My SEC project-in-progress - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Johnhef · #1 02-03-2008, 12:02 AM

The story:

I first came to know this car in the summer of 2002 when I first started working for MB. The first time I went to get a car off the roof of the parking garage at Euro Motorcars in Bethesda, I noticed this SEC, mostly because it was backed in the spot and the obnoxiously loud gold plated grille. I inquired about it some time after with it's service writer and he said it belonged to a customer who had approved a lot of work but then couldn't pay the bill. This was about a year before I started working there, it had been sitting in that spot ever since, baking every day in the sun.

I found out who had worked on it and asked him about it. He remembered the "eyesore" quite well. He had done a valve job, put in a new transmission, resealed the diff, put on new belts and a new battery. All this to the tune of just under $9,500 ...on a beat 1983 380SEC. I got the key and went to check it out, battery was completly dead, and wouldn't hold a charge, interior was baked and split everywhere, the windshield was split right across the middle, purple tint that had been half scraped off, the rest was peeling, headliner half fallen down and two of the tires were flat. Not to mention all the hideous gold plated items on the car, chrome 16" ///AMG wheels with the large gold star coving the center and the lug holes, the grille, hood emblem, washer nozzles and rear trunk lid emblems.

Some more time went by, the car would always catch my eye everytime I got a car off the roof of the garage. A total of two years had passed now since the car had been sitting there and the service manager came to me since he knew I had asked about it and said they had got the title from the DMV and were going to sell the car off to cover some of the bill. The price? half of the total bill. came out to about $4700. This of course was way too much for me at the time after only working for MB for a year, but a friend of mine (the drummer in a band I played with) always liked my car and was interested in it. He came out, drove it, liked it and bought it shortly thereafter.

My friend loved the car, he fixed a few things with it- the broken windshield, some suspension parts and while trying to get it to pass Virginia emissions, did a fuel filter, spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor, catalytic converter and finally charcoal canister (the actual cause of it failing). After three years his wife finally "convinced" him he had to get rid of it, so after some haggling, I bought it.

In 2004, when my friend still owned it, after a fresh detail:

The car in November 2006, new temporary set of wheels, the old ones had too much chrome for me, traded them to another member for the 500SEC wreck.

From the GTG here, November 2007, only known pic with the black 15" AMG Penta's on it, front end lowered now and all the gold de-blinged thanks to the 500:

More recently now, with a new set of 17" Lorinser D93's on it and after swapping over to the 1986+ Headlights, headlight wipers and trim and solid lower body panels. Also put in smoked taillights around this same time.

Johnhef · #2 02-03-2008, 12:23 AM

and now some pics from today. Fresh tint job last weekend! Apologies for some of the blurry pics, I was experimenting with having the flash on and off... they at least looked good on my tiny camera screen!

^^^
Rewired the fuse box so the fogs can be on whenever I want

TheDon · #3 02-03-2008, 12:27 AM

nice...Can I buy it

jk

Johnhef · #4 02-03-2008, 12:31 AM

next to a 2008 C300 Sport. Look familiar?

Upcoming plans for the car are to swap the entire worn out interior with the grey one in the parts car, also engine swap when I settle on a decision, probably the 500- and then considering a set of Jonathans cams... hmmm

TheDon · #5 02-03-2008, 12:32 AM

put it next to a black CLS..

Jim B. · #6 02-03-2008, 01:05 AM

That's quite a story of a transformation and a car that was saved. Like how you got the 380 script changed to a 500 script BEFORE the 500 engine went in.

I've never been one for clear blinkers and tails, but it's become quite a handsome car, now, hasn't it?

They look so great in black.

I bet you would really love the look of Euro lights on it. You'd love their performance at night too.

I would love drive come out to your area and time it to arrive at one of your gtgs.

You guys are a great bunch.

Pete Geither · #7 02-03-2008, 06:56 AM

You done good John !!!

t walgamuth · #8 02-03-2008, 08:12 AM

Very nice.

If you are going to go to a 500 you might try for a 500 euro. They will smoke the tires on take off. May as well get the limited slip while you are there.

Tom W

digitize · #9 02-03-2008, 08:43 AM

Great job,
Much better now!
What brand wax, polish do you use, hand done or electric??

Johnhef · #10 02-03-2008, 10:32 AM

The 500 emblem is wishful thinking huh? An Imposter! haha no actually the gold 380 emblem had to go and I already had the 500 one and wasn't going to waste money on a regular 380 one to have it on only temporarily.

I'd like to find a Euro 500, but since I already have two available motors, a US-500 and a Euro-380, I'm leaning more toward the 500, and have a thread for discussion on it here: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=1751553
A custom exhaust is planned after most likely using euro logs and factory downpipes. They're cheap! $45 each and available from Germany! 126 490 27 19 and 126 490 25 19 for anyone else interested, they work with both 116 and 117 euro logs. Currently its a factory system with a straightpipe rear muffler (it rusted off). Not really any louder with only the resonator on it.

Still have plans for a set of H&R's and sport shocks, it handles like a boat on turns now.

Dunno about wax, I just let one of the detailers do it, they have electric buffers. The paint is pretty tired but it comes back for a little while after a buff. Too much time spent baking in the sun

Now I usually put alpine radios in all my cars but since this one has the navi option as well as ipod controls I'm going with this one for the car:

Before I can get the car painted though, I have to find someone to cut out the rear quarters on it- it's been bondo'd in the past and looks horrible.

powerpig · #11 02-03-2008, 10:59 AM

Great job! I saw the car last weekend and it's coming along very nicely.

Johnhef · #12 02-03-2008, 11:19 AM

hang on a minute now! just got a call about a Euro-spec 500 engine thats available! Going to check it out asap!

suginami · #13 02-03-2008, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnhef

hang on a minute now! just got a call about a Euro-spec 500 engine thats available! Going to check it out asap!

Sweeeeet. I'm told a 500 Euro engine puts out more hp than a U.S. 560 engine.

The paint actually looks pretty darn good in the pics for having baked in the sun as long as it did.

How many miles are on this bad boy?

Lord help me, I think I'm gonna buy a 126 coupe some day. I think they are among the most beautiful cars I have ever seen.

jhodg5ck · #14 02-03-2008, 04:28 PM

Looks Good!!! As an aside, I may have a good Euro 500 engine available shortly...Drop me a line should the be of any interest

Jonathan

truckinik · #15 02-03-2008, 05:13 PM

I love your car. It looks great. Where do you buy those smoked tail lights? Also, do they make the "Wall to wall", filler piece, that fits between them, in some tint, to go with them..?

Nick