PJK

I bought a complete rear seat from a CLK55, and just installed it in my CLK63BS. Despite not having any instructions (or labeled parts), the installation was actually really easy, and obviously it looks OEM. It took me about 2 hours, and I was taking my time since I didn't have instructions. The battery is the only thing I have to finish. I'm probably going to buy a light-weight battery, and mount it in the trunk. Anyone have any suggestions for a reasonably priced light-weight battery (I'm not looking for the lightest battery, but rather something that will be 10-20 lighter).

Thanks,

-Paul

C43AMG

Pics ?

PJK

I'll post some ASAP, though it honestly looks like a regular CLK coupe. I currently don't have power at my house because the snowstorm last weekend, so I do not have any light in my garage. No power + black interior = and worthless pictures.

ecampbell

Have you inquired whether you will have insurance coverage for either the car or the occupants in the back if you get into an accident?

PJK

No, but it is an OEM Mercedes rear seat, why wouldn't it be covered?

ecampbell

The black series came without a rear seat so what you have installed is not OEM (just a MB OEM part). In fact I believe the manual has a warning about the amount of weight that can be put in the rear.

PJK

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer. The seat I installed is designed and made by/for Mercedes for a CLK, so it is an OEM seat.
The car could have just as easily been a regular CLK coupe, and it would have had this seat. To the extent that the seat didn't come with this car, then you could make the same argument against ANY modification (e.g., would your insurance not cover the car because you installed an ipod cable?)

The weight warning has to do with weight in the trunk, which would have a much greater impact on the handling than weight in the passenger compartment. Much of the weight I added will be offset by a lighter battery. Two overweight guys in the front seats could easily weigh more than the rear seat I added.

Unless the seat caused the accident, I don't see why it would make any difference that Mercedes decided not to put it in this particular model. I don't drive the car on the streets anywhere near the point that the added weight would actually cause an accident.

ET550

Even disregarding the weight and insurance issues, I just can't imagine this being a good or safe idea. First, it is a major PITA just to get in and out of the rear compartment due to the limited range of movement in the front seat which requires you to push it forward manually and then tilt the back rest all way the forward electronically. Second anyone sitting back there is virtually trapped if the power is off or there is no one to help them move the seat forward. So while you may have the stock CLK rear seats, you are missing the stock CLK front seats which alloiws passengers to safely and quickly enter and exit the rear compartment.

ecampbell

A black series did NOT come with a rear seat so saying it is OEM is not correct. It was not designed to have a back seat and you have put one in so how can it be OEM.

Speak to a lawyer and the insurance company and see what they say...while I understand why you did it, are you willing to risk someone's life?

ET550 - good point on the front seats as they were made in conjunction to work with the rears.

Nachtsturm

Check out a optima red top for the battery.

503C43 ////AMG

braile makes lightweight batteries

http://www.braillebattery.com/

AMG Dictator

The weight restriction has to do with the rear axle loading. It is a bit more complicated then you make it sound.

The CLK Black was not designed to have rear seats in it. I wouldn't let my kids sit back there. What if you are in an accident and they need to get out quickly?

sweet jones

I really dont understand the argument of having people in the back seat. All W209 models whether they may be a 320, 550, or a 63 have hardly any space in the back seat.

How is this car with back seats installed any different than the CLK55 that the seats came out of regarding rear passenger space?

ecampbell

Sweet...if you read this thread, the black series is different and was not meant to have a back seat in it. My question was simply to see if the OP had thought about all aspects of putting people (safety, legal, insurance) in the back.

WTDoom

This is what I was told in Germany . Thats why the Kicherer conversion coasts around 20 000 eu ( and Im not even sure if they even got TUV ) .

Good luck to but id look into it further before I put people I liked back there ...

kent426

So I find this statement a bit of fear mongering. If you don't agree with the guy for installing it, that's one thing. But imply that someone will die if they are in an accident because the car was not designed that is foolish. I highly doubt Mercedes redesigned the body to be without a seat. The simple fact is it is the same body and frame as the CLK/ C 55, they save weight and put better seats up front for sportiness. You could simply replace the passenger seat with a CLK seat to deal with the issue. The car also has coil overs so I am sure if you want to put a fatty in there, raise the ride height to account for the sag.
"common sense is not so common"

ET550

so if your common sense tells you to replace the front seats and raise the suspension to deal with the safety concerns and make it more like a CLK, then maybe your common sense should have also told you to buy a CLK in the first place.

AMG Dictator

Your post shows you are not prepared for this conversation.

jrcart

I would not recomend going with one of the tiny little carbon fiber Braille's, I had one in my Black Series 2 years ago and it led to lots of problems, these cars need amps and the Brailles don't have enough cca"s to feed the cars electronics. If you are dead set on one you can come grab mine for free...I liked it that much LOL. The weight savings were awesome but the battery sucked, they are basically just re-packaged motorcycle batteries.

jrcart

Not much of your statement is factual. Structurally the basic CLK frame and body has nothing in common with the BS frame. The rear suspension on the BS can not take the load of adult passanger in the rear seat area (maybe small, light childern). I also recall hearing (but can not confirm) that the area underneath what would be the rears seats is not reinforced to take the weight of passangers. If you simply think that they just grabbed random CLKs coming down the CLK 350 production line and dropped shipped them over at the AMG shop for a 6.3 motor and some fender flares you're way off base. There's not much that carries over from the regular CLK 350/550 or even the regular CLK63 to the CLK63 Black Series.

ecampbell

Do you own a BS and have you had a good luck to see the differences between a stock clk and a bs? If the answer is no to both questions you are completely unaware of the issue. If the answer is yes to both questions you are just uninformed.

kent426

That the common CLK frame structure is not used, I highly disagree. Read all of the articles written by magazines about how AMG builds cars. The only one off car that is completely developed by AMG is the SLS. AMG started as a tuner, taking a stock car and throwing a different motor. So as much as you like to think the BS is a completely different car than its predecessor, you are wrong. It is a track oriented car that weighs 4,000 lbs, keeping a rear seat out and adding a rear strut bar reduces weight and stiffens the chassis. Unless an actual MB tech responds and corrects me, I will respect your opinion as an opinion.

jrcart

...so you going to stick to your story that a CLK350 has the same frame as a CLK Black Series?

...and for the record the SLS is really a Viper...ya, it really is

WTDoom

jrcart , FYI matey the sls / viper thing is a very popular misconception . Some very early SLS were disguised as vipers during their testing ( due to very similar dimensions ) and then one plus one became 3 !

kent426

Nope, I would not insult a viper like that. If were true, the SLS would be a lot faster. The MB acquisition of Dodge nearly ruined a good car, I am glad that Fiat is allowing car guys to reinvigorate the company again.