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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
C16 RKC's Project 2003 CL500 (and other stragglers)
- Thread starter c16rkc
- Start date
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
I think I might be starting my mid-life crisis, as I keep looking at body-kits for the W221. I particularly like this one:
MCFastybloke
MB Enthusiast
That were a marathon Chris
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c16rkc
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Interesting, the car really was high spec... too latency thoughHere’s the vin for that Bmw in case you still want to do some diggingI’m off reading the remainder of your journey
WBAHM22070DN38300
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
I probably missed a post when I updated all this, but a lovely man from the Jaguar forum bought it (not the Jag forum we used to be members of, the other one ). He has started his own thread and seems to be taking really good care of it.
). He has started his own thread and seems to be taking really good care of it.
Sam87
MB Enthusiast
WOW!
Where do I start?
Chris, I have really enjoyed your car journal!
I think it's great that you go into all the details and also take so many pic's. It's also amazing that you have so many pic's with your sons as you are doing all this work. I'm sure they will appreciate all this memories and pic's when they grow up. We don't have kids but if we did, I would have done exactly the same thing!...................................... Pass on my OCD about cars
I don't know how I've missed such an amazing thread. I'm at work at the moment so I've only read that last few pages from the moment you went to view the S class. I will read from page 1 one day when I'm at home.
The S class is a beautiful colour combination. I wish more people had ordered S classes in unique colour combos but most must have been boring people and went for silver with black or black on black
. I wish my S65 was designo mystic blue with white leather but silver with black will have to do 
Keep up the amazing work!
Where do I start?
Chris, I have really enjoyed your car journal!
I think it's great that you go into all the details and also take so many pic's. It's also amazing that you have so many pic's with your sons as you are doing all this work. I'm sure they will appreciate all this memories and pic's when they grow up. We don't have kids but if we did, I would have done exactly the same thing!...................................... Pass on my OCD about cars
I don't know how I've missed such an amazing thread. I'm at work at the moment so I've only read that last few pages from the moment you went to view the S class. I will read from page 1 one day when I'm at home.
The S class is a beautiful colour combination. I wish more people had ordered S classes in unique colour combos but most must have been boring people and went for silver with black or black on black
. I wish my S65 was designo mystic blue with white leather but silver with black will have to do Keep up the amazing work!
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
Thanks Sam, I am glad you enjoyed it - I say this because your own threads have been giving me a lot of inspiration too.
I do tend to waffle on a lot, so it might take some going for you to read it all, but I hope you enjoy the rest.
I do tend to waffle on a lot, so it might take some going for you to read it all, but I hope you enjoy the rest.
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
I'll be honest now and admit I'm only interested in him for his car...I can feel a bromance, coming on.
Sam87
MB Enthusiast
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
Texas Angle grinder massacre: Part 1
Yesterday my wheel bold arrived. Sadly the bag had split during posting, so I am 2 bolts short.
But that's not the end of the world, I'll get two more I am sure.
But my new wheel locking key had also turned up, so first of all I took all the rear wheel bolts out so I could change the wheels...
All I can say is the wheel bolts were clearly tightened by Thor!!
It took me ages just to get the first 5 off, I really had to bounce on my breaker bar, and some of the nuts rounded. This is actually why I decided to replace the bolts, as the pretty chrome parts of these bolts were likely to be hiding some sins.
If you have this type of bolt:
Replace them while you can. When they fail they are a real pain in the backside.
The only way I got them off was to hammer on a smaller socket, and I was so relieved that worked.
But with the rears off, I changed the wheels. One side of the car was then looking much better....
So then that just left the last wheel with the stuck locking wheel nut...
I tried drilling it again, I also tried jacking the car and wriggling the wheel... it was not coming off easy.
So I used the angle grinder to attack the wheel!
Then Lindsey showed up back home, and Spencer was asleep in the Audi, I had to find something quieter to do.
Aston helped me hoover the mats. These are some of the filthiest mats I have ever seen. Sticky crap mashed in, and all sorts of other horrid stuff. Oddly the drivers mat is the best, so I can only assume it was the kids of the previous owner who did it all.
Getting there...
Still have the drivers mat left to do. But that can wait because Spencer woke, and I could do the grinding again.
I only had another half an hour at it, as by then it was tea time, but I have done some damage. I think I'll crack it tomorrow.
So one rear wheel done, but the front left to do. Wheel waiting to go on.
So will continue tomorrow...
Back on my rant, the headlights really look naff to me. Don't suit the car at all to me. I see them from this angle when I walk around the car and as well as the goggly look, its all the shapes inside that help make it look so awful.
What were they thinking... thank goodness they addressed it with the facelift lights.
I have a strong feeling these will get changed this year...
Yesterday my wheel bold arrived. Sadly the bag had split during posting, so I am 2 bolts short.
But that's not the end of the world, I'll get two more I am sure.
But my new wheel locking key had also turned up, so first of all I took all the rear wheel bolts out so I could change the wheels...
All I can say is the wheel bolts were clearly tightened by Thor!!
