Need some feed back on a few mods I want to do to my SDL.

[Hatterasguy]

Next summer I would like to add a few custom touches to my SDL. I am just thinking aloud so please give me feed back. Also if anyone has photo shop maybe I could email them a picture and they can play with it a little? Please

First the plastic panals that go around my SDL need a repaint, now I have seen a few W126's where the plastic has been matched to the body color. How would this look? Over the top? My car is blue.

Next H&R sells a lowering kit. I don't want to mess with the ride so I will have to look into this kit more, but I think 1in all the way around would give my SDL a better stance. Thoughts?

Next would be an aftermarket exhaust, I know it is no race car but if it was a little louder at higher rpms I think that would be nice. Maybe a little more power and mpg's would be a nice side affect.

I already have a set of clear corners and wheels, but I need something else my car is missing something. I plan on doing euro lights either way, but would like to go a little further. Any advice, I'm not sure what I want to do I'm just looking for ideas.

[sixto]

Cheaper and easier to remove the encapsulation panels than touch the exhaust

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

[Hatterasguy]

I said that wrong, more power is what I want.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

First the plastic panals that go around my SDL need a repaint, now I have seen a few W126's where the plastic has been matched to the body color. How would this look? Over the top? My car is blue..

This would look like *****. You already have the perfect combination with a blue body and grey rocker panels. I'm the one that needs something to contrast with the grey body.

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Next H&R sells a lowering kit. I don't want to mess with the ride so I will have to look into this kit more, but I think 1in all the way around would give my SDL a better stance. Thoughts?..

On this I agree. The front wheel wells have too much space above the tires. The rear wheel wells are probably OK just as they are. You need to carefully measure them to see if the front is higher or not. The ride will definitely be affected, in a negative way, with H&R springs, because they are shorter and stiffer. However, the cost of the kit, at $350. plus, is hard to justify when you are only getting one inch.

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Next would be an aftermarket exhaust, I know it is no race car but if it was a little louder at higher rpms I think that would be nice. Maybe a little more power and mpg's would be a nice side affect.

Why on earth would you want it louder at high rpm's, which is when you are out on the highway? If you want a race car, then get one. You are not going to get any more driveability or mpg's from any exhaust that you can purchase. Horsepower improvement? Maybe, but, you don't own that vehicle for stoplight racing now, do you? Myself, I am looking into a stainless exhaust from Timevalve, which is just slightly more than the stock exhaust. I have a leak somewhere that I have not yet found.

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I already have a set of clear corners and wheels, but I need something else my car is missing something. I plan on doing euro lights either way, but would like to go a little further. Any advice, I'm not sure what I want to do I'm just looking for ideas.

The Euro lights will be an excellent addition. I really like mine. There is not a whole lot you can do to these vehicles without having them look ridiculous. They are stately vehicles that do not lend themselves to many modifications that will add a tasteful look. Of course, you can add all kinds of things but you risk being categorized as "bling bling".

[Ara T.]

While I have a W123, an exhaust change does sound appealing... I love the sound of my engine, so the louder the better. Don't know about most of you guys though.

[BobK]

I have been thinking about the suspension lowering on my SDL. Since we don't have gobs of horsepower on tap, conservation of speed in needed. Lowering the car should make it handle a bit better and therefore, we would be able to carry a bit more speed thru the curves. I need new shocks anyway. The only issue (besides cost) is removing and replacing the springs. Since I don't own one of those solid gold Klann spring compressors, I am leary of doing an R&R on the springs. Those things can KILL you.

[TX76513]

Originally Posted by BobK

I have been thinking about the suspension lowering on my SDL. Since we don't have gobs of horsepower on tap, conservation of speed in needed. Lowering the car should make it handle a bit better and therefore, we would be able to carry a bit more speed thru the curves. I need new shocks anyway. The only issue (besides cost) is removing and replacing the springs. Since I don't own one of those solid gold Klann spring compressors, I am leary of doing an R&R on the springs. Those things can KILL you.

