[W126 Coupe] 126 Chassis SEC Cabriolet

[brucegorsak at netscape.net]

While considering a 126 chassis rag top, be sure of what you want to do with it and what you will do with it.? Generally, I have always enjoyed the 126 chassis since the 1st one I saw in 1980 and the coupes are wonderful.? I thoroughly enjoy my 82 380SEC.? My wife and I both enjoy racing, shows, and anything having to do with wheels.? This week I served as a cost judge at SAE's national collegient vehicle design competition in Alton Virginia at VIR and last week I attended the MBCA Concours d'Elegance judging school in Atlanta.? Our 72 280SE 4.5 has won its class at Euro Auto Fest 2 years in a row in addition to corporate awards which are awarded from an over 500 car field.? All this only to press the point of my car enthusiasm.

I have wanted a 126 chassis rag top for ... well forever!? But understanding we like to win shows, real shows that is.? I questioned my instructor at the judging school.? He had a discussion about cars that should and shouldn't be in various classes or shows, etc.??I asked him what about the 126 chassis cabriolet and he?paused for a minute and said?"They never made one"? (They being the father land).? So we looked at the judging criteria and part of the specific criteria for drop tops is authenticity ... the 126 chassis convertible looses ALL?THE POINTS under that category, which will likely loose the show because?of it.? Once you wear your tux at an awards banquet, get your car in a magazine, and enjoy the notoriety of winning, you won't want to go back.? I brought the 380 to the last Euro Auto Fest and while I had not seen one there in the 5 years of going, a lot of people came to talk about the car (It is very pretty), but without factory wheels and factory offered paint, 
 we went home with no award.? My wife LOVES winning and she said ... "Next year lets bring the 280"? She likes to win more than I do.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.? I?WILL get one, I find them all the time and they're cheap, but will show it for display and park it with one of the others in the line-up for the awards.

Good luck ...send me photos when you get it.

Bruce Gorsak


-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-request at mbcoupes.com
To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
Sent: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:15 pm
Subject: MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 57, Issue 25



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   1. Re: MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 57, Issue 24 (Doug Gavin)
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:57:21 -0500
From: Doug Gavin <dlg1936 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 57, Issue 24
To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
Message-ID:
    <d3a4715b0904241057q35f3460ayc0cd724771bc4d27 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the opinions on the SEC Convertible, The guy says 48,000
miles???? It's his brothers, maybe has some paperwork regarding the
conversion co, he'll look for it before I go see it. It's a black on black
car needs minor cosmetics according to seller. It's been in storage for 3
years. Here is the interesting part, he only wants $3500 for the car. The
photos look great.  Looks like the mirrors need to be painted, strange for a
48K car, one headlight wiper is missing, it has a low wing on the deck lid.
. I think its worth the 15 mile ride just to see a car I've never see
before. Thanks so much and if anyone can respond to my additional question
please do.

Should there be any label or badge for the conversion co somewhere on the
car?

Doug

On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 11:15 AM, <mbcoupes-request at mbcoupes.com> wrote:


> Send MBCOUPES mailing list submissions to

>        mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

>

> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit

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> or, via email, send a message with su

bject or body 'help' to

>        mbcoupes-request at mbcoupes.com

>

> You can reach the person managing the list at

>        mbcoupes-owner at mbcoupes.com

>

> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific

> than "Re: Contents of MBCOUPES digest..."

>

>

> Today's Topics:

>

>   1. Need members opinions (Doug Gavin)

>   2. Re: Need members opinions (Ruud Schuijt)

>   3. Re: Need members opinions (Bruce Mendel)

>   4. Re: Need members opinions (Markus Meyer)

>   5. Re: Need members opinions (Mike R.)

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> Message: 1

> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:51:40 -0500

> From: Doug Gavin <dlg1936 at gmail.com>

> Subject: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

> To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

> Message-ID:

>        <d3a4715b0904240751x6ee41043j88b0171e84b56537 at mail.gmail.com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

> Hello All,

> I am going to look at a '87 560 SEC convertible. I know that there are

> (were) at least 3 after market conversions companies based on a Wikipedia

> search. Are these cars worth anything? I own a '90 SEC and love it. I'm

> intrigued by this convertible conversion. Any advice on what to look for,

> at

> , run away form etc would be appreciated

>

> Doug

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>

> Message: 2

> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:17:29 +0200

> From: Ruud Schuijt <tejo at xs4all.nl>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

> To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Message-ID: <C617A4A9.188DA%tejo at xs4all.nl<C617A4A9.188DA%25tejo at xs4all.nl>

> >

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

> >

> > IMHO it is really up to you. I think demand for these conversions is not

> > really high (difficult to sell if you have one), but at the same time

> prices

> > are unreasonably high when you want to buy one. If 

you really like the

> cabrio,

> > make sure you don?t pay too much.

