This 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC 6.0 AMG Widebody was first registered in Westmont, Illinois where it was modified by then-independent tuner AMG. It later traded hands through Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories, AMG's licensed West Coast distributor, in California and the car was acquired by the seller in 2015. The car is finished in Black (040) over Anthracite (271) leather and features an authentic AMG widebody kit installed when new by AMG North America. The engine was reportedly upgraded to AMG’s DOHC 6.0L version of the M117 V8 and has since been converted back to the SOHC heads along with a top end engine rebuild according to the seller and accompanying receipts. Equipment includes fog lights, a sunroof, a Pioneer head unit, cruise control, automatic climate control, power-adjustable heated front seats w/memory, and more. Maintenance in the last 3 years includes a transmission rebuild and suspension refresh, along with an extensive engine service in 2017. The odometer shows 127k miles but is being sold as TMU, true mileage unknown. This AMG widebody is now offered in California with the original owner’s manual, AMG literature, service records since 1997, a clean Carfax report, and a clean California title.
The body is finished in Black (040) with color-matched lower cladding, bumpers, and brightwork as part of the AMG treatment. This pillarless coupe also features fog lights, headlight washers, and an updated glass sunroof from a C140. The car features Euro headlights and full Euro Gen 1 AMG body kit which was reportedly installed by AMG when the widebody conversion was performed. The full widebody conversion consists of all metal fenders showing AMG stamps on the front, extended side skirts, lower cladding, and both bumpers. Notably, the front bumper features a front plate delete. A metal era-correct AMG and 6.0 badge are affixed to the trunk lid. The car originally had an AMG spoiler as well which was removed by the seller in 2016 when the car received a full repaint in the original color. Photos documenting the repaint can be seen in the gallery. The original metal sunroof was also repainted at the same time and will be included in the sale. A paint chip on the rear driver fender lip of the wheel well is noted by the seller. The car underwent a full paint correction and detail in preparation for the sale. The original Beverly Hills Motoring license plate frame and placard will also come with the car.
Original 16” AMG Penta wheels measuring 9” wide in the front and 10” wide in the rear are installed and were professionally refinished in 2016. The wheels are wrapped in BF-Goodrich G-Force tires measuring 245/50/16 front and 255/50/16 rear. Standard equipment included four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and rear self-leveling suspension. The rear accumulator was replaced in 2018 and in 2019, the car received new tie rods, front struts, and bushings.
The cabin features Anthracite (271) leather seating surfaces along with matching carpets and door panels. Amenities include heated power-adjustable front seats, dual-tone horn, automatic climate control, cruise control, a Pioneer head unit, and burl wood trim accenting the dashboard, center console, and doors. A leather-wrapped AMG steering wheel made by Momo is installed, and the headliner and seat belt retractors were replaced in January 2022. The original AMG floor mats are still with the car and will be included with the sale.
The leather-wrapped AMG steering wheel frames a 200-mph speedometer, 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 127k miles and the original AMG gauge overlays remain installed with some shrinkage showing around the lower corners of the speedometer. .
This 560SEC AMG reportedly features a SOHC 6.0-liter M117 V8 which is estimated to produce 360 horsepower. Under previous ownership, the 4-valve heads were swapped for 2-valve heads and AMG cams by Bruce Strauss Auto Care in 2000. The engine bay still shows the modified firewall and battery tray further indicating the 4-valve DOHC heads were previously installed. AMG literature accompanies the car including a manual specific to the M117-4v engine. Since then, extensive engine maintenance has been performed and the car now has factory ECE cams and original 560SEC heads which were ported and polished to 2-valve 6.0 specs. Notable service records indicate the following:
The Carfax report shows no accidents or damage since new along with registration history in Illinois, Texas, and California. An odometer discrepancy is noted from the last reported mileage reading to the current odometer and the car is being sold as TMU, true mileage unknown. This AMG widebody is now offered in California with a 2023 CA registration sticker, the original owner’s manual, AMG literature, service records since 1997, a clean Carfax report, and a clean California title.
A walk around video and driving footage of the car has been provided below.
The MB Market is proud to offer the incredible opportunity to acquire this authentic C126 AMG Widebody. At the time the car was built, AMG was still an independent tuning company separate from Mercedes-Benz. This particular car was built by AMG North America in Westmont, IL during an era when, infamously, “The only limitation on what could be done to your Mercedes-Benz was the size of your bank account”. Cosmetically, there were endless available modifications from interior bits to exterior body kits and wheels. Additionally, AMG offered a wealth of performance upgrades from something as simple as suspension and exhaust mods, to a bored out 6.0L DOHC M117 engine. As the majority of AMG North American-built cars were, this SEC traded hands through Andy Cohen of Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories and still retains the era-correct Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories (BHMA) license plate frame on the rear of the car, along with a separate BHMA plate. While there aren’t official records for the total number of SEC Widebody conversions built by AMG, it’s certain that these cars are extremely scarce and finding a genuine Westmont-built example is very special to say the least.
