oblax4

I haven't read this entire string - are we still talking about a group buy on the hood? If so, I am in. Whomever is the honcho on this, please PM me with details. Thanks!

BlackC230Coupe

The thing is, that would defeat the purpose of the group buy. The way it works for us to do this is we need to get the customers and deposits so that we can pay for the process to begin. So all hoods will then be made at once. They should probably all ship out at once also. There are no refunds on this. All I can say is, I guarantee that this is the closest possible hood to OEM. Some trust needs to go into this, I understand if some people like to see what before buying, but with this type of group buy, it cant be done. I know for a fact that the hood around the fenders, bumper, etc., will be just like your OEM hood. When I say it will fit like OEM, I mean it will fit like OEM.

We are working hard on this to make it so perfect, thats why i have not taken deposits yet, my guys is still paying around with the mold for the vents just so it can be perfect. If all goes well i will let you guys know by the end of the week and we can start taking deposits and finally have this awesome hood made already.

BlackC230Coupe

Yes, the group buy is still going on. We are just making sure everything will be made ok. By the end of this week i will hopefully make the announcement in this thread with ALL the details and then start taking deposits. Just keep checking back to this thread.

gmdebruyn

i doubt they'd proceed w/o making a prototype first. at least i'd hope not. just a little extra work to install.

vrus

Hmm... Ok.. I guess that makes sense but I would think he is going to run a prototype or mockup before he makes 15 hoods??

I need to be assured that this carbon fiber hood he is going to make will take paint and it will show just like the rest of the car. If the colour is going to be off I don't want one.

My main drive for wanting this hood is primarily the vents for heat dissipation; secondly is the weight savings.

How much of a deposit would you need? I need to know how much of a throw-away deposit I have to give JUST IN CASE I dont like the finished product.

BTW, thanks for undertaking this project!!!

BlackC230Coupe

We will test fit it. But my guy is great at this and he does this all the time, all these hoods come out perfect. But we will possibly be able to post pictures of the prototype, or even if we dont have an E55 handy, maybe someone will let us ship them one and make sure all is ok. Whatever it takes, it will be perfect.

This carbon fiber is no different from any other carbon fiber, i know lots of people that paint over carbon fiber. So i don't see how the paint will not show right.

I will know on the deposit soon, once we start taking them. :p

e55 baller

11-14 pounds is a great weight reduction. My old 2001 Audi S4 twin turbo's stock aluminum hood was 44 lbs. The CF hood I got weighted only 16 lbs less so these seems better but again like the rest of the E55 gang, #1 is heat dispersion.


My Audi S4 CF Hood Experience
A couple of things that made it very hard for me was that the design on the Audi S4 hood did not have the **exact** measurements for holes for the windsheild washer sprays/jets so I ended up having to goto Home Depot and buy a drimmel and work for about 3-4 hours to get everything right.

It was a major PITA as the hood also didn't have wide tubes to relay all the electronic wires to the windshield spray system. I could never get the nozzels to spray straight.

Also when the hood was closed there were minor differences in how close it came to the fenders/side panels. One side was off by 1/8 of an inch and when I got over 110mph or so I saw that the hood would shake to the point where I got worried the latch my come off. All in all my hood was Ghetto fabricated and it cost me only $400-500 on Ebay so I am sure I got what I paid for.

For our E55 I assume that the top layer to the hood will fit nicely in ...current windshield sprays, vents, and the infrared detector or whatever that thing is if you look closely at the hood?

Also will the sound deadending material be retained ...no biggie. Thanks!

UPJON

Any update on whats going on with the hoods?Tia

Marcus Frost

I'm no longer interested in this hood. With brabus style vents it will NOT ventilate heat, and will create drag at high speeds. It basically negates the lost weight.

No offense BlackC230Coupe, but without going further than just copying an OEM mold and cutting some vents the hood is pretty useless. I paid good money for my Supra hood considering it's a part for a Toyota because I wanted function and form. That Brabus style hood simply isn't going to cut it, no matter how cheap it is.

