SL/R129: Cut the Weight
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 58
Likes: 2
c32
Cut the Weight
Hey everyone I'm wondering if someone has done the modifications list that my Dad and I are wanting to do to his 99' sl600 sport? Obviously the car is a boat but we wanted to get weight savings numbers and driveability input after cutting the weight. We have tossed the idea around of taking out the soft top and all the linkage as well as taking out the very nice but very heavy front seats and replacing them with a more stream lined and lighter recaro or sparco. I understand the overall construction of the cars is just like every Mercedes and is overbuilt and the door panels are immensely heavy but we don't want to sacrifice a horrible amount of comfort by peeling out the door cards(not going for a track car just wanting a bit more agility for canyon carving
). We are also planning on tearing the exhaust out and using 16 gauge t304 with a single muffler and no cats to drop the weight more. So does anyone have an idea of the amount of weight we'll be saving by taking out the soft top and linkage plus essentially doing a muffler and cat delete? I'm thinking with the seats we'll be saving around 100lbs total. Also does anyone have we'll weights for the monoblock AMG wheels that came on the sport editions? I'm trying to convince him to pull the trigger on some HRE or BBS
). We are also planning on tearing the exhaust out and using 16 gauge t304 with a single muffler and no cats to drop the weight more. So does anyone have an idea of the amount of weight we'll be saving by taking out the soft top and linkage plus essentially doing a muffler and cat delete? I'm thinking with the seats we'll be saving around 100lbs total. Also does anyone have we'll weights for the monoblock AMG wheels that came on the sport editions? I'm trying to convince him to pull the trigger on some HRE or BBS
Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 86
Likes: 11
463, 210, 211
seats will save you more than 100lbs, they are heavy. The top is approx. 85lbs give or take. Also the hydro pump in the trunk can get taken out with it, that's about 20lbs or so. Cats will reduce a lot of weight, those are heavy too. I would try and get an aftermarket intake manifold for that 600 motor, those things are so heavy and bulky, it would save you a ton of weight.
Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 213
Likes: 22
From: Ghana, West Africa
1985(W126)500SE, 1994(W124)E420 1991(R129)500SL and The Mothership 2009 CLK550
I have always wanted to ditch the soft top and all its hardware. Never use it since I much prefer the look of the car with the metal top on, plus, the rag top weight is all high above the center of gravity, so removing it would greatly help the car remain flat when taking hard turns at speed.
Please could you write back here, and let us know just how much all the soft top equipment weighed, once you had removed it.
Please could you write back here, and let us know just how much all the soft top equipment weighed, once you had removed it.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 58
Likes: 2
c32
Thanks for the suggestions and inputs guys. The car will be going through an exterior resto faze to get little door dings and to pull and roll the fenders and the exhaust work will be sooner than later. I think after that we'll do seats and yard the top out and ill relay what our findings are.
