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Exclusive: Mercedes-Benz W108 Parts Cars

Update 9/26/2018 – The seller has informed me that he found the title for the most desirable of the Mercedes, the V8 powered, long wheelbase 280SEL seen above. And we’re dropping the price to $3K to get it gone!

As some of you likely know, I am helping to clear out a large collection of salvage and project vehicles from a private owner. You can read more about the collection here. As we move ahead with the process, I’ll be listing some of the more interesting cars individually, which will also help readers see more info about specific vehicles they may be interested in. Here’s the next set of vehicles we’ll feature, which is a three-car offering of Mercedes-Benz W108 sedans loaded with good parts for road-going cars.

What Makes it Special? Mercedes’ W108 sedan offered a range of engine choices and performance options, from six-cylinder commuters to eight-cylinder Bahnstormers. The seller acknowledges that these W108s are likely just past the point of reasonable restoration but they are loaded with good parts for either restoring other cars with better bodies or simply keeping as a spares vehicle if you’re already driving one of these handsome sedans on a regular basis. One of the cars is a V8 model and the others are six-cylinder examples.

Body Condition: Each of these cars has some level of rust, predominantly in the lower sills of the vehicles. Expect to find some floor rot as well as rust on the leading edges of the doors, fenders, and rear quarters. The upper portions of the bodies are in good shape with excellent glass in all of the cars that has helped ensure the interiors remain in nicely preserved condition. The black sedan seen here is a stalled restoration project, but the seller believes the white 280SE actually has the better body as poor prep work on the black car has lead to rust bubbling up on the body. The 280SEL is a rare long wheelbase, floor-shift model with rot in the rocker panels.

Mechanical Condition: While all of the Mercedes were believed to be running when parked, none of them currently fire up. The model designation of the black car is unknown; in addition to the 280SE, there is a white 280SEL with the 4.5L V8. This is the interior of that car, which you can see retains excellent wood trim, an original Becker radio, nicely preserved leather seats and an uncracked dashboard. Floormats have kept the carpets in nice shape and note the floor-mounted shifter. As you’ll see in the gallery photos below, the other two Mercedes have extra parts included, although most are believed to be chrome trim and interior panels for the partially disassembled sedan.

Yes, the eight-cylinder hasn’t seen the light of day in some time, but the preserved interior will at least save the next owner the trouble of restoring wood trim and finding obsolete parts. All of these Mercedes will be sold on bill-of-sale only, as titles are believed to have been lost. The seller is willing to do a package deal if a buyer is interested in more than one car.

  • Price: Six cylinder models $1,500/each OBO; 280SEL $3,000
  • Location: Northwest Georgia
  • Mileage: Unknown
  • Title Status: Bill of sale only

Contact The Seller

Do you have a low mileage survivor parked in your garage, shed or barn? Does it need a new home? Please consider listing it here on Barn Finds!

Comments

  1. Avatar RoughDiamond

    Since I live in Chattanooga and guessed I was not too far from these vehicles, I inquired about three cars to include the ’86 VW Jetta “Pirelli Edition”, ’62 Impala “SS”, a Ford Maverick and the two Levi’s go-karts. I received some information on the Jetta and it was IMO not worth the investment and I let the Seller’s broker friend know this. I also received some basic information on the go-karts, ’62 SS and Maverick with more information supposedly forthcoming, but received nothing further. I also had initially missed the Toyota Supra in the photos and sent an inquiry on it, but never got any reply. I hope others on here have had exactly the opposite experience and given some of the vehicles new homes.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Greg, I sent you a lengthy response on July 16 and never heard back from you. I have just re-forwarded the email to you.

      As I mention in that email, your interest seemed to be in finding complete, turn-key cars without rodent / bugs / etc. I informed you that everything in here will need some work, save for some of the trucks, to be road-worthy again.

      My concern was that you would find all of the vehicles you inquired about needed far more work than you were comfortable with. We have sold five vehicles at this point so I am willing to make deals come together for people who are comfortable with a project.

