Baja Benz: 1979 Mercedes-Benz 280CE

The W123 generation Mercedes-Benz comes from the era when Mercedes built cars to survive wars, bad roads, cheap fuels, and owners who considered maintenance more of a suggestion. Under the hood sits the M110 twin cam straight six paired here with a rare four speed manual, a combination that makes this W123 coupe far more interesting than its bank vault reputation would suggest and explains why rally lights and gravel tires seem appropriate. Today’s next feature leans fully into the honest beater ethos with decent mechanicals, Euro trim, and fair amount of rust, making it less concours restoration and more a cheap candidate for hooning, rallying, or sacrificial donor duty. Find this 1979 Mercedes-Benz 280CE offered for $2300 in Edmonds, WA via facebenz bajaplace.

From the seller:

1979 Mercedes-Benz 280ce
$2,300
Listed 5 days ago in Edmonds, WA
About this vehicle
Driven 180,000 miles
Manual transmission
Exterior color: White · Interior color: Blue
Fuel type: Gasoline
Fair condition
Seller’s description
280ce Euro 4 speed manual. It is a pretty rare spec.

It runs, drives, steers, and stops.

It has all the rare and important pieces intact: euro lights and bumpers, coupe trim and glass. It has a 185 hp m110 straight six with a 4 speed transmission. It sounds great. It has new injectors and an all new fuel assembly in the rear: pump, filter, screen, and accumulator. Tank looks brand new inside. All new fluids. New cooling system including pump and thermostat. New crank seal! If you know you know. New pan gasket. Just adjusted valves 10 miles ago.

Believe it or not this is the stock ride height. New springs. New Bilstein HD shocks. New bushings and control arms up front. New lower ball joints. New rotors, pads, and calipers. Tires are brand new. Pirelli Bavaria wheels. I can cut the price if you want stock wheels instead.

It is no show pony. I bought it as a non runner sitting 10 years. I have the mechanicals worked out. but it has some pretty significant rust. I have the new patch panels needed. I lost my garage or I would be doing it myself. Interior is all torn apart because I was ready to start.

Paint sucked and now sucks more depending on your taste. Interior is complete but crispy.

It is a complete car. I have all trim, clips, interior, everything is intact. For the right person it is a project or a dream donor car.

I’m open to offers but you have to negotiate in person. If you can’t get off your couch to drive it you are not the person to fix it.

Clean Washington title in my name. No funny business.

UPDATE: I uploaded more photos of interior and rust. Rust is along entire passenger side. It is significant. It is through the floor. This is a mechanically sound car. The body needs serious work. I have the replacement panels that come with the car. If you want a daily go buy a decent $12k example.

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