YES!!! ITs me Hmrdown. Glad to see someone remembered. Like me or hate me I was credited with making this forum an interesing place nearly 3 yrs. ago. Since then I have matured (a little) and I am trying the mature approach now. You do remember how brutal I was though don't you? IT was quite hysterical. ANyway I lost interest in the board or bored a long time ago when I realized that the My sweater is tucked in to my Dockers crowd was just never going to get Mr. New York guy. I'm much more Boiler Room Italian Stock Broker meets the Sopranos guy than I am the Mid West I was never ever in touch , we can't get in the club there's a private party tonight , I think 19" AMG thin spokes from a CL make my car look "trick" and "modified yet still Classic AMG" hair parted to the side guy. So at about that point when I was the second guy on the board to get his CLK 55 I was already importing the RS60 kit form Germany and the first day I got it, it went into the shop to replace the wheels, spring pads, and bodykit. When I realized I was having arguments with guys that were debating for days on whether or not to do spring pads I knew I was on a different level.
Not to mention I realized I was becoming one of those guys who I would make fun of who have nothing better to do than sit and post incredibly stupid questions and post incredibly boring pictures of lame *** cars.
With that being said, I came back only because I couldn't understand what the deal was with the HPS bashing. I understand now. And it has nothing to do with Superchargers, And I will let you know this. I was only speaking from an FYI perspective not to discuss dyno charts and other silliness I really can't believe how retarded this gets. HONestly, I can give a rats *** about who's car makes more power - blah, blah, blah. I realize you guys just hate Adam, and if he approached this whole thing differently this never would have happened. I can't explain any of the Unbelievably juvenille posts I read after my initial thread, and I certainly can't explain the bodyfat thing and the supposed threatening and the lawsuits WOAH! (for the record I'm 6'0" 212 at about 6% bodyfat, I'm an amateur bodybuilder and doing a masters competition in July,(over 30) ANyone care? I didn't think so . Yes, most of you would probably call me a Guido, Italian, lift weights, grew up in the boroughs, (no gold chains though) and I wear sweatsuits and Filas - Care Yet) OK. ANyway back to the car. Maybe I should reexplain the whole situation. I have a deposit on an E55 that should be here in December. LAst yr. after doing everything I could to the car (save for "back off"mudflaps) I wanted more power. I have spent soooo much money on this car and I am really totally bored of it. Spending 20K just wasn't happening, even if I got 1000 HP I wouldn't like it any more. As a matter of fact I thought spending 10K was nuts. I took a chance with Adam and HPS and as I said before I can only speak from my experiences. I have never met Adam or any of the other HPS guys. THey just treated me super nice and were very accomodating, they loved my car and I loved them back :-)) The car came back with more HP and I was Happy. I didn't study dyno charts or post them on the Web or make my own Web page about me and my car.WOOOAAHHH!!! (Thats a whole other lever that I'm cramming to understand- Get a girlfriend dude) THis was so unlike me not to get "THe BEST" as you can see from my car and my webpage (just kidding) that I don't half *** anything - I go all out. If the car was brand new I would probably have gotten the Kleeman - it does make more HP and frankly it looks much nicer and trick. BUt that doesn't mean anything when I'm talking about my experience with HPS which has been flawless and come off without a hitch. Adam is still nice to me and regardless of what he posts on the boards and how many people dislike him it doesn't take away from the fact that his supercharger works, and does so at a decent price. DOes it make the most HP - no . Does it look the nicest - no. Did they deliver on all their promises to me - YEs Does the car perform perfectly - yes. Nuff said.
I would love to participate in any drag racing event et al. I love that ****. Did I get beat by a Civic with huge front tires in my 700 HP Viper Yeah I did. But I still love it anyway. I'm not driving to Cali. anytime soon,or ever. SO if anyone wants to go to Englishtown I'm game. Even if Iose. Hell I probably will, but don't think I won't be back in my Mach 1 E55 next year.
Sleestack I appreciate you not taking this to the next level I was pleasantly surpised that you kept it on a car level and not make it personal. After all this isn't a personal thing. By the way you're right about the GSX-R that's why within 50 miles I drove it to 4 Aces Motorcycles and it is currently in about 500 pieces cause I'm chroming the whole thing and painting the fairings the US Flag - just wait to see this thing. I am jealous of the roads u guys have in SOCA - New York is a disaster area and it takes all the fun out of owning a nice car. I have seriously contemplated why I even have these things here many times. As a matter of fact I am interested in knowing from other members what you think of the E55 and the new CLK55. Personally I can't believe my eyes when I see the CLK it looks like a Acura CL the CLK has lost any distinctive style whatsoever. I am so unexcited about this E55 that I don't even really want it. Even though I know I will rip this apart and it won't look anything like when I got it. One more question 17's - 17's How can MB get away with this. THey are C32 wheels with 17's on the CLK55 what the hell?
ANyway I can't get what I want yet - Vanquish - Gallardo - Murcielago - Ferrari Enzo - I've been at the CLK level I want MORE!!!! Drag Race for a Vanquish anyone? One. JT55

