ricecooker713

Hello everyone, I will like to introduce to you a project I have been planning.

I recently purchased a 2012 C350 coupe with the intentions of it being a project. In collaboration with StanceLab and Mercedes Benz of San Francisco, we will be building the C350 for the coming up 2012 SEMA. There are big plans for this vehicle. To name is few parts, Airrex is providing their whole air suspension kit to lower this to the ground while sitting on Forgestars wrapped with Toyo Tires. I just placed an order with Vividracing and will be receiving a Meisterschaft GT exhaust pretty soon.

I have been in the automotive business for a good amount of time. I feel that Mercedes in the past has never developed a vehicle where the public can mod easily. BMWs has great appeal and can be customized simply/tastefully. This has been true until the W212 and W204 coupe came out. I personally hope that others will see this build and realize how great of a vehicle this coupe is and consider it when choosing between brands.

Please follow this thread to keep updated with all the mods.
When I first bought the car


First mod, reverse camera. Thanks to this forum and realizing how ridiculous it is to have the stock location offset to the side, I opted for the middle approach.

Tearing the interior apart to hid all the wiring proper

Location of the controller

Hidden away now, can't even see it

Before the camera, you can clearly see where there is two circle markings


Here is the picture quality at night


A proper photo shoot
Thanks to my good buddy, Richard Tong






Proper shot of the camera location

wongster

Nice cant wait to see the outcome of this project

yqku

Nice project!
I'm also interested in a Meisterschaft GT exhaust, which tailpipe option did you choose?
Can you post a video as well once exhaust is installed?

Igor1080

I like where you're headed with this. I didn't think moving the reverse cam was a worthwhile mod though. Realistically you can see what's behind you and not hit it. That's all the camera is used for really.

ricecooker713

I will for sure post video of the exhaust, I am also thinking about cutting out the secondary cats as well. Maybe I will do one before and after. I picked the AMG style one, with the dual outlets.

I didn't think it matter much as well but after driving one with the rear view camera option offset to the side, it made the angle of items different from left to right. You might be closer on the left side as compared to the right but the angle of the camera makes the depth look off. Now the position of the camera isn't really a big deal but because I was already installing it, might as well place it in the middle

Igor1080

I didn't realize but your car didn't have the camera at all and then you did an aftermarket type install. I didn't understand at first.

ricecooker713

Yup, I installed an aftermarket camera. This car didn't come with that option

GT HAUS

Very nice! We're excited and honored to be part of this project, can't wait to see it all come together

C3FiddyC

can't wait to see this project progress!

ricecooker713

Thanks again, excellent service! Would recommend you guys to anyone.
The Meisterschaft exhaust will definitely look good surrounded by this

Just received a big fin diffuser from JL-motoring, excellent product




Here it is next to the stock trim on a C250



Also just in is a 380mm/345mm 6pot/4pot Brembo kit
Unbelievable how light these rotors are compared to the size

lookinbarrel

Nice diffuser. Can you take pics of the installation? I want to install mine but don't know where to start.

discoduck

Love the big fins on the diffuser!

CoupeDeta

Will the rear diffuser fit the C250 coupe model? and what does it take to install it? is it pretty straightforward or the original bumper have to be modified in any way?

hovsepdov

Any updates here

accce

Is this car you doing work to a 250 or a 350. The diffuser picture shows the exhaust of a 250 and all the other pictures hide anything that would prove that it was a 350.

AV1

Interesting question ^^^

Initial photoshoot pics above clearly show a C350, might be 2 different cars both getting done

That diffuser looks great, lokking forward to seeing the completed project

johnny--2k

It is a 350 that the work is being done to. If you go back and look at the pic, he says above it that the diffuser is next to a C250.

Mary Vesci

Wow, can't wait to see it done! I've had a hard time finding much online for this car.

ricecooker713

Hello All

This build is indeed for a C350, the C250 was only used in the picture because my C350 was home

Sorry for such a long gap between updates but I have been working/waiting on some parts. Main concern now is fitting the massive 345mm mono block Brembo setup in the rear. I will go more in-depth on this later. The rear diffuser but it is pretty straight forward, not much to it.

There are two rivets, one on each side by the stock exhaust tips, these have to drilled out. After that, it is only the matter of pulling on the stock diffuser and it will snap off

Update - Air-Rex Digital Air suspension arrived, Installed Meisterschaft exhaust, Installed CF big fin diffuser, Fitted Brembo kit, Interior trim sent out to be CF







Front rotor (stock compared to Brembo)




Now the problem is in the rear, the front bolts up fine. My kit is off a W212 E550. From what I can tell, W204 share same brakes as a C207 or W212 E350. Now W212 E550 uses larger rear parking shoes (different from W204), so that is where things get interesting. Front on all vehicles will fit, rear calipers will fit, just not the rotors in the rear. After some research I found that I can swap the rear spindles and convert this to a W212 setup, but I went a different route. I am very good friends with a shop around here that specializes in building custom BBK setup and I opted to make a custom top hat through them instead

Here are some pictures of the air suspension with custom camber plates in the front









Cool thing about this kit is that all the necessary plumbing, wiring and connections all are made and tested to be working in one complete unit. You just running power and ground, connect the air lines to each strut, install all struts/bags and you are ready to go. Wireless remote controller, no need to rip apart your interior to run one wire





Here are some pictures of all the interior trim

ricecooker713

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNvwr...gjX153ymk0U%3D

Small video of the Meisterschaft exhaust

vcruiser

Solid build so far!
Question is...
Why would you not get a c63 AMG coupe?

It's not like you can't afford it, with all the money you're putting into this car!

ricecooker415

Thanks vcruiser, i didnt get a c63 because it would be a shame to tear apart a c63. Beside that fact, it also wouldnt make sense financially for me to get one. They are almost double in price

C3FiddyC

I don't know much about the air suspension. But if you dont mind me asking, how much does it cost? and where could i find it?

ricecooker713

You can contact AirRex air suspension directly or MemoryFab in Hayward, Ca which is the main dealer for AirRex, a complete kit runs about 5k, roughly 2500 for the air management and 2500 for struts/bags. http://airrex-usa.com/

davetrends

any newer updates ??

*VERy farrrr indonesian reader is here* ... nice project you got there.