CLK 55

So folks...
I met up with JT yesterday to check out the completed RS kit on his 55....pretty cool to get two 55's together....his white/charcoal-silver....mine black/charcaol-blue....you should have seen the looks we in less than five minutes at least five different people came up to talk about the cars....His looks really sharp with the body kit and the chrome Carlsson wheels... Pzeros....on Monday I am getting set up with Phil to start mods on mine....step one will be the RS kit....custom HRE wheels...Michelin Pilot Sport...lowering and suspension set up...Step two we are planning will be ESS supercharger...speed limiter removal and maybe a little interior customizing....Step 3 that JT is contemplating is wheel mounted paddle shifters....not sure yet if I will do that or not.

So at the end of this we will have a couple of real badass benzes that will hopefully be able to give almost anything on the road a run for it's money.

As soon as mine is broken in I will post you some G-tech performance figures I want to establish some good base lines to measure the mods.

Those of you waiting....hang on to your hat because you are going to LOVE this car more than any you have ever owned.


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Had: 2000 CLK 430 Silver/Charcoal
2001 CLK 55 Black/Charcoal-Blue

Is it Jim?,

So then you should be ready for the SilverState Classic next year along with Dean, right? j/k

These cars sound sweet, especially with the blown engine! What are you looking at 450+? Talk about a land missle.

Does anybody do a 4matic high HP conversion, with all that power it sounds like a step in the right direction?

Also, any pictures?



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Ross Newcomb
96 C280, Greenish Black

roas..

Hey I'm originaly from Olympia!
I get out there every few months.

Yeah that is exactly what I am thinking...the Silver State Classic would be outrageous...We are shooting for 510hp with 550lbs of torque...0-60 in 4secs...top speed right at 180...and is close to 1g cornering as we can get.All for under 100k.If I do something like the Silver State we will maybe be doing more suspension work and aerodynamics...ie adjustable suspension components...carbon fibre undertray...I have another 55 on order that will become my street car...this may get transformed into full race...with the option of going normally aspirated or supercharged depending on what we are doing.

I won't have pics until little later as we get through the first stage.

The nice thing about the 55 is that we really don't have to do too much the engine, although for the desert I would want more ventilation and cooling capacity.

I haven't heard of a 4matic conversion...
I think it would be a huge amount of work to fit it in a CLK.

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Had: 2000 CLK 430 Silver/Charcoal
2001 CLK 55 Black/Charcoal-Blue

jco,

I'm sure Dean would be of some assistance on the planning end. http://www.need2speed.web.com/

I would love to go a play at such an event!!! These events surely bring out what is best in owning such awesome machines, superb performance at high operating levels. Once I'm financially sound, you can be sure that I will be at such functions, wife willing!

My future plan's include a 500E, so maybe next year, or surely the year after.

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Ross Newcomb
96 C280, Greenish Black

Wow... That bad boy ll definitely roar the street!!!

Roas plz give us some pics perhaps!? Cause a pic is worth a thousand words =)


Happy motoring,

ET

I wish I had the pictures to show, however, it is jco and friend with the CLK55 not ME! Boo Hoo

And jco, you will probably already know this, but the sun has left us for the rest of the year over here!

I agree with ET, how about pic's before, during, and after? After all, I heard long term drooling is good for the Soul.

P.S. Any details on the ESS supercharger, I'm not framiliar with that make?

Ross

Sorry, No pics yet...will be shooting some "before" pics next week before work begins...hope to have phase I done by the middle of December....Supercharger work will begin sometime in December or early January...the ESS that we are looking at now will add up to 7lbs of boost and will fit under the existing engine cover....it has only recently been developed and we hope to be one of the first in the US to mount it.
I need to get the engine broken in as we will dyno it before and after...more to come.


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Had: 2000 CLK 430 Silver/Charcoal
2001 CLK 55 Black/Charcoal-Blue

[This message has been edited by jco (edited 11-01-2000).]

Just an update for those of you interested....

Finished the first phase of upgrades on my 55....lowering by just changing the spring pads...custom 18" HRE wheels...and Michelin Pilot Sports...235/40 front 265/35 rear fit perfectly...235 is definitely the largest in the front...I think we may be able to fit 275s in the rear but I am going to wait and see how she handles before making any further changes....first most noticable improvement is steering response...ride is more solid and flat but does not seem harsher...the wheels are AWESOME! I went with the high polish which looks fantastic on the black car...everyone checks them out even old ladies!...incredibly strong...incredibly light..I'd guess certainly less than 20lbs a wheel...Mine are the first fitment HRE has done for a CLK.I think they are the best wheel made by anyone anywhere.

Phase two begins on Monday...the Carlsson RS Aero kit.
I will be posting pics on Anuj's CLK site in a couple weeks after the body work is completed.

[M-B fan]

Jim.

I know that 235/40-18 is the largest size for the front, but only with "perfect" offset. What is the size (18x??) and offset of your front wheels.

Thanks.

Paul.

M-B Fan

Fronts are 18 by 8.5....don't know the offset...didn't ask.
I might be able to find out...I know HRE had to go find a 55 and measure it...so this is the first CLK to wear HRE's
they seem to fit just fine...we only dropped it about 1/2".