      Feel free to reach back out to me if you’re still interested.

      Thanks,

      Jeff

      Like 3
  2. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    This listing reminded me of a really cool/funny video of some German dudes starting a car just like the one in this listing….abandoned that is…the German guys are starting an old Ponton, but same difference. You’ll like this…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joJBvDDNPcc

    Like 5
  3. Avatar Beatnik Bedouin

    That first image reminded me of this, for some strange reason…

    Like 9
    • Avatar JP

      Verdy intalesting….but not verdy funny!!!

      Like 3
  4. Avatar Mark

    Only one small question;
    Why you purchase vehicles and……. you made them looks like Junk – no respect to old beautiful cars?
    Shame

    Like 1
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Mark, in most cases, the seller grabbed these vehicles when the previous owner was about ready to junk the vehicles. I can honestly say very few have deteriorated while in his care and would not otherwise be available for sale if not for his intervention.

      Like 5
      • Avatar Horse Radish

        Some people just don’t get it.
        I have a (actually 2 BIG) yard(s) full of cars in dry California.
        Most of the cars don’t have any rust, but the opposite malaises, dry interior and burnt paint.
        My story is somewhat the same, that I saved all my cars from the crusher, and they would ALL BE GONE , had I not stepped in and ‘intervened’….
        I can only save them and for every one I saved I chose to not fix another, so-to-speak…

        Like 1
  5. Avatar Rodney

    Good to know that when my Mercedes needs a new tree limb there is a good source.

    Like 6
  6. Avatar RoughDiamond

    I would like to issue an apology to Jeff Lavery regarding my BF post on 8/05/18. I was very critical of his lack of follow-up to my 8/15/18 E-mail. Mr. Lavery, did, in fact, E-mail a very lengthy and informative reply on 8/16/18 addressing all of my questions and concerns regarding several vehicles. I either absent mindedly deleted it or it got lost in cyberspace, however, that is immaterial. I regret my actions and even after the fact, Mr. Lavery has been very kind and continued to keep the lines of communication open and information flowing. He owns one cool Toyota HiAce van too.

    Like 11
  7. Avatar Rich

    I just don’t see 3k here. Am I missing something???

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Full interior, V8 car, long wheel base, console shift – lots of desirable parts. Of course, the $3K is just there as a guidepost….as I have said time and again, the people who have walked away with a project have all made offers….

      Like 0
  8. Avatar art carlson

    I have owned several of these over the years, they are not great cars, troubles with fuel rejection systems , tend run overly rich, guzzle fuel, funny shifting transmissions …. just my 2 cents worth.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      I don’t necessarily disagree – the same could be said for, frankly, most European cars of the era. Hence why they’re being sold as *parts* cars and not drivers….

      Like 4
      • Avatar Horse Radish

        Maybe he should have had a better mechanic who knows European Cars and isn’t just a weekend garage warrior, just my three cents.
        Guzzling fuel is WHAT ALL CARS did in that period, because gas was less than a dollar a gallon !

        Like 0
  9. Avatar art carlson

    good point jeff, pricey for parts cars though. imo , worked at Mercedes dealership before the 108s were old cars.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Art, the prices I’ve listed are purely *guideposts*. Everyone would low-ball the heck out of me otherwise. Happy to discuss reasonable offers.

      If I’ve said this once, I’ve said it a million times on all of my Exclusives. Not going to list what a fair price is since everyone will come out in droves and try to shave $500 off of that number.

      Like 3
  10. Avatar DaveA

    Never have or really will like Mercedes. Except for the Gull Wings pretty cool!

