208 CLK F1 Safety Car (1998-2000)
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
You say that there were a few other very minor changes between the U.S-spec CLK55s between 2001 and 2002, the "Illuminated trunk exit safety feature". What is that?
BTW I have the ski sack, still with its original factory fold. Once undone it looks hellishly hard to get back into its place behind the armrest so I will continue to rent skis!
BTW I have the ski sack, still with its original factory fold. Once undone it looks hellishly hard to get back into its place behind the armrest so I will continue to rent skis!
Photos two and three are of the '02 hubcaps and ski sack receptacle respectively. I unrolled it once....that was enough for me.
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From: living in Paris, France and San Diego ...
2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
Funny, there's no green button in the trunk of my 208 CLK, even if it was one of last ones built (factory delivery date 20 May 2002).
The reason? My car was built for the German market. This let-the-stupid-kid-out device is a result of U.S. regulation, not any safety-minded benevolence on the part of MB.
The reason? My car was built for the German market. This let-the-stupid-kid-out device is a result of U.S. regulation, not any safety-minded benevolence on the part of MB.
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
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From: living in Paris, France and San Diego ...
2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
This topic is meandering, not a problem.
Yes I have a front license plate holder. It is the standard European (wide and short) size and was put on by the MB dealer in Germany. It snaps apart so I easily swapped the French tags for the termporary German tags.
I will try to post a photo tomorrow.
Yes I have a front license plate holder. It is the standard European (wide and short) size and was put on by the MB dealer in Germany. It snaps apart so I easily swapped the French tags for the termporary German tags.
I will try to post a photo tomorrow.
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
This topic is meandering, not a problem.
Yes I have a front license plate holder. It is the standard European (wide and short) size and was put on by the MB dealer in Germany. It snaps apart so I easily swapped the French tags for the termporary German tags.
I will try to post a photo tomorrow.
Yes I have a front license plate holder. It is the standard European (wide and short) size and was put on by the MB dealer in Germany. It snaps apart so I easily swapped the French tags for the termporary German tags.
I will try to post a photo tomorrow.
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2003 AMG SL55, 2002 AMG CLK55, 2002 AMG ML55, 2005 ML350, 1995 S320 LWB - totaled
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From: Indiana
2003 AMG SL55, 2002 AMG CLK55, 2002 AMG ML55, 2005 ML350, 1995 S320 LWB - totaled
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From: living in Paris, France and San Diego ...
2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
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From: USA
18 G550, 24 EQB3504M
I have a nice European plate that I wanna mount on the CLK but I don't have the mount!
My understanding is that the whole impact strip is different for the European-spec cars compared to the US car... am I right?
I put the European plate on my Jeep but I got funny stares....
My understanding is that the whole impact strip is different for the European-spec cars compared to the US car... am I right?
I put the European plate on my Jeep but I got funny stares....
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From: USA
18 G550, 24 EQB3504M
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,197
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From: USA
18 G550, 24 EQB3504M
Oh no.. he's keeping them...
Maybe a chromed set would do? Add a bit of bling to my ride!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-Me...QQcmdZViewItem
Maybe a chromed set would do? Add a bit of bling to my ride!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-Me...QQcmdZViewItem
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From: Sydney, Australia
W203 slightly modified
I have learned that our 208 series CLK 55 AMGs were used by MB as the F1 Safety Car from late 1998 to early 2000. Does anyone have information on what kind of mods AMG did to the car?
For starters, how did they get SL style 8.5 x 18 and 10x18 series 1 multipliece wheels to fit, and with what size rubber? What about suspension, brakes, engine ?
Thanks in advance to the AMG scholars amongst us!
For starters, how did they get SL style 8.5 x 18 and 10x18 series 1 multipliece wheels to fit, and with what size rubber? What about suspension, brakes, engine ?
Thanks in advance to the AMG scholars amongst us!
- full CF interior on all doors and seats. No rear seat, only CF.
- Cross breed AMG and BBS deep dish rims
- straight through exhaust
- driver controlled adjustable suspension
- delimited
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AMG
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02 CLK55, 07 E92 335 ProCede
Not sure if these are same style replicas, but the price seems ok
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-Me...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-Me...QQcmdZViewItem
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From: living in Paris, France and San Diego ...