There’s no question that the most desirable engine to have in one of these cars is the 4-valve DOHC 6.0 M117 V8. For that reason, values can soar well into the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on documentation, condition, and mileage. While these engines are true pieces of art all on their own, they also came with their own specific issues which made the experience of living with one from day to day a bit challenging. Their primary weakness was excessive leaking due to the sand cast heads which were rough and porous. For this reason, some engines were converted back to a 2-valve set up. Such is the case for this 6.0 widebody. This allowed owners to drive these cars more reliably without sacrificing much of the extra power, and aside from parts being more accessible, they also didn’t always require a specialist mechanic or tools to perform maintenance.
So what do you do with a genuine, steel-fendered 560SEC 6.0 AMG Widebody built in Westmont, IL by AMG North America, originally with a DOHC 6.0 and now a SOHC, that’s traded hands through Beverly Hills Motoring, and shows high mileage but extensive documented service history…? You drive it. Guilt-free, no worries, just pure bliss knowing that this car is more than just a car. It’s a piece of AMG history and will always be held as an idol among the enthusiast car culture.
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35 Comments
Hey there @ariotofmyown hoping this message gets to you. Would you have any interest in selling this car?Congratulations @ariotofmyown ... Well bought. Look forward to connecting with you Best, M@ProdigalPetrolHead Thank you!Congrats @ariotofmyownCongrats Beautiful car@heyedweirdo I mean, it wasn't $12k ;)stolen$100,000 bid placed by @ariotofmyown
$99,000 bid placed by @Ghost
4-5 bidders maybe still in the ring, let's go boys. Don't let this one go to someone elseI know this car and have seen it in person along with following along with its history. No stories. It is true to how it has been described$98,500 bid placed by @rockingchairmoto
$98,000 bid placed by @ariotofmyown
$97,500 bid placed by @abnormal
Seems like a good deal especially compared to this: https://thembmarket.com/1988-mercedes-benz-6-0-amg-hammer-coupe$97,000 bid placed by @ariotofmyown
$96,500 bid placed by @rockingchairmoto
$96,000 bid placed by @ariotofmyown
$95,500 bid placed by @AZMG
$95,000 bid placed by @rockingchairmoto
$94,500 bid placed by @ariotofmyown
$94,000 bid placed by @rockingchairmoto
$93,500 bid placed by @abnormal
$93,000 bid placed by @Bennington
$92,500 bid placed by @abnormal
@ T8KC....Please elaborate upon any of "the stories" you may know about this particular car. These type of posts do nothing to advance the true history of this car....unless you can and are willing to fill in the details. Thank you$91,500 bid placed by @AZMG
$91,000 bid placed by @Ghost
$90,000 bid placed by @rockingchairmoto
$85,500 bid placed by @AZMG
$85,000 bid placed by @Bennington
Will see new record@blueridgemb Pic 125 can you tell if this is a Gleason Torsen unit?This car has a lot of "stories" which doesn't help the value. I doubt the 360 HP number and would like to know if the engine passes the California emissions test which is also doubtful.$82,000 bid placed by @Ghost
$80,000 bid placed by @abnormal
Definitely the car Darth Vader would drive.$60,000 bid placed by @LuckysDad
Jono stop teasing. Go one about that 6.6 u speak of@benzgarden quad cams are the most Fun...:) Had the pleasure of experiencing our first 6.6L version here recently. That was entertaining esp w/ a 3.27 in the rear. Fellow was feeling frisky when he ordered this one! GLWTA, bringing these cars Back is a major ($$$$$) endeavour, someone will do Quite Well here:)Great looking car. Interesting without the rear decklid spoiler. One other thing about the DOHC heads leaking is that there were many parts and sealing surfaces. They are not just a head and valve cover. I would also agree that the SOHC motor is the more practical choice, but I can't help but wonder about where those 4V heads ended up.