I just happened upon this thread and couldn't resist putting my 2¢ in. As of today (11/28) this car is still listed on eBay. Guess they haven't found the right sucker yet.
First, as others have pointed out, there is no way this has only 115K miles. As to the speedo being replaced,
AFAIK, the '82 models only had them going up to 85MPH, not the 120MPH shown. However, there are some other things I noticed, which can apply to anyone looking to buy a W126. Here are some of the wear indicators:
- Excessive wear on instruments. The hazard switch has the triangle rubbed off. Could it be from having the hazard lights on whilst pulled over due to mechanical failure? The turn signal switch likewise has the graphics rubbed off. The window switches all have the characteristic "white dot" that usually only shows up in the driver's window switch. The only reason one would every put down all four windows is if the A/C stopped working. Don't ask how I know ...
- Interior trim breakdowns. Notice how the back of the wood shift console is sticking up? That's a sure telltale the plastic crossmember under which it should be hooked has broken, and happens when some gorilla of a mechanic pulls it out. Why it would need to be done on a "115K" mile car is beyond me. I like how they also filled in the giant crack in the dash, just to the right of the instrument cluster.
- Wear and tear inconsistent with low miles. Look at how dirty everything is, especially in the carpeting in the driver's area. But also, it's filthy around the back seat, indicating lots of passengers. Also, they apparently changed out some of it because the "new" stuff is less faded than the other. While the crumpled window trim is normal for the pre-86 vehicles, it's usually found on ones with 200K + miles. The passenger seat also has significant wear on it, even more than the driver's seat. Weird.
- Outside trim. The rocker panels are warped, and painted the wrong color (they were never black, just tones of grey or beige - see below). The taillights have been cursorily cleaned. The paint is obviously brand new, probably the $99 Earl Scheib special. The euro headlights are clouded - either purchased very used or purchased new with years of service.
The conversion itself is a joke. Electrically heated coolant and WVO? I didn't see anything at the Goldenrod filter, which I know not to be heated. Of course, there were all those mystery lines in the engine compartment. The deficiencies there speak for themselves and have been spoken for in previous posts.
My bottom line? This is obviously a car that had a hard life and the guy is putting lipstick on a pig. Even without all the conversions, I wouldn't care to purchase this vehicle. Either it has 115K really hard miles on it, or it has some undetermined amount. It's amazing how much this car tells its story with just some careful observation from the photographs. If this is "professionally restored", I would fire the so-called professional. Caveat Emptor.
Casey