Ask the Hive - Drift/Track Build of German/Korean/Communist Quasi Mercedes?

Greetings comrades,

On a scale of glorious to surpassingly glorious, where would you rank a late 90's Ssangyong Chairman with a 5 speed swap, a 68 mm turbo and gutted interior?

For those so unfortunate as to have never experienced the glorious Ssangyong Chairman, it is the wise and triumphant combination of a 1980's W126 Mercedes chassis, a 1990's M104 Mercedes straigh six, a proprietary body and wild mishmash of Mercedes and Ssangyong (truck) interior bits. The car was assembled in South Korea under the benevolent management of a Chinese Communist Party-sponsored Chinese investment group.

I'm can see no reason (though I do need to check) why the similarly M104 powered and world-renowned Ssangyong Musso's 5 speed stick could not free the glorious Chairman from its bourgeouise automatic transmission. [/communist propaganda voice]

What do you think of this as a project car? I'd really like something rwd after I finish grad school (a couple years off) and this looks way more interesting than a Genesis Coupe to me. Also, this car would definitely get a Chairman (Mao) badge.

That sounds silly and awesome. Go for it!

Surpassingly glorious (although I gotta say, "wise and triumphant" might be pushing it.)

Get somebody at home to locate a couple of Greyhound emblems, then apply them as required, accompanied by the text "Capitalist Running Dog."

I'd be more likely to put a jag hood ornament and some fender logos and call it the Chairman Meow.

That's all kinds of awesome. What are parts like for that? What are they actually like to drive? Do chicks dig them? Is the back seat big enough to sleep in?

mazdeuce wrote: That's all kinds of awesome. What are parts like for that? What are they actually like to drive? Do chicks dig them? Is the back seat big enough to sleep in?

I wonder if the price of parts would lead to sleeping in it more than you might want.

In for pics. This needs to happen.

mazdeuce wrote: That's all kinds of awesome. What are parts like for that? What are they actually like to drive? Do chicks dig them? Is the back seat big enough to sleep in?

They're about the size of an E39 and drive exactly like a w126. So exactly the same that they even make the same clunking sounds when the rear trailing arm bushings wear out.

The one I sampled had an interior that was holding up decently well but was also super awesomely kitschy. I don't think it was factory, but you cannot top a pleated headliner for classiness.

I haven't checked parts prices, but most of the ancient Mercedes bits are shared with the Musso, Actyon and Kyron- which are all moderately priced (and butt ugly) SUV things. Can't imagine the straight six stuff is too bad.

I very much got the sense I was driving an 88 300 SEL with a slightly more modern drivetrain.

If I get one, the plan is for a stick shift, low and stiff suspension, serious decontent and then maybe a big stupid turbo because the engines are supposedly 2jz levels of tough.

From what I understand, using that motor and a giant turbo is all the rage is Sweden. There is a 240SX time attack car where they say it is making 700HP. I'm all for doing redonk stuff.

Save us Chairman Meow!

Add NOS for ultimate performance people's satisfaction.

I wonder if they realized they made it look like a Cadillac Catera...

Chadeux wrote: I wonder if they realized they made it look like a Cadillac Catera...

I thougjt it looked like a typical Chinese knockoff of an s class.

Mercedes had a stake in Ssangyong at the time.

They bought the w124 chassis from Benz

Yeah, I'd totally dump it on it's nuts, 5 speed swap, thrown on an enormous turbo, figure out a solution for the diff, hydro E, a good bucket, and just shred tires all day long.