good news and bad news...Accident and Found 280SE

[bsimaz]

Well the good news is I came across a 1968 280SE coupe.  The advertised it
as a 300SE but the motor is stamped '280'.  So I bought it.  
  A project for sure but worth it I think.

Bad news...  Last Saturday a lady pulled out and clipped the rear quarter of my 230sl.   :'(  
I saw her come to a stop and start to pull out.  Thought she would miss me but
didn't even try to stop.  

Getting some estimates but it's not bad.  Need a new bumper though.

Goes to show you, no matter how careful you are something can always happen.
 

[Naj ✝︎]

Well the good news is I came across a 1968 280SE coupe.  The advertised it
as a 300SE but the motor is stamped '280'.  So I bought it. 
  A project for sure but worth it I think.

 

Out of curiosity,
Does it have air suspension?

Naj

[Benz Dr.]

300SE? The car from hell?  One of the hardest cars you will ever work on if it's RHD version. Had the engine in and out of the car 5 times before I got everything to work right.

 And, it's coming out another time because we are going to detail the engine bay. Don't even ask.........

[Naj ✝︎]

Hi, Dr,

Is that an M 189 engine?

Naj

[bsimaz]

Does not have air suspension. ( one reason I got it).

Also I verified that it is a 280se (dataplate).   I can get some
numbers soon.  It's a little dirty.

[Benz Dr.]

Hi, Dr,

Is that an M 189 engine?

Naj

 Yes, that's the monster. Engine had a hole in the block that was corroded into the main oil galley. We fixed that but it still leaked. Had to pull the engine again and take it all apart to have the hole Tig welded.
Put the engine back in and no oil presure. Pulled it back out and found that there are two screws that old the oil pump down instead of the usual single screw. All of the oil pressure was pissing out of the small crack between the pump housing and cylinder block. I ran the engine with the starter so I could test for oil pressure before I installed it again.

Installed the engine again and the trans wouldn't go into gear. The torque converter was broken. They have be installed and lined up perfectly or they can break very easily. Pull the engine again because the trans won't come out seperately - no room to get at the bell housing screws.

Find another converter and install it very carefully. Eventually I got it running but it was a really big job. In and out 4 or 5 times.

[Naj ✝︎]

Does not have air suspension. ( one reason I got it).

Hi, Bill,

I asked because I recently bought an M130.981 engine out of a W109 300 SE.
It still has the air compressor mounting bracket.

Thanks Dr. for the info on the M189.
I recently had the pleasure of co-driving a 300 SE Cabrio and a 600 to Berlin with MB Club Members.
I guess when the engines are well sorted, they run quite well. Only the fuel consumption on the W100 was 50% higher than the W112  

Naj

[bsimaz]

Got a few numbers.  Just the body....

111.024-12-001715     280 SE/C/8

[jacovdw]

With a 111.024 chassis you should be expecting a M130.980 engine then...

A little off topic, but it was only the very early W109 300SE's that had the M189.988 engine (March 1966 to about December 1967).
Early in 1968 (February) the engine was changed to the M130.981 unit that Naj mentioned and was used until the end of production in January 1970.

Somehow it just sounds as if the M130 engine would be a bit on the soft side, if compared to the V8 W109's, to drive the air compressor for the suspension as well as the other ancillary components...

[bsimaz]

Oh Yea....   This is the other 1/2 of the thread...

[Benz Dr.]

Thread split into two replys, 1 and 2:

1)  it doesn't look too bad in the picture. Any dent isn't fun to repair but that area can be fixed using a lower repair section. It looks like it missed the rear bumper and your all red tail light. I imagine it probably bent the floor section inside of the trunk but that should fixable.

2) I have all three cars here right now. The 300SE ssedan RHD, a 1968 600 SWB, and a 300SEL with the 2.8 engine as a parts car.  THe 300SE Cab would be a very rare car.
 
I worked on a Detroit area 300SEL with the 189 engine once. Perfect example with about 40,000 miles on it. 

[oversee]

Always hate to see a dent, especially on a Benz. What was the lady who hit you driving? It doesn't matter how good a driver you are, it's all the other drivers that are the problem.
Good luck on your project.

[bsimaz]

I did catch the bumpter :-(     but missed the tail light   

and the engine in the 280 is 130-016  00  01

That's what is on the block anyway.