This 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC was originally ordered for the Japanese market and was exported to Canada in 2001 where it currently resides just outside of Vancouver near the U.S. border. The seller acquired the car in July 2023 and has performed extensive mechanical services over the last two years. Finished in Anthracite Grey Metallic (172) over Anthracite Leather (271), this C126 is powered by a Euro M117 5.5-liter V8 paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Maintenance over the last two years includes an extensive engine rebuild, stainless steel exhaust, coilover suspension, a full transmission rebuild, and much more. The car is fitted with an aftermarket AMG-style widebody kit and custom 3-piece Aero III-style wheels. This C126 now shows 121k kilometers (~75k miles) and is offered by the seller with 2 keys and a clean Canadian title.
The bodywork has been previously refinished in the original color, Anthracite Grey Metallic (172), along with the installation of the widebody kit between May-October 2024. The AMG-style widebody body kit consists of both front and rear bumpers, all four fenders, a trunk spoiler, and extended side skirts which are all made of fiberglass. Additionally, all chrome trim has been paint-matched to the body. Additional features include factory Euro-spec headlights and taillights, window tints, and AMG-style chrome exhaust tips at the rear. The seller notes some body/paint scratches and imperfections with detailed photos provided in the gallery.
Custom 3-piece 17" AMG Aero III-style wheels are mounted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4A/S tires measuring 245/45 up front and 315/35 in the rear. The faces of the wheels are paint-matched to the body. Custom coilover suspension is fitted with adjustable height and stiffness settings. Additionally, the car received a full suspension overhaul with new ball joints, tie rods, upper and lower bushings, rear bushings, and an anti-squat Euro sway bar. The seller notes suspension noises and clunks from the coilover setup. All 4 corners feature new brake calipers, rotors, pads, and a new brake master cylinder.
The cabin is upholstered in Anthracite Leather (271) with Zebrano wood veneer trim accenting the dashboard, center console, door cards, and steering wheel. The wood piece around the shifter console was replaced with a burl wood version that has no cracks. Features include electric windows, automatic climate control, electrically adjustable front seats, and an upgraded stereo system with Focal speakers, 2 amps (1 active to speakers, 1 per-wired for subwoofer if desired), and a Pioneer headunit. Both seat-belt extenders were rebuilt and are fully functional. Some wear marks are visible on the leather touch points and the heated seats are inoperable. The seller notes the AC is functional but is not as cold as it could be. The headliner, rear decklid, and rear compartments have been covered in alcantara leather.
The wood-rimmed steering wheel shows one hairline crack and frames a white AMG-branded gauge cluster showing a 320kph speedometer which has been properly calibrated to the car. Additional gauges include a 7k-rpm tachometer with an inset analog clock, and a combination gauge for coolant temperature, fuel level, oil pressure, and fuel economy. The six-digit odometer shows 121k kilometers (~75k miles).
The factory high compression Euro-spec 5.5-liter M117 V8 was rebuilt within the last two years. The engine was factory-rated for 296 horsepower with 336 lb-ft of torque when new. The factory tri-y headers and added full stainless steel exhaust are estimated to slightly increase power. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic 722.3 transmission which was also fully rebuilt, however the seller notes a rough gear engagement when switching into reverse. A list of maintenance items addressed during the restoration is outlined below:
Additional underbody photos are provided in the gallery. This widebodied C126 is now being offered by the seller just outside of Vancouver, Canada near the U.S. border. The seller is willing to pay the 2.5% tariff upon import for U.S. buyers and will help extensively with importation. The seller is in contact with PCB Customs Brokers and is ready to import with the buyer if needed.
Three videos of the car have been provided below including driving footage.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
The winning bidder will receive an email with the quote and option to proceed with shipping.
Get the best of The MB Market directly in your inbox every day. Subscribe for a curated list of our top market listings and articles!
