- Joined
- Jul 1, 2010
- Messages
- 4,826
- Car
- W209
W220 is plug and play. The wheel is slightly larger than the W210 one. It's just so much easier to source a nice wood n leather 220 wheel than a 210 one (and cheaper usually, well it was back in the day)
W208 CLK 320 (OEM+ Restoration)
- Thread starter Chris499
- Start date
W220 is plug and play. The wheel is slightly larger than the W210 one. It's just so much easier to source a nice wood n leather 220 wheel than a 210 one (and cheaper usually, well it was back in the day)
Cainesdadclk230k
Member
Yeah there is not much about and to make things worse I have the designo interior it’s blue and grey so limits it even more I have found a wheel on eBay I really wanted the leather airbag but I think a blue leather airbag is as rare as rocking horse shit thx for the info I will have a look
One of the first things I did was swap out the original CD player for a cheap carplay double DIN unit (not to everyone's taste - but a game-changer terms modern practicality).
Finally got around last weekend to doing 2 things to finish it off:
- Installed the microphone that came with the unit (to enable voice activation/phone calls etc)
- Wired the CANBus adapter (to give back steering wheel controls/night-time mode etc)
For anyone interested in the process - installing the mic took about 20 mins per below:
Pulled out the radio unit and plugged in the mic. Then I removed the glove box and unclipped the side panel cover (with the airbag sticker on it). Ran the microphone wire out the back of the radio unit, under the glove box, out the side and up to the bottom of the A-pillar cover. Re-installed the glove box and re-clipped the side panel.
I then used a plastic pry tool to gently push the microphone wire behind the a-pillar trim (didn't have to remove it) - it's tight but if you work from bottom to top in small steps it will tuck in. With the wire completely hidden behind the a-pillar I then unscrewed the sun visors to release the headliner and tucked the wire underneath all the way to the rear view-mirror unit (I had some excess which I looped back on itself and tucked under the headliner). I then tucked the wire under the black cover on the windscreen and stuck the mic itself on the back of the cover. Re-installed the sun-visors and secured the radio back into the dash.
Works perfectly and looks almost factory. The voice-activation genuinely works better in this than it did in my 2019 8-series.
For the CANBus adapter I ordered this from Ebay off ph-autoparts (who were very helpful in helping me get the right one for both the car, and the headunit).
There was a bit of wiring involved and I had to improvise as the connector provided wasn't an exact fit for the radio.. but once I figured out the reset button was hidden in an unmarked hole - I managed to get it working through a combination of the instructions/intuition/trial-and-error. The kit was £94 so not cheap, but worth it to have the functionality back and feel more factory:
- Volume and skip back/forward now working via the steering wheel buttons
- Radio screen goes to night-mode when lights are engaged (may seem trivial but the bright-white screen at night was grating..)
I may at some point get the rear-view camera installed, but not the cheap one that came with the radio.. one that's a bit more subtle.
Night-mode enabled:
Finally got around last weekend to doing 2 things to finish it off:
- Installed the microphone that came with the unit (to enable voice activation/phone calls etc)
- Wired the CANBus adapter (to give back steering wheel controls/night-time mode etc)
For anyone interested in the process - installing the mic took about 20 mins per below:
Pulled out the radio unit and plugged in the mic. Then I removed the glove box and unclipped the side panel cover (with the airbag sticker on it). Ran the microphone wire out the back of the radio unit, under the glove box, out the side and up to the bottom of the A-pillar cover. Re-installed the glove box and re-clipped the side panel.
I then used a plastic pry tool to gently push the microphone wire behind the a-pillar trim (didn't have to remove it) - it's tight but if you work from bottom to top in small steps it will tuck in. With the wire completely hidden behind the a-pillar I then unscrewed the sun visors to release the headliner and tucked the wire underneath all the way to the rear view-mirror unit (I had some excess which I looped back on itself and tucked under the headliner). I then tucked the wire under the black cover on the windscreen and stuck the mic itself on the back of the cover. Re-installed the sun-visors and secured the radio back into the dash.
