Hi everyone, it is indeed a car that we've had an involvement with. You only need to look at the precise fitting of the driver's seat - I am talking about the neat fit (without creases) of the side panel.
This car would never come up for sale if it weren't for the present economic conditions. We've not seen the car for about two years at least but I know that it has been well looked after. The owner is quite fastidious.
It's easy to state that "a 6.9 has had too much money spent on it". That may well be so, but in the long run it is up to the owner of the car to decide on the standard and extent of preparation and restoration he/she is looking and prepared to pay for.For instance, the man did not have to purchase the 15" Bundts, but for the real enthusiast, those and the appropriate AMG rims are the only ones to fit to a car like this....and they don't come cheaply !
How much for a complete interior - there was not a great deal wrong with the original tobacco coloured cloth seats, except it was "very dark" and frankly not that attractive. The owner wanted leather, and we changed the whole interior to mahogany - it's just a matter of looking at the pics. and see the choice of colour - in my view, quite magnificent.
BTW WGB, the alternator is an original 6.9 unit, but the steering wheel (as you quite rightly point out), is off a 126 - it was almost new, and obtained at a fair price. It was meant to serve as a 'stop gap' measure pending purchase of a more correct and/or desirable wood/leather unit. You're looking at an extra, say, $800.00 and yes, you'd never get that back when selling the car.
So, let's not be too hard on the owner and the car - believe me, it is in extraordinary condition and would not be on the market under normal circumstances. Regards Styria
