5k: W114 Sleeper: 1973 Mercedes-Benz 280C Chevy V8
The W114/115 chassis is the rugged 60s/70s era Mercedes-Benz E-class
predecessor that is frequently a great deal for a cool classic. The W114 is often overshadowed by the fancier front end and
stacked headlamps of the W108/109
chassis, but some prefer the clean and simple lines of the coupe version. Find this 1973 Mercedes-Benz 280C powered by a Chevy V8 and offered for $5,500 in Denver, CO via craigslist.
The W114 was penned by Peter Paul Bracq, a noted French born designer who created the graceful shapes of such icons as the BMW 7-series, MBZ W113 SL, multiple Popemobiles and the French très grande vitesse TGV train. This W114 coupe keeps all of the classic Mercedes-Benz style without hinting at the ‘Merican power under the hood.
A quick peak under the hood shows a 5.7 liter Chevy 350 V8 mated to a TH400 automatic transmission. Power isn’t specified by the seller, but 300 horsepower and 300 ft-lbs of torque is an easy figure for any 350 V8 devoid of smog equipment or blown seals.
Frequently, V8 transplants into classic Mercedes include the use of Chevy style shifters that spoil the clean look of the interior, but this one maintains the stock column shifter from the Mercedes…which is odd because most of the W114 coupes I’ve seen have floor mounted shifters. This one also has a discrete tach mounted in the gauge cluster that doesn’t look bad.
Originally seen on oppositelock. See another V8 powered Merc? tips@dailyturismo.com
Paul Bracq, Citroën limo, a Pegaso, Mercedes 600, 230SL/250SL/280SL coupe, the 220S coupe, the 250 and 220D, the W108 and W114 coupe and the W115, the TGV high-speed passenger train, BMW 520, BMW 3 series E21, BMW 630 coupe etc.
Pete Brock: Corvette Stingray, Shelby Daytona Cobra coupe, a bunch of Datsun race cars , and the worlds largest hang glider company
Peter Bracq ???
Hugh,
Peter…Paul…errr…there is some joke about Apostles here that I'm sure I'm missing…but it was a typo! Fixed above.
Thx,
Vince
Heheheh……..yo Paul pass the wine…….A 114 is on my bucket list but it has to be a sunroof 4 speed;back in the day I was obsessed with these. They were everywhere it seems in San Diego.
This one snt t and the fly blue paint isnt helping. That said someone will have fun..f you can have fun with an automatic
That'd be a column shifted auto. Never seen one of those in a C.
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