I am also wary about the method by which this is being approached, I was hoping a prototype was going to be made to demonstrate fitment, fit and finish (weave quality, straightness, devil in the details) as well as how well it actually mimics a stock hood in terms of latching and bracing.

Again, I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I've been around this stuff enough to know the difference between a good buy, and a good product.

Best of luck to you,

Marcus

BlackC230Coupe

As far as the windshield spray vents, those all all part of that vent at the top of the hood that you use your stock OEM piece for. And the sound deadending material, it you will use your stock piece.

As far as an update, i am aiming for thursday to get this done. I want this done just as bad as everyone else does. So i am sure everyone will be glad they waited a few weeks then be un happy with the hood.

BlackC230Coupe

No problem Marcus! This hood is not for everyone.

As far as a prototype, we decided one will actually be made to show everyone the fit and finish. I think people will be pleasantly surprised with the fit and finish. With me being a perfectionist when it comes to cars, I need to make sure everything is perfect and with no flaws.


And regarding the hood creating drag, there is absolutely no proof that you can possibly say it creates drag without actually testing the hood. I can say your supra hood is creating drag yet have you ever actually put the car in a wind tunnel and tested it to prove it does not? Your hood may be creating more drag then anything yet it is keeping the engine cool The hood WILL also help ventilate heat, as much as the design like a supra hood? no, I personally would not ever sell a hood like that for Mercedes, just because there may only be 3 buyers in the world that will go that much function over style and mild function. The Brabus style hoods will still help eliminate some heat, yet not affecting the drag coefficient to bother anything. Simple fact that more airflow into the engine bay will help cool things down a little bit. It is not an airtight seal, air can still escape threw the bottom of the car, front grill and grill on the top of the hood. Again, can a hood be made to help eliminate more heat then this design, sure it can, but what you will need to make it look like will only belong on a Japanese car. This hood will do 3 things, 1. eliminate weight, 2. Help eliminate heat a little bit, and 3. for looks.

And 1 last thing, its even better to know that Brabus has actually created the first design for the vented hood, Brabus is VERY well known to test every single body piece they make in the wind tunnel to lower drag.

z1co

Neal,

So I assume you will have a prototype for the W209 too right?

BlackC230Coupe

That one will probably be my hood! :p But yes.

Marcus Frost

Actually, I can not only show you the results of my old Supra hood but I can also show you the use it had on the Supras in Japan's ultra-competitive JGTC series. I can also show you the hood doing nearly 200mph on a number of occasions.

I never said you need something as radical as my old hood for the E55, that would be stupid. If you look at my post I merely used it as a learning point for what works.

1.) Agreed
2.) Debateable
3.) Subjective

Put that hood on an E55 with a couple of temp sensors in hot places and especially at speed I am telling you, you aren't going to make a dent in underhood temperatures. Not with the M113K - this engine is a damn furnace and some little vents aren't going to cut it.

My friend, if you look at some of the things Brabus has made in the past, you'll see not everything they make is with the optimal performance in mind. Hell, just the other day I saw someone selling their 6 tip exhaust system... yeah, I'm sure that really makes a huge performance difference over stock.

The vents on the Brabus style hood may not be big enough to make a significant change in the .cd - but it isn't going to help it none either. If you don't think hood vents can have an impact on a car's .cd - you have no idea what you are talking about.

Again, for the price this stuff may not matter... personally I'd rather pay double and have a hood that performs well.

-m

BlackC230Coupe

The Brabus E-V12 is capable of speeds very close to 200mph. Although I don't think speeds like that is an issue here.


You will not see a 100 degree difference, but it will still help eliminate heat and cool things down. Even in minor situations from just sitting at a traffic light after a quick race, it will still help dissipate heat better then the stock hood. Are we talking huge numbers here? hell no. Few degrees, yes.

Hehe! :p I agree, that exhaust is just funny. The point is, Brabus does extensive testing in the wind tunnel on all their aero/bosdy parts. As you know, 2, 4 or 6 tips are all for looks only anyway.

