Custom Modifications

[JimVillers]

Just a note that the focus of this forum has evolved into all modifications to Mercedes cars. Including performance modifications, wheel and tire modifications, interior stuff, audio, and exterior customization.

So if you are modifying your car, let us know what you are doing, items that you like and modifications that did not measure up.

[Chappy]

I have a custom thermostat that I purchased from "PTE" at the Atlanta AMG Meet last fall, but haven't installed (yet). It's designed to run at 70C deg. instead of 87C.

Here's some info...

http://www.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=148319

[dolebludger]

I have some "appearance mods" on our '04 C 320, but have never had any luck posting pics on this board. Is there a tutorial somewhere I could read and (maybe) understand?

[Chuck Landenberger]

Richard,

When you post a reply, scroll down and click on "Manage Attachments".. I think it's pretty straightforward. Size of the attachment is a considertion.

Hope this helps....

Chuck

[mark cummins]

Done a Couple Mods to the W210 Wagon....

Well Mercedes Wont bring over the W210 E55 Estate..
So I Made Mine Look like one...I Used All OE Mercedes Benz Parts And Installed Them as it was Built that way

I Added a Few Items:

AMG E55 Estate Bumpers/Side skirts
AMG E55 18x8x9s Mono blocks 245/275s
AMG E55 Estate Sway Bars
AMG Front Brakes with drilled and treated rotors
Euro Xeon Headlights
Euro Front bumper inpact inserts ..without the ugly side marker
Euro E55 Tail lights
Rear Camber bars
Power folding outside mirrors with convex glasses
AMG Cluster
AMG E55 Steering wheel w/Leather stitched Air Bag
Black Birds Eye Maple Wood ala Designo
Euro Comand
Euro Nokia Phone with V/A
Heated Multicontour and Cooled front seats
Euro Ashtry Delete option w/12 plug
And My Favorite..The MB Taxi Option...

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=45013&page=4&highlight=wagon

http://groups.msn.com/mbenznl/installdetails.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=2194

http://groups.msn.com/mbenznl/installdetails.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=2192
And Now Working on the Wifes W211

AMG E55 Front and Rear Bumpers with side skirts
AMG Eight Piston Front brakes and AMG Four Piston Rear Brakes
AMG Multipiece 19 inch rims
AMG Sway Bars
AMG E55 Quad Exhaust
Euro Bi Xeons Active...With Corner lights
Euro front impact inserts
Parktronic
Distronic 2
Power folding mirrors WITh EURO Convex glass
Euro Comand
MB Blue Tooth WITh Voice Control
MB Tv Tuner
Heated wood / leather Steering wheel with Leather air bag
Tire pressure monitor system
E 55 grill
Euro door pins
LED tail lights
Heated/Ventilated/Massage/Drive Dynamic front seats
H/K Sound
Power Trunk Closer
H/K sound

EURO center console...NO More roll type !
Custom Rear lower bumper cover in Carbon Fiber

Pic of work in progress

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124766
This is How MB SHOULD have made the (SPORT) option



And The Smarts....:)

The For Two Has Brabus Roadster alloys/Exhaust..and my Custom hand made Wide fenders done in Carbon Fiber..Custom Steering Wheel With Paddle Shift and Euro Bixenons installed into the stock housings

http://www.smartenthusiast.com/forums/index.php?topic=447.0

Pic of My Rear Fenders in C/F

http://www.smartenthusiast.com/forums/index.php?topic=644.0

[lkchris]

The Euro E55/Avantgarde Tail lights look especially great on a black S210 wagon!

Going to look into the ashtray delete, as mine has a Sirius control in this spot and it might look better without cig lighter.

