Home Built Mercedes-Benz SL320 on Air Lift

The Mercedes-Benz SL made its debut back in 1952, and the most iconic and now unaffordable 300SL remains one of the most beautiful cars ever designed. Anything that came after had some pretty big boots to fill. Now, the fourth-generation SL (R129) isn’t exactly the model that sets my heart racing. But after laying eyes on this version, built by Harry Pippard, I’ve had to reconsider.

The foundation here is an SL320, a rare 40th-anniversary Designo edition from 1998. The color is a stunning blend of green and blue, much to my surprise, it’s standard on the Designo edition cars. While the SL’s lines remain intact, Harry has made some subtle tweaks to the bumpers and sideskirts. Everything’s been done by Harry himself, including the paintwork, right from his own garage at home.

Working in collaboration with 6ad Forged, Harry designed the wheels himself. These three-piece wheels come in 18”x9.5j up front and 18”x10.5j at the rear. The inspiration here is pretty clear, taking cues from the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II wheels, giving the car that sought-after OEM+ vibe.

BMW E28 5 series on 17 inch Gotti j55a wheels

During my last round at the Heaven on Wheels event before going home, I decided to take a peek on the upper deck. Not a bad choice, if I say so myself. There, I stumbled upon this BMW E28 5 Series. A stunning specimen from 1981 in Malachite Green Metallic, a color from BMW’s individual program.

The Gotti j55a wheels are true classics and fit perfectly on this E28. The centers are 16 inches, but with the help of a step lip, they now measure 17 inches. The wheels are 8.5 inches wide up front and a beefy 9.5 inches wide at the rear.

What catches my eye are the Alpina stripes on the sides, which seem slightly thicker than the original striping of a genuine Alpina. But it adds a touch of class, and since the Alpina logo isn’t present, it’s not pretending to be a real Alpina. So kudos to the owner for not doing that.

Gallery: Heaven on Wheels XX Belgium 2024

Belgium is renowned for its chocolate, beers, and potholes. Because goodness gracious, the roads are abysmal. As soon as you cross the border from the Netherlands, it’s like hitting a minefield, zigzagging to dodge the craters. But i digress, because Belgium is also known for its plethora of car meetings. In the Netherlands, we have a few events, all organized by the same outfit. So most of the times you see the same cars over and over again.

But in Belgium, it’s a different story. Small organizations which attracts different cars and people run the events with a slew of volunteers. One such event is Heaven on Wheels. They take over a parking garage at the shopping center Cora in Anderlecht, near Brussels, transforming it into a scene straight out of the Fast and Furious films.

What sets Heaven on Wheels apart from other events is that they don’t do any pre-selection. Anyone can roll up with their car. This means there’s a wide mix of cars, but to be honest, it also means there are quite a few cars I wouldn’t normally spend 2.5 hours in the car to see.