Ashenor

I still like them, but i was not sure with the rims they will fit on if weight was a issue or not. Anyone have a CLK 55 with them?

Limited Edition 190E

ghetto

Ashenor

I quess coming from more of a american car background i still like them. Not sure if i would put them on or not. I really like that the last pic on the picthread of that rensport clk.

Timster

To each his own.
I don't care for them. Very expensive and noisy.

Ashenor

What size rims are most people using? How much do they run for a light rim(general range), i ended up with about $5,500 into my 22's with dunlop sports on my Lightning.

Ashenor

Ok i like this a lot what is done to it, lowering springs and bodykit and rims?

AMG BRED

sounds about right. but there is more to the car then just looks :p

Ashenor

True but looks are important, at least for me. I drive a Lightning now, i like it and its pretty fast 13.2 1/4 with 22's. But i am looking for a more luxury car that is still pretty quick and handles better.

ndabunka

Def getto - my .02. I also don't think I want one of those coming off at speeds approaching (and exceeding) 155. Can you say lawsuit? What's a "lightning"? Ford, Chevy, Hyndai? Just wondering. If you have a reverse image pic of yours from the front, just post it as my view of one would probably be in my rear view mirror watching it get smaller as it's left in the dust. Just ribbing ya so please don't flame. I've just never heard of a lightning before.

Ashenor

Don't really expect most people here to like it, but its a fun truck and fast.

But now i have a good job looking for a more luxury car that still has some speed.

Roll out

if you can fork over 50+ go for it, its a great car. Great combo of luxery and speed. If you just want a german sports car, look at the m3.

AMG BRED

don't worry, i know what a lightning is. i am a big fan of 'em. i actually wanted one in black. those engines would whoop anything on this board save a few modded ones. don't flame me, it's the truth, i too drive a CLK55, but i have seen the F150 Lightning in action. Anyways, it is a nice truck but once in a while, a man need his luxury then sport. :p

DC@neowerkes

I agree with AMG Bred, a Lighting is a quick truck and I wouldn't mind having one in the stable. This is a truck that could surprise an unsuspecting CLK55.

Please no flames, I have a CLK55 and a few other quick toys. My point is, know your cars and trucks before messing with them. A Ford truck driver may have a huge grin on his face if taken for granted.

Ashenor, I'm sure you can confirm this.

DC

Improviz

I've raced several stock Lightnings, and a CLK55 will roast a stock Lightning, easily beating it by several lengths in the 1/4. There are pully mod kits you can install on them that make them faster, but stock to stock, it's no contest.

AMG BRED

really?

Ashenor

I kind of doubt your are beating them even stock vs stock. With my 22's on and a chip and filter i ran a 13.2. WIth my 18's on i would have run better. Most stock ones run 13.4's or so, i thought most clk's were running around 13.8's stock?

This was not meant to be a flame, i was just looking for advice on what to buy next.

AMG BRED

no flames in this thread.. nothing wrong with a good discussion

i have seen lightnings run low 13s at the track and 12s with a simple pulley upgrade.

Ashenor

The 2001+ are 385 horse, with a chip, lower pulley, filter, plugs they are running mid to high 12's. Not to bad out of a 5000 pound truck with about $600 in mods done. Its a fun ride for sure since a lot of people don't know what they are. You have to sneak into a race a lot of times.

I also pulled a trailer with 3 bikes and one in the bed to Daytona this year for bike week, so its nice for things like that.

Getting 11mpg is not the best but you have to pay to play =).

When the new body style one comes out i am sure i will buy another.

What kind of common mods are most people doing to the clk 55's?

AMG BRED

right now, i am lowering mine with Brabus suspension, and 19" wheels. There is a HPS supercharger out that's good for 400+ hp.

Improviz

It would need significantly more hp to run a low 13 stock.

ndabunka

What do they look like? Any pics? I know Chevy is doing an SS or something but didn't think it was out yet. Sounds like a quick pickup. Is that the one I see in the TV commercials where two trucks have trailers behind them and go dow the drag? Something in the high 12's shouldn't worry a CLK55 owner too much as ours "stock" run in the low 12's don't they boys? Now other "AMG" CLK's probably run low 13's, but the real thing is a good bit faster that those 430's that have been intentionally "mis-labeled".

Ashenor

I can't post pics from the place that host these but here are some links if you want to check it out. I will have to get some new pics with the new headlights and tailights in.

Silver Lightning

Lightning 2

Lightning 3

Was planning on a 3/5 drop on it in the spring, with some other mods. But now planning on either ordering a new M3 this week, or trying to find a used CLK 55.

Stock 2001+ ones run low 13's all day long also. 385 horse plus a supercharger makes a 5000 pound truck pretty quick even in stock form.

Improviz

What are you implying, that I'm making this up? Get real. I'll race a stock Lightning any day of the week, and I'll win every time. Been there, done that.

With good traction, CLK55's are capable of a low 13 to a hi 12, bone stock. People here in E55's, which have the same engine, transmission, and rearend but weigh 300 pounds more than the CLK55, have run 13.1's in their E55's.

The problem with the CLK55 is that it's lighter (limits traction off the line) and has 245 series rear tires compared to the E55's 275's.

Read these tests from Motor Trend of the CLK55 and the E55: both tests point out that it's very difficult to launch these cars without excessive wheelspin, which cuts your time:

CLK55 convertible vs.M3
Same thing is true for the E55:

E55 vs.M5
So, the traction is what kills you. Motorweek managed to get a 13.4@107 in their CLK55 test:

Motorweek CLK55 test: 2001

But they only got a 13.9@101 in their F150 Lightning:

Motorweek Lightning test: 2001

Note the six mph differenc in trap speed, indicating a much more powerful acceleration rate for the CLK55. As to the vehicles themselvew, take a look at the weight/horsepower of each:

CLK55 = 3450lbs/342hp = 10.08lb/hp

Lightning = 4670lbs/380hp = 12.3lb/hp.

Come on. With 2.3 more pounds for each hp, not to mention one fewer gear (four speed in the Ford vs. five in the Merc), no way will it keep up stock for stock. A 0.5 sec. difference in the 1/4 is five lengths (1/10 per carlength), which corroborates what I said.

Ashenor

You might be racing F-150's with Lightning badges on them if you are wasting them =).

Like i said i was not here to create flames but to help decide on my next car a M3 or a used CLK 55.

And we are not talking about a E55 we are talking CLK 55 and a Lightning.

Feel free to post any time slips showing your stock CLK 55 runs at low 13's.

And yes traction is always a issue, the main tuners on the lightning boards are running low 11's and one is running a high 10 with with a swapped out supercharger. As with anything the amount of money you are willing to dump in can always make something faster. There are a lot of people with 3-5k in mods running low 12's though, and still using them for daily drivers.

Again its a totally different thing then a M3 or a CLK 55 i am not trying to compare it to either. But if you have room in your stable for another toy and need to pull something sometimes i could highly recommend one. They are fun for sure.

DC@neowerkes

Being lighter is not a liability in my book. Traction is the primary factor in limiting our 0-60 times. This is basic physics. Acceleration = Force / Mass.

You should see Sleestack's beast. Evosport is taking out a bunch of weight and increasing the horsepower and torque. His car will be one of the fastest CLKs out... and lighter

DC