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Converting a 2013 GL 450 to 2018 GLS 63 AMG (exterior)
Hi to all,
I apologize however I am new to the forum therefore I hope I am posting my question in the correct section. A few friends and I have decided to upgrade my 2013 GL 450 4Matic to a 2018 GLS 63 AMG (exterior wise only). I have purchased all necessary parts such as the GLS 63 AMG body kit, front hood, headlights and taillights. Making the parts fit will not be an issue at all, since we have quite a lot of experience in putting body kits together and modifying exteriors.
Anyway, I am sure we are going to hit issues with the wiring diagrams for the headlights and the taillights, that is the reason I decided to put the question if anyone before me has attempted to perform such a modification. Both cars the 2013 GL 450 and the 2018 GLS have the intelligent lighting system, therefore it will not be a major issue to complete this task. So, having said that please let me know if anyone has done this mod and if you have can you help me with how the wiring diagram or connections have to work, especially for the headlights since they are our major hurdle for now.
I suspect your major challenge will not be wiring, but programming to get everything working 100%. And that's assuming you are using OEM MB parts and not knockoff "sorta look-alike" headlights, for example.
Sounds like an interesting project, however, so I'll be looking forward to the end results.
FWIW, here's a MB conversion that may be of interest to you (not a SUV):
I've also got a used GLS grille and was going to install into my GL63 but haven't tried it. Some say it deffo wont work but the mesh main grille looks so familiar I was tempted to buy the used one and see but then found the MB distronic star was bigger too so bought that then found that the grille carrier (the 4 pronged front piece) has a collar inside it from factory that the start badge fixes too and guess what, mine doesn't have that collar and MB don't sell it separately so another front carrier, circa £100 GBP.
If yours goes in let me know?
The GLS retrofit would be some job for the front end I expect but keen to see how this turns out.
I've dine a lot of Porsche, and jaguar model year front end conversions, and I think it's shouldn't be too different on the GL/GlS as they are essentially the same car, also, I recently parked next to a GLS 550 with my GL 550, and I absolutely think you can do the conversion. The hood lines are different above the newer lights, but the fenders are identical. So you'd have to source lights, hood, grills, front bumper. And whatever brackets have been updated to mount the new lights and front bumper. I haven't looked underneath, but almost all mid-year updates use the same radiator support and hood latch position. So it should be fairly straightforward. However not cheap. For the parts alone you'd be close to 4k then you can sell your parts 1500k or more if your lucky. And even if you do all the conversion work yourself, you'll still need paint. Plus a lot of headlight conversions take some serious wiring time as the harnesses usually change. But good luck and please let us know how it comes out.
I might start accumulating used parts if you can make it happen. I just haven't seen any posts about them yet so I don't want to invest until I know how others complete it.
Merhaba herkese,
arabam 2013 yıl GL350, gls gl farların güçlendirme, lütfen yardım beni götürdü.
Kablo şemasının veya bağlantılarının nasıl çalışması gerektiği konusunda bana yardımcı olun, özellikle de şimdilik en büyük engelimiz olan farlar için.
I apologize however I am new to the forum therefore I hope I am posting my question in the correct section. A few friends and I have decided to upgrade my 2013 GL 450 4Matic to a 2018 GLS 63 AMG (exterior wise only). I have purchased all necessary parts such as the GLS 63 AMG body kit, front hood, headlights and taillights. Making the parts fit will not be an issue at all, since we have quite a lot of experience in putting body kits together and modifying exteriors.
Anyway, I am sure we are going to hit issues with the wiring diagrams for the headlights and the taillights, that is the reason I decided to put the question if anyone before me has attempted to perform such a modification. Both cars the 2013 GL 450 and the 2018 GLS have the intelligent lighting system, therefore it will not be a major issue to complete this task. So, having said that please let me know if anyone has done this mod and if you have can you help me with how the wiring diagram or connections have to work, especially for the headlights since they are our major hurdle for now.
Looking forward to your support,
Thank you,
I know this is an old threat but I have just picked up a 2016 X166 GL550 4MATIC and would also like to perform an exterior makeover to mirror the 2018 GLS 63AMG (front and rear bumpers, lower bumper trims, grill, headlights, tail light, hood etc).
My question is - you mentioned you bought a body kit… do you mean you bought an aftermarket kit (complete) or did you build up a our own kit by buying the individual GLS OEM components? That’s what’s got me confused- I’m trying to find out if over the counter GLS63AMG body parts will bolt straight onto my GL550 or whether I need aftermarket parts and/or kit.
If it is such that I need an aftermarket kit, can anyone recommend one and perhaps share a link.
Hi Guy's in need of some help here. I have just recently purchase a front damage Mercedes Gl 2015 in the hope to covert this to Mercesdes GLS 63 Or Gls. I pick this up for a cheap price so have the budget to do it even if the cost mite sound expensive to some as i need to fix the car anyway. here are my question i could do with help anwering
1. Can the conversion be do using all for mercedes gls new part changing wings, bonnet, front bumper front panel and bumper?
2. Would you purchase the cheap chinese conversion kit online will they fit well and good conditon. link attached. https://offer.alibaba.com/cps/m8irg4...=1600522536239
3. how would look at getting the headlight to work and what changes would need to do if i just want to replace with mercedes gls geniune parts.
thanks for your time looking at this guy would be great if someone could help with information regarding this new project of mine picture of the car below
Any updates on either projects??? Also deciding on upgrading to the GLS body kit but confused on how programming/wiring would work with new headlights and taillights
Hello all. Realizing this is an earlier post, I have been slowly doing upgrades to my 2014 GL 550. Plan to post some pics when it is about finished here shortly. I’m having a slight issue finding any decent, and/or quantity of aftermarket front grills. The stock as we know, is somewhat just….ok. I see on Amazon or eBay so many replacement grills for almost all OTHER GLs, w164, MLS and later year w166. I see the diamond looking grill for almost all others, but seem to have a problem, challenge with this year. Mostly find similar to what’s already on here. Any possible companies or websites that have a good selection of aftermarket nice looking grills?
Also, on a separate note, I posted last week, but following up, I seem to be having an issue w my front seats and the massager adjustmentS on the command center, will not all of a sudden want to work. I try to adjust the numbers to, example, slow and steady, or change the sides, as I move the numbers up or down, it immediately goes right bk to 0. Won’t stay. They both worked till all of a sudden 2-3 weeks ago.? I’ve looked at fuses, connections, everything…am I missing something? Well, duh 🙄 of course I am! Jerez, sorry. Does anyone know what may be going on or had this happen? Thanks so very much! Y’all are wonderful!
Last edited by Powerofchoice; Apr 14, 2023 at 07:08 AM.
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Converting a 2013 GL 450 to 2018 GLS 63 AMG (exterior)
with this year. Mostly find similar to what’s already on here. Any possible companies or websites that have a good selection of aftermarket nice looking grills? 
