Hello.

I have start this Prior Design black edition wide project 3 months ago.
I have been very busy until now because my car is at the paint shop.
My car is an SL600 "Speedriven tuning" car.

Everything start from this....

 

Before I decide to build the wide body project I assembly the SL63 AMG kit also from Prior design.... fitment was pretty good...not 100 but 95%.
So I ordered new wheels from Savini and got them.... here is the TRUE story what they did to me.

My Savini experience.... bad vendor
Hello "Members".

I take my story short .
I own an SL600 R230 from 2004.
For about one year ago I decide to buy new wheels at my car,,,,,
I told "Savini" about all the "bad vendors" Rennen and Iconz wheels I had before…. all about how they lie to me and they "stolen" money from me.
About 1200 USD together and no warranty when I got problems with the chrome lips…. they blow out only after few months.

I was in contact with Randy at Savini….. he told me that I must contact their dealer to made the order. John www.wheelandtiredesigns.com

From the beginning I ask if they can made wheels to me buy my own specs.
Front 9*20" ET 20
Rear 11*20" ET 28

I got following answer 17.1.2012:
We usually build a 20x9 ET26 and 20x11 ET31. We cannot guarantee proper fitment with lower offsets, I will build it to the specs you want. How are you wanting this order shipped out.


I order the wheels at my own specs 28.1.2012 :

Hello John.

I order from you for 7000 D SV10 (face) XC series ( deep concave) wheels include the freight cost door to door.

(I try to send the money today and normaly it's take few days before you can see them there).

- Outer lip Gloss black
- Inner lip Gloss black
- Window 1. Gloss black.
- Window 2. Gloss black.
- Center 1. Brushed
- Register Brushed
- Rivets Brushed

Front : 9*20" ET 20. Lip 4,5"
Rear : 11*20" ET 28. Lip 5,5"

The wheels arrive fast and I was very very happy with them!!!
The first thing I notice when I assembly the wheels at the car that the front wheel was not at the fender line….so I bought an 5mm spacers at the front and "I thought that I measured it wrong and it was probably my own fault".
I don't started to check where the problem really was… because they looks great.

I use the wheels about 3-4 months and decide to start a new project with the car…. Wide body SL600. When the parts arrive I start to measure new specs to my new wheels….
I measure them many times and notice the calculations don't match??!!
I took of the wheels and at the wheels you can't se any ET stamps… so I decide to measure them…. at this moment I notice that my wheels from Savini is not what I have order from them and paid 7000 USD!!!!

I contact John and Savini (Randy) about one month ago and ask about this…. and told them they have lie and mislead me and I'm not happy with this.
I ask for compensation because I paid 7000 USD (incl freight) for a set what I could have had…. answer was no compensation because is so long time ago.
( I ask help also for change this "wrong" setup to wide body setup…. no answers".)

I PAID 7000 USD FOR A SETUP WHICH WAS NOT I PAID FOR. I find an invoice from Savini to Wheel and tires about 4200 USD in one of the wheel box so the dealer Wheel and tires took about 2800 USD incl freight cost.

So for you all….. watch out and I recommend to leave issues like this alone…. BEWARE Savini wheels and John www.wheelandtiredesigns.com
We must show them al that they can't behavior us like this…. they think they own our cars….

I have show them this thread before I hang it out.

Best regards
Juha Tuoma

 

Next step was assembly the new headlights.
I bought al headlight parts from Prior design with new ballast and relays.
You need to buy new headlight frames also and change them.
I must also change that big alloy frame at the front so I can use my headlight washers . If you leave the "old" one those washers don't work. The holes where those washer pumps sit have different angle.
I have also use the SL63AMG plugs at the new light harness. Take of the old ones and assembly the new ones. If you do this at this way your headlight automatic level function don't work.
Now I have ordered the upgrade cable harness and I'm gone assembly them when the car arrive from the paint shop.
Now I know that those cables don't work at US cars.... I have ask it from the seller.

Few pictures.
PS. That man at the picture is my uncle Aulis.... not me.
He have Alzaimer and he like to work with me and my projects.

 

At the front pumper I haver use the oem front pumper "inside parts". I cut them of and cut them so they fit this Black Edition pumper and glue them with Wurth Sikaflex. Normally they don't do that but I want that al parts sit perfect and straight as the oem front pumper does.
The water tank at the right side don't fit under the new fender so I use "hot air blower" and shape it so it fit.

