No. I'm not going to Rocket Bunny this shit ( CLK Benz content )

[loekaaz]

So, some of you may know me from the W124 project/rebuild that I still haven't finished yet after 2,5 years...

(if you don't; I don't blame you because progress is damn slow and somewhat boring)






Well, I got myself this 2002 CLK500 as a daily in February this year.






Yes. a 5.0 v8 as a daily doesn't sound like a great plan. And it probably isn't. But I was planning on keeping it stock anyway.

But I was planning on keeping it stock anyway.

Yeah. I know












This is what it looked like when I bought it:












Yep.
You saw that right.
It has a freaking towbar

Oh well. At least it's a removable one














So that's what I did. I removed it... (4*) klick*





...and the sticker on the trunk as well







Results below.
Stunning, isn't it?







MAGIC







Oh by the way: See those exhaust tips on the right?
THEY ARE FUCKIN FAKES

Actually they were real. But the connection tube running behind the rear bumper had to be disconnected due to the installation of that freakin towbar



Yep. THE PO HAD AN ORIGINAL CARLSSON EXHAUST SYSTEM CUT TO PIECES SO HE COULD FIT A TOWBAR




I heard he hauled his speedboat with this thing.
And apparently he drives a W221 S-class now because he couldn't fit inside the CLK anymore.

First world problems...
















After this I removed the hideous LED strips below the headlights (7*) klick*:






Chop chop chop




Tadaaaaa:






Next posts:

I'm going to do something about that Baja 1000 ride height and some other lame stuffs

[loekaaz]

I made this THINGS TO DO list before I started on the car:
(I will update this list every time I can)

SHORT-TERM:

1* Replacing valve cover seals (sweats a little) V
2* Cleaning and respraying hubs and rotors V
3* Video of resonator-delete V
4* make sure the tow bar is out of sight (What?! It may come in handy someday... ) V
5* Eibach Pro-kit 30/30 V
6* Navi-update V
7* Removing those hideous LED strips below the headlights V
8* Recoating valvecovers - AMG/Brembo gold V
9* BBBBBBURNOUT V


LONG-TERM:

10* Solving the fake exhaust tips on pass. side .V
11* Recoating brake calipers - AMG/Brembo gold .V
12* Applying spacers (will wait until I find some nice 19's .V
13* Source down some 19" staggered wheels when the 18" are worn out .V
14* Permanent resonator-delete .X
15* Respraying driver's side and front of the car (Driv.door has some color difference and that annoys me everytime I walk up to the car + Bumper and bonnet are full of stone chips) .X
16* C63 AMG CF rear diffuser .V
17* AMG Black-series CF rear spoiler .V
18* AMG CF front splitter .X

[Jorgen]

Thanks for doing the right things, fitting LEDs to a car that doesn't have them from factory is just awful.

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

Jesus christ.

Glad someone sane is rescuing this thing.

[kittenpuncher]

LEDs are the new plasti dip, and plasti dip was never cool.

[P78]

another great story

[loekaaz]

Thanks for doing the right things, fitting LEDs to a car that doesn't have them from factory is just awful.

Haha you're welcome
This car was a typical case of a car from someone who has more money than sense. And trust me. The P.O. wasn't even that rich

Jesus christ.

Glad someone sane is rescuing this thing.

Actually my name is Lucas. But thanks

LEDs are the new plasti dip, and plasti dip was never cool.

Well... Plastidip can be an easy way of solving things.
LED lights are an expression of shortcomings because "you cannot afford the real thing"

another great story

[loekaaz]

So. I started working down the TO DO LIST (klick*)


Item 1* and 8* :

Took off the valve covers to replace the gaskets.

But while I was removing the valve covers, I discovered that the transmission bellhousing had 4 (!!!! ) untightened bolts...
I knew that they had replaced the torque converter in the past. But damn... Come on! Four? They should've shut down that place!












Fuckin morons













Torqued those down and 10.000 brused knuckles later, I was able to take care of 8* as well.


Then I Started tearing the valve covers down with a wire brush on a drill:



Attempt one:























Oh lord baby jesus on a moose. Save me!

3,5 hours and 300-some wire brushes later I started looking like this:




















Attempt two: sandblasting













APPROVED




















A good cleaning and some Primer+Filler:





























In the meantime I kicked a raging bull to the head:
(Seriously NOT A JOKE ) #Farmlife









Because: FUCK YOU, twat















Had three of cans with AMG/Brembo gold made by Fraay Coatings B.V.in Purmerend:






For those who wonder and cannot read, the color code is YR.532.M



.....


Oh wait,


Whatever.












Then came the sparkles...










Let them dry for two days and then mounted them along with the new gaskets and breather hoses:







Mah feelingszzz:













Oh and the oil and filters came in

[loekaaz]

UPDATE?




Okay....










Did some wheel polishing on the 18's









Cleaned and painted the hubs/rotors (2*) klick*

Fronts before:


Rears after:




I know it looks patato and shit. And that because it actually is. But I don't care. They'll get replaced soon anyway

















Then the real stuff came in
(Item 5*of the list) klick*





Comparison of the rear springs:



Not that much. So I will eventually replace the spring pads for thinner ones.




Fitted:












Fronts:









Turns out I coundn't compress them enough with my regular spring compressors...


I was all excited to finish the car that day. An then I had to wait till past the weekend to get the fronts fixed by the local garage.




Mah feelings that day:






So I had to drive around like this that weekend LOL:




Before:





After:



















Ehm....

