Every now and again, you’ll see me spill my guts here and say, “No more project cars.” And then, something like this 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 comes along where I’m calling every shipper I know and seeing how much it would cost to move it from California to Maryland. Anyhow, despite the ping pong ball bouncing back and forth in my head, I retain enough clarity to know I really don’t need this car, but it’s still one of the coolest sedans ever made. The seller considers it a possible parts car, but it looks too clean for that fate. Find the Mercedes 450SEL here on eBay with bids to $3,750 and no reserve.

Based on the variety of Mercedes in the background, I’m going to speculate that the seller runs a shop or is otherwise in the business of keeping old Benzes on the road. This would explain the attitude that the car may not be worth saving, because most any mechanic who deals in the old and unwanted knows how expensive it is to keep one of these on the road – and that’s when it’s in near-perfect condition. My long-time mechanic in Rhode Island will flat-out refuse to work on a car like this if it’s anything approaching project-grade because the labor will quickly overtake any value it has on the collector market. Still, seeing that badge on the trunk reminds me how special these W116s were when introduced.

For years, this engine it was gave Mercedes the street cred necessary to own the title of producing the fastest-accelerating sedan in the world. It could knock down 60 in a little over 7 seconds while ripping to a top speed of 140 miles per hour. Keep in mind, no other manufacturer was thinking that a luxury sedan could also be a cruise missile on the interstate. Mercedes took an otherwise sedate sedan and made it into a rocketship. Coupled with the engine was a decent dose of technology, too, including Mercedes’ novel hydropneumatic suspension and ABS brakes. However, it’s those fancy bits that will quickly make your bank account question why you brought this beast home.

Now, here’s where the seller’s listing description confuses me: he notes that the engine has had a lot of new parts thrown at it in recent years and that it runs beautifully. However, when listing the faults, he seems entirely focused on the interior cosmetics, noting dried-out surfaces, cracks in the dash, and leather that needs treating. On a car like this, those are very minor concerns. Personally, if the finicky suspension still inflates as it should and the automatic transmission slides through the gears as intended, this rust-free W116 looks like a very compelling buy. If it were closer to me, I would be sorely tempted to make an offer to end the auction early.