Works perfectly and looks almost factory. The voice-activation genuinely works better in this than it did in my 2019 8-series.
For the CANBus adapter I ordered this from Ebay off ph-autoparts (who were very helpful in helping me get the right one for both the car, and the headunit).
There was a bit of wiring involved and I had to improvise as the connector provided wasn't an exact fit for the radio.. but once I figured out the reset button was hidden in an unmarked hole - I managed to get it working through a combination of the instructions/intuition/trial-and-error. The kit was £94 so not cheap, but worth it to have the functionality back and feel more factory:
- Volume and skip back/forward now working via the steering wheel buttons
- Radio screen goes to night-mode when lights are engaged (may seem trivial but the bright-white screen at night was grating..)
I may at some point get the rear-view camera installed, but not the cheap one that came with the radio.. one that's a bit more subtle.
Night-mode enabled:
Cainesdadclk230k
Member
Where did you manage to source new body kit clips from Chris I’m a few short many thx
Hello mate - the skirts have been a bit of a mare and I haven't cracked it yet.
The clips for the top centre part that fixes on the door sills are these:
The 2-piece clips that go underneath the car are these:
There are then other clips to secure either end.. but I need to order new rubber gaskets for the front and rear as the standard one's I had don't fit with the AMG skirts (it may be because I have convertible skirts trying to fit on a coupe not sure) so I haven't been able to clip them on properly. For now, I ordered some extra-strong velcro, cut some strips and used it to secure the ends of the skirts in place where the clips should go. It's a temporary solution but functional until I get the proper parts. Will post on here once I've managed to sort.
Cainesdadclk230k
Member
Attachments
Cainesdadclk230k
Member
This is what I have been giving as you can see the numbers don’t match up 
the drawing I have doesn’t really help Dals did you get new fender rubbers or have a part number I’m not sure if they are the same as the existing ones on car they are expensive as well but mine are shot
the drawing I have doesn’t really help Dals did you get new fender rubbers or have a part number I’m not sure if they are the same as the existing ones on car they are expensive as well but mine are shotAfternoon,
After a lot of messing about with the side skirts over the last few weeks, I've managed to eventually get them looking something that I'm happy with.
There's very little information readily available on the internet for fitting AMG skirts to a standard W208 car.... I've found its pretty difficult - but not impossible.
For anyone interested in the process, this is a wordy read but might help you if deciding to do the same thing on your own car. Worth noting that my side skirts were from a convertible AMG car and I'm fitting them onto a standard 320 coupe.
The white clips for the top middle section that clip down into the sill opposite the kick plates are readily available on Ebay and simple to fit (x6 each side), as are the 2-piece clips that push up into the bottom of the side skirt from under the car (also x6 each side).
With the above clips in place, the skirts are fixed enough to drive around without them falling off - but they flop out at the front and back, plus I was left with c5mm gap between the front/rear quarter panel and the skirt. There are runners on the back of the side skirts and holes in the sill of the car.. but the original 320 clips from the standard skirts wouldn't fit the AMG skirts and despite ordering some others for trial and error - I couldn't find any that would would work for the car and the skirt (it may be I simply didn't order the right one's so feel free to point out if I've missed anything obvious)
Also, the original rubber gaskets that sit between the skirt and the car at the front and back are NLA from Merc and buying 25 year old rubber from a breaker is likely to be knackered / not worth it.
I found someone in Germany doing the gaskets 3D printed to order - but wanted nearly £200 plus postage (for info - they were last about £50 for the set from Merc when I check with dealer, but unfortunately no longer available). 3D printing also not worth it based on cost / uncertainty x quality of what you'll get. So..
In the absence of the right clips and no genuine rubber gaskets - I had to improvise.
