430

Unless things have changed ACC does not have their own dyno. They use another shop in town, the same one Donnie used. Just can't remember the name of it now.

ACC

I don't think some of you know that much about Atlanta Classic Cars. I know some of the guys in the shop. They have been doing Renntech mods for quite some time. I have seen them do all the mechanicals such as high output crankshaft pulleys and headers from Renntech. They did send the ecu's out to Renntech since they didnt' do their own "chipping."

As far as Kleemann is concerned, they bought all the equipment from MBS and are now doing their own chipping. They are now the authorized dealer and will be doing this on a large scale. "Kleemanizing" is not rocket science and I know they can handle it. I was just there today and saw videos of an SLK55 and all the work they have been doing on it. As far as Nash is concerned, he is a stand up guy. He is a performance consultant but is not an MB mechanic. I do know that he has a lot of racing experience and hand builds 600+ HP big blocks! He is an engineer from a very reputable school and knows a great deal. He really worked with me and knew what he was talking about. Just thought I would add that I've had a great experience there.

As far as the SL55 with the Renntech, they did not blow the engine up. It had serious blow by when it came in for service. It already had a boost kit done by someone else other than Atlanta Classic Cars. They just finished the mods with the headers, airbox, etc.

Albert

Ted Baldwin

........I know a lot about ACC. I know Nash personally and I live 45 secs from ACC. I think this thread may be missing the point. Kleemann and Renntech mods are nott difficult to install. The fact that they can be installed at ACC is no big accomplishment. The point is that say it is 6pm, you are at the drag strip and your car is not making power.......if your car was modified at ACC, who are you going to call? If you call Nash, he can't help you. For those that don't know Nash functions in same way as Adam of HPS. Very nice guys but if something is wrong with your car they can't fix it. If you call ACC, the friendly operator will ask you for your service adviser and make you an appointment. If ACC wants to do performance mods on a significant scale the I think it is a great thing for Atlanta. But ACC needs to know that performance enthusiasts are different from their typical customers and ACC's mechanics need to be coming to the dragstrip and interacting with customers directly to learn what customers want, be available for direct customer to mechanic interaction......NONE OF THESE THINGS EXIST CURRENTLY. ACC may wish to learn and adopt the practices of real performance shops such as C2design of Tampa. LINK. Performance modification is an entire subculture.

Ted

jenk12m

well have you tried asking alex or wes, the mechanics who do the install for their info. i'm sure they wouldnt turn you down. that would handle everything your talking about. i was at ACC as well and they will dyno it for you and let you speak to mechanics to make sure its done the way you want it. and if your so worried about failures with the mods, why even get mods done if your breaking down all the time or just dont use kleeman

Ted Baldwin

......
.........Things go wrong with tuned cars. It is not always a catastrophe, but different things that require tinkering but rub you of huge power. Up until a few months ago, ACC did not even do their own ECU work on the CDI's. A nother shop did it for them. That person went into real estate, now ACC is forced to do it. So, I don't see where they have so called "tone of experience. " So, in selecting where to tune your car, the first question is what will happen when something goes wrong? Even folks that have sent their car to Colorado will tell you how very helpful the Kleemann guys are with calling back, trouble shooting with customer and solving problems. It is in this aspect that the mechanics experience with tuning comes out. Some people have even installed the pulleys themselves, so that is not where the experience lies. I think ACC is a great place to get your car serviced, but not to have it tuned..........at least not yet. Yes they will dyno your car for you. They don't have an in house dyno at as of septmber 2005. They use the same dyno that Donnie used to use. Sometimes Donnie will drive back and forth to that dyno shop 5 times in one day to dyno and tune, dyno and tune your car. Sometimes Donnie will take the car home with him and after settling his family he will take the car back to the dyno shop and be their for hours until car is perfect. I just don't see this happening at ACC, at least not currently. And if ACC had to do that, you need to clarify how much it will cost you...........$90 and hor for each hour spent at the dyno? ACC is a wonderful dealership. They are trying to do some tuning which is great to have your car tuned by the dealership. However it is not the same as a performance shop working on your car to get the best out of it. However, one can always do with their car as they please.

