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Yup, it's a 2003 mercedes benz SL500, I'm sure many people would like to know why in the world would I cut up a SL.... well, it's simple, it doesn't have an LS and it's not AWD , that's why.
can u say.... ONE OF A KIND?!?!
I picked it up extremely cheap, it's a really clean condition for what I got it for, so hopefully after parting out everything that I DON'T want, the car should end up virtually free, or close to it.
I'm jumping the gun on this thread because I wont be starting on the car for atleast another month or 2 , I'm just crazy excited that I got this car and I'm currently doing a 300zx ls swap, and a bmw e46 ls swap at the same time so I have to wait to finish those before I start on my own.
quick run down on the drivetrain:
5.3 aluminum block
T56 from a vette
trailblazer SS transfer case np120
Trailblazer ss front diff (might change in the future, will explain when I get to it)
Ford explorer 8.8 IRS rear diff
The car weighs 4000lbs right now, but I hope to have it closer to 3000lbs with me in it, I'm gutting all the mercedes ****, and what some might consider the worst thing.....welding the top SHUT and getting rid of all the hardtop convertible bullshit (black series SL500 has a fixed top and weighs a good 500lbs less)
I don't care what the mercedes enthusiasts say, I got it cheap, it's my car, and I'm making it faster than any other SL500, so either **** off or jump on board this insane train!!!! Lol
my original awd ls t56 project was a CTS, some might recognize it, I made it into a 2 door, but once the mercedes came into play, that project was scrapped. I just couldn't resist the benz.
So forget my **** talking, time for pics...
the original project (the drivetrain is coming from this)
this is the 300zx and E46 I'm currently working on. 300zx is a cleaned engine bay, e46 is a regular DD swap.
and now the SL500 ( been a dream car of mine for a while, can't believe this car cost $100k new)
and that's it for now. Hopefully I can get to it soon, hate seeing it just sit there.
Hey
I have the same type of idea, My 2005 CL65 AMG has 230k and I've decided to go LS in the 700 hp range. I am glad to see your car and learn more about how
things went ? I've been trying to post here but my build never seems to get posted by the administration ???? Whats up with that ??
anyway nice car !!!
Awesome idea....I gotta cls550 and I love that mbz 5.5 but when it decides to take a ****. ..I would love to find a way to stuff one of my extra ls engines into it!!!!! But first I gotta sell this lsx swapped 68 c10 and stuff one of these 6.0s in my nova....then maybe. .....just maybe we will see how far you get with your swap .....but yes I want to get a mbz lsx swap going next.....lol...sorry nieghbors. ..lol bring on car #8
Can’t wait to see more of this build. I’ve always like the SL series and sort of considered it a German Corvette, just hated how heavy they were. How are you going to do the AWD?
Damn sorry everyone, since i havent even touched the SL, I havent even been on. Atleast the side job I got going on first are almost done... 300zx is done and out, bmw e46 is 95% done just waiting on ac lines so I can charge the system and hopefully figure out how to hook up the ls compressor to e46 climate control.
although I thought those 2 would be my last, I ended up getting another side job, 1955 belair hardtop. Had to hang 2 new quarters, smooth the firewall and now doing bodywork, I hate sanding with a passion but I need to get the rough stuff done then the owner will take it to his body guy for detail bodywork then paint. But I'm about a week away from finishing up my part, so it should be out of my garage soon...
here a pic.. minimal bondo, not 1/4" thick like most of these project car lmao.
so hopefully next week or so, I'll be able to finally get the SL in my garage and start tearing her apart. Hoping to part out enough to get my money back, or atleast to have enough to keep me going without having to rely on another side job.
anyway, I got rid of the airbag links so I was able to lay the SL on the ground, she looks so sexy. 46" roof line! Shes so low that my 3y/o daughter 30" tall can walk up and look at herself on the side mirror lol.
so hopefully next week! Fingers crossed! Stay tuned! Shes going to be a baddddd bitch.
finally got her in the garage and started tearing into it... Mercedes added a **** ton of stuff, it was a bitch to pull the motor, but I was having fun since I finally get to work on my own car.
should start seeing slow steady progress since I wont be taking on any side jobs for a while.
also parting out most of this car, so if any of u need SL parts, let me know!! I need it gone asap!
This one actually going to get finished? Thought the V1 was going a cool direction.
yea this one will get done 100% lol. I wanted this car way before the V1, but could never afford the 100k price tag, so once I found one cheap enough, I had to jump on it. I could only work on 1 car at a time in my garage comfortably so yea, cts had to go. It was a no brainer for me.
So was the MB engine/driveline trashed? Or just a ton of miles? These aren't usually that cheap YET
145k miles but ran flawlessly, cold a/c and everything. Some interior parts are shot though, like the leather is peeling off the door panels, and the front bumper has a missing chunk in it... but that's really all that's wrong with it, even has a clean title. I look online all the time to see if I find another one for the price I got it and lowest I've seen is 4k MORE than what I paid. That's y I couldn't pass it up.
Looks like you got a deal! BUT it would have been a hard sell to the average MB client, who wants GOOD STUFF! lol
Carry on! This WILL be fun to watch and follow!
kept taking apart this monstrosity of a car. I've never seen more **** in a car than now, it's incredible. NO WONDER this car weigh(ed) 4500lbs. The roof itself didnt weigh much, but all the pistons and actuators did. Theres about 100lbs of wiring and hoses, each seat weighs about 80lbs. I've thrown away 3 trash cans full of things I won't be using and cant sell, the trash cans must have weighed 200lbs each.
I'm really hoping to get to my 3000lbs weight goal.
anyways, I'm considering keeping the stock tank since it sits in a nice place, instead of getting a fuel cell. It's not going to be a full blown race car, although it will see the track (1/4, and road course) occasionally. Thoughts?
Next up, I'll he cutting off the front clip, near the firewall and cut the tunnel out, so I can finally start mocking up the drivetrain.
Cut out most of the tunnel and front clip today, I'm sure I'll have to cut more but I wanted to start small lol.
I know I'll have to cut out more on the transfer case side, not sure If I want to go driver side dump (stock) or make it dump on the passenger side.
Basically from the rear main structure to the front bumper, will be made of 1.5" DOM tubing, going cage it but not do the main hoop, since I might end up keeping the roof the way it is now, but make it manual instead of all the pump and pistons, for weight saving.
last but not least... my tire plan..
315/ 35 20 on all 4 corners, sticking out 3-4" inches for the wide body. I just dont know how I'm goin to be able to stuff all that meat and STILL be bagged on the ground.
tomorrow I'll bring out the drivetrain and start mocking it up, get a feel for where everything will sit.
07-18-2018, 09:01 PM
SL500.... ls, twin turbo, widebody AND awd 
