Vehicle Description
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT THIS CLASSIC! This 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
cabriolet was sold new at Putnam Volkswagen of Elkhart, Indiana and
is finished in Tunis Beige Metallic over dark brown leather.
Equipment includes Kuhlmeister air conditioning, power windows, a
Blaupunkt AM/FM radio, and a brown convertible top. The
numbers-matching 2.8L inline-six remains fitted, as does the
original floor-shifted automatic transmission. The car reportedly
stayed with the second owner for 46 years and nearly 100k miles,
prior to being acquired by the selling dealer in late 2019. The
cylinder head has since been rebuilt, and the timing chain, water
pump, fuel pump, and spark plugs were also replaced. This W111
cabriolet is now offered with a copy of its data card, a stamped
service booklet, tool roll, and a clean Ohio title. Just 1,390
280SE Cabriolets were produced from 1967 through 1971. This example
has been refinished in its factory Tunis Beige Metallic (462 G),
though the selling dealer states that the paintwork now displays
signs of aging. Exterior trim is shown up close in the photo
gallery below, as are a number of chips, scratches, bubbling, and a
dent in the rear bumper. Factory 143 steel wheels wear body-colored
hubcaps, and the selling dealer had a new set of 195/70 Michelin
Defender tires mounted. The car is equipped with power steering, as
well as a brown convertible top and a matching boot cover. The
interior was upholstered from the factory in dark brown leather
(248). It features front bucket seats with headrests and a rear
bench seat with a fold-down armrest. The seller states that both
rows of seats have been reupholstered. Coco mats cover the
carpeting, and Kangol seatbelts are mounted front and rear. The
2.8-liter M130 inline-six features Bosch mechanical fuel injection
and is paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Within the
last few months the seller has replaced the head gasket, timing
chain, water pump, auxiliary belts, and spark plugs. A Bosch
short-style fuel pump has also been fitted, and the oil was
changed. We also machined and rebuilt the cylinder head, including
replacement of the valves and valve guides. Block stamping
130980-12-022616 can be seen above and matches the engine number
listed on the data plate and card. The matching transmission
stamping (*000352*) is shown in the gallery. Please call us for
more information.