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Healeymonster

    From my experiences with this type of collection the owners were more hoarders than enthusiasts. They don’t take the time to save or organize anything. Its almost a “I have it, you want it but you cant have it” To sell anything would be to lose that power over someone. I ran into a Healey hoarder a decade back that had 40+ cars and tons of parts spread out over a couple acres in Monterey county Ca. I needed a couple pieces that were laying in the dirt along side hundreds of other rusting parts. I offered a fair price.” NO!” After a couple of higher offers I realized he’s never going to sell. Then I threw out a stupid bid that would be worth it if the part was pure gold. He stopped for a second to think and then said, ” im gonna need that part someday so NO” He only brought me back there to show what he had that no one will ever get to have until his heirs have a fire sale.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Healeymonster, this is not this guy. If he can make a buck on it, he will sell it. It requires people *getting the gumption to make actual offers* instead of talking about how they’d like to buy something….someday….somewhere…somehow….etc.

      Having now purchased *three* vehicles from him for very fair prices, I really don’t know what more I can do to convince people otherwise. There’s a handful of vehicles he won’t budge on and I get his reasons, even if I think he should sell them for what he’s been offered. But 90% of what he has, he will sell.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Healeymonster

        Jeff Lavery, thats good to hear. But you have to understand that out of the thousands of people that view this site, most dont have the money or the skills or a combination of the two to resurrect a treasure from the clutches of the dreaded tin worm. Most can only dream of such tasks let alone complete one. I’m a retired dealer and had a restoration shop. These car TV shows give people a false sense of reality when it comes to the time and effort needed to bring these cars back from the dead. Many of hose that choose to tackle it themselves become the barn finds of the future. And many like those who comment here on this site want to feel a part of the game even though they may never be able to afford to buy or do the work. But i digress. It takes a lot to deal with what you are going through. A labor of love is all I could think. Or better yet a friend helping others.

        Like 2
      • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

        It is a little bit of both, but mostly the latter. When I first met this individual (and bought my ’81 Toyota HiAce from him – it’s been featured on here before), he wanted little to do with me. I was a damn Yankee, after all! But knowing that I’ve forged a bit of a friendship and he’s expressed his gratitude over and over again….well, it’s “filling my bucket,” so to speak, in a big way. Far more than the desk job I have ever could…

        Thanks for the conversation/thoughts.

        Jeff

        Like 2
  12. Avatar Wrong Way

    I have to chime in about nobody getting back to people who inquire! I have asked just small questions about some of the listings and have always gotten a response!

    Like 2
  13. Avatar Karl

    Looks to me like WHOEVER is claiming to be selling this car really couldn’t care a less if it sells or not based upon the still laying in the weeds/woods including an engine compartment that is not even describable. I wouldn’t give 5.00$ for this effort

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Wow, Karl, thanks for your contribution to this conversation. Funnily enough, you know very little about this individual (who is elderly with two bad shoulders) and myself (who lives, oh, about four hours away – by plane).

      Tell you what: if you want to have a serious conversation by phone to discuss the car, we’ll get you more pictures than you can shake a stick at by Friday morning.

      But something tells me you don’t actually want it – you just like badgering people on the internet. Go ahead, prove me wrong. I’ll post back here and let everyone know Karl wants to buy this car TONIGHT.

      Like 4
  14. Avatar Karl

    My apologies Jeff I was unaware of the owners situation and will curb my comments in the future!
    Karl

    Like 3
    • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

      Karl, thank you – honest to God, if I could take two weeks off from work and pull everything out, I would. This is – at the moment – the best we can do.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Zimo

        Hi Jeff,
        this is Zimo from Germany. I’m interested in buying a mercedes W109 68-72 in a good coniditon. I thought you might help me it yould be great if could give me some recommendations.
        thank you
        Zimo

        Like 1
      • Avatar Jeff Lavery Staff

        Zimo, please email us at mail@barnfinds.com and I will do my best to help you out. Thanks! -Jeff

        Like 1
  15. Avatar Peter

    Love that spider web.
    Must have been Spidermans cvar ( :

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Mark

    Zoom
    Please send me email address
    I have 1972 6.3

    Like 0

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