Lexus-powered Mercedes 190SL Is the Strangest, Coolest 1UZ Swap Around
Stuffing 300hp of high-tech Japanese muscle into the painfully underpowered Mercedes 190SL is pure engineering genius.
Over the years, Lexus’ legendary 1UZ-FE powerplant has become one of the most popular swap motors in the land of tuning. And why not? The 32-valve, overhead-cam 4.0-liter V8 was a highly advanced motor in its time, yet it’s also amazingly reliable and bulletproof. With an aluminum block and heads, it’s also rather lightweight. Toss in the fact that you can easily tune the 1UZ to make big power, and you’ve got the makings of a legend. One that’s facilitated transplants in all sorts of Toyota products. And at least one classic Mercedes 190SL.
Strange? Yes? Undeniably cool? Also yes. We spied this drop-dead gorgeous ’92 Mercedes 190SL on eBay, where it caught out eye simply because of its immaculate condition. But then we noticed something unusual in the description. Yes, this classic German beauty has shed its original inline four-cylinder M-B engine for the legendary Japanese V8. Which, in a car that weighs a mere 2,575 pounds, makes for one fun little roadster.
Yes, 300 hp is quite the upgrade in a car that originally had around 100 ponies. And with a 5-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential, it’s undoubtedly a hoot to drive. Making this Mercedes 190SL even cooler is the fact that it looks totally original on the surface, save for a custom set of 3-piece wheels designed to mimic original Mercedes hoops.
And unlike many swaps out there in the world, this beauty seems to be extremely well-executed. Credit that to the builder, who the seller claims is a former General Electric and Boeing engineer. And now that he’s passed away, this Lexus-powered hot rod is ready to move on to a new owner. We just hope they appreciate it for the masterful and wholly unique piece of engineering art that it truly is!
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