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09 GL450 | 90 300 SEL | 87 300 SDL | 12 RR Big Body | 99 LX470 | 09 A8L | 07 XC70
Oh! I actually did not even think about the REST button, good catch! I at one point honestly though of just sending over a 2002 G class I might purchase over to UAE and have them do a complete interior and exterior upgrade (seats, door cars, electronics, rims, bumpers, lights, cameras, etc) for $25,000. Given $30,000 for a nice G and $25,000 for the cost of the interior seems very ridiculous, but perhaps a better alternative to paying $140,000?
But the 2012 upgrade is definitely a practical compromise, I don't think we would have access to half the electronic functions on a 2013+ revamp on a 2002 ahaha. However a person doing these conversions told me that everything except the little knob that selects the terrain system would work. But he was after all selling his product so who knows
I doubt they can do quality work on all those items you listed for $25,000. This is how much some companies quoted me "just to reupholster the interior". If I hired someone to do what I am doing to my G500, it would be ridiculous money and would not be worth it. I do most of the stuff myself, Im learning allot, I enjoying the process.
I would never go as far as facelifting to a 2013+ interior, thats just not worth it to me, unless you do most of the work yourself (but to some it might be worth it......)
09 GL450 | 90 300 SEL | 87 300 SDL | 12 RR Big Body | 99 LX470 | 09 A8L | 07 XC70
Originally Posted by Kobzarhomes
I doubt they can do quality work on all those items you listed for $25,000. This is how much some companies quoted me "just to reupholster the interior". If I hired someone to do what I am doing to my G500, it would be ridiculous money and would not be worth it. I do most of the stuff myself, Im learning allot, I enjoying the process.
I would never go as far as facelifting to a 2013+ interior, thats just not worth it to me, unless you do most of the work yourself (but to some it might be worth it......)
Actually as we just spoke about this I went and checked and there is a correction, so its $13,500 roughly for the interior upgrade. The exterior upgrade is an additional cost. Yeah as for their work I am not sure how good it is, there is only pictures.
Question, would seats and door cars from a 2008 G550 be a straight swap? Or radical change in wiring? I understand a few functions wouldn't carry across, but as long as the seats can move that's really all I would want ahaha.
I just sat and read through all 11 pages (so far) of your rebuild. I don't have enough words to adequately describe how impressed I am with your work. I have subscribed and will follow each new post with extreme interest. I am especially looking forward to your installation of the side marker lights and tail lights, as those are two things I will attempt to tackle on my "new to me" 2011 G550. Keep up the amazing work!
Thank you so much! )
I will be installing OEM 2016 LED side markers and aftermarket LED tail lights.
Ill post on here when I install them.
Here is a picture of what style they are.
Last edited by Kobzarhomes; 04-20-2017 at 12:59 PM.
Those look a lot like the one's i've bought, except mine are smoke. Having said that, it's the fitment I'm curious about. I took one of my existing lights loose and checked the connections inside and they don't look anything like what I've seen posted online. I don't have a metal bar with bulbs attached, I have a plastic bulb housing with the connectors on that. The new lights have bulb bases that wire into the LEDs so I can't see how to make it work properly. Anyway, can't wait to see your install.
Cosmetically installing 2013 interior is not going to cause many issues, the big hurdle will be integrating new electronics in to old wiring and ECU. Most likely they integrated new ECS with old ECU. Sometimes they run both at the same time so there are no faults. It takes allot of computer programing and wire soldering. Total cost of what he did is $25,000 (in Russia). Keep in mind, labor is cheaper there then here.
For example... I will be purchasing 2014 S500 Coupe steering wheel from Russia and installing it on to my 2002 G500. They will reprogram the buttons to work with my original wring and functions. How they will do it? I do not know... but I know it take allot of re-soldering and programing.
Also I will be installing 2014 G550 door panels and window switches on to my 2002 G500. I will ship them new window switches and my original window switches, they will integrate the guts of old switches in to the housing of the new switches. They will have to re-solder some connections in order for new switches to be able to control 2002 internals.
I dont see anyone taking on 2002-2013 interior swap here in the states. It will be to costly (unless you do the work yourself and you are savvy in electronics and computer programing).
Hi , Do you mind sharing the contacts for the steering wheel and the switches ? I would love to do that on my G500
Yes, sure.
Here is a link to their info page on a Russian website: https://www.drive2.ru/o/Dolcar
They have Instagram as well. I typicly communicate with them via messaging on Drive2.ru or sometimes Instagram direct messaging.
Pulled off crappy factory door sound deadening material. Cleaned off the glue and will be re-applying new sound deadening material with sound deadening foam after re-spray.
Last edited by Kobzarhomes; 04-29-2017 at 01:16 AM.
Cleaned, scuffed, cleaned, degreased, taped and ready to paint insides of the doors with Pelladium Silver. I know the paint shop is not going to able to get all the crevices inside the doors, so I'm going to spray insides myself.
Last edited by Kobzarhomes; 05-01-2017 at 02:51 AM.
So when I purchased the vehicle the previous owner hacked up the original speakers and installed some crappy aftermarket speakers which were installed very poorly. The broken off housing plug connectors were done by whom ever did the install of those aftermarket speakers, just seeing how they hacked them off, tells you allot about the quality of work they did on the install......
What I decided to do is to purchase door BOSE speakers from Mercedes W220 and modify the original housing (which was already hacked up) to take "speaker only" from W220. I had to grind out the inside of the original housing a little more then what was already done so that W220 speaker will fit nicely, almost like it was supposed to be there. Now I just have to connect speaker connection to the housing plug by soldering a short connection wire.
Here are a few pictures of the rear door speaker and the front front speaker.
Last edited by Kobzarhomes; 05-04-2017 at 12:47 AM.
Palladium is a great color. Had it on my last S Class and loved it. You are coming along man. Reconstruction is the tedious part. Details really matter at this stage. There is always a temptation to rush things along. Don't succumb. One step at a time. In the end you will have a unique and beautiful piece that you built with your own two hands. A great feeling.
Since my car is G500 and I'm installing G63 front bumper, I wanted to create faux intercooler so there is no see through hole in the bumper grill. First designed a temple then cut out two faux radiators. Covered fronts with cardboard not to damage the cells. Next will wrap each in aluminum channels and attach them to aluminum L shape bracket.
Last edited by Kobzarhomes; 05-08-2017 at 02:27 AM.
Great job on these. You went pretty far to create a purely cosmetic item and the craftsmanship and installation are top notch, man! They'll surely pop behind the G63 bumper.
I love the one off, custom bits you've chosen to make this box unique. I can't wait to see the seats, interior and steering wheel all together. For the love of all that is holy, please please refrain from "G63ing" the back of it.
There's an 03 G500 for sale in Canada right now and has the complete body kit with biturbo badges on the front fenders, G63 on the back and is also apparently a Brabus G. Full on identity crisis with OEM 03 tail lights to boot. I can't think of anything worse for The Box to suffer.
04-19-2017, 10:07 PM