timster, did the HPS sc work on ur car?!

JT55 - Nice to see you back. I've felt the site often needs a little more spice like we had 2 or 3 years ago. I think you asked about owner's feelings on the new CLK55's & E55's. I traded my '01 CLK55 on a new '03 CLK55 recently. Most of those posting on this site have not been taken with the styling of the new model. I certainly understand that. I think the previous CLK55 had and has a "classic" look. I drove my '01 for two years and really liked the car. I guess I'm in the minority but I do also really like the styling on the new model. Is the new styling less distinctive? Probably so but I still like it. To me the big difference is in the way the new 55 drives. The new car feels more "softly" sprung in everyday driving. Yet in the twisties the suspension seems to firm up perfectly IMO. I really liked the seats in my '01. I LOVE the seats in my '03. Subtlely different but they fit my 6'5" body perfectly. The new interior seems more up to date to me and I prefer it. Some on this board have complained that the interior "looks like a C class." I assume that's true but so what? I like it. Of course for most of us it is the question of "how does it drive?" To me this new car is much more responsive in steering, cornering including fast transitions, braking, you name it. Add to this something that to me makes no sense - my new car seems much faster. I know it's 300 pounds heavier. It NEVER feels that way (to me). Light throttle away from a dead stop, moderate throttle or flat to the floor the "feels" much quicker. So, you are thinking my '01 CLK was a toad. Not so. I have raced 3 M5's, two of them driven by drivers I knew (who were more than competent) and beat them all (with my '01). Not by a lot but we weren't playing horseshoes. My point is my '01 was quick. My '03 feels a lot quicker and IMO perception is reality. I would not have gone on so but while waiting for my new CLK I posted a question on this board asking for 1st generation CLK55 owners who had traded for the '03 CLK55 to share their opinions of the differences between the two. No one answered - which I found not a little disconcerting. Was I the first (foolish) person to trade his '01/'02 CLK55 on a "03 CLK55? Or even worse, did no one give a s__t?
Which brings me back to "Welcome back, JT55". We need strong opinions, especially the ones we don't necessarily agree with. It makes us think.

holy moly mammaiiiya.. or whatever the hell!

These were the longest posts i have seen since joinging this place!

if this guy's posts are gonna be that long every time, i'm takin a hike!!!:p

well JT55, nice to have you back cause we would like to learn all about it and how this forum lost its ZEST!

:o

The wifes car looks great Karl. I love the Mods Escort 8500, is that factory or custom?- Keep up the good work - GPS NAvigation, Fantastic!!! Silver -I've never seen one before - Custom Paint?

Easy to get those detailed shots when its right on your front lawn hey there Karl or should I say KArl K. Zesty, thats me Innovative thats you. Stock Car, - Nothing Original to say -Boring Handle, (Stole Blah blah from me and the Zesty post you spent your time reading) When the wife is done with her morining chores you can send her by to do my lawn too. SHould that be Karl C.? Think fast. Lets have a debate about your first mods. maybe a set of spring pads that you can pontificate about for about a yr. wondering "Will the ride quality be affected" Take the plunge KArly order those AMG side sills - hell go crazy get the "lighted ones". Nuts.

Oh i'll be your zest!

Pictures are worth a thousand words, however

some pictures leave you speechless!


ps:

...or more of ZEST's blah, blah, blah...

IT might have been funny once Oh imaginationless one. But beating the dead horse comes to mind. We mock what we don't understand Karl C. Perhaps a set of custom mats, or a K&N airfilter.

Very interested posts, makes me wonder what I have missed by not finding this site sooner!! BTW, do is sense a little history between JT55 and karl k?

english anyone?

JT55 -

LOL. Welcome back! When I saw your car I recognized it immediately.

