1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 108 Sedan 2.8L Fuel Injected - Exceptional Condition

Here up for bids on eBay is a 1971 Mercedes Benz 280SE 108 chassis, six cylinder fuel injected automobile in exceptional condition.

Paint is a stunning anthracite gray metallic #172, period correct for this model and year, and the body has no rust issues. The car was stripped to bare metal and repainted with a Glasurit clear coat system in 1988. The door, window and trunk seals were all replaced at the time, and a new windshield was installed. Since then the car has covered less than 25K miles, and has been garaged and covered when not being driven. The paint still looks fantastic and has excellent gloss and depth.

The trunk, the under carriage and engine bay are spotless and there is no rust in these areas.

Interior has the original seats and dash, which are in excellent condition. The MB Tex used by Mercedes for the seat covering is practically indestructible and looks great for many years when properly cared for (as this was). All the seats are still firm and comfortable, as when new. There are no tears or splits on any of the seats, the dash or other trim, except for a small crack in a trim piece at top of the driver's door (that has been repaired). Carpet was replaced and matches the original German multi loop. Wood dash and trim were refinished by Heritage Woodworks in western North Carolina. The original headliner looks nice, but does have light stains in places. All of the controls and lights function properly, including the clock, the Becker Europa radio, power windows, air conditioning and the multi speed heater blower. Note the four heater levers in the dash have been replaced with Dura Levers, given the Mercedes OEM rubber levers tend to brittle and break over time.

The major mechanical components, including the engine, transmission, suspension and exhaust have been rebuilt or replaced. The car drives wonderfully and has that solid "Mercedes" feel to it. The engine revs nicely and the automatic transmission shifts precisely. The rear axle has the correct hydropneumatic compensating unit on it to maintain vehicle level and rear wheel camber, which is something you rarely see these days. Most owners simply install a spring when the hydropneumatic unit fails, due to the high cost involved in replacement.

All receipts and routine maintenance work have been meticulously documented since I've owned the car, and are contained in a massive binder that will go to the new owner, along with the owner's manuals and the 3 sets of keys that came with the car originally.

All the fluids have been replaced recently and a new set of Michelin tires were installed this past October. The car is ready to be picked up and driven anywhere!

Please take a look at the photos and additional details below. Forthe complete set ofphotos, that are higher resolution, please copy and pastefollowing Flickr link into your web browser and look at the slide show. I'm providing this link because eBay only allows up to 24 photos, which really isn't enough to do this car justice.

https://www.flickr.com/groups/2687113@N22/pool/

The paint finish is near flawless; there are a few minor scratches I've had to touch up over the years and a few minor imperfections from the repaint that are only noticeable if examined closely. Note the color was changed when car was repainted; from #173 anthracite gray to #172 anthracite gray metallic. As noted above, #172 is period correct for this car and quite frankly suits the car much better. The repaint was done by a shop that specializes in Mercedes and no expense was spared.For example, fender edges surrounding the wheel wells have the original style "rock guard" rubberized base under the finished paint, as do the rocker panels. The engine compartment was repainted to #172 when the engine was removed for rebuild in late 2002. Not only were the engine and transmission removed, but all the mechanical components and the wiring harness within the engine compartment were removed to allow for proper preparation and painting.

The body is straight, panel gaps are good, though the hood to fender gaps are slightly wider than those on rest of the car. All the correct trim pieces are in place.

A significant portion of the exterior chrome trim has either been replaced or re-plated to like new condition. The "chromed" aluminum window trim was not re-plated, however is in good overall condition.

When the body was completely stripped for the repaint, I noted minor repair work (body filler) on a small area of the left front quarter panel, near the driver's door and also on the rear near the gas filler door. Otherwise the bare body was in excellent condition. My father recalls the car being in only onenoteworthy accident. The car was hit from the left by another car at an intersection, and bothfront fenders were replaced. There was no damage to the frame or other components. But the accident caused a slight dent in the sheet metal directly behind the rear edge of the hood on the driver side, which was not repaired due to the complexity involved. This dent is only noticeable if you're looking for it, though I have included a photo of it, and also of the passenger side area for comparison (note the original Hirschmann antenna in the photo).

I covered the interior in some detail above, and I think the photos showcase it's outstanding condition (please see the Flickr site). Note the original Kangol seat belts, front and back, in excellent condition.

The engine was completely disassembled and rebuilt approximately 17K miles ago. The plated components were either replaced or were re-plated using the zinc dichromate process, to replicate the original cadmium finish. The block was repainted with a heat resistant two part epoxy that will look great for years to come. If you look closely at the photos, you may notice the original "transistorized" ignition system that is fully functional on this car, as are all the other engine related controls. The fuel injection pump was rebuilt and recalibrated by Pacific Fuel Injection. The engine idles and accelerates well with no smoke or excessive oil consumption. Cylinder compression is well within factory spec.

The suspension was also rebuilt approximately 17K miles ago. The photos show the completed front suspension ready to be installed back into the car. You may note the original spring "grading" marks if you look closely, along with the factory inspection marks reproduced on various fasteners here, as well as the rest of the car.

The automatic transmission was rebuilt just over 25K miles ago. It shifts precisely, and the "kick down" functions correctly (when the accelerator is pushed to the floor, the kick down switch drops the transmission to a lower gear for quick acceleration). The transmission was re-sealed when it was out for the engine rebuild.

The trunk contains the original tool kit and jack, along with a more recent spare tire. The correct rubber mat and all the original black "bitumen"side panels are in place. A number of years ago I treated the trunk wells with Wurth Rust Guard after I noticed some rust was starting in these areas (no rust through, just minor surface rust).

The under carriage is all original with no signs of damage or repairs. The original factory applied under coating is still in place. Wheel wells are in great shape.

After thoroughly examining and cleaning all the cars "nooks and crannies" over the years, I can confidently say the car is rust free. If I saw any rust starting, like in the trunk wells, I treated it. In some areas that are susceptible to rust, like inside of the doors, I cleaned and sprayed body wax as a preventative.The only "serious" rust found on the vehicle was a small hole through floor at right front end of passenger wheel well, due to an air conditioning condensate leak. The rust was cut out, surrounding area was treated with a rust converter and the hole was repaired with an epoxy fiberglass patch.

All the original owner's manuals come with the car, the factory data cards and also the owner's metal information plate (please see the Flickr site). I'm also including an original dealer's parts book for the chassis, and a reproduction parts book for the engine.

I've done the best I can to provide an honest assessment of this vehicle's condition.You and/or your representative are welcome to inspect the car in person before the close of auction.I can be reached via email message through eBay to set an appointment.

Happy bidding !

About this auction:
Sale of this vehicle is only within the United States; no foreign bids please. This auction process is a legally binding contract into which you enter when you click "confirm" on your bid. Please have finances in order before you decide to bid and please ask all questions before you decide to bid. Basically, please only bid if you are ready to purchase this car.Car is sold as-is with no warranties express or implied. Any disputes regarding the sale of this vehicle shall be resolved through binding arbitration exclusively in Wake County, North Carolina under applicable state laws.By bidding you agree to these terms.

Acceptable payment methods are wire transfer, certified cashier's check or cash (in person). Please note that the title will not be signed over, and the car will not be picked up until the full balance of payment is confirmed deposited in my bank account. Keep in mind that acashier's check may take several days to clear.