Renovatio SL - crazy SLK self-made project!

Recently updated on April 23, 2021 at 01:39 am

Photos by Mario Piehl

Renovation SL is the name of a vehicle conversion that gives rise to nostalgic feelings. The converted vehicle is a Mercedes SLK from the 2000s based on the R 170 model. The Mercedes SLK became one in a sensational project RenovatioSL gullwing rebuilt. So a vehicle from the 2000s became an exciting one Gullwing from the 50s.

Renovatio SL - interesting story

The Renovatio SL is a joint effort between father and son. Mario Piehl is a former racing driver and has had to suffer severe strokes of fate. He also built his first racing boat with his father and, with the Renovatio, realized a large project that was very important to him. Introduced in 2008 Motorboat accident to the fact that he had to give up his career as a racing driver. Unfortunately, the accident had serious health consequences.

The negative side effects included, for example, epilepsy and difficulty concentrating. As a result, he was unable to continue working as usual, and yet he stayed that way Love of racing connected. The story is in the GRIP video at the end of the post. After the accident, Mario Piehl wanted to explore a new field of activity and include the car shapes of the 50s.

Renovatio SL - realize your own ideas

Mario Piehl was already familiar with the construction of racing fairings from the boat sector. He was familiar with working with fiberglass, carbon, epoxy and polyester. However, no vehicle should simply be recreated. Realizing your own ideas, that was the goal and Renovatio should be the project of choice. As already mentioned at the beginning, a Mercedes SLK used. The car came from the 170 series and was to become the basis for the Renovatio SL. After many discussions and attempts, Mario and his father came closer to the desired conversion. Many work steps had to be carried out in order to get closer to the goal. Certain components had to be from other companies than absolute Unique pieces and be produced with a lot of small work. Other components could also be made by Mario and his father.

Renovatio SL - inspired by a sporting past

Mario Piehl's sporting past inspired him to combine tradition with modernity. The traditional vehicles that are known from motor racing should be combined with modern technology. Mario and his father wanted to convert the vehicle modern technology and the modern driving experience Experience in a 50s look. Mario's sporting past also laid the foundation for the vehicle name "RENOVATIO". The conversion of the Mercedes SLK was a kind of therapy for Mario and also made it possible to work with his father. The beautiful project by father and son led to an interesting vehicle and since then has brought a lot of joy to everyone involved and also to countless outsiders (including us). Unfortunately, Mario's health does not allow such work continuous and continuous .

Renovatio SL - a project close to our hearts

“Renovatio” is also the term that is attached to the vehicle as lettering. The name of the heart project should be visible for father and son. A lot of passion and quality has been put into the vehicle. Mario hopes to have given the manufacturer Mercedes a worthy setting. The star has been retained to indicate the vehicle base. The converted vehicle was checked and ultimately even approved for the street. The type numbers of the Mercedes SLK R170 specified. Also recorded is "Piehl Boot Racing since 1980“As a body manufacturer.

"A helmet can save lives"

Mario Piehl advocates wearing helmets. Whether inline riding, e-scooter excursions, racing boat rides, motorcycle rides or any other rides that take place with dangerous vehicles at a slower pace, a helmet should always be worn. And we see it the same way! An accident can happen on the shortest test drive. An unfavorable situation that you don't even have to be to blame for, and it may be too late forever. Next Mario Piehl is of course also the Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher a good example of what can happen. The seven-time world champion might not be alive without a helmet.

In addition, Mario: Take care of your head! Whether it's a bike, e-scooter, inline skate or skateboard, put on a helmet, even if the lap you are doing is still so short! And let us, together with the ZNS Hannelore Kohl Foundation, help to bring about good things for people with the handicap skull and brain trauma. And helmets are of course also mandatory for children.

Renovatio SL - a retro car

The Renovatio SL vehicle can be understood as a retro car and stands for one Co-production by father and son. The Retro car has already made it into the press many times and there are also several online videos to be found. We have embedded some here and more will probably follow. The project was carried out by father and son over a period of five years built. The conversion of the Mercedes SLK R170 to Renovation SL So it was a long-term project that over time caused a sensation. No matter how you feel about retro vehicles, it is definitely an interesting project. And as an ambassador for the topic helmets are mandatory in any case a very successful one-off piece.

Conversion of 230 SLK to PR (Piehl- Racing) Custom Streetrod (angel. 54` Gullwing USA)

• Base vehicle: R170 SLK 230 Kompressor Bj 1999 Facelift (last generation 6-speed manual) 197 HP
• After the basic vehicle had been dismantled, the tubular construction was made for additional stiffening of the body in the area of ​​the door entry, A-pillar, B-pillar as well as the front and rear sections. Establish support points for the new body then the new outer skin was firmly connected to the base platform again in the sill area as well as the front and rear sections.
• New parts for registration:
  7 mm GRP self-built body (Piehl-Boot-Racing) with wing doors
  The door is suspended by means of V2A stainless steel roof reinforcement in the roof area
• Vehicle dimensions after change: length: 4300 mm, width: 1790 mm, height: 1290 mm
• glazing of the vehicle on a custom-made product from Nord Glass:
  - Front window: vehicle safety glass with test mark
  - Rear window: vehicle safety glass with approval mark
  - Rear left and right triangular windows with test marks
  - The driver and passenger door are glazed with Makrolon
  - Racing glass panes including sliding windows with certification mark
  - All windows are professionally glued according to the current status in the vehicle and provided with a decorative rubber
• Front lighting:
  - Front headlights: Fa. Nolden Bi-LED with electr.
  - Headlight range adjustment with certification mark (Tip: Everything about headlight range adjustment / retrofitting of headlamp levelers)
  - Front indicator: Hella in combination with Power LED light unit 12V 1,5W with test mark
• Rear lighting:
  - original taillight cover incl. Brake light function and indicator 1x left. & 1x right in combination with Power LED light unit (12V 1,2W / 1,5W with test mark)
  - 3rd brake light with LED in the roof (air slot) with test mark
  - LED combination reversing light including rear fog light from Hella, custom-made with test mark
  - License plate lighting from Hella with test mark
• Landing gear:
  - Bilstein B16 coilover kit with separate tension / compression setting
• Wheel / tire combination:
  - Z-Performance rims
  - front: 8,5 × 19 ET45, tires: Falken 225 / 35R19
  - rear: 9,5 × 19 ET45, tires: Falken 255 / 30R19
• Track widening front axle:
  - 20 mm per side from H&R
• Track widening rear axle:
  - 20 mm per side from H&R
• Discharge of the passenger airbag
• current vehicle equipment:
  Air conditioning, seat heating, servo, ESP, cruise control, 3-point belt with belt tensioner, driver airbag, radio / CD,
• Real leather interior with double stitching in the dashboard and console area
  Door design elements: Real leather, bi-color, hand-woven
  Driver / passenger seat: Real leather with double decorative seams and checked darts in the back and seat area

Of course, that was far from it. Our tuning magazine has tens of thousands of other tuning reports in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. Or are you especially interested in our Tuning classics category? Then the following extract of tuned young and old timers is sure to be just the thing to browse.

Mercedes SLK R170 Renovatio SL single item

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