66 Comments
@GodFather @hobbsm3 Curious on whether the import tariffs still ended up being 2.5%? I ask as I'm importing a car as well and there's a fair bit of uncertainty - different importers seem to give different answers!Wow what a steal!!!! I wish I had jumped on when I got the auction warning but I was too busy at work! Congrats to the buyer!@GodFather figured such. Beautiful products, thanks for sharing this one as well!@GoBoGo yup, I am surprised myself, I did have a lower reserve but wasn’t expecting the price to really be that low. I hope it gets taken care of! Prices for wheels really depend on size, style and finish. For a setup like the one on this SEC, you’d be looking around $5000What just sold for 40k . I thought it will go for 100k . That’s shockedJust...wow. I logged off thinking this would go for $80K or so. That's a great deal!@GodFather This was a beauty; shocked at the price! Loved your website/gallery btw; what is the typical price of entry for your wheels? thanks!Wow, color me impressed/surprised at this one! CONGRATS on this beauty!Congratulations @hobbsm3 You got one heck of a car at a crazy price! I’ll be in touch soon. Thank you to all the bidders.$40,500 bid placed by @hobbsm3
$40,000 bid placed by @Superseller
$39,000 bid placed by @bigchachu
$38,500 bid placed by @Superseller
$38,000 bid placed by @LincolnAMG
$37,500 bid placed by @Superseller
$37,000 bid placed by @bigchachu
@GoBoGo Final hour left…get ready. Don’t hesitate to bid, and do not wait until last minute and loose the opportunity! NO TARRIFS Any final questions plz ask. I’ll be helping whoever wins throughout the entire process. @gobogo thank you :)$36,500 bid placed by @hobbsm3
Sweet ride, sweeter pup ♥️ Long way to go on this one... GLWTAREMINDER NO TARRIFS!! BID WITH CONFIDENCE. You won’t be paying much extra than you would if it were in USA. Almost zero extra.@Brooks55 yes. I actually own the wheel company. NLW FORGED WWW.nlwforged.ComGood walkaround videobeautiful car. would you be able to share where you had the wheels made?$36,000 bid placed by @Lakers24
Hi all, under 24 hours left! I took the car out for the last time today and wanted to do a walk-around video when I arrived home. I wanted to show some of the small “imperfections” I mentioned in the description, so please do check out the video. I also included a clip of me starting up the vehicle (from a hot start). As mentioned before, sometimes it takes a slightly longer crank (6–8 seconds), other times it fires up instantly like this time. Not sure why, but it’s always consistent in running perfectly once started. The vehicle will be going to the shop soon for a few final touch-ups to get it as perfect as possible for the new owner! Just a couple of minor details inside and out that I wanted to make even better. Don’t get me wrong, this car is an absolute beauty. If I could improve one thing, it would simply be taking the paint job that extra step closer to perfection. The finish still looks fantastic overall, I’m just a perfectionist, and the tiniest details stand out to me. In the video, I highlighted what I mean; minor dust specks and a bit of what’s called “tigering” in certain light. It’s easily 98% there. ^which is why it’s getting touched up and get it the best I can! @clayman clear photos are uploaded, plz go have a look.An additional video and 4 photos have been added to the gallery.@GodFather - check the spam folder? Otherwise its my handle at gmail@SwissBliss Thanks for the note and, to clarify, I was in no way commenting on the seller's auction. My numbers are fine + validated (I'm doing a Koenig widebody build myself), but I understand how you're approaching $200K (you neglected to mention the big one, M120 from Gooichi, in the original post). I'm close to having everything done (all professionally installed but w/o the M120, manual swap, and audio upgrades) and am coming in right at $95K. @GodFather - thanks for following-up on the tariff question. Glad to hear it's just the 2.5%!@bigchachu Good question. Take a look at your estimates, even those 4 items put you at 65k out the gate, not including car. Keep in mind prices are always subject to change, especially in todays inflationary environment (buy Bitcoin) - and in my case, everything professionally done, if you have a shop/are in the industry and/or do the work yourself, you can save significantly. A huge difference at the end of the day if you are paying retail for all parts and labor, in my case, doing all R&D in house. So...how do you get to 200k, done right, and how am I (and others, to likely include Amrit / @seller) about halfway there? 