Hi,

A few weeks ago i bought a W126 500SEL from '81. I've imported it from France, and it's originally from Monaco.





It's a great car, 100% rust free, 115k miles, fully loaded.

The previous owner told me the story that the car originally is bought by the princess of Monaco: H.S.H. Stephanie of Monaco. Too bad he didn't have any documentation of it He told me to try contacting the Palace of Monaco, so i did. They didn't replied yet, nor did Mercedes Monaco/France. The local Mercedes Benz dealer tried to verify some things, but could not get more information the i could retrieve myself using the VIN decoder.

My father got from his car, a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit from '81, some sort of chassis-history. He bought it trough the Owners Club, and it has documents like the original Bill of sale, who was the first owner, which options etc.

Perhaps someone of you can help me to get some documentation like this about my car. Does Mercedes-Benz keeps record of this kind of information?

The details are as followed:

Mercedes 500SEL
Date de 1ère immatriculation: 09/09/1981
VIN: WDB12603712012435

And this is what the VIN Decoder gave me:

VIN WDB12603712012435
Model 500 SEL
Chassis 12603712012435
Engine 117961 12 012547
Transmission 02 111986
Order 0 1 531 16973
Approx. year 1991 (It's 100% sure 1981)
Lights BOSCH
Cab 02608
Dealer France, Monaco (531)
Interior leather black (231)

Hope someone of you can help me

Best regards,

Alex

The factory historical archives in Stuttgart might be of help in providing the build sheet in German and english if you write to them but probably will not know.

You should take a vacation in the Principality of Monaco and visit the Mercedes dealer there
http://www.samgf.mercedes.fr/script/default.asp?cas=groupe13&gpc_id=185&conc_id=200&site_id=421&marque_id=1&site_id_master=1&Site_Meta=575&Site_Type=MB&id_alerte=&url_togo=

and visit the Mercedes Benz repair shops there, maybe there is someone there who remembers the car. If you have the books on the car, go to the shops who stamped the maintenance booklet and ask them.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Guess they have curbstoners in France too....
They tell you anything to make a sale



Interesting
You may never know but the car looks nice

VINWDB12603712012435Model500 SELChassis12603712012435Engine117961 12 012547Transmission02 111986Order0 1 531 16973Approx. year1991LightsBOSCHCab02608DealerFrance, Monaco (531) Interiorleather black (231) Paint040black (T) (с 01.01.1963)Options221left front seat, electrically adjustable (с 01.11.1978)
222right front seat, electrically adjustable (с 01.11.1978)
223Model 126: rear seat bench electric adjustment (с 01.05.1977 по 30.06.1991)
226footrests in the rear (с 01.01.1980)
227ashtray and cigar lighter in the rear, illuminated (с 01.03.1980)
256rear axle with limited-slip differential (с 01.11.1965 по 30.11.1991)
307cooling box in luggage compartment (с 01.11.1978)
430headrests in the rear (с 01.01.1977)
440tempomat (cruise control) (с 01.09.1975)
470anti-lock braking system (abs) (с 01.06.1978 по 31.10.1993)
487Unknown code504outside rear view mirror, right, electrically adjustable (l.h.d.)
taxi version, f.r.g, and outside rear view mirror on the right
512radio Becker Europa cassette
531automatic antenna (с 01.01.1963)
543sun visor with vanity mirror, illuminated, left and right (с 01.11.1978)
570folding armrest front w202/210 stowage box front with armrest (с 01.04.1970)
front folding armrest w202 - housing at front with armrest
581automatic climate control (с 01.01.1977)
592heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (laminated glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, laminated safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)
603headlamp wiper unit and oil for rear axle with limited-slip differential, in canisters and containers (с 01.08.1971)
614lamp unit, asymmetrical, l.h. traffic, with amber lenses
lamp unit headlamps and fog lamps with amber lenses and front and rear door courtesy lamps (с 01.11.1978 по 31.03.1994)
629Unknown code630ECE warning triangle (с 01.08.1980)
64015-hole light alloy rims (с 01.01.1990)
665
812rear-mounted loudspeaker (с 01.11.1974)
877reading lamp in the rear (с 01.11.1963)

__________________


83 500 SEC Euro 198K

Maybe the factory historical archives can help me indeed, i'll write them! I already send a fax to S.A.M.F.G. but didn't get a response from them. I also tried to e-mail them, but the e-mail form on their site keeps giving me errors. Maybe i'll give them a call later this week, giving them a few more days to reply to my fax.

lol @ CamelotShadow, they do probably have them too there. But they told me the story after that i have bought the car, so that doesn't seem the case. But thanks for the compliments !

AKA SIdewalk Cafe Curbstoners



Reading lamp in back & foot rests soes seem to imply the car was bought to drive a passenger in back in style

Cooling box in luggage compartment?
Does it have a refrigerator?

could be...

Very regal car
ABS in 81..

I got them too mine is a 82/83 Euro

Anti slip diff too

Car is well equipped...

Enjoy it!

__________________


83 500 SEC Euro 198K

Today i've got a reply from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, too wich my e-mail has been forwarded by Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart.



and the 2nd one:

Quote:

So i'll send them my registration papers, and let's hope it can give me some more information

It does look nice.

The rear reading lamps are standard equipment in an s class sedan of that era.

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.