Bought a 500 SEC convertible

[ConvertibleSEC]

Hi all! I just bought a SEC convertible and was wondering if any of you would know who made the conversion? Wanted to know a bit about the car before deciding to restore the car or not. Also when running a report on the VIN it only shows history from 2000. My guess is that this is a euro model but since the car has US bumpers I'm still not sure. Here is the VIN WDB1260441A168744. Any help would be highly appreciated. Here are some photos https://picasaweb.google.com/1120489...eat=directlink

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[RJMBurgess]

difficult to say from the pics. Plus's - outside body looks OK, but signs of rust in the trunk - nothing major I'm presuming? Looks like the inside has gone a bit too - I like the door cards, these are unique.

If it's done by SGS or Coachbuilders (more likely) then I'd say it's worth restoring. BTW, are you in NYC? I am in Greenpoint.

[ConvertibleSEC]

Originally Posted by RJMBurgess

difficult to say from the pics. Plus's - outside body looks OK, but signs of rust in the trunk - nothing major I'm presuming? Looks like the inside has gone a bit too - I like the door cards, these are unique.

If it's done by SGS or Coachbuilders (more likely) then I'd say it's worth restoring. BTW, are you in NYC? I am in Greenpoint.

Thank you for your reply. Never noticed that the door cards were different before. Yes the inside is terrible. Rust is not an issue if it will be taken care of now but I don't really now what to do with it really.

Yes I'm in NYC. Actually right next to you in Williamsburg. If you wanna see the car let me know. I'm sending you an PM with my contact info.

[steveb9771]

This appears to be a gray market vehicle.
Here are the clues--
The headlights on 1984 and 1985 US models are as shown in your pictures, but the US vehicles did NOT have headlight wiper blades.

The headlights starting with US 1986 did NOT have the flat face shown in your picture, but had a curved face and had the wiper blades.

The rubber molding on the doors has the pattern used starting with 1986 560SEC in the US. 500SEC only appeared in US as a 1985 model.

The steering wheel is not original. US models had an airbag in the steering wheel starting with 1985.

Another clue-- All US models had memory seats. The seat control switch on the passenger door of all US models had a round button to save the seat position and two memory buttons. Yours does not have these buttons.

US models did have the temperature for the heater, engine temperature, and outside temperature in degrees C, same as Europe for 1985.

[ConvertibleSEC]

Originally Posted by steveb9771

This appears to be a gray market vehicle.
Here are the clues--
The headlights on 1984 and 1985 US models are as shown in your pictures, but the US vehicles did NOT have headlight wiper blades.

The headlights starting with US 1986 did NOT have the flat face shown in your picture, but had a curved face and had the wiper blades.

The rubber molding on the doors has the pattern used starting with 1986 560SEC in the US. 500SEC only appeared in US as a 1985 model.

The steering wheel is not original. US models had an airbag in the steering wheel starting with 1985.

Another clue-- All US models had memory seats. The seat control switch on the passenger door of all US models had a round button to save the seat position and two memory buttons. Yours does not have these buttons.

US models did have the temperature for the heater, engine temperature, and outside temperature in degrees C, same as Europe for 1985.

Thank you so much for all the info!

So it looks like the car is on its way back to where it came from then

Just shipped it off to Holland were a fellow MB enthusiast is planning on giving it the love it deserves.

Thanks again for the info!