140k mile 1989 Gen 2 SEC from BaT - 24k + shipping = 26k General Maintenance over 2 years - 19k Recaro CSEs = 4500 + 1500 international shipping = 6k Audio System and Interior Refresh (Starlight Alcantara Headliner, New Woodgrain, Moon roof, etc.) = 40k Wheels 4k + 1k International Shipping = 5k Air Ride System 4k + 2k Install = 6k 102k and still going. Still another 40k-65k+ for the tuned M120 V12 from Gooichi Motors 5k for 6 speed manual 10k AT LEAST for Install labor, dyno, tuning 10k for widebody kit + install 10-20k for paint 5k for new widebody rims 5k for Big Brake kit 5k for structural reinforcements That is 95k right there Estimate of 200k leaves 3k for overages . Which is what I was getting at before when I asked why sell and how you can't really make money if you do it right (unless you are in the league of the Bespoke guys - https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-mercedes-benz-560sec-57/ - which I am trying very hard to one-up with my build) Anyway, I don't want to hijack this thread anymore than I already have, please note that I provide this info in full support of the seller and potential buyer -- once this eclipses 6 figures, continue to bid with confidence knowing that it is much more expensive to build than purchase this one that properly sorted. I can't imagine where I would be, in life, love, career, and state of the build -- had this been available for purchase when I was just starting out. Whoever takes this home will be a very, very happy man. The best, or nothing. Daily drive her.@hobbsm3 Hi hobs, for some reason I’m not receiving anything. Is there any other way you can send me an email?@ClayMan will be uploaded soon. Definitely not rust.Message sentThanks for taking the pics. Regarding the passenger door jamb I wanted to see the bottom rear edge of the door, where the factory chassis, widebody and lower trim pieces meet. It looks like there's something there but not sure if it's dirty, rust or something else. Hard to describe with words, basically the bottom of the red box in this photo: https://scopione.com/wp-content/uploads/mclaren-720s-carbon-fiber-door-jam-jamb-panels-by-scopione-12.jpg@bigchachu yes the full import fee will be paid by me. Only 2.5% tarrifs at the moment! Which I have covered. Bid with confidence🚨🚨 NO TARRIFS 🚨🚨 All US bidders, I have confirmed by going to the US border that the tarrifs are indeed only 2.5% as of RIGHT NOW. So I will be paying for that. YOU WILL PAY 0% additional charges. All bidders will be paying for this Vehicle, MBMARKET fees + shipping. Together we will figure everything out and it will be a smooth process. Thank you all. PS. Took about 2 hours at the border and many CBP officers passing me around until I was finally sent to the commercial section where they do the vehicle imports. That is when they found code “HTSUS 9903.94.04” which states the “classic car exemption” because it’s 25 years and older. So in that case, happy bidding! No worries about additional charges now, it’s all taken care of!!! Once again, 🚨NO TARRIFS 🚨@bigchachu I just gave PCB a reminder again, I really wanted to confirm weather it was 2.5% or 15%. They originally told me 2.5% but I have told them to double check. I am waiting on their reply. Regardless, I will cover the 2.5%. If by chance the tariffs are 15% depending on price I could cover it. However I understand that doesn’t help much. I really can’t answer until I get a definitive answer on how much the tariffs are. - I will help the buyer as much as I can.@ClayMan photos have been uploaded.Sorry if I missed this, but will you cover the full import fee (15%) or just the 2.5%?Additional photos have been added to the gallery.$34,500 bid placed by @Ali63
Hi all, happy thanksgiving to all those in Canada! Just re-watched the YouTube video and it’s just mind blowing. If you have not, please go watch the “4K 560SEC AMG WIDEBODY TRIBUTE” video. It is truly astonishing. Enjoy!@guruog hi I am no MB expert. I did get a quote here local for a full Napa leather with a new floor aswell. So the full 9 yards. Came to roughly $25,000 cad / $18,000 usd. This is including everything with dash.I can't get past how gorgeous she looks! Great work with the wide body kit. To the vintage MB experts, how pricey would an interior rejuvenation be?...Especially the leather.$34,000 bid placed by @Lakers24
