Another car from The Patina Collective in Florida is up for grabs, and it’s also a C126-chassis model. A few days ago, we profiled a 500SEC widebody here on Barn Finds and highlighted how the seller has amassed a borderline insane collection of desirable Mercedes-Benz products. It seems they’re in a bit of a sell-off mode at the moment, not out of desperation, but to unload some of the cars that likely won’t appreciate much in value over the coming years. This is a convertible conversion of a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC listed here on eBay for $39,000 or best offer.

There were many companies performing aftermarket convertible conversions in the 1980s, and of course, luxury cars were the primary targets for such work. Cadillacs, Lincolns, and Mercedes-Benz products were typically among the brands most often used for top-chopping and then adding a hefty surcharge for the privilege of owning a car the factory never made. Personally, I’ve always felt with the exception of the ASC conversions like the late 1980s Toyota Celica GT-S, most of these cars always looked somewhat awkward. This 560SEC may be rare, but whether it’s an improvement over the coupe is up for debate.

The SEC cars were some of the best examples of Mercedes-Benz engineering, famous for that bank-vault like construction and high-grade interior materials that were notoriously hard-wearing. The 560SEC shown here retains a very nice interior with leather and wood trim in excellent condition. The seller notes that only a handful of companies were entrusted with making conversions like these come to life, and the SECs were converted by Coach Builders Limited, a Florida enterprise. The level of thought that went into the conversion is evident with the addition of a reinforced substructure and a convertible top with a full wool headliner.

The M117 5.6 liter V8 engine is a proven powerplant in Mercedes’ lineup, with 236 horsepower on tap for U.S. models. As this seller very well knows, AMG versions of these cars pushed out quite a bit more, but despite all of the modifications to the roof structure of this C126, the powerplant remains bone stock. Mileage is on the low side at just over 100,000 miles which means there’s plenty of life left in this converted coupe, but it will take a special caretaker who can rationalize buying an aftermarket convertible conversion – and if they can, they’ll own one of the most unique C126s on the market.