Earlier this week, Mario introduced us protection from the 2024 Gamers Traditional at Goodwood Circuit within the UK. Ten years in the past, Speedhunters was on the 2014 Traditional, and on account of that one automotive was chosen for a #FeatureThis award.
That automotive was Steve Howson‘s Mercedes-Benz 190 E – a real 2.5-16 variant with loads of {custom} additions and some unimaginable consideration to element. Additionally unimaginable is the truth that a decade on Steve nonetheless owns the 190 – now in a fair additional developed kind – and final weekend at Gamers he took residence one other accolade: the Snap-on Automobile of the Present award.
For this week’s throwback submit, let’s revisit the unique 2014 function…
2014 Characteristic
The ’80s have been a loopy time. The financial system was on the climb, cellphones have been nonetheless a decade away from the common individual, and faculties have been solely simply getting their first computer systems.
On the roads, BMW took the battle to the RS Cosworth with its E28 M5 – the opposite producers weren’t even within the recreation. Mercedes-Benz noticed a gap and determined to enter the fray and problem the masters from Munich and Essex.
That is the Benz creation – a kick-ass 190 E constructed with efficiency in thoughts. Purists may desire the early 2.3-16 mannequin for its engine, which was developed and constructed by Cosworth. However this later 2.5-16 model with its enlarged-capacity 4 cylinder engine rumoured to having been constructed by Mercedes-Benz themselves, has extra grunt, reliability and energy – and that’s not a foul factor.
Steve obtained his first style of the high-spec 190 E mannequin again in 2002 when his then boss, who’d simply purchased a Diablo, put his up on the market. Having come from an air-cooled VW background, inside a couple of miles of driving the 190 he can bear in mind being utterly struck by the standard and energy.
When you’ve by no means clicked with a automotive earlier than, then your time continues to be to come back. It’s typically solely later in life that you simply realise you’ve sort of discovered your ‘one’. So though he didn’t realise it on the time, the Mercedes-Benz model was going to play a big half in his life.
Extra particularly, it’s all the time been in regards to the uncommon Cosworth-infused mannequin for Steve. That first automotive ended up bent past restore after an incident on the Nürburgring, however with the salvage recovered to the UK, the most effective bits have been then swapped over to a different comparable ’91 2.5-16. That’s not this automotive although…
What we have now right here is the end result of Steve’s previous initiatives and expertise, all put collectively in one other 190 E 2.5-16 chassis to kind one full bundle. There are some refined mods and enhancements occurring right here – can you see them?
Speaking to Steve I can actually relate to his construct ethos with this automotive. He makes plenty of sense as he tells me about wanting to maintain issues ‘shiny facet up’, and the way the whole lot must be good these days. Having been by way of a few totally different vehicles, he determined again in 2009 that he wanted to do a 190 E Cosworth correctly, and that is it. Some individuals nail it from day one, however for many of us, as you become old you learn to do issues higher and get a larger understanding of what you want.
Very often if you first begin modifying vehicles, you’ve got a ‘that’ll do’ perspective. Wheels match however won’t look fairly proper, seats are bolted in slightly than fitted with fabricated or specialist components, your wiring may begin a hearth and very often spraywork is finished by a can. However as you study extra, you turn out to be more and more discerning and devoted to the reason for doing a correct job.
And that’s what first struck me about Steve’s 190 – it seemed simply proper. And after I seemed even nearer it simply obtained higher. The one CD/tuner head unit won’t be mid ’90s, nevertheless it feels prefer it may very well be.
Put along with the JBL GTO amp within the boot and a few high quality audio system, the sounds are taken care of. Once more, it’s all too simple to overlook that up till 5 or so years in the past there weren’t many manufacturing facility stereo techniques that you simply wouldn’t suppose twice about ripping out, and to be trustworthy, I feel the producers anticipated us to. These days they’re so succesful, typically you don’t have to hassle.
I may have a look at Steve’s Mercedes-Benz from this angle all day lengthy. The ruler straight, horizontal traces of the entrance finish make it look aggressive, however that iconic grille all the time provides a contact of sophistication for me. Like the driving force could be a badass, but nonetheless open the door for a woman.
The match and end all goes to make the 190 so killer too. Design-wise, the 17×8-inch OZ Racing Futura wheels on the entrance are so completely on the cash – correct break up rims with a easy five-spoke design which cues straight to the bodywork’s traces.
The match is nearly excellent too. Searching the web Steve paid plenty of consideration to what labored and what he preferred, so there’s not a mass of wheel protruding or loopy camber – only a 25mm spacer to provide a pleasant match. That permits him to throw the 190 round when he needs, with out having to fret in regards to the tyres rubbing the crap out of the arches.
