LS-Swapped 1971 Mercedes 300SEL Is One Sweet SEMA-Bound Hot Rod: Track Time Tuesday
Supercharged LS9 power and custom underpinnings make this ICON-built 1971 Mercedes 300SL a real sleeper.
In recent years, old school SUVs have become popular targets for LS swaps, making horrifically unreliable vehicles from the likes of Range Rover a bit more pleasant to drive on a daily basis. Even vintage Mercedes-Benz models like the G-Wagon have been common targets for LS swaps in recent years, but this 1971 Mercedes 300SEL doesn’t fall into that category, as it’s more of a modern hot rod than a mud-slinging four-wheeler. However, it was also built by the off-road-obsessed folks at ICON, which is quite the change of pace for a shop known for churning out some of the most immaculate restomodded SUVs on the planet.
The owner of this 1971 Mercedes SEL, Steve, fell in love with the iconic model of the same year dubbed “The Pig,” which was built by Werner Aulfrecht and Erhard Melcher – the names behind the legendary AMG brand. That big, luxurious four-door sedan raced at the 1971 24 Hours of Spa and wound up securing second place, much to the shock of everyone that watched it. And that’s precisely the idea behind this build – transform the big, heavy, cushy ride into something capable of carving up the track.
That process involved fabricating a custom Art Morrison frame and ditching the SEL’s unibody construction. The new piece was also fitted with all sorts of goodies including tubular control arms, an IRS rear suspension, Strange adjustable coilovers, a power rack-and-pinion steering system, and a Dana 60 IRS differential and cradle system.
The big news, of course, is what powers this 1971 Mercedes 300SEL, and it isn’t the modified AMG mill that propelled The Pig to racing glory. Rather, ICON went with a modern supercharged LS9 crate engine equipped with an Aviaid modified dry-sump oiling system and custom stainless headers that churns out a cool 638 horsepower right out of the box. It sends all of that power to the rear wheels via a 4L85E transmission.
As is the case with most ICON builds, the exterior patina was retained, while the interior was completely redone in mostly stock form, albeit with the addition of some modern amenities. The end result is certainly one of the coolest vintage 300SELs on the planet, and one that’s just as capable of going fast and stunning onlookers when called upon, too.
Photos: ICON
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