w126 gasser question - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ashedd · #1 10-26-2009, 08:27 PM

I know this is not the place to ask but I have never ventured to the gas section of the forum... I am afraid to

Car shop down the street has a 1983 560SEL for sale..

When I look on wiki there is no such thing as an 83 560sel BUT I swear they have one. The registration says 83 560sel right on it. It has bosch euro headlights and bosch dark orange turn signal lenses. Federal bumpers and regular federal hvac controls. There is a aftermarket looking "unleaded fuel only" sticker on the wood trim by the head light switch. Nothing by the fuel gauge that says "premium unleaded fuel only" like I would expect.

It also has an old school steering wheel like in my 83 SD... no air bag. But if it's an 83 it should'nt have one anyway. Rear recline and heated seats too. That is all I thought about looking at today. It has about 150k miles on it. Mechanic says one of the cylinders is "rich".. he says it's a diaphragm in the injector thingy. I know next to nothing about gas mercedes.

So what the heck is it? I have very little interest in buying it but I can steer anybody that direction if interested. It has no rust. Interior is in good shape.

pawoSD · #2 10-26-2009, 08:30 PM

It very well may be a euro-market/gray market 560.....they existed in 1983. Or it might be a 500 rebadged as a 560...who knows.

All the early MB gassers had that fuel sticker by the headlight switch (or on the cluster).

mbdoc · #3 10-27-2009, 08:10 AM

Take a good look at the VIN. If it starts WDBCA39 it is a 560SEL.

Of course if it starts WDB126039, it is a euro car.