[jfouse]

About three or four years ago I installed a K&N air filter element on my 78 240D. It now makes 64 instead of 63. However, I still do not get into stop light drags with 36hp VW buses.

jfouse
Anchorage, Alaska

02 E430 4Matic
78 240D (at least it's a 4-spd manual)
02 WRX GpN

[Jayhawk]

I'm not a big fan of mods in general, though some things can be done that improve the looks of an OEM car w/out "degrading" it and w/out reducing resale value--which most mods do. I have a stock S500/W220/2000 and added staggered 18" AMG wheels and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires for spring, summer and fall driving. I kept the OEM 16" wheels and put Michelin X-Ice tires on them for winter driving. I also replaced the OEM leather steering wheel and shift knob w/ burl walnut wheel and knob. It's minimal modding, but makes a big difference in the car. I can't tell you how many people asked if I got a new car after the changes. Here's the exact wheel and tire setup:

225/60QR-16 Michelin X-Ice tires on OEM wheels for winter driving
18x8.5 AMG Double Spoke Bright Sil wheels front for summer
18x9 AMG Double Spoke Bright Sil wheels back for summer
245/45WR-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 XL tires front, and
275/40YR-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires back in summer

The improved ride, handling, and safety added by these changes is hard to imagine or describe, but it is fantastic. I'll try to upload a couple pics, but this site limits size so much I'm not sure I will be able to do it.

[roncor]

1993 190E Sportline, 56,000 miles

I purchased this car from my parents in 1998, as they were the original owners. I have the original window sticker, sales brochures, letters from MB, and all maintenance records. I have entered the car in numerous car shows, and have brought home several trophies. It is, of course, categorized as a "garage queen", and is stored every winter. It has only been through one midwest winter, and that was enough! In its original state, it had two-tone cladding (gray on bottom) and 8-hole wheels. I decided to modify it, and over the years have done quite a lot...

Painted lower cladding and bumper areas, matching black, Zender side skirts, experimented with various grills before settling in on an avantgarde. Customized lower front valance panels and cut-out holes for fog lights. Euro lights and clear corners, tinted widows, smoked tail lights, pin stripes, white face guages, wheel skin steering cover, Remus exhaust pipes, cross-drilled/ slotted rotors, painted calipers, Mille Milglia 15" wheels, Michelin 205/55's front, 225/50's on rears. Various cosmetics to engine compartment, larger throttle body, Optima battery. And, am always experimenting with some modification or another! Some pics....

[Jayhawk]

1993 190E Sportline, 56,000 miles

I purchased this car from my parents in 1998, as they were the original owners. I have the original window sticker, sales brochures, letters from MB, and all maintenance records. I have entered the car in numerous car shows, and have brought home several trophies. It is, of course, categorized as a "garage queen", and is stored every winter. It has only been through one midwest winter, and that was enough! In its original state, it had two-tone cladding (gray on bottom) and 8-hole wheels. I decided to modify it, and over the years have done quite a lot...

Painted lower cladding and bumper areas, matching black, Zender side skirts, experimented with various grills before settling in on an avantgarde. Customized lower front valance panels and cut-out holes for fog lights. Euro lights and clear corners, tinted widows, smoked tail lights, pin stripes, white face guages, wheel skin steering cover, Remus exhaust pipes, cross-drilled/ slotted rotors, painted calipers, Mille Milglia 15" wheels, Michelin 205/55's front, 225/50's on rears. Various cosmetics to engine compartment, larger throttle body, Optima battery. And, am always experimenting with some modification or another! Some pics....

Now that's some significant modding! I like what you did and suspect that it not only improved the looks but the value of the car as well. Well done!

[ggoodman]

Roncor,

Was this car at the Chicago 50th anniversary concours? It is a great looking car!

[marlinspike]

Well, it's not done yet (so many delays on parts - drives me nuts, was supposed to be done in November), but I got word that Thursday my engine will be going on the truck for shipping.

Currently stock US 380SE my dad bought new - 162k miles original engine/tranny/diff/most things

Soon: engine changed to a 560 engine, port and polish everything, with 10:1 repair size 2 lightweight pistons made by JE, custom cams, MB euro tri-y's Jet Hot coated going to two high flow cats (needs to pass MD emissions) then just two pipes out to a Flowmaster 70, beefed up 722.3 transmission, high flow fuel distributor, custom fuel pump relay to give me a 6500rpm redline, H&R sport springs and Bilstein HD shocks (don't like that this lowers it 1.5" but it's the only way to get a stiffer suspension), slotted rotors and Axxis Ultimate pads from Stoptech, powder coated 16x8 ET11 Ronal R9's wearing 245/50-16 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires (too much of a pain to find AMG Pentas, these look similar and are the same size and weight and forged in Germany, they'll do). Various parts to make it work will also be done.

