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AMG 1985 500SEC Wide Body Conversion

95K views 251 replies 130 participants last post by  UncleJB 
#1 ·
Having been a VW enthusiasts since I can remember but thought to share a little project of another German make as I'm coming down the home stretch on a wide body conversion.

The conversion was performed on 1985 500SEC with a kit produced from an 1983 500SEC AMG coupe saved from the crusher.

The donor was picked and pillaged pretty well before getting a hold of it but fortunately all of the vital bits were saved. 5.4 AMG modified engine, rearend and the all so gorgeous widebody kit. The donor had been issued a dismantled AZ and the decision was made to transfer all of the bits onto a healthy, California titled coupe.

AMG was merely an independent tuner before partnering up with Mercedes. A fully kitted AMG SEC sold for $100k+ back in the day!

Anyway, here are a couple of photos from the build which took approximately 9 months from the time I began stripping the donor. The widebody conversion has been completed and the interior is currently being freshed up. The 5.4 motor will be installed somewhere down the line.

Enjoy!

coupe purchased and being transfered at the junkyard


coupe officially arrives and the dissection begins


reare quarters


rear quarters extracted


what was left of the donor


repro wide body kit


recipient coupe before conversion


the original "Penta" wheels were gone so bigger, wider, nastier wheels had to be built


conversion compete, awaits prep for paint


sprayed, color sanded and ready to head home for final assembly


12" AMG/OZ vs OE bundt wheel


and finally assembled, polished and wheels fitted...


Anyone interested in the entire transformation can read about it here:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w12...ect-arizona-rise-ph-nix-wide.html#post3920467
 
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#124 ·
Beautiful.
Theres a local kid that has a white AMG with red leather here in my town.
 
#133 ·
like minds...

The WB's stable mate is a genuine AMG modified 1982 500SL with a AMG installed 5 speed manual transmission, one of five known V8 (M117) AMG MT examples in the US. The next step to the SEC WB's mechanical transformation is to pull the SL's box and duplicate the uber rare M117/Getrag bell housing and mate it to the 5.4 with the exact Getrag box AMG offered back in the day.

The AMG modified M117 is another animal all together when mated to MT. It really comes alive.





 
#145 ·
48hp - AMG DOHC 32V M117

Thank you gentlemen.

Meanwhile, I landed a very rare AMG 32v DOHC M117 engine. It arrived in bits, pieces missing, considered unreliable and is known to leak like a sieve but said to sound like a symphony when turning 5-6k and tuned.

Another piece of AMG history that deserves a shot at being brought back to life. :thumbup:

 
#149 ·
Thank you gentlemen.

Meanwhile, I landed a very rare AMG 32v DOHC M117 engine. It arrived in bits, pieces missing, considered unreliable and is known to leak like a sieve but said to sound like a symphony when turning 5-6k and tuned.

Another piece of AMG history that deserves a shot at being brought back to life. :thumbup:

**** yeah!

I like people like you, sometimes you just gotta do what you want, even if it means your retirement fund will be a little smaller down the road...

:thumbup:
 
#148 ·
Just discovered this thread. Have a 94 W140 500 Coupe in the family and since I'm a technician by trade I keep it in top running shape and have done a few mods but I have more of a softspot for the W126 Coupes especially the almighty Widebody AMG, the holy grail of Mercedes big body cars. I'm definitely keeping track of this thread. Great work man, great work!
 
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