Everyone has there own taste - I looked at a 126 that (identical color to mine) had been lowered and had the low profile metric tires and wheels (non MB) yesterday at my Indy's place --IMHO it looked horrible (thats the forum version of what I really want to say) :p

[Rick Miley]

There's a huge discussion about painting the lower panels on a W126 here. He ended up doing it and there are a number of pictures in the thread.

You can thank me now because I spent about 15 minutes searching for that thread.

Oh, and I vote no on the lowering and loudening. But if you're going to do the exhaust anyway, get the Timevalve. Their stainless steel setup will stand up to the salt they use up there.

[goldenbear]

Personally, I would never think of altering one of the most beautiful automobiles ever produced. In my experience, original examples of a 126 are held in much higher regard than those that have had modifications. The one, and only, change I have done to my SDL is upgrade to the Euro lights. This is an OEM upgrade and the greater benefit, over the looks, is safety.

Hatterasguy.

1) Color matched looks nicer.

2)If you like a stiffer ride them bilstein HD's might
be for you, and cheaper too.

3)Just have a muffler shop remove the center muffler,
and install a strait pipe, if you want louder sound.
You could also have all the components chrome plated
which will reduce back pressure somewhat.
But I really doubt you'll have a major increase in performance.

4)This insert might interest you.

http://www.adsitco.com/catalog/default.asp?CID=1511


Louis.

[turbodiesel]

Don't paint anything. Euro lights are cool, clear corners look like ****. Make it a sleeper.. I love the stock look.

[Hatterasguy]

Brian your right about the plastic panals, the gray and blue contrast nicely. Just an idea I have toying with.

By higher rpms I mean over 4k, I like the sound of Cummins diesel's in the Dodge trucks when they get spooling. I probably wont do anything to the exhuast though because it does look newer. Their is also no rust on it so maybe it was replaced with a stainless system? Right in front of the first cat that is at the bottom of the down pipe their is a weld their. It looks like someone cut from the cat back out and welded in a new system.

But I think a slightly lower W126 would look nice, I just don't want it to ride harsher. I drive over a lot of crap roads and don't need it to ride any harder then it does. So maybe that will have to be writen off.

Part of the problem with changing anything on a Mercedes is it is real easy to get carried away. They look good stock, and changing things makes them look stupid real fast. So I will have to stick to little mods that are hard to find, like painting brake calipers black, painting the grill etc.

turbodiesel I have to disagree with you on the clear corners, I was thinking the same thing as you. But I got a set for free and tried them out, they do look very good on a dark car. On a lighter car the contrast isn't as great but on any darker W126 clear corners and euro lights set off the front nicely.

[Hatterasguy]

Mb123 I have one of those grills in my basement, I really don't like them. I think the big star is way to bling bling for me. It is for sale if anyone wants it?

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Next summer I would like to add a few custom touches to my SDL. I am just thinking aloud so please give me feed back. Also if anyone has photo shop maybe I could email them a picture and they can play with it a little? Please

First the plastic panals that go around my SDL need a repaint, now I have seen a few W126's where the plastic has been matched to the body color. How would this look? Over the top? My car is blue.

Next H&R sells a lowering kit. I don't want to mess with the ride so I will have to look into this kit more, but I think 1in all the way around would give my SDL a better stance. Thoughts?

Next would be an aftermarket exhaust, I know it is no race car but if it was a little louder at higher rpms I think that would be nice. Maybe a little more power and mpg's would be a nice side affect.

I already have a set of clear corners and wheels, but I need something else my car is missing something. I plan on doing euro lights either way, but would like to go a little further. Any advice, I'm not sure what I want to do I'm just looking for ideas.

Speaking as someone who owns a set of H&R springs on a car I own.

They are stiff........very stiff. now its not a mercedes they are on but a 1996 Saturn SL2 which stock had a nice ride. Now with those AND Yokohama Spec-2 tires you can feel every pebble you run over, and it does handle exceptionally well. Just be certain of the tradeoff. H&R are quality springs but they are geared to sport at the expense of comfort.

[ned2683]

your first mod should be euro headlights. eally changes the look of the car