 

Now I have assembly al Wide body parts at my car and the fitment is pretty good... not 100%. Only small adjustments with the holes and so on.
The rear fender parts I'm gone let the paint shop do because I don't have the right tools to do it.

Few pictures.

 

looking forward to the finish product . For some reason i thought it would be more difficult then this. Was the fitment for the lights easy ?

 

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The lights itself bolt on. Modification the hardness take some time... few hours.

Juha

 

Here I want to show how much you must cut the rear fender..
Approx 1"-1,5". After I cut the piece away I bend a little the fender edge "up" so I can bolt the rear fender inside cover at the fender edge.

 

Hello.

Here you can se the rear fender "cover" installed.... is at the right place now.... it's glued.
Prior Design kit rear fender is a big cover so this is a little rounder that Misha.

 

IE you note cutting/bending etc installing rear 1/4 overlay etc? Nice work

 

I have ask for help with the rear fenders from the paint shop where the car is now.
Here is few pictures when I have took of the front fenders , rear pumper, front pumper and the hood.
Parts are painted separately and after the paint I'm gone install them bak...
First, of course, painted the whole car.
I must mention again the Prior design fitment is pretty good.

 

It looks like its coming on well. How are you intending bridge the gap between the original rear panel and the new panel ?. Do they provide a inner skirt to hide the gap ?.. How is the fiberglass layer , is it smooth ?.

 

Prior design send me four plastic plates to hide the gap... So i'm gone use the OEM inner skirt + this small plate.
Yes it smooth but it's have small "air holes"....must, however, be sanded and primed again, that is for sure, there would be no air holes before the painting.

Here is few pictures about sanding parts and few parts which are primed again.
I'm gone take few pictures about those plates next time.

 

Here is few pictures about my new steering wheel. Black series.
1250 Usd shipped inlc. "new " wheel.
Alcantara + carbon..... I love it.... same specs I have at my M5 E60.

 

Ekselent, this build is coming out to be excellent. Quick question, do "slots" on the opening of the scoop on the hood come open from Prior or did you have to dremel them out?

 

I hope I can show you my new wheels maybe next week.
I have order a new setup.
Front 10*20 ET-3
Rear 12,5*20 ET-18

( Thericker..... I now you now if this ET is going to fit my car??? )...I'm not sure
I have measure it and I have taken a small risk.

Yes I now it's heavy but I want the car must look wide and low... so my setup is going to look very deep.
Front lip 4" and Rear lip 6.5".... and straight lips....

 

How much is the body shop charging you to paint the car and prep it ?

 

Raffi , what body kit do you have in your pic ? I love the rear end .

 

No.. the openings was "ready".
I must mention everyone about the hood. It's tight to get the hood closed
The rubber sealant at the "rear wall" is to thigh to the hood.
So I have decide to cut the steel plate where the rubber sealant sit few mm down... maybe 3-4mm is enough... I'm pretty sure it's gone help.

I bought an SL65 Black series ..... ( model car) only to see if the OEM hood have also holes at the hood where the depressions is and it have it and Prior don't.... I have not decide yet if I'm gone dremel them out.
I mean at the depressions front wall.

 

Honestly I have not ask it... but I think 4000-5000 USD is enough. I have made al installing work my self... install al parts.... take them of.... and after paint I'm gone install them bak....
So the paint shop do :
- sanding al parts
- prime everything
- install the rear fenders
- New paint

I would be pretty sure to be able to do everything myself, but I did not want to take any risks so there fore I decide to do it this way... However I'm sure I saved few 1000 USD.

(I wish I had that I would trust myself as much as Overzalous ).... maybe at the next cheaper project.
This cars cost twice as many as there.

 

thanks for the info about the hood. Have you informed prior design about this ?

 

Guess I'm going to have to cut them out myself. I just ordered the hood yesterday.

 

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No... I have not do it yet... but I'm gone do it.
It's not so bad and before I order this kit I was sure I must do small adjustments myself. Because the kit is a copy you can't wait 100% fitment.
In general, it's very good.
I have heard many have had problems with the hood... maybe al have been waiting for a better when it is.
I'm happy whit it.

 

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Hmmm.... I bought my set directly from Germany.
Maybe some body made them there??? Cheaper because they don't need pay any taxes because they don't import them??? I'm not sure???

If I remember I can ask how is it?

 

My hood was shipped out from the (Florida) Prior Design North America location, so it should be here within a few days.