As always, Chuck provides good advice. I'm deep into a fix up of a 79 280CE myself. If she starts, and the liklihood is high it will, gummed up injectors will tend to get "leaky" with the result that start up when the engine is hot is difficult as the car floods easily. If this is the case the product Sea Foam, used in several tanks of gas can sometimes recondition the seals and restore the injectors.

Pay attention to the radiator, particularly where the upper hose connects. The plastic can become brittle and start to leak. A 1" diameter copper tube just fits inside the hose nipple on the radiator...a common fix. Otherwise a new radiator is required.

Your Haynes manual should provide guidance on adjusting the valves. And this should also give you a chance to look over the timing chain...although it is a pretty robust set up in the 280 engine. A good running 280 engine, which some call the most durable gas engine MB ever made, will use about a quart of oil every 1000-1500 miles depending on how hard you drive it. If you do better than that, it means there is a lot of life left. By the way, the 280 likes to run hard. Once you have confidence in the car, you shouldn't need to baby it.

I'd flush and refill the tranny including a new filter kit (easy install and under $20)

If you uncover electrical non-function items, the car has the older style exposed element fuses and cleaning corrossion from the fuse contacts might surprise you as to what goes live again..in fact replacing all fuses is'nt a bad idea.

You have the old York piston A/C compressor. In this vintage Benz, you will know it when the compressor is running as they were quite a drain and noisy. Thank goodness the 280 has plenty of power, as the old timers will tell you stories of pre-turbo diesels having to turn off the A/C to climb a steep hill. The good news is that the compressor can be re-used if you convert to the 134A freon replacement.

You won't get much light up of the dash at night...nature of the vintage. There are supposedly bulb replacements that can help.

The most likely to need replacing motor mount is the one at the back of the tranny.

On e-bay motors an "advanced search" in parts and accessories for mercedes 280ce (make sure you check the box to search content and not just the title) will turn up several pages of stuff you might need.

I have many more fresh experiences to share. E-mail me directly for ideas.

Rick