Benz SLK 230......track car?

A guy with a R170 SLK230 parks near me on most days. I can't help but notice how small the car is (and it actually looks nice) and have evil thoughts about "how much could that car be lightened up." They're all over craigslist locally for $4-5k.

stock curb weight is 2920lbs with 190hp (or a lot more on the AMG)

Gotta imagine that the factory retractable hardtop and mechanism is heavy as hell, seats probably heavy as well, a metric ton of soundproofing and luxury features.

Anyone ever seen one of these gutted out and turned into a track car? Do they just have lousy engines and/or chassis and/or suspension? Is there a fatal flaw to these other than $$ parts and repairs when out of warranty? And do they actually come with a manual tranny (all I see is autos)? Or are they just lousy cars for one reason or another?

EDIT: just for the record, I'm not planning to buy one (or anything else in the near future). I'm just asking because I'm curious and like to know about things I don't currently know anything about

The most important part about track days is having fun. Go for it.

Woody wrote: The most important part about track days is having fun. Go for it.

I have an e30, e21, and a WRX and race an e30 in Chump. Having fun at a trackday with a car isn't a problem.

I was really more curious about whether the SLK could actually be a good track car. I know literally nothing about these cars (or Benzes in general). Hell, I'd be lying if the thought of a rallycross SLK didn't cross my mind, just to do something out of the ordinary. Call it curiosity.

IS this the one that shares mechanically with the Chrysler Crossfire?
I have always been intrigued by the Crossfire but fear it bastard child lineage, though, they should be cheap.

No idea. There's a crossfire at work too, but the SLK seems closer in size to a Miata just eyeballing it. Crossfire seems kind of beefy visually.

This would be the crossfire car. Except the crossfire is a SLK 320 or AMG 320 depending if you have a SRT 6 or not.

230 is supercharged right? How are those engines?

Or really, just asking about any of the SLKs, not necessarily the "kompressor" ones. V6 either or.

Again, not gonna get one, but I've just had curious thoughts for a few weeks since I constantly walk by it going to my car at work. I expect the answer will be "they suck" but figured I'd ask :)

They were offered with manuals, but they are pretty uncommon. I don't think they are terribly beloved by anyone, even contemporary reviews didn't have much good to say about the driving dynamics and it's not like they have a huge aftermarket...

They are heavy with not much power, only come with an automatic, have annoying traction control that you cant fully turn off and they are expensive to work on.

Yes they are the basis for the Crossfire and are based on the first-gen C-class sedan. Neither of which are exactly known for being track-killers. Mostly people talk about how numb the steering is, the lack of power, the poor build quality, etc.

Certainly if you strip all of the electronic nanny BS out, then they probably could work ok with enough kludging to get some decent dampers and spring rates installed. Dump in an LSjuan and T-56 and you'll have something really "fun" that will still get beat by a V8 Miata just due to the weight.

For someone who doesn't like Miata's you're going about this roadster thing all wrong ;)

In reply to turboswede:

There are actually quite a few manual R170's on AutoTrader right now.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/Mercedes-Benz/Milwaukee+WI-53212?endYear=2003&makeCode1=MB&mmt=%5BMB%5B%5D%5BSLK_CLASS%5B%5D%5D%5D&modelCode1=SLK_CLASS&searchRadius=0&showcaseListingId=0&showcaseOwnerId=0&sortBy=bestmatchb&startYear=1981&transmissionCode=MAN&transmissionCodes=MAN&Log=0

I wouldn't say a 3000lb car is heavy in this day and age. Even by 80s standards cars like Corvettes were that or heavier.

It's only like 200lbs heavier than a BRZ with the same power and more torque. Except with a supercharger you can probably get a pully and tune to get some more easily. Probably enough to beat a BRZ. Also you can probably find the brakes from the AMG and bolt them on. If they are the same as on the crossfire srt-6 they are massive.

I can see a good track build for it. Too bad the AMG and SRT-6 are auto. Otherwise why not just buy one of those.

However at that point why not just buy a 350Z Nismo or something. It would be a better car all around.

You would need to test drive it and hustle it around some curvy back roads to know if the driving dynamics are good enough to do it.

turboswede wrote: For someone who doesn't like Miata's you're going about this roadster thing all wrong ;)

I'm not going about a "roadster thing" at all. It was more out of curiosity (this being a forum that discusses oddball cars, it seemed oddball enough to ask about an SLK track car since I've never seen one!) Hell, I didn't even realize that all the SLKs were hardtop verts for years. Having never looked closely at one I thought they were a regular hardtop for years, lol.

I don't dislike Miatas, btw. I think they drive great and I love sitting in them. I just don't want one for various other reasons that are mostly subjective or practical. Not relevant to this thread, however. I already know I could get a Miata and make it a good track car.

The pulley for those is about $1500 the last time I looked (fairly complex oiece that is pressed in place, erc) but might available in the secondary market. The blower won't last long after that due to the electric clutch they used on them tends to fail or the bearings fail in the blower. The blowers themselves are typically nice and compact Eatons that work nicely on other engines :)

I was unaware that sticks existed in the states. That might not be that bad then.

Had a guy bring one to an autocross after getting it for his wife. It was a rolly-polly thing and he couldn't get the traction control turned off to let him have much fun, so the blower wasn't doing much of anything :/

http://autospecialties.com/import.html

They have a pulley for $750

If the traction control is that berkeleyed I would avoid. That is a fun killer.

I have seen exactly one at a track day that I remember. I don't recall it being terribly fast but it passed me with ease so I'm not one to point fingers. The guy driving it seemed happy enough. That being said I have also seen a Crossfire SRT at a track day and that driver was so underwhelmed he sold the car shortly after, (Full disclosure he is a regular Spec E-30 racer that wanted to see what his street car could do on track and found out much to his dismay.)

I drove one of these with a stick shift and it was one of the more miserable manual trans equipped cars I have ever driven. Lousy clutch and not much feeling.

That engine and drivetrain is mediocre. The 2.3 supercharged motor doesn't make much power and sounds terrible and mpg isn't even all that great. No affordable aftermarket available really. Steering is a bit slow. Suspension isn't bad. The manual trans shifts terribly also - there's a reason Mercedes gave up on the manual...

It's a great GT car and an excellent convertible. Would make a terrible track car from what I remember of my ownership experience.

Old thread revived by spam

Ok, I know this is a zombie thread, but earlier this year I was on track with an SLK during a test and tune session ahead of a Lucky Dog race weekend at CMP.

No idea if it is a good track car, but this one in particular made a god awful and LOUD whine from the supercharger.

It had been modified with something (assume intake) protruding through the hood. All I can say is I hope the SC was in its death throes and that noise was not normal operating behavior for the current configuration.

Interesting. It seems like a lot of people are poop-poo'ing the SLK, but it seems to have caught on in the Netherlands.

https://www.slkcup.nl/482706_mercedes-slk-project-slk-400-r