The 1980s were synonymous with many different aspects of the automotive hobby that today are powerful forces on the vintage car market. From improving performance standards to more luxurious offerings from European counterparts, it was a time when a car enthusiast was once again able to buy a vehicle that met their standards, both in terms of design and speed. The days of low output vehicles were becoming a distant memory, and the aftermarket was there to accelerate the newfound potential of cars like this Mercedes-Benz 500SEC listed here on eBay with a period-correct widebody kit. The asking price is $49,500 or best offer.
The seller is representing this Mercedes on behalf of the Patina Collective, which is one of the most significant collections of “youngtimer” Mercedes as well as pre-merger AMG products. For those of us who follow are diehard Mercedes enthusiasts, both of these details are significant, as this encapsulates some of the most desirable vehicles and aftermarket conversion to come out of the 1980s and early-to-mid 90s. The collection is based in Florida and is absolutely staggering in terms of its depth and quantity, and also a revelation in terms of how many factory-modified and high-end aftermarket models they have managed to acquire.
The car shown here is a fairly standard C126 coupe that has a very non-standard widebody kit. The kit was made by a company called ABC Exclusive, and the heavily massaged bodywork clearly gives the rather narrow coupe a much more pronounced stance. Seriously enhanced fenders, quarter panels, and bumpers/skirts to match give the car the proportions it deserved from the factory. The other notable detail are the Ferrari Testarossa-like side strakes in the doors, which was a popular detail to add to 80s performance vehicles given the car’s significant impact on car tuner culture after its prominent appearance in Miami Vice.
Because of this impressive attention to detail, Ferrari was successful in preventing the company from ever growing into the aftermarket powerhouse it seemed destined to become, and bodykits like these were put on ice for a variety of legal reasons. The seller’s car also sports seriously wide period tuner wheels, but to be honest, they don’t appear to come close to matching the exaggerated depth of the wheel wells. The seller notes that this 560SEC is in generally good condition and that the A/C would need servicing. To me, this 500SEC is begging for a lowered suspension and wheels with even more dish and lower offset to truly tie it all together, and if you love 1980s-era car tuning culture, you’ll likely be up for the challenge of doing this widebody conversion justice.
Ahh the 80’s is what this car screams. Looks well cared for, do I like it? Well I guess maybe in 1980 and something, today not so much, sorry. Guess it’s sort of cool to have survived.
Ok…. Show of hands….. How many of you can see Crockett and Tubbs in this thing??? Or, ok, at the very least pull up next to this Mercedes at a traffic light in a scene?
This was a really neat write up, and a huge throwback too. It looks like its in great condition too.
And the shag carpet is like, wow, boss, man! Way cool!
It is incredibly well kept; should bring a good price and it serves as a good excuse to break out the Angel Flight suits out of the attic.😎😆
Ouch.
If you want $50k install at set of rims and tires that fill up the wheel wells.
Steve R
You are correct, the wheels/tires just don’t look right and it makes it look more like a cheap body kit added.
Cool then but dated now.
Never been a body kit guy. Very few look good, It usually looks like an add on. And I agree with Steve, needs larger wheels and or tires to fill up the wheel wells a bit more. The header pic shows how much of a gap there is, with the wide body kit, it looks odd.
Just looking at it, I am teleported back to 1985.
Not pretty.
For $50k it needs wider wheels and AMG type tweaks to the engine. All show and no go.