$29,500 bid placed by @Ali63
@GodFather The door panel pieces are incorrect, look at gap on front portion of trim. Easy fix, assuming they are from sedan.Bid with confidence. I will help you as much as possible. With the vehicle itself and sale. If there are any changes you need with the car, I will try my best to accommodate them.@Ali63 hi, sorry what do you mean? The wood grain is ZEBRANO WOOD TRIM. Center console is still burlwood. I think for the sale I can and will find a ZEBRANO center console aswell in good condition to complete the interior. I will also be doing some more finishing up touches to get it as perfect as possible.@ClayMan hi. Yes, photos are taken and sent to @thembmarket. Will be uploaded soon. Anything you want to see particularly? The kit is Fiberglass, custom made in Canada.$29,000 bid placed by @TuaLipa
$20,000 bid placed by @Superseller
@Godfather What is going on with the woodgrain? Are the door pieces from a sedan?Is this a AMG kit or a re-pop? I did not see any of the AMG stampings in the kit or in the photos. In one part of the ad you present as a "tribute" car, in another you talk of premerger AMG cars. Being a premerger car does not apply if this is a tribute car. If the kit and parts added are truly AMG then the premerger status would only apply. If the parts are re-pops then the premerger discussion goes out the door.https://www.benzworld.org/threads/my-sec-widebody-build.3133919/#replies Build of this lovely carCan we get some closeups of the front fenders under the side markers and also the rear corner of the passenger door jamb (bottom left of photo 67 and 68)? Also do we know what kit this is, or at least the material? Thank you.@henryr front fenders are full replacements. Rear fenders are bonded to the factory steel body however, I believe the stock fenders underneath are cut accordingly.@henryr Hi Henry, I do see that. I believe that mount holds up the brake line. However the mount is still mounted but has a twist. Good catch, would need a new mount but not too big of a deal.how do the fiberglass fender kits work? they just are bonded to the stock steek fenders? hollow and sealed?pic 134 shows the rusty mount that has broken?$10,000 bid placed by @Ali63
@SwissBliss - I'm curious as to why your build is coming in around $200K. Per my math, assuming that the sub-100K mile donor was $30K-$35K, you're still under $100K. I assume there are significant engine mods you're contemplating? 4V conversion, M120, M113K, etc. etc, DMC Widebody Kit (the best available) - $15K Professional Installation - $15K Drive Quality Repaint - $20K Interior Upholstery in MB Tex - $15KOne more thing to note from the video that you cannot tell and I forgot to mention in the white up. When cold, car likes to me primed a few times before turning on. If just spun key without priming 2-3 times, it takes a longer crank. Just to note, not sure why, did lots of maintenance and never got to it since I always prime all my cars.@thembmarket thank you. YES! Please go watch the 4K video. It is beautiful!!! YOUTUBE VIDEO OUT@Avvocato posted few photos before and during conversion.@SwissBliss thank you for your comment. It really made me smile. Why sell “your best w126/c126” ? Great question, and there are 3 main reasons. Going in order, 1. Yes I already do daily drive my W126 560SEL. And this SEC bring a euro (fast) , coilover suspension (stiffer) I would consider my 560SEL more of a daily driver here in Vancouver BC (the roads are terrible aswell!) 2. I have another C126 560SEC euro widebody in the works, as I like to call “my SEC” because I intended on keeping it forever! 3. Market is at its highest it’s been. Although I think these things will never deprecate, I just think it’s the right time for me. Your SEC project seems amazing, I hope you finish it sooner rather than later! Yes it’s truly a roller coaster of emotions building these cars. Mentally and financially LOL. IYKYK Thank you for your comment I hope I answered your questions.$5,000 bid placed by @Bankrep40
