1972 Mercedes-benz 280se 4.5 4.5l on 2040-cars

VIN: 10806712004414 Year: 1972
Make: Mercedes-Benz
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
Model: 280SE
Trim: 4.5
Power Options: Air Conditioning, Power Locks, Power Windows
Drive Type: U/K
Mileage: 113,000
Number of Cylinders: 8
Exterior Color: White
Interior Color: Black

Condition: Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ... 

***WINNER OF AUCTION MUST SUBMIT A $500, NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT WITHIN 12 HOURS OF AUCTION END. WINNER MUST WIRE BALANCE OF WINNING SALE PRICE VIA BANK TRANSFER TO ME WITHIN 72 HOURS OF AUCTION END. ANY INSPECTIONS MUST BE CARRIED OUT PRIOR TO AUCTION END. IF YOU ARE THE WINNING BIDDER, THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO THEN INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND WALK AWAY. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY OR ARE NOT CONFIDENT IN THE VEHICLE, THEN DO NOT BID ON THIS VEHICLE. DO NOT E-MAIL ME ASKING WHAT MY BUY IT NOW PRICE IS. I WILL NOT RESPOND.***

This 1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 4.5 is truly an intriguing automobile. Rare from birth – a special ordered, factory delivered vehicle, this classic example of Mercedes-Benz engineering stands apart from its peers due to its impeccable original condition, full provenance and storied, one family owned past.

This unique beauty has lived a pampered existence its entire life SPANNING ONLY 113,000 ORIGINAL MILES all with ONE FAMILY!!! It clearly shows. Full provenance is known, and you will be hard pressed to find a lower mileage “4.5” with a more complete ownership record.

On Halloween 1971 my grandfather, Dr. W.C. Roley of San Diego, CA, embarked on a trip to Germany to take “European Delivery” of his beloved 4.5 Mercedes at the factory in Stuttgart. As you may know, European Delivery vehicles are considered to have been held to an even higher standard during production to ensure customer satisfaction while touring the autobahn and countryside of Germany. I believe this to be true given its exemplary record of dependable service over the years. Grand Dad had been unable to acquire a white with black interior 280SE 4.5 with a floor shifter and without a sunroof (he was paranoid of being ejected thru the sunroof in the event of a rollover – having seen too many tragedies come thru the Emergency Room over the years). As a last minute surprise to my grandmother, he showed up one evening with plane tickets to Germany. They jumped on a plane the next day for Germany to take possession of his 4.5 and tour the countryside.

From the moment Grand Dad first saw his 1972 280SE 4.5 with its paint and chrome gleaming at the Mercedes-Benz factory – he and “Eva,” as he affectionately named her, were inseparable. After vacationing in Germany for 2 weeks, the vehicle was then put on a ship and arrived at Mercedes-Benz of San Diego on December 22, 1971 just in time to show her off to the family at Christmas.

Grand Dad considered Eva his second wife. Always careful where he drove and parked her, Eva was never in an accident. She was always garaged whether at home or at the hospital. She was maintained religiously by Mercedes-Benz of San Diego and Mike Rudin Mercedes of San Diego. And a chamois and spray bottle were always carried in the trunk in the event a careless bird paid her an unwanted visit.

Upon Grand Dad’s passing in 2001, my mother became the owner of her father’s beloved Eva. The vehicle was placed in an enclosed auto transporter and driven from San Diego to her new home in Memphis, TN. Being a car buff though, I was the one who really took full responsibility for and ownership of Eva. To honor my grandfather’s memory, I have spent countless hours and an inordinate amount of money to keep this vehicle in tip-top shape over the years. It’s been a true labor of love.

