1972 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series

Sedan

4.5 L V8

Automatic

0905712001154

Clear

Gasoline

HERE IS A QUESTION FROM AN INTERESTED PARTY THAT I FORGOT TO POST: The air suspension has three settings controlled from the driver's side. I liked the mid setting that you see in the photo. It can go lower or higher depending on the ride that's favored and weight in the rear of the car. Replacing the suspension was expensive. Most of these cars have gone through a shock absorber conversion (so watch out if looking for original engineering). The conversion is half or less of the $5,000+ of rebuilding and replacing the bellows, compressor, etc. After being stored for so long many of the rubber parts and the suspension required restoration. This included a complete rebuild to the double level distributer controlling the injection system. For the original vehicle the engineering was quite unique. Most, as said, have replaced systems such as the distributor with short cut parts, e.g. alternators. My garage did all of the work in Ohio and has complete records. The color is to the original code posted on the door but is a respray. Again, Sitting uncovered in a garage for decades wasn't kind to the paint. I've had the car for about a year and enjoyed it a lot. But having just purchased two other vehicles something has to go. Thanks for your interest. This is one classy car....all original with super low mileage (under 50,000 and only 23,000 on the clock). I have more photos of the engine etc. that can be sent to you. It was completely freshened from a collection in Texas (thus the low mileage). The collector died and the car was purchased by me. The air suspension is all new (you have three levels of firmness and height adjustment) along with many hoses and electrical details. I've spent over $8,000 + the cost of the car and shipping to Ohio. It runs like new and is a real head turner. The reserve is low for the rarity and collector condition of the auto. This model is the last of the hand built MBZ from Stuttgart. From the rear seat reading lights to the cavernous trunk, the car it pure German engineering. Restoration (as described above) began when I purchased the vehicle. Being stored for decades isn’t the greatest thing to do to a collector car. It has new brakes, tires, air suspension system (NEW), new hoses, full check of the engine with calibration of items such as the fuel injector system and electrical system. The list goes on and on. The MBZ drives very smooth and draws crowd attention whenever it’s seen. It has been covered and garaged with only occasional special drives. The photos don’t do this rare vehicle justice. Elegant in every way with rear reading lights, full A/C, power steering, power windows, wood trim throughout, comfortable seating, leather interior upholstery, etc. The car is all original with the special 4.5 L high power engine. Although original parts are plentiful, few 1972 MBZ 300 SELs in mint condition survive. This is particularly the case with such low mileage and stellar look. The repaint is excellent and in keeping with the original color scheme. The original owners manual, books, tools, and spare tire are with the car. Striking from the rear seat reading lights to the cavernous trunk, the car it pure German engineering. I have more photos of the car and would be open to answering any questions. The car is also available for private sale in my area. Here’s more about the SEL300 from a reviewer along with some interesting sources. That said, all you really need to know is this: in 1972, the engine swapping came to a head. That year, Stuttgart gifted the short-wheelbase, four-door W108 with V-8 power - a 230-hp, 4.5-liter unit derived from the 3.5-liter engine first seen in the 1970 280SE coupe and convertible. This combination, sold stateside for only one model year, offered the best of both worlds, pairing the nimble chassis of the short-wheelbase model with some of the thrust of the 300-hp, long-wheelbase, $15,000 300SEL 6.3. What once was a plodding, low-powered autobahn cruiser had morphed into a torque-packed sport sedan with all-day-long, 125-mph legs. On modern roads, surrounded by modern cars, a 4.5-liter 280SE is something of an enigma. It's that rarest of beasts - a big, old sedan that simply doesn't feel that old. The light, stiff doors shut with an endlessly solid, safelike whong that echoes a little through the interior. The fuel-injected V-8 lights off after a moment of cranking and then settles down to a smooth, almost imperceptible idle. Switches and latches feel heavy and substantial; the dash-mounted, key-shaped headlight switch chunks into position like a household circuit breaker. The stark interior is an exercise in restraint, a sparse combination of short-loop carpet, thin pillars, and unapologetically simple, well-trimmed surfaces. It's an odd reminder that the word "luxury" once meant something very different to Europeans - it was more of a mind-set about build quality than an endless supply of deep-pile carpet and butt-massaging seats. Our 110,000-mile, one-owner test car suffers from slightly tired shocks and suspension bushings, but you can still crank it down the highway at an easy 100 mph with two fingers on the wheel. Most amazing, the 280SE does a surprisingly good imitation of a modern car. It's torquey and relatively quick, it stops well, it handles like a car half its size, it's comfortable over long distances, and it's quiet on the highway. At high speeds, you're met with a slight wind rush from the A-pillars, a restrained rumble from under the hood, and a relentless, quiet urge from somewhere aft. You want for nothing, save a long, fast stretch of highway. Or maybe a reason to drive to the south of France. Mercedes would continue to build cars without compromise for some time, but the pressures of profit margins and burgeoning competition put an end to the engineering-at-all-costs approach in the early 1990s. The 280SE 4.5 sedan offers the best of the big-inch, classically upright Benzes, only with little of the associated repair and maintenance costs common to the more iconic long-wheelbase cars (air suspension, for example, was standard on the 300SEL, and it is neither cheap nor simple to repair). Prices are absurdly low, and good drivers can still be found for about $5000. And while parts and service costs are relatively high, you can take consolation in one thing: no matter the buy-in, greatness rarely comes cheap. NOTE: More photos are available upon request. About Payment: The winning bidder must contact me via email within 3 hours of auction completion. I would like a $1,000 deposit (paypal, money order or bank check) within 2 days. Balance is due (bank check or bank wire transfer only) within 7 calendar days of auction end. The car will remain securely garaged until pickup. About this auction: The car is sold as-is with no warranties express or implied. License plate is for illustrative purposes only and doesn't go with the vehicle. About me: Over the years I have bought and sold a number of collector cars and can help with shipping questions. I am not a dealer but an avid collector. The photos of this car were taken last week at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.