Ted

jenk12m

ok i guess you made your point but dont be trying to go to ACC once they finally get their act together. and i dont think everybody out there is a mechanic where they feel comfortable trying to fix their car listening to a mechanic on the phone when something goes wrong

benzmac

Hey guys! It's Donnie.

I thought I should chime in... I have, indeed, sold the equipment to perform Kleemann jobs to Atlanta Classic Cars. And, I want to thank Nash for taking on such a responsibility. I was worried about it who would take care of my customers!

I want everyone to know I still love the cars and people associated with them. That is what made the job so fun. But, I never figured out how to make any real money at it. Mercedes Performance was fun, but also, It was my profession, that is why I took such personal pride in the work and the way my customers felt. Thanks for saying such kind things......I will be around! I am trying to purchase the C55 that I built and WILL have it in the 10's if it can be done. And remember, it has to be a daily driver.

We all need to cut Nash and ACC some slack here. They are new to this and will do well at it. It will take time, just like it did me. They will have to commit money and MORE TIME THAN THEY CAN IMAGINE, but it will come.

Wes and Nash will get it rolling. You watch. If you need any Kleemann work done, just let them do it. As Ted said, they are a capable Kleemann installer.

What Ted is stating is that when you go to the next level with mods, like we did with some of his cars, it is such a custom job, you have to consider who is doing the work. If you can call them on the cell and they will drop everything and help you when you need it. There are very few people who can and even will do this.

So, if you want a kit....NO PROBLEM....GO TO ATLANTA CLASSIC CARS.

IF YOU WANT CUSTOM, GET OUT A BIG CHECK BOOK AND GO TALK TO THE OWNER OF RENNTECH, CORKY BELL, BRABUS, ..... YOU GET THE DRIFT.

If anyone needs to talk to me, feel free to e-mail. benzmac@bellsouth.net

1fastmbtek

Just a few questions for Ted. What kind of performance mods have you let Atlanta Classic Cars perform to your vehicles and why were you so disatisfied with them. I would like to know the reasoning behind your negative comments about them. Personally I think that if Kleemann and Donnie both approve the (4) people involved with their Hi-Performance division then that is enough proof that they are both qualified and devoted to the game. That is just my opinion on the matter and everyone is entitled to one. I am currious about my previos questions to you though.

regor60

Uhh...if you'd read his posts carefully both his message and his reasoning should be clear BY NOW

benzmac

Why don't we all let this one go.

My post was only meant for one reason. It is just to let everyone know that you have to start somewhere.

Remember, Ted was doing some business with ACC before they made a commitment with Klemmann and high performance in general. I think in time, all of it will come together.

Ted and I have spoken on the phone a few times in the last few days. He knows I will help him with anything he needs with his cars.

Also, I have been at ACC and given Wes some personal time with the chip equipment and I know Corey is coming into town today to help do the first supercharger install.

So, both are my friends and I plan on doing what I can to help them succeed. I have not been in this for this long to see it fail.

Good luck all.

500SMITH

Ok....where in ANY of the above posts do you see what type of performance mods Ted has had done there? Maybe I missed that one. If Ted has not had any performance mods done at ACC, I say, he has no room to talk.

ACC has performed some of the mods (work in progress...pulley ,ecu, headders, throttle body) and the customer service was top notch. Nash was great, the advisor was great, and I even met the only two technicians who do the mods. All I had to do was ask. And......MAN is that car fast!

One thing I don't understand is what Ted is so upset over. Really. Say you are at the trac and you feel that it can do better or if it is not performing as good as it did or what ever and it is not your "vision", and you call the techs that did the work. Do you expect them to drop what they are doing and gather up the tools or computers that they might need to fix your car and drive to you where ever you are. That is crazy! What do you expect them to do! Tell you how to fix your car over the phone. I don't see you getting your hands dirty with the phone in one hand and a tool in the other. No...the only reasonable thing they should tell you is to get your car to them at your earliest convience for repair. With any high hp motor there might problems to work through and with ACC being a dealer and an authorized Kleemann installer, I trust them to correct ANY problems I might have. I wolud also recomend them to ANYONE who is considering ANY upgrades to their cars. For the money I have spent and plan to spend, I want to make sure the job is done right. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, I could no longer be a reader on this forum and signed up. I hope you make the right decision here Mad TKD. Good luck with the upgrades.


