I want to build a faux AMG Hammer : Am i nuts LOL

AFAIK, isn’t the true AMG Hammer a W126 560SEL bored and stroked on AMG wheels and body kit? The 500E is on a different chassis (W124 E-Class) but built by Porsche at Zuffenhausen instead of the usual Mercedes Stuttgart-Sindelfingen plant.
That’s true about the 500E. They were finished by Porsche. They also go for crazy money these days.

I’ve been stalking the auctions for a good 500E for years. They’re either rust buckets, or unaffordable.

They’re the factory Hammer. Big V-8. Mid size chassis. Very little to give away what is under the hood.
 
Years loago a guy who lived down the street from my BIL had a dead stock E36 325i with an M3 emblem on the trunk. I kept hoping I'd run into him so I could tell him, "Wow- neat car! Except for the wheels, the front airdam, the side molding, the side skirts, the mirrors, the rear valence, the exhaust, the seats, and the steering wheel, it looks just like a real M3."

I much prefer owning a Q-ship over owning a slow car that only looks fast,but that's just me.
There is a FB group for those cars and it's hilarious....upbadging is what it's called.
 
Like the base model Mercedes with “AMG” badges… 🙄

I prefer the opposite.

In the same model year, S600 has more torque and HP than the S55 AMG. The M275 V-12 engine was under-rated (at 493 HP) by Mercedes precisely because it out powered the supercharged V-8 (at 493 HP) in the more expensive* AMG model, which came with an aero kit, badging, interior trim, brakes, unique wheels, etc. This was true from the introduction of the M275 in 2003 through its retirement in 2016.

They did the same thing with the SL (R230) chassis - charged a premium for the AMG model with the supercharged V-8, and under-rated the V-12. The V-12 puts much closer to 540 HP to the wheels, and has about 100 lbft more torque. It makes a difference.

The only clue that it is a faster car is the “600” on the deck lid. Those who know, know.

Not that I street race, but there have been just a few occasions where the prodigious torque of the V-12 has allowed me to, ahem, “adjust” my position in traffic to my advantage, and to the complete shock of say, a Mustang GT…

Even 18 years after they were built - the two V-12 cars are very, very fast. And they are Q-ships. No obvious badging Just a subtle V-12 (nothing about twin turbo) on the fender flanks, and that 600 on the deck lid.

I like it that way.


*Not that either car was cheap. In 2005, the S55 AMG sticker was about $175,000, while the S600 was about $140,000. The R230 SL models were similarly priced.
 
Like the base model Mercedes with “AMG” badges… 🙄

I prefer the opposite.

In the same model year, S600 has more torque and HP than the S55 AMG. The M275 V-12 engine was under-rated (at 493 HP) by Mercedes precisely because it out powered the supercharged V-8 (at 493 HP) in the more expensive* AMG model, which came with an aero kit, badging, interior trim, brakes, unique wheels, etc. This was true from the introduction of the M275 in 2003 through its retirement in 2016.

They did the same thing with the SL (R230) chassis - charged a premium for the AMG model with the supercharged V-8, and under-rated the V-12. The V-12 puts much closer to 540 HP to the wheels, and has about 100 lbft more torque. It makes a difference.

The only clue that it is a faster car is the “600” on the deck lid. Those who know, know.

Not that I street race, but there have been just a few occasions where the prodigious torque of the V-12 has allowed me to, ahem, “adjust” my position in traffic to my advantage, and to the complete shock of say, a Mustang GT…

Even 18 years after they were built - the two V-12 cars are very, very fast. And they are Q-ships. No obvious badging Just a subtle V-12 (nothing about twin turbo) on the fender flanks, and that 600 on the deck lid.

I like it that way.


*Not that either car was cheap. In 2005, the S55 AMG sticker was about $175,000, while the S600 was about $140,000. The R230 SL models were similarly priced.
I've always like the cars that were sleepers. Like the Fox Body Mustangs....you wanted the LX 5.0 over the GT because it was lighter so a touch faster.
 
Years loago a guy who lived down the street from my BIL had a dead stock E36 325i with an M3 emblem on the trunk. I kept hoping I'd run into him so I could tell him, "Wow- neat car! Except for the wheels, the front airdam, the side molding, the side skirts, the mirrors, the rear valence, the exhaust, the seats, and the steering wheel, it looks just like a real M3."

I much prefer owning a Q-ship over owning a slow car that only looks fast,but that's just me.

A house down the street from me has a make-beliEVO. They took a base FWDlLancer, stuck a turbo and all the other evo-lookalike parts on it. Looks convincingly like an evo unless you had an evo and could see the no rear diff, no brembos, square vs circle gas cap, and no wide fenders. Drives around like a tool with the music blaring so we would ignore him if we ever saw him driving.

I personally wouldn't make a car look like a much higher, more "prestigious" car either but then it's not my money nor my car.
 
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A house down the street from me has a make-beliEVO. They took a base FWDlLancer, stuck a turbo and all the other evo-lookalike parts on it. Looks convincingly like an evo unless you had an evo and could see the no rear diff, no brembos, square vs circle gas cap, and no wide fenders. Drives around like a tool with the music blaring so we would ignore him if we ever saw him driving.

I personally wouldn't make a car look like a much higher, more "prestigious" car either but then it's not my money nor my car.
After I bought my M5 I discovered that debadging was a big thing in that community. So you had poseurs in 528i's driving around with M5 wheels, badges and body bits and you had M5's driving around with no badges. Found that a bit amusing.
 
After I bought my M5 I discovered that debadging was a big thing in that community. So you had poseurs in 528i's driving around with M5 wheels, badges and body bits and you had M5's driving around with no badges. Found that a bit amusing.
I have always liked badging....b/c it helps me know if you are poor or not 🤣 🤣 🤣
 
After I bought my M5 I discovered that debadging was a big thing in that community. So you had poseurs in 528i's driving around with M5 wheels, badges and body bits and you had M5's driving around with no badges. Found that a bit amusing.
I know that I've mentioned this before, but a friend of mine replaced the ///M3 badge on his heavily modified E36 with a German 316td emblem. BMW enthusiasts immediately knew what was up but it was a hoot to hear clueless bystanders talk about how they now wanted a 316 since it was so fast and looked so cool. European Car even printed a letter from one poor soul who wanred to know where he could buy a 316- since he had seen one set FTD at a local autocross and no local dealer knew anything about that model...
 
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