Photos have been added to the gallery showing the car before and during the widebody conversion. The body work was performed between May-October 2024. Two videos have also been added to the listing.What a great 1st set of comments, this looks to be a very engaged and enthused seller, more great signs! I must ask, if you have had several w126s, and this is by far the best, why are you selling? With the market being the highest it has been for these things, is this a timing the market situation and you have another w126 to daily drive? We both know how legendary these cars are, but owning and daily driving one is an experience that is almost transcendental. Especially with the refreshed engine and suspension! Which makes the sale even more puzzling! I am also working my way to an AMG Tribute car. I went inside out like I do on all multi-year builds.... Audio->Interior->Engine->Exterior->Paint and am about 50% of the way there, just about finished with the interior stage, so it is about to be swap and paint time! So let me be the 1st to compliment you for being an inspiration for those of us mid-build. I would guesstimate there are less than 10 Tribute cars that are in the process of, and will eventually be, a fully-redone 'restomod' AMG tribute car. On the level of quality as this, 48hp/Henric's (of AMGClassic.com fame, he is the Tribute car OG!) build, or even further if the proper horsepower is added. My point is, while there are still a fair amount of SECs (likely thousands that driven at least 2x a month) on the road, with loving and enthusiastic owners, it is an extremely heavy undertaking to do a full restomod/AMG tribute car. The widebody parts alone are over 10k, and that doesn't even include install or the 10-20k paint job that is required to finish the build off. It is most certainly a labor of love, and *even* with prices where they are at today (still rising too -- a proper widebody car, even with a m117 engine, is a six figure/$100,000+ car) -- you are not likely to profit if done correctly like this example. I already have 6 figures into my car and will likely require another 100k to get her where I want her to be. I fantasize daily (with help from awesome owners and listings like these) about finally finishing the build, hitting that dyno and taking that first drive! Which makes me even more curious on the reasons for selling! Still, with all of the above said, any prospective buyer should bid with confidence--and while the price will be very high, I can assure you that it would cost much more, after you paid 20-30k for an appropriate condition base car, to build out to this spec. Throw labor costs in their, not to mention the months and possibly years (if you are anything like me!) it would take to get right, and this is simply a no-brainer if you can afford it. Sorry for going a little long, but this car deserves it. Bravo seller, and GLWA!@hobbsm3 i have called PCB and they have sent the admissibility check + tariff review. They will reply back as soon as tomorrow by end of day or early next week. Once I get that reply I can decide. At the moment, I am willing to help the US bidders as much as possible. The 2.5% is no problem, I will see what they say, and get you all a definite answer by early next week.$3,579 bid placed by @Lfuselier
@Godfather - those articles are from March and April 2025 and a lot has changed since then. I have used PCB as well. In April, there were no tariffs and there is one in place now. If the tariffs are in place, will you help cover that as well or just the 2.5%?“Proclamation 10908 (Adjusting Imports of Automobiles …) The official proclamation which imposes the extra tariff has been amended / interpreted (via an annex) to reflect the exemption for older vehicles. “ - https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/adjusting-imports-of-automobiles-and-autombile-parts-into-the-united-states/ “That annex indicates that there will be no additional 25% tariff added to the duty on passenger vehicles at least 25 years old.” - https://www.hemmings.com/stories/vehicles-25-years-and-older-exempted-from-new-u-s-automobile-tariffs/?utm_source=chatgpt.com@hobbsm3 @henryr interesting. PCB BROKERS told me the duty charges including all tariffs is 2.5% because of the “classic car” exemption. Also another factor is the origin is Japanese not Canadian. So I am almost certain if they said it is only 2.5% tariffs I believe it is. I will be taking care of that for the bidders.