J Smith

KarlBenz

Ted Baldwin

.........I don't really know why you think I am upset. My opinion has been that it is a great thing for Atlanta that a progressive MB deaklership is venturing into aftermarket engine modes. I am not upset about this, I love it!!!! I have stated correctly that contrary to the opinion of others, I happen to know first hand that there is not yet a tremendous experience with engine mods at ACC. Further, as currently instituted, the engine modification program at ACC is not flexible enough to accommodate the service needs of enthusiasts who require more direct and informal retionship with the mechanic. This does not mean that thins cannot change. Further automobile tuning is a subculture and physically putting the parts together into an engine is only the beginning. If ACC is to continue to do engine mods, then they should embrace the clients and the subculture by participating in the racing events as other performance shops do. Not sure what is wrong with what I've said.

Ted.

430

It is a damn shame that Donnie is no longer in the business.

Ted Baldwin

..........it indeed is a shame. I have said this several times previously........i absolutely would not have modified any of the cars I own if Donnie was not in the picture. I didn't even care. I knew that whaever the problem, it would be fixed, period. All I did was to think up all the crazy things I wanted to do and Donnie will figure out a way to do it. When I wanted to do a 3.07 diff on my 2000 E55, no one would even consider it. The 2000 W210 did not have a compatible ECU and its ECU could not be reprogrammed unlike that of newer models. I either had to live without the 3.07 diff that I really wanted or I had to sell my car and buy a newer E55. Guess what, Donnie figured out a way to make it work using completely unconventional tuning methods. This not something that was able to be done at ACC. It was not something that ACC would even consider. I gave Nash a ride in the car and he was blown away. Having that kind of confidence in the person doing the job is very important if you are going to start tinkering with your engine in a serious way. I don't see why sayng this is a problem. I have nothing against ACC. They currently inexperienced and are likely to acquire the experience over time. Whether one should take their car to ACC now for major engine mods is something one is free to do, but with the right information. I think it is wrong to say ACC has a tone of experience modifying cars when this is not so. Donnie has confirmed this by stating he sold ACC his equipment for ECU re-map late last year. What kind of major engine mods in a mercedes does not involve ECU changes? It is like going to an experienced surgeon vs a newly graduated resident. Both will take out your appendix but if you want your pancrease operated on, trust me you want the experienced guy/gal to do it, regardless of how smart you think the new resident is. Nothing in my comments means I am upset with ACC. People come on this forum to get factual information.....perhaps they shouldn't but they do, so a shop that does not even do ECU re-map does not have a "ton of experience" in MB modification. At least not yet. Sorry if this offends anyone, but it is true.

Ted

KarlBenz

I have been observing this thread from the beginning and wonder why grown men have to resort to bashing without knowing all the facts,heresay like gossip can be very detrimental but unfortunately in todays society people prefer to listen to the negative and rather shun positive comment, For example when was the last time one of you gentlemen left a dealership pleased and went and told ten people "Wow,I had such great service from so and so, I can't wait for my vehicle to break down again" NEVER but God forbid some small rattle or leak wasn't cured to your satisfaction then its "Damn them ,they can't fix anything right" I suggest using that same attitude toward your next Doctors visit and see his/her response.

regor60

What thread have you been reading ?

Schiznick

Chappy, check out all of the new board members with AMG cars in ATL!!!!

Now that you all have signed up, we expect to see you at our next event in or around Atlanta.

Welcome to the board!

We need a day at Silver Dollar before it warms up too much!

Schiz

Chappy

There has to be 1000 AMGs in and around Atlanta.

Heck yeah! I met one Saturday morning too that lives near you...has a few AMGs. I gave him this website info as well.

Is Silver Dollar open already? Or should we consider hitting the track near AmenMercedesGo?