Chris-W

So I have picked up the SL55 Pace car front bumper / SL65 front bumper (04 version with the mesh vents on the sides not the plastic angled vents)

I have all the mesh, the fog lights and clips needed to install the mesh and I'm hoping I can scavenge the rest of the parts from my SL55 bumper to make the bumper fit well.

Can anyone tune in and let me know if I'm missing something major so I dont end up taking the sl55 bumper off and having to put it back on.. that would be a big pain in the ***.

lkirchner

You have the cosmetic pieces for the change.

There are many internal parts that need to be changed to make the bumper cover fit properly. I changed my regular SL55 bumper to an '08 SL65 bumper and it required a significant number of internal parts; things like re-inforcing parts, energy absorbing parts, etc. To do it correctly get the VIN from the same model year bumper that you are considering and take it to the friendly MB parts department to see what is different. In that way you will not be stuck with the car partly assembled and missing one part.

Chris-W

Ive been told by a somewhat reliable source that all the cosmetic pieces are pretty much all you need and the internal parts needed to make it fit right will be attached to the sl55 bumper and need to be swapped over which shouldnt be a problem.

Benz-O-Rama

Ok then.

Sounds like you've got it all figured out. Why listen to the guy who's already done it, instead of your "somewhat reliable" source?

Chris-W

sarcasm is like my second langauge too. Im just being realistic about what is paramount and what is not. I get that I could have ordered every single SL65 bumper piece under the sun but why bother if I didnt need to.

erichen

I think he means that it may work because he's swapping out the old 65 bumper for the 55 bumper, from 2004. he's not face lifting his 04 ( I am assuming) SL55 to the current look, there aren't any differences between the 04' 65 and 55 bumper except for the cosmetic pieces. If he was doing a face lift to an 09 bumper then yes, he's gonna need a lot more than some cosmetic pieces.

lkirchner

Take my word for it there are differences other than the cosmetic pieces. I'm sure you can "Rube Goldberg" it together but it will not be correct but what the hell it's not my car.

Chris-W

So I just took off the 55 bumper. Ended up taking about 45 minutes but put it back on because I dont have any of the replacement clips that hold the structure inside together.

As I age I feel more and more like just paying a garage to do the work. Also one of the things that I noted was the fog light connectors are completely different. Do I need to get conversion cables or something?

Benz-O-Rama

Same thing happened when I swapped the bumpers on my W211. I ended up snipping the original connectors and replacing with the correct ones, that I picked up from AutoZone. Been fine for 4 years now....

Chris-W

Yea Im considering ordering the inside liner to support the bumper as long as its not more than $100 and also all new connectors.

okbarnett

you can cut up the 2 outside pieces to fit the 65. Trust me they are more than $100.
the wheel well covers need to be new. The wiring is easy, cut the old connectors off and put on plain wire cremp ends to the female spade type or go buy the H7 connector at a auto parts store.
You need to have sufficient rivets and any other clips you break or miss.

Chris-W

bought a load of rivets. So Im covered there and the H7 connectors. Ill also chop up the inner support skin for the bumper but I'm a bit worried about the wheel well covers? Do you really think I'll need new ones ? They look like an almost exact fit ?

okbarnett

Youll just have to fit them after you get everything togather. I remember buying new ones if Im not mistaken
The inner panels have to be cut to remove the sl55 fog light brackets and allow for the smaller 65 fogs. They also get cut some on the outermost sides.
You have to feel it as you go.

Chris-W

Great. I am just waiting for the H7 foglight adpaters and I'm in business.

Thanks for the help guys

NEMES1S

so is it a huge pain to go from 05 sl55 bumper to 05 sl65 bumper?

vincesgfv

Here is a 2005 SL65 front bumper that I going to swap soon









It come like that when I brought it, hope don't need any more parts.

Chris-W

I just did mine. What a mission.

After cutting everything so ti fitted right it ended up being a 4 hour job! But is on and looking great.

NEMES1S

What were you all cutting? Foam insert and side trim stuff?

Chris-W

Bits of plastic that hold the inner structure together. You can see it on the inside left and right on the photos above. The sl65 side vents have to have the plastic out of the way and also the plastic that holds the old SL55 fogs needs to be trimmed as the fog lights are held in place on the SL65 bumper by the bumper itself.