Steve freely admits that investing in elements just like the WP Professional 8-pot entrance callipers and cross-drilled discs made him up his recreation when it got here to the operating gear. Now the whole lot underneath there was stripped, detailed or renewed. That’s no small feat contemplating all of the work has been executed in a small, single storage, and a driveway.
The small issues are those that all the time make the distinction. It’s if you’ve executed the whole lot else that you simply discover the time to spend a couple of hours completely executing one thing refined, like these air consumption holes. However one more chapter has passed by with out me getting the get together itself. I promise I gained’t delay any longer…
That is what first grabbed me at Goodwood after we laid eyes on the Mercedes-Benz – bonnet up with a small group gathered round. As it will have initially had Bosch KE Jetronic gasoline injection fitted, we have been very shocked to see a pair of 48DCOE Webers mounted on the facet of the four-cylinder, DOHC 16-valve engine. Steve has tried all of it although, and beforehand he owned a super-rare Mosselman turbo-converted automotive which he simply didn’t get together with.
However why carbs? Absolutely that’s a step again, proper? Nicely, not a lot. Steve really tried bike carbs first with a contemporary Megajolt engine administration system taking care of the whole lot. They have been really simpler to arrange and preserve than the unique primary injection setup, however he was by no means glad with the manifold that he ended up utilizing. So when an extremely uncommon inlet manifold turned accessible for the Webers, it was a executed deal. Plus they bark, which is all the time a winner!
The opposite factor that hit us was how damned clear it’s underneath there…
This refined however substantive element actually is superb. The entire bulkhead is new and was custom-built to cover a number of the wiring and different components, however nonetheless seem manufacturing facility.
So there’s quite a bit occurring right here for what at first seems to be a easy construct – which all goes to again up my idea that as you become old your initiatives get higher. So if at first you don’t succeed, strive once more.
Some modifications, nonetheless, are extra apparent than others – just like the Recaro bucket seat and SCHROTH Racing harness for the driving force.
It may appear odd solely having one, nevertheless it says gents driver to me. As if passengers don’t actually matter…
From its yellow fog lamps to simply-trimmed tailpipes, this 190 is completely bang updated. On the identical time, although, Steve hasn’t hidden or destroyed something that stops it screaming ’80s.
This final 2.5-16 has been the results of a few years of Steve’s analysis, onerous work and cash, so it got here as a shock when he stated he was contemplating promoting the saloon. However with storage house at a premium he wants room for the W108 or W115 restomod venture in his sights, so it is perhaps time to maneuver on. The 190 E Cosworth has been an awesome venture for Steve and we will’t wait to see what he does subsequent.
Bryn Musselwhite
Instagram: brynmusselwhite
Steve Howson’s Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 (2014 Spec)
Engine: Mercedes-Benz 2.5-litre DOHC 16V inline-four, knife-edged and lightened crank, lightened/balanced rods & pistons, lightened/balanced flywheel &clutch, new rings, bearings and seals all through, rebuilt head with new guides and seats, 3-way valve job, twin Weber 48DCOE carbs with selfmade sealed airbox & Ok&N air filter, relocated air cooler, solid aluminium motorsport inlet manifold with heat-proof spacer, port matched, ceramic-coated manufacturing facility 4-branch exhaust manifold, stainless-steel straight by way of exhaust with twin 2.5-inch ideas, Megajolt distributorless ignition ECO with EDIS module and coil pack, custom-made 36-1 set off wheel -5 per cent underdrive, {custom} header tank that doubles as blanking plate for SLS pump
Driveline: Manufacturing facility 5-speed close-ratio dogleg gearbox, prolonged lever with brief shift, locking block put in in diff (approx 70 per cent lock)
Suspension/Brakes: SPAX adjustable shock/springs, {custom} spring pads, selfmade adjustable rear camber arms, self levelling rear suspension delete, WP Professional 8-piston entrance callipers with 2-piece 330mm cross-drilled discs, E36 AMG vented rear discs and bigger 2-piston rear callipers, 500E grasp cylinder, ABS delete, stainless traces all through
Wheels/Tyres: OZ Futura wheels, 17×8-inch ET40 with +25mm spacer (entrance), 17×8.5-inch ET13 with +3mm spacer (rear), 205/40R17 tyres (entrance), 215/40R17 tyres (rear)
Exterior: Manufacturing facility 2.5-16, custom-vented entrance bumper, yellow fog lights
Inside: Recaro SPG drivers seat, Schroth harness, Momo steering wheel, JBL amp in boot with battery
