Oakes Detailed: Mercedes E55 AMG - Member Denroll's new car!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 2
From: West Chester, PA
Whatever it is, it's probably dirty.
Oakes Detailed: Mercedes E55 AMG - Member Denroll's new car!
This project was a little different from the norm for me, which made it very cool. This Mercedes E55 AMG was purchased by it's owner while he was deployed overseas, sight unseen. After purchase he had the vehicle shipped straight to me so I could thoroughly check it over and prepare the car for his arrival back to the states.
Here is a photo of the car when it arrived to my location here in PA...
With the car here, I started my visual and mechanical inspection and combed over the car, we also agreed to have me drive the vehicle to make sure everything was working properly and that she was riding right. Having a few Benzes in the family, AMG models included as well as some good friends with the same model E55 we had a good idea of what to look for with the car. Regardless of my personal experience with various Mercedes models to start!
Only a few things needed attention, one being the front brakes and some generic stuff like oil and paint touch up. Here's all the parts on the stairs waiting to install.
These rotors could be used to stop a train!
After install and initial inspection it was time to really get to work, the car came in "clean" from the dealer, so the before pictures wont speak much aside from the paint condition...which you can see in the following pictures that i certainly had my work cut out...
5.
Cringing a little bit, I geared up and went to town, spent a total of approximately 15 hours on the paint correction, taking various passes of 105/wool or 95/wool, following up with SIP/Orange and 203/Orange and then finishing with 106/Crimson. Here's a 50/50 demonstration of the quarter panel.
Also, consistent paint readings throughout the vehicle served as extra reassurance, a range of 115 to 198 microns
10.
*there is a signficant strikethrough scratch in this 50/50 that was improved but even after sanding remained, cant win em all unfortunately. However, the vehicle received at least a 98% correction in my eyes.
With that said, the rest of the vehicle certainly faired well in the correction as the following photos will reveal of the finished paint without any LSP.
15.
Unfortunately the weather here in the northeast lately meant we only got sunlight when it was going down or a break between clouds, so I couldnt get any direct sunlight photos, even over the course of a few days which was aggravating, so I decided to snap some pics of the car finished outside and inside when the sun was going down, hoping to catch some rays! This is where I get jealous of you Cali and Florida guys!
Here are some reflection shots...
20.
Here is a photo of the car when it arrived to my location here in PA...
With the car here, I started my visual and mechanical inspection and combed over the car, we also agreed to have me drive the vehicle to make sure everything was working properly and that she was riding right. Having a few Benzes in the family, AMG models included as well as some good friends with the same model E55 we had a good idea of what to look for with the car. Regardless of my personal experience with various Mercedes models to start!
Only a few things needed attention, one being the front brakes and some generic stuff like oil and paint touch up. Here's all the parts on the stairs waiting to install.
These rotors could be used to stop a train!
After install and initial inspection it was time to really get to work, the car came in "clean" from the dealer, so the before pictures wont speak much aside from the paint condition...which you can see in the following pictures that i certainly had my work cut out...
5.
Cringing a little bit, I geared up and went to town, spent a total of approximately 15 hours on the paint correction, taking various passes of 105/wool or 95/wool, following up with SIP/Orange and 203/Orange and then finishing with 106/Crimson. Here's a 50/50 demonstration of the quarter panel.
Also, consistent paint readings throughout the vehicle served as extra reassurance, a range of 115 to 198 microns
10.
*there is a signficant strikethrough scratch in this 50/50 that was improved but even after sanding remained, cant win em all unfortunately. However, the vehicle received at least a 98% correction in my eyes.
With that said, the rest of the vehicle certainly faired well in the correction as the following photos will reveal of the finished paint without any LSP.
15.
Unfortunately the weather here in the northeast lately meant we only got sunlight when it was going down or a break between clouds, so I couldnt get any direct sunlight photos, even over the course of a few days which was aggravating, so I decided to snap some pics of the car finished outside and inside when the sun was going down, hoping to catch some rays! This is where I get jealous of you Cali and Florida guys!
Here are some reflection shots...
20.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 2
From: West Chester, PA
Whatever it is, it's probably dirty.
25.
Now for the finished overall shots of the car outside and in...
30.
35.
The car was completely ceramic coated after the correction to ensure the protection and lasting results!*
Here she is on her way home to California, after I picked up the owner at Philadelphia International Airport and brought him to his new car for the first time ever! Was a pretty cool thing to do, even compared to some of the rarest cars I get to work on! An owner this nice deserves to see his car at its best for the first time.
Hope you enjoyed the writeup! Thanks for looking and any feedback is always welcome!
Nick Oakes
Last edited by Oakes; Nov 28, 2011 at 12:51 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,182
Likes: 15
From: Northern VA
W211
Great work and awesome pics... Owner smiling ear to ear driving across the coast. Too bad it wont be as sparkling clean from all the miles. But at least protected by the ceramic wax
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 2
From: West Chester, PA
Whatever it is, it's probably dirty.
We also noticed the extra low hanging of the exhaust and the diffuser also arrived cracked when the car got here unfortunately, so not sure what happened!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 2
From: West Chester, PA
Whatever it is, it's probably dirty.
My assumption is that it did, considering the other mods on the car - lowering links, pulley, 63 wheels and so forth! Thank you! Appreciate it
Trending Topics
Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Chino Hills, CA
2007 E63, 2007 BMW 335i Coupe & 1991 Honda Accord
I am still taken aback by the work you did. It is simply AMAZING. It would be painful for me to drive such a clean car home from your location, let alone cross country. I am sure Denroll is having quite an experience. Good for him. I didn't realize he was deployed abroad.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: Nebraska
2005 CLK500 cab, 2004 S600 designo mocha
Oh my God! Someone detailed a MB in this section?
I thought this section was just reserved for site sponsors who detail other cars and sell their products? Had me fooled.
Great job BTW, lucky E55 owner.
I thought this section was just reserved for site sponsors who detail other cars and sell their products? Had me fooled.
Great job BTW, lucky E55 owner.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 2
From: West Chester, PA
Whatever it is, it's probably dirty.
I agree