I filed down the runners on the back of either end of the skirt to make them flush and bought some industrial strength self-adhesive velcro (£8). I attached 2 strips to the rear of the front section of the skirt over where I filed down the runners, and 1 strip on the inside of the skirt that sits in the wheel well and would attach to the inside arch. I then repeated the process for the back of the skirt, using a couple of extra strips of velcro on the horizontal given its longer. This then allowed me to clip in the middle sections top and bottom with the ebay clips, and then push the velcro onto the car at the front and backs until it held firm. This stopped the ends flopping about, but left me with the c5mm gap between the car and the skirts along the top where the rubber gasket would have protruded.
I ordered a roll of 10mm wide / 2mm thick self-adhesive neoprene rubber (£3) and slowly and carefully stuck this along the gaps and then around the wheel well/inside the door at each end. How long this will last and whether I'll need to figure out a way to water-proof it, we'll see.
But for now the end result is both AMG skirts secure at all points, no ugly gaps, no water ingress risk and a pretty clean look vs battered old rubber that came off the old skirts. If you exclude the clips I ordered that weren't needed - the whole thing was about £40 (clips for top/bottom sections + velcro + rubber strips).
Pics below showing the final look of the skirts. Will post some more pictures soon now the sun is out...
After a lot of messing about with the side skirts over the last few weeks, I've managed to eventually get them looking something that I'm happy with.
There's very little information readily available on the internet for fitting AMG skirts to a standard W208 car.... I've found its pretty difficult - but not impossible.
For anyone interested in the process, this is a wordy read but might help you if deciding to do the same thing on your own car. Worth noting that my side skirts were from a convertible AMG car and I'm fitting them onto a standard 320 coupe.
The white clips for the top middle section that clip down into the sill opposite the kick plates are readily available on Ebay and simple to fit (x6 each side), as are the 2-piece clips that push up into the bottom of the side skirt from under the car (also x6 each side).
With the above clips in place, the skirts are fixed enough to drive around without them falling off - but they flop out at the front and back, plus I was left with c5mm gap between the front/rear quarter panel and the skirt. There are runners on the back of the side skirts and holes in the sill of the car.. but the original 320 clips from the standard skirts wouldn't fit the AMG skirts and despite ordering some others for trial and error - I couldn't find any that would would work for the car and the skirt (it may be I simply didn't order the right one's so feel free to point out if I've missed anything obvious)
Also, the original rubber gaskets that sit between the skirt and the car at the front and back are NLA from Merc and buying 25 year old rubber from a breaker is likely to be knackered / not worth it.
I found someone in Germany doing the gaskets 3D printed to order - but wanted nearly £200 plus postage (for info - they were last about £50 for the set from Merc when I check with dealer, but unfortunately no longer available). 3D printing also not worth it based on cost / uncertainty x quality of what you'll get. So..
In the absence of the right clips and no genuine rubber gaskets - I had to improvise.
I filed down the runners on the back of either end of the skirt to make them flush and bought some industrial strength self-adhesive velcro (£8). I attached 2 strips to the rear of the front section of the skirt over where I filed down the runners, and 1 strip on the inside of the skirt that sits in the wheel well and would attach to the inside arch. I then repeated the process for the back of the skirt, using a couple of extra strips of velcro on the horizontal given its longer. This then allowed me to clip in the middle sections top and bottom with the ebay clips, and then push the velcro onto the car at the front and backs until it held firm. This stopped the ends flopping about, but left me with the c5mm gap between the car and the skirts along the top where the rubber gasket would have protruded.
I ordered a roll of 10mm wide / 2mm thick self-adhesive neoprene rubber (£3) and slowly and carefully stuck this along the gaps and then around the wheel well/inside the door at each end. How long this will last and whether I'll need to figure out a way to water-proof it, we'll see.
But for now the end result is both AMG skirts secure at all points, no ugly gaps, no water ingress risk and a pretty clean look vs battered old rubber that came off the old skirts. If you exclude the clips I ordered that weren't needed - the whole thing was about £40 (clips for top/bottom sections + velcro + rubber strips).
Pics below showing the final look of the skirts. Will post some more pictures soon now the sun is out...