@benzgarden how many have u had a chance to drive... Lucky kinda@AMG5pt4 Yup. I used Cometic gaskets when the top end was rebuilt.Supply of head gaskets are not an issue - Cometic has the M117 template and has made 99mm bore gaskets for me and I know for a fact they make 100 and 101mm gaskets for the M117 engine.Yes, the 32v heads are known to be a little weak on the castings and leaks are not infrequent. The center recessed spark plugs are also a known area for oil to accumulate. The Gen I widebody fenders were all fiberglass, like my Affalterbach car. AMG changed to rear steel flares for Gen II widebody kits - exact date is not known. The five spoke wheels are considered Gen I wheels, but AMG N America (Chicago) was known to use the five spoke wheels on Gen II widebodies. I know of at least one other. These Gen I wheels are much better looking that the OZ Racing 3 piece wheels, IMO, and do not suffer the cracking the OZ wheels are known for. As to the extended door wood - that was a customer preference. If the customer wanted to spend the $$ for extended wood on the door panels, they chose that option. These were very a la carte. This car may have had the AMG suspension (special Bilstein shocks). Shocks are a wear item and most people tossed them when they wore out. It happens. This is a legit AMG WB created by AMG N America. I will say the craftsmanship of the N America widebody SECs was much better than what came out of Germany. All authentic widebody SECs are unique in some manner. This car is no different.Is that really amg Speedo ? I never knew they offered all metal Fenders with that kit . I am aware they switched to metal rear ones in 88 or so ? Whey would u go from DOCH TO SOCH ? . I was also under impression those wheels came on Gen 1 cars ? Didn’t amg door wood parts were extended on amg 560 cars ? What happend to amg suspention ?$58,000 bid placed by @russian007am
Every time I drive my car with DOHC heads I’m terrified of blowing the head gaskets. It takes away from enjoying the drive. I’m watching the temp gauge more than the road. The DOHC heads are awesome to show off at cars and coffee. Majority of the people have no idea about the modification and could care less. It does let me flex and feel good.known issue apparently, good luck finding new gaskets if needed@sirmathrocks Their primary weakness was excessive leaking due to the sand cast heads which were rough and porous. Hmm never heard this before. The material of the heads could be on the outside rough but the cast itself is homogeneous and not porous. The surfaces are planned, machined and installed with a gasket?@AMG5pt4 Hey Al, Nice to hear from you. I hope you're doing well. I look forward to seeing your '85 sometime soon. To answer your question -- Yes, I measured. 100mm.Mark - didn't see your Seller name - sorry for not noticing! GLWTA - still working on my 85 WB restoration. Love the front license plate delete panel - ultra rare. I have one as well.Car is a little mis-matched as to years of components. Wheels are Gen I widebody vs the Gen II 3-piece OZ racing wheels (although I much prefer the much better looking Gen I wheels). The interior looks to be a swap in from an 89-91 SEC - at least the seats, door panels and rear side panels. The engine was 95% certain a DOHC engine at one time - the giveaway is the R107 SL oil filter housing swapped onto the engine in place of the W126 oil filter housing. Because of clearance issues with the quad cam heads, the W126 oil filter housing wouldn't work on the 32v engines- the 107 housing points downward. Mark - when the heads were off, did you measure cylinder diameters to see if the car is/was a 6.0L? The 6.0L cylinder bores were 100mm.@sirmathrocks There’s no question that the most desirable engine to have in one of these cars is the 4-valve DOHC 6.0 M117 V8. For that reason, values can soar well into the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on documentation, condition, and mileage. While these engines are true pieces of art all on their own, they also came with their own specific issues which made the experience of living with one from day to day a bit challenging. Their primary weakness was excessive leaking due to the sand cast heads which were rough and porous. For this reason, some engines were converted back to a 2-valve set up. Such is the case for this 6.0 widebody. This allowed owners to drive these cars more reliably without sacrificing much of the extra power, and aside from parts being more accessible, they also didn’t always require a specialist mechanic or tools to perform maintenance.$57,500 bid placed by @LuckysDad
What is the story regarding the conversion from dohc to sohc. Why would anyone want to do this?$55,555 bid placed by @PCM1
@ItWillPass That's a different car you're thinking of. @Pizdets4u Add this one to the collection!WAsn't this for sale recently or the subject of a Vinwiki video? A bit confused since don't remember clearly.@Pizdets4u Same here, this must be the most sinister Benz ever built. Amazing presentation and best of luck in the auction!$20,000 bid placed by @Enzoturbo
Why can’t my poor wallet catch a break! After this I’m going to need rehab, therapy, and a bigger garage 🫠$15,000 bid placed by @LuckysDad
$10,000 bid placed by @Enzoturbo
$5,000 bid placed by @LaVoiture