As you see, I was originally just going for an OEM hood in CF. For people that desire the looks of CF, or that want to shave a few lbs. off the car. But I am just doing this because of all the demand for the Brabus style hood. Not only for the E55, but the CLK and C55 guys want those vents. So if that's what people want, that's what they will get.

Like i said earlier, the hood is not for everyone.

gmdebruyn

just curious, but how much is the Brabus hood?

BenzoBoi

They won't sell it to you unless you get the K8 package...or so I heard...

e55 baller

I agree with Marcus on the Brabus hood....I would opt for a design to allow more air to escape.....say 80% brabus and 20% crazy supra hood....

the car is such an inferno I sometimes wish i didn't have a hood.

perhaps with my above 80-20 analogy we get a a more functional hood while still retaining our $80K German looks? Possible or is the design going to be the Brabus? Thanks for all your design work!

houston

I'm up for any design aslong as it's not a rice-bling-mobile. I'm also with the brabus design aswell. I'm sure there has to be some percentage of meaning to them making it.

mez456

FlyByNight

I'm in for sure... sorry to catch all of this so late in the game, just joined. Silver CF, good lord, love it! Brabus vents just fine... the vent idea is a must.

Sure, its not going to turn summer into winter temp wise, but its better than nothing... lighter as well. Lastly, as far as looks go... three things.

1) As long as its done tastefully and not video game like, almost any change will liven the car up... and it needs it (its why I made my mesh silver as well as my grill, and put the Lorinser decklid, etc).

2) The Lorinser style FENDERS, although expensive and likely functionless, intrigued me... single large vents with mesh. I hate the picture and the side skirts, but its an example. What I DID like was that someone was trying to spruce the E55 up. The fenders alone might look cool. Take that mentality to the hood and bingo... two of those wide and on the hood might look sweet.



3) I wish I had pursued this Alpina hood for my 850 ages ago... I regret not getting it completely. And the vent style was described as very functional for a hot V12 back then. That said, it reminds me of the Brabus vents.



In short, for the price, its worth taking a chance on and I'm in with vents for sure, rain or not. I drive my Hummer when it rains anyway. Why put miles on an E55 that spends all day flashing traction control when it rains anyway? This car is for land... dry land...



Loren

Rafal

Why put miles on an E55 that spends all day flashing traction control when it rains anyway? This car is for land... dry land...

Are you wearing PS2 tires? Mine hardly ever flash ESP in the rain, but Contis did all the time. Tried Pirelli Rosso and they flashed non stop - on dry land!!!

BenzoBoi

Another fellow Silver E55er's with Kinesis wheels...Nice wheels

BlackC230Coupe

VERY BIG UPDATE!

Well everyone, Great news! This is finally confirmed and we are ready to start building the carbon fiber hoods with vents that everyone has been patiently waiting for. We are now accepting the deposits. Once we get all deposits we will start the hood process. It will take about approx. 8-12 weeks to make. This is a first come first serve basis. We are making hood for other cars and the CF guys are real busy. So the first 6-8 hoods will me made first. Then the rest will be made after that. So if you would like to get this sooner then some of the other people. I will let the first batch go the people that I receive the orders from first. The price of the hood for the W211 E-Class / E55 is $830 for black carbon fiber with vents. Silver carbon fiber with vents is an additional $99. A $580 non refundable deposit is required from everyone to start the building process. Once the hoods are made you will be charged the remainder of the cost of the hood you choose. A flat rate shipping cost of $129 will also be charged at that time. That shipping cost only applies to any of the US lower 48 states. We can ship these internationally. Shipping will of course go up.

To leave your deposit please click the link below and select the hood to checkout. Please also include your MBworld user ID in the special comments box.

http://www.euroteckmotorsports.com/i...6290&pageid=87


Thanks! Hopefully within a few days all deposits will be received so we can get these going already. Also, in a few weeks one will be made and i will try to take pictures to show you the fit and finish.

houston

I have problems with the checkout since it asks for STATE and ZIP. In Canada it's PROVINCE and POSTAL CODE. It would not allow me to goto the next screen.