In early December, I bought a some-assembly-required 280SL automatic. It was an abandoned project, represented as a "complete, rust-free car," totally stripped, chrome redone, engine redone but not assembled. It arrived in a box truck with about twenty large containers of parts. Currently, the car is at Mayhorn's Body Shop in Dover Delaware getting body work and paint and I expect it back in early March. I have most of the engine together.
So far, things have gone reasonably well. Nasty surprises were the need for new inner and outer rear panels, a ruined grille shell, missing radiator, new ball studs and rockers needed, a polished valve cover, and the keys haven't shown up. The seller and I need to settle up for the missing parts.
Despite the challenges, I am enjoying this a lot. Here are some early and recent pictures.