@hobbsm3 yes the suspension clunks are from the coilovers in the rear. The fitment was very tight so I believe there was no room to add the noise reduction pads that sit above or below the spring. Therefore you can here the spring compressing and expanding etc…@Godfather - beautiful tribute!! Can you explain the suspension clunks since the suspension was just redone? Some issue with the coil over? Also, as @henryr said - there is an additional tariff - I have a car awaiting import from Canada and was told 15% by border customsthere is either a 10 or 15% tariff@SwissBliss Hey! Thank you very much. Yes I loved the way it came out, almost perfect! Sounds good, I will try my best to answer all your questions! Good call! I should definitely have posted the thread. I do have a thread for this build, not too many details but you can see some cool stuff. Here’s the link - https://www.benzworld.org/threads/my-sec-widebody-build.3133919/?nested_view=1&sortby=oldest The bodykit + installation: From my understanding, the bodykit is BASED on a real kit which was then molded for Fiberglass kits. I believe it is NOT the duraflex kits, apparently it’s much “better”. I will get some more details and get all the uncertainties out within the next few days. It was installed by a private body shop on Vancouver. The owner of the shop also has a small coffee shop “BENZO CAFE” which is extremely cool, if you guys ever visit Vancouver check it out! If you have any specific questions plz ask so I can get some good answers from them.@Avvocato sounds good! I will add a few pics of the vehicle before anything and during the process with some shots in the sanding bay etc… will be added soon.@Megatron991 yes. Added afterwards. A tribute vehicle.🚨🚨 NO TARRIFS 🚨🚨 Hello everyone my name is Amrit, thank you for tuning in to my auction, After seeing everything listed above, you can imagine the level of care and attention this vehicle has received. The way it drives, feels, and looks tells the full story. Having owned multiple W126s over the years, I can confidently say this is the best of them all. Being a Euro model, it already has significant advantages but the combination of OEM+ upgrades and meticulous restoration takes it from feeling like a 40-year-old classic to something that drives like a new car. The adjustable coilovers (stiff when wanted, soft when needed) paired with the OEM anti-squat setup and all new bushings and ball joints make this car handle corners like a true modern sports coupe. I seriously cannot stress how “crazy” it feels. It feels so planted, and so fast. Once you drive you can really understand what I am saying, I did not know a C126 could ever feel so planted and quick. The engine, with its extensive rebuild, breathes through the legendary Euro Tri-Y headers and a full custom stainless steel exhaust system. The result (said to be around 310HP) is a powerful, refined V8 that truly transforms the driving experience. Fast, and agile which I know sounds weird but I’m not sure how this one feels so good. But then…. when the seatbelt presenters gracefully hand you your belt, you’re reminded that you’re sitting in a flagship S-Class coupe. 🚨 ATTENTION ALL USA BIDDERS 🚨 Importing this car is extremely easy. I can handle most of it if wanted. As you know from the listing, I will handle the 2.5% duty charges for the import. THERE ARE ZERO TARIFFS INVOLVED. I am already in contact with “PCB CUSTOMS BROKER” unless you want to use someone else. Please don’t let the importation scare you, it will be the easiest process you will go through and I will be there every step of the way, you won’t have to do anything. I will be replying extensively throughout the auction. And I will do my best. Good luck and let’s get it started!@seller - Amazing car, a damn near perfect tribute -- I will likely comment more throughout this auction, as will the SEC regulars (hey SlowNRusty!) but I would also love to pick your brain on some of the more aspects of the build - What is your BenzWorld username? With that being said, could we get some additional details on the body kit, specifically where was it sourced and where was it installed? That ducktail spoiler is *chef's kiss*Please post photos of the car BEFORE and DURING the wide body modifications. It would be nice to see the quality of the body and paint work and how much filler was used. Thank you.Gorgeous car! I see an AMG plaque on the dash, was that added afterwards since this is a "tribute" car, or was it originally an AMG that you added the bodykit to? It looks like everything has been done for this car GLWA!