Rare ’84 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL AMG Brought to Life After 27 Years
After the original owner went to prison and the second owner died, this pre-merger 500 SEL AMG is looking for a fresh start.
Today there are over 30 different Mercedes-Benz models that wear an AMG badge. And more are on the way. Everything from the little A-Class, small SUVs, and the GT supercars have an AMG option. That was not always the case. Back in 1984 AMG was still an independent company. And as such Mercedes-Benz cars with the AMG treatment were much rarer than they are today. That is what makes this W126 series S-Class so special. Well, that is one reason. This 500 SEL AMG was obviously upgraded to some extent by AMG. But in addition to that, this car has only 30,000 original miles and is in as-new condition inside.
Now back in 1984 AMG would offer several different upgrade options for customers. In some cars only the AMG body kit and suspension upgrades were installed. It gave the car a more aggressive look and some better handling, but the power remained the same. However, AMG also offered various engine upgrades. They would install hotter cams and some other tricks to extract more power. The question is, does this car have the engine upgrades? The folks at LegitStreetCars recently posted a video on their YouTube channel. And in this video, they examine the car head to tail and determine exactly what is hiding under the hood.
A Checkered Past
The Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL was an expensive car back in 1984. It would cost the equivalent of over $150,000 in todays money. That is a lot of coin. It will come as no surprise that some people who have that kind of money are not the most upstanding citizens. That seems to be the case here. This car was ordered and modified by AMG but shortly thereafter the customer was sent to prison for life. The car was then re-sold, and owner number two didn’t have much better luck. The car was giving him some mechanical trouble, so he took it to a workshop. The owner then passed away. The car then sat for 27 years until it was recently discovered.
Condition
A car that sits for that long is subject to all sorts of nasty things depending on how it was stored. Luckily this car seems to have been stored properly. On the inside the car looks practically brand new. The seats are perfect. Even the reclining rear seats still work. Even more importantly the fuel was drained, and oil was poured into the cylinders. This kept the piston rings oiled while the car sat for over a quarter century. This is about as good as you can hope for when you find a car that has been off the road for this long.
Engine
This is the biggie. Does this Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL AMG have the AMG engine upgrades or does it have just the cosmetic bits? Having the AMG-modified engine would make this car a lot more valuable. The way to check is to get a look at the camshaft and see if there are any AMG markings on it. If so, then jackpot. If not, then this is likely the stock 5.0L V8 from the factory. The cam covers are removed and with a mirror it is revealed that there are no AMG markings. This appears to be the stock engine. Bummer. But all is not lost. The engine it does have not only spins freely it actually starts and will run on starter fluid. It may not have the hot engine, but this is still an ultra-rare car in fantastic condition.
Check it Out
Take a look at the video below to see all the details of this amazing Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL AMG. You will not believe how clean and factory fresh this nearly 40-year-old car is. It is a true time capsule. The engine may be stock, but it sounds silky smooth when it is running. This is an exceptional find and deserves to be back on the road.
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