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Atomic Blueberry - Anyone have info?

5K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  Ravi Singh 
#1 ·
I am chasing some info on the AMG 500SEL (Gen 1) that was affectionately dubbed 'The Atomic Blueberry' by some magazine back in the day.

It's the same car is my avatar- I just ripped the pic out of the AMG brochure.

Does anyone else have any info on this beast?
 
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#2 ·
I googled "atomic blueberry" mercedes and got 56 hits. This includes the 1984 AMG catalog, links to Benzworld discussions, and others. The name came from Car & Driver and info is there too.
 
#7 ·
thanks guys

another question:

were the AMG grilles painted black or were they body colour?

hard to tell in a lot of photos, and i have heard both. all the chrome is replaced with the satin black yeah?
 
#8 ·
It all could be done however you wanted it done. Generally, AMG would paint the grills and trim, but sometimes they'd paint body color and sometimes they'd paint black. I used to own a black w123 AMG that had all the chrome intact, and I still own a 500SL AMG that's completely black - so you just never know.
 
#9 ·
fair enough thanks mate.

i am thinking at this stage- dark charcoal/gunmetal with satin black trimming (grille, chrome etc) matching wheel centres (amg 3 piece deep dish buggers or pentas)

and custom flared guards (subtly bigger... photoshop soon)

still a few months off though :)

thanks
 
#10 ·
I am chasing some info on the AMG 500SEL (Gen 1) that was affectionately dubbed 'The Atomic Blueberry' by some magazine back in the day.

It's the same car is my avatar- I just ripped the pic out of the AMG broch
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ure.

Does anyone else have any info on this beast?
Bought it from a junk yard 5 years ago for $900 under restoration right now.
 
#14 ·
It the original atomic Blueberry me and my grandpa bought it from the junk yard and didn't touch it we just let sit at the shop since we were busy with his 1984 745i turbo and my 560sl. I took that picture a few months back at his mechanic who just finished pulling the frame and painting were waiting on a euro bumper and someother minor things. 83k miles blue velour interior. The shop is 4 hour drive from nyc so at the next visit I'll post a driving video. It's a very hot car.
 
#15 ·
What are your plans for the car?
 
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#19 ·
With a nod to tissues re the resistor mod & full agreement for a radiator replacement, I’d install a Gen 2 style 75 /79C thermostat… Run that up the flagpole as it were…..

Gen 1 is 84C I believe….. That does not give a lot of headroom really.
I put a 75 in my Gen 2 500 a few years ago & it was the first time I saw the temp gauge dropped below 100C.

It’s got a 79C installed for the last 4 years & I couldn’t be more pleased.

M
 
#21 ·
I have a 80° thermostat installed. Hopefully the fan clutch is bad. Or worse engine damage, maybe the previous owner drove it after the accident without coolant and blew a head gasket. There is no oil water mix or coolant oil mix. There is pressure building up in the tank but I assume that is just from overheating not exhaust gas.
 
#23 ·
Besides the fan clutch for the mechanical fan, there should be one or two electric fans also called auxiliary fans in front of your radiator. These usually only kick on when the AC is running or when the car is overheating. Often it will not work if your AC system doesn’t work.

They are controlled by resistors to turn on I think it 105°C, but you can use modified resistors to make them turn on at 90°C, there is a thread in this forum about it just search for resistors.

You say there’s pressure building up in the coolant tank , Buy a head gasket leak test kit on Amazon. If the fluid turns from blue to green or yellow, you have a head gasket leak
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