Description
This coupé was delivered new in France with 2 rare options: manual sunroof and hydraulic power steering. The standard leather interior, tan beige, has been finished in 2 colours: the dashboard and the top of the doors are in cognac leather. The original colour, Arabian grey 124, has been replaced by a two-tone colour, medium red 516 and ivory 618, in line with the colour chart of the time and better suited to the interior. The car has been fitted with the chrome mid-body and wheel arch trim of the prestige 300SE model. The seats are fitted with the original headrests (nackenrolle).
The seats are fitted with the original headrests (nackenrolle). Bought on wheels in 2007, I made it reliable enough to travel all over France until 2016, the start of a full 7-year restoration. Careful dismantling, with all the screws, lugs and brackets identified, for bi-chromating or zinc plating, depending on the original treatment. Sandblasting of bodywork inside and out, engine compartment, replacement of front crossmember and boot liners LH and RH, varnished paintwork inside and out, complete engine overhaul (de-icing, piston rings, crankshaft rectification, cylinder head and engine block facing, valve stem guides and seals, new water pump and oil pump), new clutch disc, overhauled dynamo and starter motor, overhauled and adjusted injection pump, 123 electronic ignition with new wiring harness, new battery, all joints and hoses replaced, new springs and shock absorbers, all front and rear silent blocks new, complete wiring harness re-sheathed and re-taken, front calipers renewed, new rear wheel cylinders, new leather interior and seats, burr walnut woodwork with mirror varnish, Becker Grand Prix car radio modernised with current FM and blue tooth, Hirschmann electric aerial.
Invoice file and photos of the restoration supplied. Engine tuned with gas analyser for acceleration to 30 kph in 4th gear, power and torque are well present. Technical inspection in May 2024 with no observations, then in April 2025 for sale, with no observations. Collector's registration. Cylinder head retightened at 500 km, 1400 km have been covered since new. The power steering makes this large car easy to drive, especially in roundabouts, and the Hydrovac brake assist is effective. The rebuilt running gear and seats provide perfect comfort and roadholding, and the Michelin X tyres are the original 7. 25 x 13.