2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
It's hard to tell for sure from the photo, but it looks like the rally car has bigger brakes as well. Afterall, AMG put those 18 inch SL composite wheels on the F1 safety car so that upgraded brakes would fit.
The safety car has cross-drilled rotors. Beyond that I haven't a clue about what brakes were fitted, but now I'm thinking about getting a BBK to go with those rims. Kleemann KB4 or Brembo GTs (basically the same product) look like the best solution -- excellent performance and so light that they would more or less offset the extra unsprung weight of the bigger rims and tires.
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AMG
Bump for more Rally Car pics....please!
Sadly, I learned through my research that Mick Doohan crashed the CLK55 in the Targa Tasmania race back in '01.
According to a report, the car was written off, but was purchased and rebuilt by another gent for the running of the 2006 race (it may have also run in '07). I'm trying to find some pics - but there is decent information on what mods were done to the car (very few...straight exhaust, ECU delimited, race seats, bigger brakes and wheels.) The car was fitted with Dunlop Formula R-D01J tires.
Sadly, I learned through my research that Mick Doohan crashed the CLK55 in the Targa Tasmania race back in '01.
According to a report, the car was written off, but was purchased and rebuilt by another gent for the running of the 2006 race (it may have also run in '07). I'm trying to find some pics - but there is decent information on what mods were done to the car (very few...straight exhaust, ECU delimited, race seats, bigger brakes and wheels.) The car was fitted with Dunlop Formula R-D01J tires.
Last edited by Chappy; Dec 3, 2008 at 12:25 PM.
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,734
Likes: 65
From: Hotlanta
AMG
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 528
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From: living in Paris, France and San Diego ...
2002 CLK 55 AMG Coupé
Very nice work, Chappy, getting deeper into one of my favorite CLK mysteries!
$300,000 sounds like a lot of money, unless you're talking Aussie dollars and the initial cost of HWA setting up the F1 Safety cars.
As you know, I now have those "Aero" wheels on my 208. After all the doubts and speculation and yearning aired on this and other boards, it turns out they just bolt on. It couldn't be easier to get that piece of the competition set up.
I can also report that, at least with the standard TUV sized rubber (225/40/18 F and 255/35/18 R) and with driver only on board, the wheels don't rub. At all. And that's after putting them through the "Green Hell" of Nurburgring where sometimes the car is getting the beJesus pounded out (the Carousel) or even getting airborne (Flugplatz).
So it made sense to put these rims on a competitive rally car.
With the rims safely on board, it's on to the next step in my quest: getting those bigger, cross-drilled AMG brakes. A number of people have Brembo BBKs on their 208s, but I'm looking for real AMG brakes. Obviously it can be done by HWA. But has anyone done it in the real world? I asked AMG and they laughed - they don't tune cars. HWA will do it, HWA will do anything, as long as you're a Saudi prince. I had an independent MB mechanic source some promising parts (the six pot brakes from the current SLK performance package/63 CLK) but after having a look he told me that installation was a no go on account of contact with some suspension/steering component.
So that mystery continues....
$300,000 sounds like a lot of money, unless you're talking Aussie dollars and the initial cost of HWA setting up the F1 Safety cars.
As you know, I now have those "Aero" wheels on my 208. After all the doubts and speculation and yearning aired on this and other boards, it turns out they just bolt on. It couldn't be easier to get that piece of the competition set up.
I can also report that, at least with the standard TUV sized rubber (225/40/18 F and 255/35/18 R) and with driver only on board, the wheels don't rub. At all. And that's after putting them through the "Green Hell" of Nurburgring where sometimes the car is getting the beJesus pounded out (the Carousel) or even getting airborne (Flugplatz).
So it made sense to put these rims on a competitive rally car.
With the rims safely on board, it's on to the next step in my quest: getting those bigger, cross-drilled AMG brakes. A number of people have Brembo BBKs on their 208s, but I'm looking for real AMG brakes. Obviously it can be done by HWA. But has anyone done it in the real world? I asked AMG and they laughed - they don't tune cars. HWA will do it, HWA will do anything, as long as you're a Saudi prince. I had an independent MB mechanic source some promising parts (the six pot brakes from the current SLK performance package/63 CLK) but after having a look he told me that installation was a no go on account of contact with some suspension/steering component.
So that mystery continues....
Last edited by neilbo75; Dec 3, 2008 at 07:15 PM.