> >

> >

> > Hello All,

> > I am going to look at a '87 560 SEC convertible. I know that there are

> (were)

> > at least 3 after market conversions companies based on a Wikipedia

> search. Are

> > these cars worth anything? I own a '90 SEC and love it. I'm intrigued by

> this

> > convertible conversion. Any advice on what to look for, at , run away

> form etc

> > would be appreciated

> >

> > Doug

> >

> >

> > The MB Coupes Website!

> > W126 SEC Mailing List

> > Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

> -------------- next part --------------

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> ------------------------------

>

> Message: 3

> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:22:36 -0400

> From: "Bruce Mendel" <brucem105 at comcast.net>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

> To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Message-ID: <01fe01c9c4f0$80e2c470$0202a8c0 at HomeOffice>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

> Re: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinionscoachbuilders ltd and stramman (sp?)

> made good ones. they are still not stiff enough like today's cars, but grat

> engineering for the time.

>

> beware of other companies, leaks, getting parts, etc.

>

> i know of a really nice low mile coachbuilders car that might be for sale

> if you are interested.

>

> B

>  ----- Original Message -----

>  From: Ruud Schuijt

>  To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists

>  Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 11:17 AM

>  Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

>

>

>

>    IMHO it is really up to you. I think demand for these conversions is not

> really high (difficult to sell if you have one), but at the same time prices

> are unreasonably high when you want to buy one. If you really like the

> cabrio, make sure you don't pay too much.

>

>

>    Hello All,

>    I am going to look at a '87 560 SEC convertible. I know that there are

> (were) at l

east 3 after market conversions companies based on a Wikipedia

> search. Are these cars worth anything? I own a '90 SEC and love it. I'm

> intrigued by this convertible conversion. Any advice on what to look for, at

> , run away form etc would be appreciated

>

>    Doug

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>    The MB Coupes Website!

>    W126 SEC Mailing List

>    Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>

>  The MB Coupes Website!

>  W126 SEC Mailing List

>  Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

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>

> Message: 4

> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:32:04 -0700

> From: "Markus Meyer" <mfm at meyerprobateproperties.com>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

> To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Message-ID:

>        <

> 20090424083204.5abd5bb6c1e022cd50c47094d09c8c0f.c0f34ee303.wbe at email.secureserver.net

> >

>

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> ------------------------------

>

> Message: 5

> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:50:27 -0700

> From: "Mike R." <mramay at att.biz>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

> To: "'Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists'" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Message-ID: <016401c9c4f4$6363a9b0$2a2afd10$@biz>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>

> The best conversion is supposed to by Styling Garage (SGS) in Germany. They

> add the extra stiffening to the chassis to minimize flex and the metal

> parts

> used on the top and trunk are first rate.

>

> That said, I believe an SEC convertible is nowhere near as good looking as

> the SEC c

oupe. By losing the C-pillar line, the gracefulness of the design

> is significantly compromised. I like cruising with the sunroof open and all

> the windows down. That keeps the SEC "look" and opens it up. YMMV

>

> I did a PPI for a guy on an SEC gullwing and while it was very interesting,

> was another iteration that did not improve the looks of the car.

>

> Later,

> Mike Ramay

> (702) 494-8056

>

> From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]

> On Behalf Of Doug Gavin

> Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 7:52 AM

> To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

> Subject: [W126 Coupe] Need members opinions

>

> Hello All,

> I am going to look at a '87 560 SEC convertible. I know that there are

> (were) at least 3 after market conversions companies based on a Wikipedia

> search. Are these cars worth anything? I own a '90 SEC and love it. I'm

> intrigued by this convertible conversion. Any advice on what to look for,

> at

> , run away form etc would be appreciated

>

> Doug

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

> Version: 8.5.287 / Virus Database: 270.12.4/2077 - Release Date: 04/23/09

> 19:21:00

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> ------------------------------

>

> The MB Coupes Website!

> W126 SEC Coupes

> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

> End of MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 57, Issue 24

> ****************************************

>

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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:50:58 -0700
From: "Markus Meyer" <mfm at meyerprobateproperties.com>
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 57, Issue 24
To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
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