What is this????
 

So I've been wanting to put on a front strut brace in my car. I figure since I''m doing to 500E swaybars and the SL600 big brake kit, I might as well go the extra step and to the strut bar. But here it the problem, I have no clue what this is on my driver side top of the strut location. Not sure if it can even be removed? Can any one help? There's a few of you with cabrio's, any chance you lift your hoods and see if you have the same.
Thanks,
Joe

It's a vibration damper.

FWIW of all the cars I've ever seen, an M-B really doesn't need a strut bar.
If you look at the additional structure in front of the firewall ( not something you see on many other cars ), that helps stiffen the front.
My old Mustang on the other hand twisted so much under hard cornering, the backhatch would open up about 1/4". ;)

If I did decide to remove it. Will it make much difference?

It will make more difference than installing a strut bar will.

Except visually, of course.

Thats a weight, the car is cabriolet so it uses that to balance the car. If you take that away you wont be happy. Alot of vibration as mentioned before.

But this is only on the driver side not the passenger side. If it was for weight should it not be balanced?

Blei = lead
 

Interesting. The MB way of addressing vibration is to say "Ach Du Scheisse!" and throw lead weight at it. No wonder the engineers get paid so much.:scholar:

Maybe you should skip the strut bar...

There are other vehicles with clumps of lead/steel/cast iron hanging from the bottom of the vehicles.
Fords are just one example. ;)

Or buy a Honda. :D

Come on now Manny no need for insults!

Everybody is telling you to forget the strutbar.

1. It's not needed on an M-B. ( See my explanation above ).
2. Do you really think M-B would " waste " something like a vibraton dampener ( and the money it costs ), if they didn't see a need/ benefit for it?

You can do whatever you like with your car. ;)

Most convertibles have that weight. BMW's have it in the rear and Benz has it in the front. Its there cause the car wasnt originally desgined as a cabriolet so they had to put that there after they chopped the top off. It also improves the handling so removing it and putting on the strut bar is not a good idea.