It took me ages just to get the first 5 off, I really had to bounce on my breaker bar, and some of the nuts rounded. This is actually why I decided to replace the bolts, as the pretty chrome parts of these bolts were likely to be hiding some sins.
If you have this type of bolt:
Replace them while you can. When they fail they are a real pain in the backside.
The only way I got them off was to hammer on a smaller socket, and I was so relieved that worked.
But with the rears off, I changed the wheels. One side of the car was then looking much better....
So then that just left the last wheel with the stuck locking wheel nut...
I tried drilling it again, I also tried jacking the car and wriggling the wheel... it was not coming off easy.
So I used the angle grinder to attack the wheel!
Then Lindsey showed up back home, and Spencer was asleep in the Audi, I had to find something quieter to do.
Aston helped me hoover the mats. These are some of the filthiest mats I have ever seen. Sticky crap mashed in, and all sorts of other horrid stuff. Oddly the drivers mat is the best, so I can only assume it was the kids of the previous owner who did it all.
Getting there...
Still have the drivers mat left to do. But that can wait because Spencer woke, and I could do the grinding again.
I only had another half an hour at it, as by then it was tea time, but I have done some damage. I think I'll crack it tomorrow.
So one rear wheel done, but the front left to do. Wheel waiting to go on.
So will continue tomorrow...
Back on my rant, the headlights really look naff to me. Don't suit the car at all to me. I see them from this angle when I walk around the car and as well as the goggly look, its all the shapes inside that help make it look so awful.
What were they thinking... thank goodness they addressed it with the facelift lights.
I have a strong feeling these will get changed this year...
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
AMG wheel = Zero
Grinning idiot = One
I started 9am, and it was straight on with the grinder.
The problem was that the bolt was incredibly recessed, and I had gone through two cutting discs ploughing through the alloy. So I was trying to be as strategic as possible with the cuts.
Spencer came out to be a distraction. Aston stayed inside because he's sensible and did not want to hear all the noise.
I took more and more out, and every now and then attacked the remaining pieces of bolt with a hammer and long screwdriver. Finally a peice snapped off...
Then a bit later some more came out.
My back and legs were aching from the day before, and I was getting very fed up with lack of progress... but I had little choice but to carry on...
Then the wheel was off - I literally floated up in the air I was so relieved... :ROFLMAO:
Anyone want to buy a spare AMG alloy wheel...
The cars were dusty, in fact the Mercedes was filthy, so I set the team going.
Very pleased with how the cars looked.
I particularly love the new 20" AMG alloys
Even better when it was all dried off.
One very happy me!
Grinning idiot = One
I started 9am, and it was straight on with the grinder.
The problem was that the bolt was incredibly recessed, and I had gone through two cutting discs ploughing through the alloy. So I was trying to be as strategic as possible with the cuts.
Spencer came out to be a distraction. Aston stayed inside because he's sensible and did not want to hear all the noise.
I took more and more out, and every now and then attacked the remaining pieces of bolt with a hammer and long screwdriver. Finally a peice snapped off...
Then a bit later some more came out.
My back and legs were aching from the day before, and I was getting very fed up with lack of progress... but I had little choice but to carry on...
Then the wheel was off - I literally floated up in the air I was so relieved... :ROFLMAO:
Anyone want to buy a spare AMG alloy wheel...
The cars were dusty, in fact the Mercedes was filthy, so I set the team going.
Very pleased with how the cars looked.
I particularly love the new 20" AMG alloys
Even better when it was all dried off.
One very happy me!
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c16rkc
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- Oct 5, 2014
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- Car
- 2003 W215 CL500
Parked in the garage I could not have been happier with the two German barges. They look very majestic together.
The wheels cleaned up beautifully, as the previous owner had the refurbished last year. There are sadly a few scuffs, mainly around the bolt holes, but they look perfect at a meter away.
I took the car out when the pests went to bed, so I could check the new TPMS sensor linked up OK. I'm received to say they linked up in a mile or so, but the tyres were all over inflated by the garage. The fronts should be 2.0 bar, but one was 4.8 bar!!
So I stopped to put them right at the garage, and took myself a nice picture in the floodlights.
...and the Mercedes is all tucked away, polished up and gleaming.
Considering the trouble this car has put me through, I really feel like I bonded with it this evening...
The wheels cleaned up beautifully, as the previous owner had the refurbished last year. There are sadly a few scuffs, mainly around the bolt holes, but they look perfect at a meter away.
I took the car out when the pests went to bed, so I could check the new TPMS sensor linked up OK. I'm received to say they linked up in a mile or so, but the tyres were all over inflated by the garage. The fronts should be 2.0 bar, but one was 4.8 bar!!
So I stopped to put them right at the garage, and took myself a nice picture in the floodlights.
...and the Mercedes is all tucked away, polished up and gleaming.
Considering the trouble this car has put me through, I really feel like I bonded with it this evening...
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c16rkc
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- Oct 5, 2014
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- 2003 W215 CL500
A much overdue, if perhaps disappointing... update
It really has been a long while since my last update. Mostly because life has been getting in the way
First of all, end of March I ended up in Poland... then a week in the UK, then back in Poland again. I was in a place called Szczecin which was a nice visit. The Polish are very welcoming, very professional and a pleasure to work with.
