Subtle modifications

[Design Engineer]

I am a freelance designer for Marcedes Ben & Porsche. I work near Stuttgart, my team and I did the G55 AMG gelande wagen, and latest ML class, amongst other things. I really enjoyed the G-wagen project,I am all for subtle modifications which improve the owner / drivers pleasure of owning the vehicle. Do any of the rest of you have any opinions about modifing classic vehicles? I'm not talking pimp my range rover here or max power, more so Overfinch or AMG esque...subtle evolutions with a mean streak.. I read earlier there is a CSK with an RPi 4.6 installed, that appeals to me & another owner is having a bespoke leather head liner fitted. interesting... would love to hear your opinions. I guess thats why the CSK floats my boat, its subtle changes add to its character but even a complete motoring dunder-head can tell its somehow different to a boggo range rover.

[andy lanham]

Hi
Up grading the engine has to be the easiest and most effective mod that can also be reversed if original was required later.
I built and fitted a 4.6 into an LSE which with a chipped ecu went well and I have just started building a 4.8 motor with top hat liners to go into my p38.
On the suspension I really rate the Bilstein dampers but of course they are not cheap!
My csk has done nearly 200,000 miles with an engine rebuild but I dont find it slow just wish it was an auto.
The real question to all of this is where do you stop tinkering with the original?

[Design Engineer]

You could always swop to an auto box, my csk is manual, and i like it that way. the rarest of the rare...

[j,moore]

hi everyone, quite a good subject this one, i think it is all down to personal preference. if you want a totaly original csk, it will cost more to keep but thats ok, or if you run it as an everyday car you have to be more industrious, newer, different engines and gear boxes is ok because that is what it sometimes takes to keep these old girls on the road, the rear axle case was rotten on mine, i didnt have a better range rover one but i did have a discovery axle complete so that went on instead. it may not be the exactly the same but it will do until she is brought in for total restoration. i personaly would recomend upgrading the brakes, but thats another story, many of you may run different tyres, it dosent mater as long as they do the job, do what it takes to keep them running, thats whats important. what i dont agree whith is pointless cheep and taky modifications to as you said pimp my range rover and also the worst thing of all is bodge repair work esecialy to importaint things like bodys and chassis, if you can't do a repair get someone who can, its better in the long term. but please dont let us get to a point like as has happend in the vintage steam engine world of clubs where if someone modifies thier engine in such a manner and other members dont agree then he will be struck off the club and alienated for his actions, thats a real load of hipocrits i reckon. anyway hope this makes sence and see you soon.

ps, i wish people would stop fitting snorkels to thier land rovers as fashion acesories, they just look so pointless!

[Design Engineer]

HERE HERE!!!
In my opinion, and only in my opinion, take the Merc G-wagen, a standard one looks rather naff, but the G55 AMG looks fantastic, maybe i am biased though. However again, in my opinion, nothing on the 4X4 market can compete with the chrisma and character of a nice classic.

[Johnners]

Just to pick up Mr Design Engineer on a point, I always understood that the CSK was normally specified as a manual, in keeping with its sporty character, and that the (more expensive) auto was in fact rarer...any other views? Mind you, I would say that as G15 CSK is an auto...

[Design Engineer]

I was basing my asumptions on an article I have from "Back in the day" when a motoring journalist who was road testing the CSK, reported "autos out number the manuals by about 4 or 5 to 1"...
That and during my quest to find a CSK, I came across lots more auto's than manuals.
Maybe someone out there actually has the figures produced?

[j,moore]

hi again, i think a good looking classic is just as cool as any modern equivlent but to compare a standard g wagen whith a amg g wagen is a little more than a subtle mod, infact as you probibly know most amg mercedes cars are only comarable whith a standard one as far as the shape. even the body shell is different on most amg merc's, the engine, brakes and almost everything else is changed or modified, the ones i have owned have been, but for me the best looking 4wd on the road at the moment is the range rover sport supercarged model, in black whith its sleek lines, clean look and smart wheels it intimidates all other cars on the road, infact its more than a little reminicent of another 4wd which caused the same reaction when launched, of cource thats the CSK!
see you soon, jim

[Design Engineer]

Having been employed as a designer with AMG just outside Stuttgart for a number of years, I can assure you that the B.I.W. (Body in white), BODY SHELL is right of the production line.

[j,moore]

hi there, i didnt mean my last post to be taken the wrong way, i was relating my experience to the mercedes amg cars i have known and owned, my cl class amg has suposidly got wider inner arches at the rear and either different or modified suspension mounts and my friends cls amg has suposidly got a different floor pan but thats what the salesman told us so mabye thats just a sly way of getting people to part whith over seventy grands worth of cash, but if you design these cars then you are far more belevable than any salesman. (i will have a good few words whith him when my car goes in for its next service). they are fantastic cars to drive and handle quite exelent,i have owned quite a few mercedes cars as well as two bmw's. my current car is a cl55 amg but i think i am going to trade it in and get a range rover sport supercharged, i was going to get one originaly but the long waiting list put me off (i am a little bit impatient).
so, sorry if i came across a little big headed, now i know the facts i will be more wary in the future of mercedes salesmen, amg sports cars are exeptional cars and wish you well and keep up the good work.
see you soon jim.