SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: SL65 FACELIFT CONVERSION- any information
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Joined: Apr 2014
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SL65
SL65 FACELIFT CONVERSION- any information
I have not been able to locate a full detailed thread of how to, or what is exactly involved in the facelift to the sl from r230 to "facelift". I have seen a few people in this forum with facelift conversions done, but I have been told I will need to cut into the rear quarter panels to fit the wide body rear fenders, meaning cutting up my car to replace mercedes genuine metal with fibreglass! to me this sounds crazy and if that rear fender were to crack or someone leaned on it, goodbye car for god knows how long as I am over in Australia.
It took nearly two months for the kit to just get to my door! I couldn't see my car go off the road for three months until it arrived, or I could not drive around with one rear quarter panel.
-Is there a way to install the rear wide body fenders without cutting into the car, and maybe just moulding it on ?
- is there a special harness for the updated lights to plug into the old harness? if so a part number ? cost ? where do you get it ?
- how did people find doing this conversion turn out to be? was it hard? not worth doing ?
-was the car compromised in terms of stability, on road noises, pot holes etc? with having fibreglass parts instead of original ?
any other information into this topic much appreciated.
It took nearly two months for the kit to just get to my door! I couldn't see my car go off the road for three months until it arrived, or I could not drive around with one rear quarter panel.
-Is there a way to install the rear wide body fenders without cutting into the car, and maybe just moulding it on ?
- is there a special harness for the updated lights to plug into the old harness? if so a part number ? cost ? where do you get it ?
- how did people find doing this conversion turn out to be? was it hard? not worth doing ?
-was the car compromised in terms of stability, on road noises, pot holes etc? with having fibreglass parts instead of original ?
any other information into this topic much appreciated.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 358
Likes: 14
From: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Mercedes SL63 AMG; Mercedes E63 AMG S 4matic; Mercedes C43 AMG; Mercedes S Class, Mercedes GLK
Try this thread
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...ld-thread.html
I'm not completely certain but I believe he used an adhesive to adhere the wide body panels the rear fenders. It is long read but a good one.
James
I'm not completely certain but I believe he used an adhesive to adhere the wide body panels the rear fenders. It is long read but a good one.
James
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 358
Likes: 14
From: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Mercedes SL63 AMG; Mercedes E63 AMG S 4matic; Mercedes C43 AMG; Mercedes S Class, Mercedes GLK
Just checked and post 224 is where he adhered the rear of the wide body to the fender. I can't tell if he cut the fenders or not, there is one reference a bit earlier on that suggests he did but not certain.
Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 230
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From: Maryland
MBs: SL55, GLK350
The fenders have to be cut back some or there won't be enough/any tire clearance, as you will be spacing the rear wheels out past the existing fender line with the wide body arches. If you hit a bump / the suspension compresses the tire would hit the existing fender.
I have another vehicle that has a one-off fiberglass body kit. Some of the panels were adhered using a production 3m two part automotive body epoxy. The parts were then blended into the stock aluminum and steel sheet metal with fillers.
It looked great, with hide-no-sins gloss black paint. It took nearly 15 years before issues developed with this installation - the parts bonded to sheet steel developed rust behind which bubbled and pushed out the pieces slightly, cracking the paint.
This vehicle was driven often, saw rain, accumulated 100k miles, and was stored outside the entire time (although covered) so I still think it was well done and a great method of permanent attachment
I have another vehicle that has a one-off fiberglass body kit. Some of the panels were adhered using a production 3m two part automotive body epoxy. The parts were then blended into the stock aluminum and steel sheet metal with fillers.
It looked great, with hide-no-sins gloss black paint. It took nearly 15 years before issues developed with this installation - the parts bonded to sheet steel developed rust behind which bubbled and pushed out the pieces slightly, cracking the paint.
This vehicle was driven often, saw rain, accumulated 100k miles, and was stored outside the entire time (although covered) so I still think it was well done and a great method of permanent attachment
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2014
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SL65
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 290
Likes: 3
SL65
The fenders have to be cut back some or there won't be enough/any tire clearance, as you will be spacing the rear wheels out past the existing fender line with the wide body arches. If you hit a bump / the suspension compresses the tire would hit the existing fender.
I have another vehicle that has a one-off fiberglass body kit. Some of the panels were adhered using a production 3m two part automotive body epoxy. The parts were then blended into the stock aluminum and steel sheet metal with fillers.
It looked great, with hide-no-sins gloss black paint. It took nearly 15 years before issues developed with this installation - the parts bonded to sheet steel developed rust behind which bubbled and pushed out the pieces slightly, cracking the paint.
