ok, ok, ok, I know ANOTHER fintail...(link and pics)

[WANT '71 280SEL]

Here's some additional pics of the 190. I hope I'm not boring you people with these, but I've convinced my dad to allow me an old fintail.
Thanks for your support.
David

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Beware! There are a lot of pretty 'bondo & paint' jobs out there covering 'swiss-cheese' classics and this could be one of them.
That 190 appears to be repainted and the cracks radiating from that ding look like separated filler.
Even if you don't mind driving a rust-bucket, if the rust extends into critical areas such as the suspension mounts, there will be safety issues.

Be sure to get some assurance from the seller about canceling the deal if the car is not as described. Recommend getting a cheap round-trip ticket to inspect the car, preferably before the auction ends, but certainly before having to arrange shipping back home.
I'd expect that 190c to be about as 'quick' as your brothers 5-speed 2.2 190D. Perhaps quicker up to about 30 mph. Good luck.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[300SDog]

"Rebuilt" engine huh. Not exactly a selling point unless you know who built the engine. Seller says it just needs tie rods..... maybe kingpins = tie-rods in ebay speak.

Best of all is the dashboard rug that covers cracks in an "immaculate interior" So you know the broker/salesman is stretching the truth.

I call that white California 190c a pig-in-a-poke! Original good condition is always better than repaint/rebuild in my book.

By comparison the red 220Sb appears to have been in honest well-maintained original condition imported just a few years ago from Holland.

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Last edited by 300SDog; 11-18-2004 at 10:08 PM.

[Hector111]

did you check out this another one on ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6329&item=4504743617&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

[WANT '71 280SEL]

That one's been sitting for 25 years! Plus, the rear is sagging severely, so I bet it's going to need a ton of work. Looks like the bumper's chrome is just about non existent. Everything on that car would need to be repaired such as brakes, plus it sat for a reason I'm sure. I do like though that it's relatively close.
Thanks
David

P.S.
mark, I thought those cracks were just the paint cracking. I'll be sure to email him and see what he says. Regarding the dash cap, I assume the dash is cracked, but most of them seem to have this problem. I would probably go out of my way to fill them with epoxy then dye. I remember someone here saying something like that about theirs anyways.
Thanks Again

[WANT '71 280SEL]

Does aynone reading this post happen to live close to this car in laguna Hills and wouldn't mind maybe stopping by to briefly look at it maybe even drive it?
I'm really getting depressed, I've been looking for a decent fintail for so long but something seems to always get in the way. Oh well, keep looking...
Thanks
David

[Hector111]

hey David -

how about one from Canada - my neck of the woods - only $300.

I could help you with this one since I am close by and have relatives in that town.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6329&item=4504022866&rd=1

Wally

[Hatterasguy]

Originally Posted by WANT '71 280SEL

That one's been sitting for 25 years! Plus, the rear is sagging severely, so I bet it's going to need a ton of work. Looks like the bumper's chrome is just about non existent. Everything on that car would need to be repaired such as brakes, plus it sat for a reason I'm sure. I do like though that it's relatively close.
Thanks
David

Well any 40+ year old car is going to need tons of work. I would expect to replace all of the rubber and the usual stuff like shocks ect. As to the engine if the car sat for awhile and you start putting a few hundred miles a week on it I would expect all of the old gaskets to start leaking. Everything is just going to have a lot of time on it, the calipers will need rebuilding if they havn't been done in the last 15 years. All the seals will be shot or very old unless someons has just gone through it. It might be worth spending more on one that has been updated over the years. Unless you want a resto project, that would be fun!

I'm not trying to give you a hard time but I know old cars thinking that you can drive a 40 year old car everyday (I'm figuring 200 miles a week?) without doing tons and tons of work is not going to happen. Heck my friend drives a 66 Mustang every day (well when it runs) it is a life consuming project and he just bought a newer truck to drive. Being late to school because your car wouldn't start gets old fast, very fast. Because it always won't start in the rain or when you have a test 1st period.

[WANT '71 280SEL]

Hector, when he says the body is decent, I wouldn't expect to find any evidence of rockers existing. however, from the pics, it doesn't seem to be too bad. I
ll email him and see what's up.
Thanks
David

[WANT '71 280SEL]

well, I guess God hates me...This auction ended early. I think it's becasue the price probably wasn't where they wanted it. There was this member that kept biddin to raise the price at the beginning and was the last bidder at $900, so I bet thye were jacking the price.
Thanks for all your help and I'll keep looking
David