Then it will go to paint, will be original color. So far only pictures are the wheels http://Davidson.smugmug.com/photos/117201030-M.jpg

and tri-y's
http://Davidson.smugmug.com/photos/117201184-M.jpg


(and the car http://www.davidson.smugmug.com/gallery/431057 and interior http://www.davidson.smugmug.com/gallery/2558450 in their current state...well, I've replaced the armrest leather since then)

[lovesportlines]

1993 190E Sportline, 56,000 miles

I purchased this car from my parents in 1998, as they were the original owners. I have the original window sticker, sales brochures, letters from MB, and all maintenance records. I have entered the car in numerous car shows, and have brought home several trophies. It is, of course, categorized as a "garage queen", and is stored every winter. It has only been through one midwest winter, and that was enough! In its original state, it had two-tone cladding (gray on bottom) and 8-hole wheels. I decided to modify it, and over the years have done quite a lot...

Painted lower cladding and bumper areas, matching black, Zender side skirts, experimented with various grills before settling in on an avantgarde. Customized lower front valance panels and cut-out holes for fog lights. Euro lights and clear corners, tinted widows, smoked tail lights, pin stripes, white face guages, wheel skin steering cover, Remus exhaust pipes, cross-drilled/ slotted rotors, painted calipers, Mille Milglia 15" wheels, Michelin 205/55's front, 225/50's on rears. Various cosmetics to engine compartment, larger throttle body, Optima battery. And, am always experimenting with some modification or another! Some pics....

Very nice, but not what it was. Only 700 in the world, play with a less rare car.

[MTI]

Considering that the Sportline components are limited to suspension pieces, steering box, seating and minor trim pieces, it would be a rather simple matter to return it to an "OEM" state.

[lovesportlines]

Might be true with a regular sportline optioned car, 93 LEs where sold by invitation and are numbered. No premium on the price, but they wear only sold thru MBNA, 700 2.6 sportlines, carbon fibre trim and 700 2.3s with leather more and and nicer wood. Only in the US.

[MDE3]

Cannot take credit for this one, although it remains a work in progress....

This car I purchased with a Wald body Kit, MRP eng. adjustable camber rear links, Evo II rear sway bar with adjustable links, Limo front sway bar, adjustable front camber plates, E400 brakes front and rear, Bistein Sports over FK springs, Evo 17 x 7.5" rims, 16V 5 speed transmission with custom high hp clutch plate, and LSD rear, and a little change to the power unit (3.2), equipped with K&N and cold air intake set up....I have redone the exhaust, adding a freee flow cat, and straightening the pipes a bit, Interior has Momo shifter and wheel, Alpine with 16 new speakers, 16V seats front and rear, (Original car was an 89 2.6 auto) am still working on the suspension to get it to my liking.

This post is to pay homage to the guy who did all the work, although I do not know him.

[rbycc]

Original owner, 1988 300CE with 65K miles.
You get bored when you get old sooooo..

Last year got a deal on a Turbotechnics twin turbo kit, installed it along with a dual 2" SS exhaust, no middle silencer, twin Magnaflow spun metal cats and hi flow rear silencer.
H&R lowering springs, Bilstein HD shocks, Zimmerman drilled rotors, Sportline front and rear swaybars.
225/40-18 Falken FK-452's on 18x8 ET35 AMG replicas.
Wald EX front spoiler with turbo air intyake behind the removed tow hook cover.
Shown with BMW style rear spoiler, but have an AMG ducktail to install.
Color matched grille shell with S600 style insert.
Not too shabby performance for a M103-12V.
14.39 @ 99MPH with minimal traction...if I can get it to hook up, mid to high 13's and low 100"s


http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b183/rbycc/CE3.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b183/rbycc/CE6.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b183/rbycc/TTCM22.jpg