What have James Hunt, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna got in common?

The obvious answer, of course, is that they were all Formula One drivers but, in addition to that, the three of them all owned the same type of road car. That car was the Mercedes-Benz SEC, or C126 to give it its code name.

In the 1980s, nothing came close to the SEC for its combination of performance and luxury, making it a highly desirable status symbol that was one of the most cherished cars of the decade that it was gave shoulder pads, yuppies, Dallas and Dynasty.

Today, the C126 is a still-classy reminder of those upwardly mobile days and comes from an era of Mercedes-Benz history that’s rapidly gaining in popularity. The V8-powered 500 models in particular have a strong following, so when the vendor discovered this car in long-term storage earlier this year, he made it his mission to put it back on the road.

First registered in November 1984, this car has a fascinating history having been originally owned by Joseph Cyril Bamford, the founder of JCB excavators and a man who was well-known for his love of cars. 

It is quite an early SEC but at some point it has seen a few additions from later facelift cars including plastic body trims and the gorgeous AMG Aero alloy wheels, which are a particularly desirable and sought-after feature.

The car was last used on the road in 2011 before being put into storage in a lockup in Surrey. The vendor discovered it when looking for some parts for his other SEC, as it was originally advertised for sale as a non-running parts car. He agreed to buy the whole thing rather than just the parts he required, and he's glad that he did because when the car was delivered to him in London it soon became apparent that it was far better than expected.

The running fault turned out to be a dodgy immobiliser, now sorted, and hours of cleaning work brought it back to the condition in which you see it now. It's not perfect, nor does the owner pretend it is, but it appears remarkably solid and presentable and will be sold with a new MOT.

The SEC comes with a comprehensive service history from the mid-1980s right up until it was taken off the road in 2011, including a period where it was registered as ‘ACE 78’. The vehicle's first registration was in fact CAS1H. The history is substantial with over 60 separate invoices.

These include a number of bills from Tony Purslow – a high-end Mercedes-Benz specialist – including one for all of the belts and pulleys and another for a complete brake and suspension overhaul. The history file is vast and includes many bills running into four figures even in the 1990s, showing the level of care and attention this car has received in the past. 

It will be sold with the UK V5 and a new MOT. 

Finished in smart navy blue, the SEC has a fairly reserved appearance and certainly isn't over flashy, despite its obvious bulk.

It looks terrific, especially when you consider that the vast majority of it still wears its original 38-year-old paint.

There are a couple of areas that will require minor attention, though. There's some bubbles of rust on the end of the bonnet up of the near side headlight and some very light corrosion on one rear arch. The back ends of both sills have seen welded repairs but these are very smart and well-integrated, and there's some light deterioration to the paint work on both the roof and the boot lid. 

As part of the cars recommissioning process, the vendor has had the underside cleaned up and undersealed. He reports that it is in solid order.

There are a couple of areas of brightwork around the windows that show signs of age but these are by no means major, and the rear windscreen has gone a little milky at the bottom right hand corner.

Overall, it's a car that is by no means immaculate, but it is very original and it looks fantastic especially in this colour scheme. With a small amount of investment, it could be made to be an absolutely beautiful example.

Although his covered a reasonable mileage, this SEC best testament to the impeccable build quality of Mercedes cars of its era aside from a little bit of bolster wear and two small areas of damage to the tan leather come out the cabin is remarkably smart and presentable.

The original carpets are in excellent order and the vendor has sourced a set of genuine floor mats and boot mats for the car.

All of the trim, switches and controls are present and correct the vendor says he isn't aware of anything on the car that doesn't work.

The 5.0-litre V8 Is a Mercedes-Benz stalwart found in many models of the era including the S-Class saloon and the SL sports car.

It's an old school and traditional unit that can trace its roots back to the Sixties, but that's no bad thing. The low-revving V8 is renowned for its longevity and reliability, so although it has covered over 220,000 miles, there should still be plenty of life left in it.

As part of its recommissioning, the immobiliser fault was rectified and the Mercedes given a general service. However, as it has been off the road for quite a while the new owner would be advised to give it a thorough check-over themselves before using it in anger.

This is a wonderfully complete, straight and visually solid example of an increasingly rare and desirable 1980s classic coupe.

It is in smart and handsome condition overall and while there are a couple of cosmetic areas for the next owner to focus on, as it stands it's a remarkable survivor in fine order, in a great colour, with the best engine and lots of early example appeal.

Whoever takes it on will have a fundamentally sound and complete car with a fascinating history, that they can enjoy whilst gradually improving. It looks fantastic and has huge potential.