We’ve talked before about how pre-merger AMG cars are a bit of a mixed bag; some are well-documented, fully built cars while others claim heritage without being able to back it up, seeming rather to just be a collection of parts. In the 1980s, there were a glut of aftermarket firms chopping the tops off of just about every luxury coupe you could imagine, and the SEC Mercedes was one of the popular ones as a base. Here’s one such car; a black with black leather 500SEC with AMG wheels and body kit. It’s claimed to be one of ten produced by AMG, but outside of the wheels and kit there doesn’t appear to be any other AMG pieces here – which is a bit odd. There’s also no documentation of the history shown despite the high asking price. Even stranger, this car appears on several sites – most recently Mecum Auctions, where it is recorded as being sold in the August 14-16 auction – but it also appears on another site much dirtier and with a period AMG badge on the right side of the trunk. Still, it’s an impressive looking car:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC AMG Convertible on eBay
Year: 1985
Model: 500SEC
Engine: 5.0 liter V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 37,579 mi
Price: $36,900 Buy It Now
A Family Tradition for Over 40 Years,
Selling Classic and Fine Motorcars Throughout the World.Specializing in International Sales and Shipping
1985 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 SEC CONVERTIBLE
ORIGINAL CALIFORNIA CAR!
ONLY 37,579 ACTUAL MILES!
EXTREMELY RARE, LIMITED PRODUCTION FACTORY BUILT CONVERTIBLE!
STUNNING ALL BLACK COLOR COMBINATION!
BEAUTIFUL CONDITION THROUGHOUT!
FITTED WITH ALL OPTIONS, INCLUDING:
POWER STEERING
POWER BRAKES
POWER CONVERTIBLE TOP
POWER SEATS
CLIMATE CONTROL AIR CONDITIONING
THE ULTIMATE MERCEDES COLLECTIBLE!
I’m sure some of the Benz specialists can chime in and confirm or deny some of the history of the car; I didn’t catch the Mecum coverage on this car but would be interested to see what it sold for. It appears that the sellers are looking for a quick flip which means the price is probably quite a bit higher than the sale price from two weeks ago. This seller generally sells top-quality cars, so one would expect they’d have done their homework in presenting the car as an AMG-factory built convertible and asking top dollar. While a unique and interesting bit of history either way, to me the convertible really lacks the panache of the coupe. The best aspect of the SEC – that sweeping C-pillar, is gone in favor of some fabric. Condition is great, obviously, and miles are lower, but I’d really rather have a very clean similarly modified early European-spec SEC coupe than this convertible. What do you think – is this a Hail Mary at the market, hoping a Mercedes and AMG fan will snap it up, or is this the real deal, worthy of the asking price because of its rarity?
-Carter
With a car like this, documentation is everything. Stories are good, but you have to take the approach that if it isn’t documented, it isn’t true. With or without documentation, it’s hard to pin a price on such a one-off car. It’s just a matter of finding the right buyer.
A couple of observations:
The car does not have an AMG front spoiler and it looks a little weird with the skirts and rear valence but no front spoiler. It could have been knocked off at some point or it may never have been there. It would probably be pretty difficult to find one now.
It’s hard to tell from the pics, but those wheels look more like Ronal wheels to me than AMG wheels. Might want to check into that as well…
Sold for 17,500 at Monterey. If he gets the flip,good for him.
http://www.mecum.com/lot-detail.cfm?lot_id=CA0814-190324
Thanks for the update, @Artvandalay!