I think you will find the MB tuner world has found MBworld. Though most of the mod-a-holics here are 18yr olds from "Cali" tinkering with pulleys for their C-class coupes after graduating from their Civics...and there's nothing wrong with that. But there are some serious big car, big bucks, MB-is-not-sacred-tear-it-apart-and-start over guys here from all around the country and the world. Most of the duffers who don't want to mix with the "wrong kind of people" never had anything to say and have gone away. There are what...9m+ members now!

- hrmdwn

I'm 28!

But my CLK makes me feel 18!

Never had a Honda
Don't believe in pulleys, except the one I use on the ladies!

At 17, smashed a beemer 325 is int a pole light!
At 21, got my 745 i turbo totalled while parked outside college
At 23, got sick of my supra twin and had to auction it off:p
At 25, spent most of the time pissed out of my head when times were bad and the american economy was blossoming!!
Presently, living the easy life with my benzo

Next up, December 2003!!!

AUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

JT55,

Definitely never wanted to make this personal. I just like to get to the point w/o mincing words... as a NYer I know you know what I'm talking about. Being from NY myself and having the mod bug, I hear you. The roads out there suck butt, especially in Manhattan. Once you get your GSX back, you should take it up to the Ramapo mountains or up Rt 17 towards NY state. At least you can open it up out there. I miss NY pizza and people but I'll take California weather and roads.

Before I started this latest round of tuning on the CLK, I definitely had to decide whether dumping an enormous amount of money into a MB was really what I wanted to do. The CLK needs alot of work to make it into a true performer. I considered doing a Ferrari 360 Modena project, however, I had too many reservations about the Koenigg twin turbo kit available for that car. In the end, I said screw it. My family has a long tradition of MB ownership so I decided to keep it in the family and build a truly sick and unique CLK.... I didn't consider the W209 because the W208, IMO, is the closest thing to a MB German muscle car in appearance. That required redoing everything from the chassis up b/c I too realized that the W208 needs alot of improvements. Long process, but, in the end, I think I'll end up with a car that will stand as a nice tribute to the W208 (and kick *** on the road).... except to Karl K who will see it as blasphemy of an already perfect car.

Anyway, this CLK project is certainly not going to be the last. For the sake of being modest, I probably won't embark on an Italian tuner project until I get in my early 40's. I see an SL55 or a Porsche as my next project car. Unfortunately, with a wife and kid, my bike days are over. Either way, it's all good fun and in the end I'm just happy to be conributing to the rapidly growing world of MB tuning... and yes, there is a place for HPS in that world.

"... see it as blasphemy of an already perfect car."

The idea of perfection is an imperfect idea.

Sleestack, you made me feel bad with the "bike days are over" thing I have a wife too, and we're about to start a family. I don't really know why I bought another bike. I sold my Ducati when I got married and then one day I walked across the street from one of the stores I own and walked into Crossbay Honda Suzuki, sat down and bought a GSX-R. I drove it 50 miles and decided it needed to be "different" Here I go again.
As for the CLK def. agree with the Accord 209 thing. I can't believe my eyes when I see one. Like "what the hell they done to that" THe CLK I believe will never be a true sports car. IT needs alot of work to be competitive. In truth when I raced that M3 at speeds over 120 in WEstchester on the Hutchinson Pkwy. it is really curvy. My car was awful nervous and def. not confidence inspiring he was frankly kicking my *** through the turns and I can drive, and I'm not scared. I felt like the car was about to lose it, only my wifes screaming got me to stop when I passed him at 140 on a straight. :-)) PS - I knew it!!!! KArl C's one of those. Frankly I never understood his ilk. YOur car is not special KARL. It looks just like everyone elses silver 430 or 55. Wait, except for that Escort 8500. It is not a collectors car it never will be. WHat could he possibly make 1800 posts about? Escorts? Navigation systems? the merits of silver over other colors? what tires to put on so the car will still appear "stock" or does he just post the same thing with the picture of that contraption on it? JT

