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Old 01-09-2009, 09:55 PM
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Bill Wood Bill Wood is offline
Retired Webmaster
 
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Johns Creek, GA, USA
Posts: 5,013
Here's my $0.02

I used to own a 2001 CLK55 AMG. Basically the same engine you have but the W208 chassis instead of the W210.

There are some pics of the car in my gallery

I installed the Kleemann supercharger, chip, suspension and wheels. The suspension included springs, shocks and swaybar.

The car was an absolute rocket on the drag strip and road course.
550 HP of big bad beast!

Once you go down this road be aware there are hidden costs!
- the differential was destroyed from too much fun at the drag strip. (I replaced the diff and life was good again)
- the left side motor mount broke from excessive torque and allowed the engine to rotate within the engine bay enough to dent the hood. (I replaced the motor mount and installed a steel cable safety line to limit travel. Paintless dent repair fixed the hood)
- the Kleemann suspension has so much negative camber that I was always buying tires. The negative camber helps give you extra speed on the road course but, it eats tires on the street. Too many burnouts are tough on tires, too! (I installed K-Mac camber kits and that gave me more adjustment so I could run street or race settings).

My advice?
Unless you have serious money to spend ($25k - $50k), leave the car as is and enjoy it. A carbon fiber airbox is not going to do much of anything other than look nice. You CAN get serious performance from that E55 but, you'll have to put up with downsides that may be a pain. The stock E55 is a GREAT CAR as is.
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