This vehicle was driven often, saw rain, accumulated 100k miles, and was stored outside the entire time (although covered) so I still think it was well done and a great method of permanent attachment
I have another vehicle that has a one-off fiberglass body kit. Some of the panels were adhered using a production 3m two part automotive body epoxy. The parts were then blended into the stock aluminum and steel sheet metal with fillers.
It looked great, with hide-no-sins gloss black paint. It took nearly 15 years before issues developed with this installation - the parts bonded to sheet steel developed rust behind which bubbled and pushed out the pieces slightly, cracking the paint.
This vehicle was driven often, saw rain, accumulated 100k miles, and was stored outside the entire time (although covered) so I still think it was well done and a great method of permanent attachment
This is exactly what I want to do, did they ever post pics up or a thread about it ?
Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 168
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From: Scottsdale AZ
sl55 widebody - built viper - ls1 turbo 350z
We cut mine, welded both inner and outer fender panels together for stability, then used panelbond and rivets to hold the fiberglass fenders to metal fender. Filled using a metal/fiberglass filler. Then used seamsealer over the welds on both inner and outer oem fender well
For facelift you would need 09+ brackets, and headlight plugs and rewire the pins to make it a plug and play affair
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2014
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SL65
Rear panels need to be cut.
We cut mine, welded both inner and outer fender panels together for stability, then used panelbond and rivets to hold the fiberglass fenders to metal fender. Filled using a metal/fiberglass filler. Then used seamsealer over the welds on both inner and outer oem fender well
For facelift you would need 09+ brackets, and headlight plugs and rewire the pins to make it a plug and play affair
We cut mine, welded both inner and outer fender panels together for stability, then used panelbond and rivets to hold the fiberglass fenders to metal fender. Filled using a metal/fiberglass filler. Then used seamsealer over the welds on both inner and outer oem fender well
For facelift you would need 09+ brackets, and headlight plugs and rewire the pins to make it a plug and play affair
hows the conversion been for you so far ? also were your fenders fibreglass ?
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Europe, but from Norway
89 SL500 Silver ,97 SL500 Carlsson 04 Mercedes SL55 AMG , 07 Mercedes SL55 AMG convertedBlack series
hi, what body kit are you doing ?
look at mine.. my treads and pics, is worth it yes,, is like circus in town ,, videos and pictures taken like its an Aventador when show up ,anywhere . if like hich fives and positive attension all over the place. is all way fun . most fun is when they guess the car cost 300 000 usd. in average between 200 and 400 000 ,sounds crazy but its true..
go for nice special sets of wheel , not something everyone has.. and get away from grey
or black on the paint job..
And you need have people that do the job, that know what they doing. drying time of all chemicals that use and so on.
look at mine.. my treads and pics, is worth it yes,, is like circus in town ,, videos and pictures taken like its an Aventador when show up ,anywhere . if like hich fives and positive attension all over the place. is all way fun . most fun is when they guess the car cost 300 000 usd. in average between 200 and 400 000 ,sounds crazy but its true..
go for nice special sets of wheel , not something everyone has.. and get away from grey
or black on the paint job..
And you need have people that do the job, that know what they doing. drying time of all chemicals that use and so on.
Last edited by Tommyboy928; Feb 8, 2016 at 05:20 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 290
Likes: 3
SL65
hi, what body kit are you doing ?
look at mine.. my treads and pics, is worth it yes,, is like circus in town ,, videos and pictures taken like its an Aventador when show up ,anywhere . if like hich fives and positive attension all over the place. is all way fun . most fun is when they guess the car cost 300 000 usd. in average between 200 and 400 000 ,sounds crazy but its true..
go for nice special sets of wheel , not something everyone has.. and get away from grey
or black on the paint job..
And you need have people that do the job, that know what they doing. drying time of all chemicals that use and so on.
look at mine.. my treads and pics, is worth it yes,, is like circus in town ,, videos and pictures taken like its an Aventador when show up ,anywhere . if like hich fives and positive attension all over the place. is all way fun . most fun is when they guess the car cost 300 000 usd. in average between 200 and 400 000 ,sounds crazy but its true..
go for nice special sets of wheel , not something everyone has.. and get away from grey
or black on the paint job..
And you need have people that do the job, that know what they doing. drying time of all chemicals that use and so on.
WOW! thats one nice conversion ! Hows the bodykit holding up ? why do you not suggest the dark colours or greys? Also do know the part number for the front updated headlights brackets? and the the harness ? Im a little bit hesitant to go about this conversion only because Ill have to cut into the rear quarter panels
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SL55 AMG
We have an amazing kit for the conversion! Contact us directly at info@priordeisgnnorthamerica.com.
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