[Dome]

Looks good so far, still like that good old 209

My previous ride was a 55 AMG, maybe you need some inspiration

[Z.Cockburn]

It's Purdy.

[loekaaz]

Looks good so far, still like that good old 209

My previous ride was a 55 AMG, maybe you need some inspiration

Can you upload some better pics that I can open properly pls?

(PS: I'm already way further down the road progress wise. But that's all described in the Dutch/Belgian section of this forum.
I'm now editing everything into English for this thread so I can share it with you guys )

Oh and you know I'm a huge fan of your 204 right?

It's Purdy.

Nah. Not yet

[Dome]

Can you upload some better pics that I can open properly pls?

Don't have them bigger than this, only got some more before the wrapping



Wasn't ever really low enough, that teached me to buy coilovers for the next ride

Oh and you know I'm a huge fan of your 204 right?

Now I know, thanks a lot man

[Dr.AK]

A big V8 is the ONLY sensible option for a daily if you ask me

Nice progress so far, gonna be good.

[loekaaz]

Don't have them bigger than this, only got some more before the wrapping

Is that a C55 grill?

A big V8 is the ONLY sensible option for a daily if you ask me

Nice progress so far, gonna be good.

Yeah but it's unfair because you Germans get € 0,48 per km on travel allowance.
We get a shabby 19 cents

I think I will start a new career as a TÜV test engineer in Germany

[loekaaz]

The front has finally been lowered too now. The ride is fine. Actually better than before,
But I think It can still use some stiffer springs and sway bars because it hangs in fast corners

(Yes I should have gone for coilovers, I know... )

MOAR PICS

Another thing:
I removed the resonator and had to make a short vid of it
(That's item 3* of the list) klick*

Noise is unbearable though. My ears nearly started bleeding due to a massive resonation between 1500 and 3500 rpm

Well, at least it was fun for the shits & giggles...


"oops"












*klick* for VIDEO














Eventually, what I would like to do, is removing the resonator permanently. Then replace that for a piece of stainless.
And then halfway where the Y-split starts towards the passenger side exhaust tips, an electrical valve so I can have a noisy brab-brab-brab at the push of a button











And ehm..... I had to bite the dust a little

[loekaaz]

CARBON-hunt has begun!












So I got myself this:











(17*) klick*




Some cleaning... (yawn):








Random 'Vette-Sheep-Benz -pic
(That's my brother-in-law's C4)











Oh and I went for a test fit of a set of 19" Staggered W215 CL-class AMG wheels:


Specs:
REARS: 285/30/R19 met Dunlop. ET 46
FRONTS: 245/40/R19 met Dunlop. ET 44


Too bad the offset was a bit too high (rear rubbed on the inside of the wheel well) and the front tires were way too tall (wouldn't fit on the struts).

Such a shame because these wheels are my favorite for the car. And you don't see them that often in 19's...

It would be solvable by adding spacers and replacing the front tires. But I wasn't up to that at that time...

(NOTE: at THAT TIME.... )


Up front the current 18's, At the rear the 285-wide 19's

[Dr.AK]

You know what would be even better for your exhaust...? Remove that silly piece where it goes down to 1 pipe and make it 2 pipes for the whole lengt, with an x-pipe behind the last pair of cats That should really give you a nice v8 burble

[loekaaz]

You know what would be even better for your exhaust...? Remove that silly piece where it goes down to 1 pipe and make it 2 pipes for the whole lengt, with an x-pipe behind the last pair of cats That should really give you a nice v8 burble

That will come Bas, That will come eventually

Went for a BBQ in Zwijndrecht with the Dutch chapter of this mighty S/W forum:


Gathering at one of the Alfa-boys' places.



Looking at some sexy Italian rears







Was amazed by the fact that this car is somewhat practical
Go figure I was actually aiming for a 350Z when I bought this thing....





Some pics of the BBQ:




















Oh and I picked up these badboys across the border in Belgium


















TESTFIT:



FRONTS:
With a 15mm spacer, But without any bolts because I still needed to order some extended ones

That's the reason why it hangs there on such a retarded angle
Without spacers they'll hit the calipers. So spacers are neccessary l














REARS:
This is with a 15mm spacer. But I already ordered a set of 20mm.





The rears in potato-quality:










That would be all I guess......

[Dome]

Looking good

[loekaaz]

I SOLD THE CAR.






YOU CAN ALL GO NOW. THANKS FOR WATCHING.




























































LOL J.K.















20mm Spacers and extended bolts are in! YEAAAH BOiiii !!!!














Oh and then the bad news: All four of the 19" AMG's were crooked.


There goes another € 250,- on repairs...



Trust me on this one: NEVER BUY ANYTHING OF BELGIANS. (Sorry P, No hard feelings to you ofc. )














Went on a trip with my buddy:



































AND THEN, FINALLY, THE MOMENT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR:


The still-not-finished end-product! (wrong size tires)






TADAAAA












COMPARISON SHOT WITH THE STOCK 18's:

[hinrichs]

Looking good, like the subtle change the 19s give.

[reiernumans]

I'd be interested to see how it looks with double staggered wheels, so the 18's up front and the 19's in the rear. Looks great on the 19's though! Love the subtle change.

[loekaaz]

Looking good, like the subtle change the 19s give.

Thanks! Very curious now, as I will pick up the wheels tomorrow with the fresh tires

I'd be interested to see how it looks with double staggered wheels, so the 18's up front and the 19's in the rear. Looks great on the 19's though! Love the subtle change.

You mean this?
Looks retarded imho. Like a pregnant whale

[SanderZ]

Fix your other car