For $25,000, Watch This Escargot Topless

A stern appearance and imposing gravitas are qualities of Mercedes' W126 S-coupes. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe 560 SEC may be a little less funereal due to its convertible conversion, but will its price be largely sobering?

Large but seemingly not in charge was yesterday's freak show participant 6-wheel El Camino, which turned out to be a repeat offender. Its current fifteen hundred dollar asking price may have not required its purchaser be a California King, but despite that, its double long bed was considered by 62% of you to have been short sheeted in its execution and perhaps even ideation.

The ideation involved in the creation of Mercedes' W126 S-class goes all the way back to 1973. Driven by the '70s gas crisis, the cars were intended to outperform their predecessors in all ways, but especially fuel economy. Today's 1991 560 SEC isn't all the frugal, but more than makes up for potentially rapid tank emptying with interior sunlight filling, as it sports an aftermarket convertible top conversion.

Yes, I know we had a big Benz just a couple of days ago, but this one is equally unique and you just have to jump on these crazy trains when they come along. Arriving here in black over biscuit this 560 SEC has what is claimed to be a professionally built convertible conversion, and the pictures bear out that claim. The top looks to be power operated, and matches the original roofline allowing for the stock glass to be used all around with the exception of the back window, which now looks to be plastic. It also seems to be fully lined and drops almost flush with the beltline. The cherry on top of that top is the seller's claim that the current canvas is brand new.

Open up that top and the interior is your typical SEC – albeit just a lot more well illuminated during the daytime. That means acres of leather, a termite buffet on the dash and the world's most clean and sensible control layout. All that plus power windows (four of them) locks, brakes, steering and who knows what else coddle the driver in luxury, while each of the three passengers will feel equally well served in their individual buckets. A fun feature of the W126 coupes was the robot arm that offers up the seatbelt upon entry like your butler Geeves.

Geeves can do a lot of things, but motivating 3,550-lbs (probably more here) is not in his job description. For that duty, the 560 has – strangely enough – a 5.6-litre V8, which offers up 274-bhp. That may not seem like a lot, but remember these are MB ponies, so it's just as much how they are made as how many. The M117 SOHC engine has proven reliable and its 5,547-cc two-valve design also affords a healthy 340 lb-ft of twist. Hopefully the now open topped uni-body doesn't do so as well. The transmission is MB's 4-speed auto, the number of gears being one concession to this car's age. Another concession is the mileage, which is claimed to be 70K, but according to the ad is somewhat open to conjecture. You might wonder as well just how long this 560 has been on the market as the seller oddly says that he'll be done adding to those miles with test drives once the snow begins to fall. Has Utah suddenly migrated to the southern hemisphere? In fact the whole ad is a bit confusing other than the fact that what this car's owner really wants is some sort of truck.

But what about folks who are looking for some sort of big Benz coupe that lets them drop the top? This car's condition and uniqueness might just fit the bill. Of course it's up to you to decide if its $25,000 asking price is too big a bill.

You decide!

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