worse areas were, where there are factory fitted bungs under the rear arches and rear floor.
Cut out and new pieces fabricated.
(this was after me giving the bung a prod)
I really struggled to get the underbody coating to a similar consistency, so will see how it ages.
Another favoured spot for C Class corrosion, is the boot (from leaking batteries missing the vent tube normally) and the section behind the O/S rear wheel. Fortunately the later is still available as a repair section from Mercedes.
Towing eye
MB still list the towing eye, a veritable bargain at less the £10.
Just before Easter it was back on its wheels.
Then outside for a well deserved clean.
Didn't take long for Brian the Beagle to stage a sit in protest, of wanting a ride out.
The plan had been, the week after Easter I was going to MOT it as it ran out in March.
Missing the 6 month extension, it has sat since awaiting a decent run.
Thanks in advance
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