When I got back, Aston and me did the remaining seat back pocket on the Mercedes S class, so they both look good as new now.
Then I also did some touch ups to the drivers seat, armrest and telephone keypad cover in the Mercedes S class.
I did not seem to take any pictures of the seat
, but I did take these:
Before...
After:
This has made the interior a slightly nicer place...
It was by Birthday on April the 1st, and I got this rather cool banner as a present:
Then as I was tiring of listening to my one CD I have made up, and given I hate the radio (I find DJs redundant and pointless; as I am only interested in Music), it was time for me to look into the non-working i-Pod interface.
I could find nothing wrong with it, so I decided to do the Aux in Hack. For reference this is the video on Youtube:
(71) How To Install Auxiliary Audio Input Mercedes-Benz S550 CL550 W221 C216 W216 - YouTube
I took my dash apart and did the same...
This is the connector in question.
I sliced into the Aux cable, that would usually be feeding the i-Pod interface... not any more...!
Then I soldered on a 3.5mm Audio jack cable....
Then all back together I now have a nice Aux in for my phone.
Much better!
Next I need to add a Bluetooth adapter and hide it all under the dashboard. In the future I may but an Android upgrade head unit.
It really has been a long while since my last update. Mostly because life has been getting in the way
First of all, end of March I ended up in Poland... then a week in the UK, then back in Poland again. I was in a place called Szczecin which was a nice visit. The Polish are very welcoming, very professional and a pleasure to work with
.When I got back, Aston and me did the remaining seat back pocket on the Mercedes S class, so they both look good as new now.
Then I also did some touch ups to the drivers seat, armrest and telephone keypad cover in the Mercedes S class.
I did not seem to take any pictures of the seat
, but I did take these:Before...
After:
This has made the interior a slightly nicer place...
It was by Birthday on April the 1st, and I got this rather cool banner as a present:
Then as I was tiring of listening to my one CD I have made up, and given I hate the radio (I find DJs redundant and pointless; as I am only interested in Music), it was time for me to look into the non-working i-Pod interface.
I could find nothing wrong with it, so I decided to do the Aux in Hack. For reference this is the video on Youtube:
(71) How To Install Auxiliary Audio Input Mercedes-Benz S550 CL550 W221 C216 W216 - YouTube
I took my dash apart and did the same...
This is the connector in question.
I sliced into the Aux cable, that would usually be feeding the i-Pod interface... not any more...!
Then I soldered on a 3.5mm Audio jack cable....
Then all back together I now have a nice Aux in for my phone.
Much better!
Next I need to add a Bluetooth adapter and hide it all under the dashboard. In the future I may but an Android upgrade head unit.
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c16rkc
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- 2003 W215 CL500
Something more interesting
So after my bland update yesterday, I do have something more interesting to report; Aston has officially finished his treatment!
On the same day last week, they gave him his last Lumbar Puncture and last dose of Chemotherapy, and his port was removed too!
So after nearly three and a half years, Aston's daily Chemotherapy has also ended, and the rest of his medication will be tapered off in the coming months. He weekly examinations are now to become monthly examinations for the next year, and I understand that will get less frequent over the years to follow.
One of the best things about this will be that we can finally have a holiday abroad. We have been told it is likely Aston will be able to travel abroad from around November; after being given the immunizations he missed during chemotherapy.
Such a happy time in our household!!
It's really odd looking back and seeing how tiny he was when he was Diagnosed in December 2019, when he was just 18 months old, to the huge lump he is now.
Of course there are two of the hooligans in the house now, Spencer turned two in February. They are already showing us what a pair of nuisances they are going to be over the years; but at the end of the day they are two nuisances that my wife and I love more than we ever thought possible.
I am sure every parent has done this over the course of history, but I look at the screwed up world around us now, and I wish with every fibre of my being I could change it all for them, so they could experience the more innocent world I grew up in. Does anyone else feel like that?
So after my bland update yesterday, I do have something more interesting to report; Aston has officially finished his treatment!
On the same day last week, they gave him his last Lumbar Puncture and last dose of Chemotherapy, and his port was removed too!
So after nearly three and a half years, Aston's daily Chemotherapy has also ended, and the rest of his medication will be tapered off in the coming months. He weekly examinations are now to become monthly examinations for the next year, and I understand that will get less frequent over the years to follow.
One of the best things about this will be that we can finally have a holiday abroad. We have been told it is likely Aston will be able to travel abroad from around November; after being given the immunizations he missed during chemotherapy.
Such a happy time in our household!!
It's really odd looking back and seeing how tiny he was when he was Diagnosed in December 2019, when he was just 18 months old, to the huge lump he is now.
Of course there are two of the hooligans in the house now, Spencer turned two in February. They are already showing us what a pair of nuisances they are going to be over the years; but at the end of the day they are two nuisances that my wife and I love more than we ever thought possible.
I am sure every parent has done this over the course of history, but I look at the screwed up world around us now, and I wish with every fibre of my being I could change it all for them, so they could experience the more innocent world I grew up in. Does anyone else feel like that?
