Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Gets A Manual From The Worst Chrysler Ever

Nov. 28, 2022 3:10 PM ET byChase Bierenkoven Auctions /6 Comments

The Chrysler Crossfire finally has a redeeming quality.

Someone has fixed the car community's biggest gripe with olderMercedes E-ClassAMGs by sourcing and fitting a 6-speed manual transmission.

Now, it's for sale over onCars & Bidswith two days to go. The seller reports they used the transmission from aChrysler Crossfire, a two-seater sports car from the same era as thisE55 AMGthat was actually a reskinned Mercedes SLK.

What's more, it appears this work was done relatively affordably, and the car shows no errors as a result of its new, more engaging transmission. Originally, the E55's 5.4-liter naturally aspirated V8 was mated to a five-speed automatic transmission borrowed from the rest of the Mercedes range.

Regrettably, the details on the swap are a bit light. The work was done for around $2,300, per documentation in the listing, and a custom-made transmission mount was needed to fit the Crossfire's gearbox. Additionally, the seller says some tuning to the ECU and TCU was required to get the Mercedes to behave with the manual.

The check engine light was illuminated for some time, but the seller states the shop eventually fixed it and even got the cruise control back in working order. The E55's owner also fitted a more aggressive clutch to ensure the M113's 349 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque are kept in check.

There are, however, some issues. The welding on the custom transmission mount is anything but tidy, and the car also has 147,500 miles on it with loads of cosmetic defects. Rust spots have emerged on the hood, the bumper was repainted at one point, and the uber-cool AMG Monoblock wheels wear mismatched tires.

On top of that, the headliner is sagging and will need to be replaced. That's thousands of dollars in new parts, tires, and paint for the potential new owner.

We suspect that's the reason for the car's $7,600 high bid at the time of publishing. Sorted and low-mile E55s tend to trade hands onCars & Bidsfor around $20,000, but this is neither of those things. We'll see if amanual transmission swapmakes this one unique enough to bring big bucks.