In March the vehicle was fully tuned, gone over with fine-tooth comb, and deemed by the Mercedes dealership’s service technician of over 30 years “too good to fiddle with.” So my wife and I decided to take Eva on a road trip from Memphis to the Napa Valley in California and back. It was truly remarkable how well Eva handled the 4,500 mile journey. It’s a surprisingly modern car still. She made the drive flawlessly with only one issue – the speedometer stopped working 100 miles west of Memphis on the return leg home. A new unit was ordered from Adsit Co. and installed within a week of returning home.   

The ignition system has been completely tuned including new plugs, points, rotor, cap, and wiring harness. There are also brand new drive belts, brand new shift bushings, brand new muffler bushings, a brand new fuel filter, a brand new air filter, a brand new transmission filter, fresh fuses, a brand new Bosch alternator, and a brand new Interstate battery. The motor is tuned to perfection. The electrical fuel injection is operating flawlessly. The transmission shifts beautifully. The brand new Michelin tires that I put on after the trip to California show zero wear. The suspension is in tip-top form and rides brilliantly.

If you are viewing this listing, you already know that this was considered the Poor Man’s 300SEL 6.3 in its day. Affectionately regarded by owners and enthusiasts, the W108 Mercedes was quite ahead of its time. It had all the looks of it’s higher-priced stable mate but none of the mechanical fuel injection or air suspension problems of the bigger 6.3 Mercedes. Bosch electronic fuel injection, four wheel, ventilated disc brakes, energy absorbing steering column, impact absorbing crumple zones, rear child safety locks, full positioning headrests, safety lock power windows, power door locks, and a heated rear window were just a few of this vehicle’s notable features. The 4.5 liter V8 engine pared with a floor-mounted 4 speed automatic transmission, all sitting on a short wheel base meant a lot of tire smoking fun on the street and sharp handling in the curves. It still does..

The paint is original, and while not without imperfections, shines brilliantly due to its consistent garaged state. Living in the mild, California climate for 75% of its life and the mid Memphis climate for 25% of its life, the vehicle is rust free. The black M-B Tex interior is beautiful (having been completely replaced in 2002). The nicely preserved, original Zebrano wood dashboard is complemented by the just refinished wooden dash bow and 10 window pieces.

The air conditioning blows cold. The heating system is fully functioning, blows toasty warm, and its 4 fan speed/air direction louvers are in working condition. All gauges are operable (including speedometer, odometer, fuel level, temp, and oil pressure). The original Becker Grand Prix radio operates like new and the single speaker is crystal clear. The front and rear multi-position overhead lights come to life individually as front or rear doors are opened as well.

The only issues currently are: inoperable passenger front and driver side rear power windows; and 2 door lock plungers do not go up and down automatically with the other vacuum operated plungers. 

Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have. I will be more than happy to provide further information. Thank you very much for your interest.

PLEASE SEE THE HAGERTY.COM WEBSITE TO VIEW WHAT THESE VEHICLES ARE INSURED FOR. THIS VEHICLE IS A CONDITION 3 CAR. 

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On Sep-24-13 at 17:24:34 PDT, seller added the following information:

I have added a picture of the old odometer cluster next to the new odometer cluster to better prove the original mileage of about 113,600. I have also added a picture of all the original books, the original protect-o-plate with my grandfather's information on it, and the first page in the maintenance booklet from the first oil change at 525 miles (if you look closely). The maintenance booklet is truly amazing to review. There is a detailed record for the servicing of this vehicle every 5,000 miles at a Mercedes-Benz factory dealership from mile 523 up to the last possible page at 95,000 miles. This is no joke. You would be hard pressed to find another single family owned 4.5, factory ordered, factory delivered in Germany, with a fully stamped maintenance booklet every 5,000 miles anywhere else in the world. This automobile is just that good. 

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On Sep-24-13 at 18:10:48 PDT, seller added the following information:

I apologize for any confusison as a result of my last post. However, ebay does not allow me to change pictures since I have used up my 24 picture limit. Therefore, if anyone is interested in seeing the two additional pictures (both odometers and all books and manuels), please feel free to message me for them. Thank you and happy bidding!