Sleestack, you made me feel bad with the "bike days are over" thing I have a wife too, and we're about to start a family. I don't really know why I bought another bike. I sold my Ducati when I got married and then one day I walked across the street from one of the stores I own and walked into Crossbay Honda Suzuki, sat down and bought a GSX-R. I drove it 50 miles and decided it needed to be "different" Here I go again.
As for the CLK def. agree with the Accord 209 thing. I can't believe my eyes when I see one. Like "what the hell they done to that" THe CLK I believe will never be a true sports car. IT needs alot of work to be competitive. In truth when I raced that M3 at speeds over 120 in WEstchester on the Hutchinson Pkwy. it is really curvy. My car was awful nervous and def. not confidence inspiring he was frankly kicking my *** through the turns and I can drive, and I'm not scared. I felt like the car was about to lose it, only my wifes screaming got me to stop when I passed him at 140 on a straight. :-)) PS - I knew it!!!! KArl C's one of those. Frankly I never understood his ilk. YOur car is not special KARL. It looks just like everyone elses silver 430 or 55. Wait, except for that Escort 8500. It is not a collectors car it never will be. WHat could he possibly make 1800 posts about? Escorts? Navigation systems? the merits of silver over other colors? what tires to put on so the car will still appear "stock" or does he just post the same thing with the picture of that contraption on it? JT

Yeah the bike thing is a bummer but can't risk it with the wife and shorty. Too many idiots on the road. Love watching them fly by though.

The CLK chassis needs some rigidity. We are going with a chromally rollcage, some underbody braces, custom built coilovers, wider rims and tires (265 f & 305 r) and whatever further adjustments are necc. for the sway bars. I'm trying to dump weight by removing the rear seats and replacing it with a deck, going with a fiberglass hood and replacing the interior with carbon fiber trim and seats. Alot of testing and tweaking will obviously have to be done before the right balance is achieved but I know the guys at Evosport will get there.

The CLK is definitely more of a grand tourer than a true sports car. The transmission, even with a healthy upgrade, will still be a slushbox. Nevertheless, the car should pull some healthy Gs on the skidpad and absolutely haul *** from 0 - 200. Even before this round of tuning, the car was smacking down Z06s on the highway and eating M3s for lunch. Brad from Evosport also had my car flying by every car and sticking to the rear of a Z06 at the extremely windy Buttonwillow raceway (although Brad is a superior driver). The car should be ideal for a track like Willow Springs and be a perfect highway rocket. In any case, it will be one more crazy car on the road and a ferocious CLK W208 and that can't be a bad thing.

Post a pic of your GSX when it is done. The custom work sounds cool.

WOW!!! and people think I'm nuts. WHat year is the car your building? Is it a 55 or 430. If a 430 what are you doing about the leisurly steering and numb feel as compared to the 55. THe rollcage will be mounted to the chasis through where? Coilovers that may do the trick any swaybars? Mind if I ask what the bill will be for all this. I would love to be able to build something like that and then actually be able to drive it. Love to see it when its done.

The car started as a 2001 430. In the first round the engine got headers, cams, cats and a new airbox courtesy of MKB. The Kleemann SC was installed in the second round netting 400 hp and 370 lb/ft torque at the rear wheel. I wanted more.

This round is definitely the most intense. The engine has been bored to 6.2 liters and sleeved. Valves, pistons, etc. ahave all been custom manufactured. The Kleemann SC and ECU will be tweaked and should get us close to 700 hp and 700 lb/ft torque. Further mods will be made to the intake and a true dual exhaust will be run through the area where the spare tire well used to be.

The steering mechanisms on the 55 and 430 are actually the same.... meaning numb MB steering. The 430 stock comes with smaller sway bars which probably accounts for the lesiurly steering you are talking about. Nevertheless, we are going with a smaller diameter steering wheel and I already have custom MKB sway bars installed. I imagine that further tweaking of the sway bars may be necessary. The transmission will be pulled from a V12 MB to handle the power. We are going with 15 inch Brembos up front and 14s on the rear. Aesthetically, the car will have the same kit as yours but with some tweaking to get it wider. It will have an MH-Dezent fiberglass hood and dual exhaust for some further customization.

I have no doubt that the car will be very streetable. Those guys over at Evosport are Ferrari driving instructors, BMW racers, Ferrari, BMW and MB tuners and have a chief mechanic with mad Russian smarts. I spent a year doing business with them and meeting them personally before embarking on this project. The bill? PM me if you want to know because I don't want to compromise Evosport's ability to price similar projects in the future. Definitely not cheap and probably absurd for most MB owners. Any time you are near Silicon Valley, you are welcome to take my car for a spin.

Anyway, I'll post some pics for you. They are early stage pics (e.g. the interior is still intact), however it should give you some ideas:

Cage:

Another cage shot:

Valves: