Tell me about the W108... - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hatterasguy · #46 02-19-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

I was a big Jaguar XJ6 fan back in the early Seventies and still recall the February 1972 Road & Track road test article. List price of a '72 model F.O.B. East Coast: $7,612

That was about the time my grandmother bought her first Jag, it was an XJ12 in silver. One week after getting it the horn shorted out on the bridge going to Newport and my grandfather had to cut the wire to shut it off.

pj67coll · #47 02-19-2010, 10:52 PM

Question about your headlights. Usually on US version cars you see clear glass side marker lights on the outside of the headlights. Yours are orange. How did you get those? Mine had orange lights there as well but in SA those were the indicators. There were no indicator lights on the fender itself like in the US.

- Peter.

280SE Guy · #48 02-20-2010, 07:55 AM

Peter, good observation. I thought the amber lenses dressed up her eyes and I liked the look. The USA dictated the clear lenses. I bought the lights when I lived in New Jersey, probably sometime in 1984. I could put the originals back in place if I needed to. If you look at a W108 from various countries there are subtle differences in the lighting area depending what the regulations were.

Parts should still be available from Mercedes; left amber 108 826 0390, right amber 108 826 0490, (both lenses have a hole in the back of them for a bulb) and bulb socket 000 826 5382. I also replaced the clear lenses to match the amber lenses so as to have a bulb installed; left clear 111 826 0290 and right clear 111 826 0390. The bulbs are not hooked up, just a little modder in me at the time. Nothing too serious as the parts were available from Mercedes. I believe there were a few European countries that used the amber lenses also.

280SE Guy · #49 02-22-2010, 11:30 AM

Found some more (auto erotica) W108 pics on my camera for your viewing pleasure.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do sharing them with all of you.

MBeige · #50 02-28-2010, 12:56 AM

That's a VERY beautiful and meticulously well kept 280SE. I am stunned at the beautiful photographs and the condition of every single bit of the car. That is crazy. When (or if) I win the lottery, I'll take up my 300D to that level and get another that I can (ab)use for daily driving.

Simply amazing.

compu_85 · #51 02-28-2010, 01:37 AM

*sigh* seeing pictures like that just make me sad at how much winter driving as ruined my cars. Even looking at pictures I took 6 years ago makes me annoyed at how the ravages of time have worked their worst.

But, I guess if you can get something that is nice to begin with, then keep it away from salt and filth you can end up with an example as nice as yours

280SE Guy · #52 02-28-2010, 03:23 PM

MBeige and compu_85, thanks for your kind remarks. It has been a long journey for me and Anthracite. It probably started when I was about 4 years old (1954) and listened to my Father and Uncles as as they told stories to each other about the car they used to own and wished that they still had that 1924 or 1932 (what ever year, make, and model) you could think of. I promised myself at that early age that I would not have to say that "I wish I would still have that (fill in the blank car)" . . . . . and when I bought Anthracite I knew that this was the one (to keep). She is truly a pleasure to look at and work on with her fine lines, mechanical wonders, and gracious curves; meticulously hand created by the old German craftsman of her time.

Your comments and questions are always appreciated.

Here is one additional picture of the center aluminum heat shield that I had polished (behind the transmission crossmember):

Thanks again.

Skid Row Joe · #53 02-28-2010, 04:09 PM

Just a lovely machine.

I don't know of hardly anyone that loves Mercedes-Benz products that wouldn't want one like it. I would love to have a late-model 280SL in like condition too.

Have you ever had your 280SE's dollar value appraised by a Mercedes-Benz judge over the years? I wonder what it's sales price could be expected nowadays, is what I'm wondering?

280SE Guy · #54 03-01-2010, 10:20 AM

Joe, Thanks for your question and comment. No, I have not had the car appraised nor do I know of a Mercedes Benz judge. Yes a 113 would be nice to own, they are out there, If I were to try and obtain one it would have to come from California or similar weather conditions.

********************************

124Coupe PM'd me and asked me a couple of questions I thought might be of interest to the group here:

Hi from Massachusetts where I own an 1973 280SEL 4.5 with 113K original miles. I just enjoyed your beautiful photos of Anthracite and where you obviously have an eye for detail, I hope you don't mind my asking a couple of questions.

I noticed a strip of foam between the radiator and front panel. Would you happen to know if that's original as my 4.5 doesn't have it and I don't seem to see it in the EPC.

When replacing the two fresh air filters behind the chrome cowl, a couple of the plastic spacers have broken up over time. They are NLA so if you know of any spares, let me know.

My car's one of the last W108's made. I have the window sticker and every document from day one. It's dark olive green with original cognac leather interior.

My response to him was:

Thanks for your questions. The foam seal between the radiator and the front panel is not original to the car. There was a foam piece there when I purchased the car but it had deteriorated over the years. I tried the Mercedes dealers for a replacement part but they were unable to supply one. I finally came across a reasonable substitute while walking through my local hardware store one day. It is a foam piece that is used for window air conditioners that can be found at your local hardware store I'm sure, similar to this:

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(pv4njm3zobafwh55bqfl4m55)/productdetails.aspx?sku=998041110

The plastic spacers are part number A 108 836 00 45 and as you state they are no longer available. When I searched for a price on them from the German Mercedes Classic Center it stated: Currently, this article could not be found in the database. Please contact the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center.

You might want to check with the Mercedes Classic Center in California to see if they have any in stock or post a note in the "parts section" of PeachParts web site to see if anyone has some spares. There are also many Mercedes recycling yards in California that might be able to assist.

I'm sure your 108 is also stunning, they have such timeless classic lines don't they and real chrome not the "plastic chrome" on today's cars.

********************************

I'm not sure which picture of the foam spacer he saw, my earlier pictures didn't really show it that well. Here is a better picture of the foam spacer he was asking about:

Tomguy · #55 03-01-2010, 08:55 PM

blah, the engine in my '06 doesn't look as clean as your (?) '72. Someday I'll have my 108 looking like that (ok, maybe not my CURRENT 108... but a 108).

berfinroy · #56 03-02-2010, 02:27 PM

Hatterasguy:
Drive up to Long Island to check out the 22,000 ebay car. It looks real, and if it is, cut a deal. You will look a long, long time before you find one of these cars in as good condition as this one appears to be. If I didn't already have a restored 300SEL 4.5, I'd be all over this car.

280SEguy: There can't possibly be a 108 equal to yours anywhere. Priceless.

pj67coll · #57 03-03-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berfinroy

Hatterasguy:
Drive up to Long Island to check out the 22,000 ebay car. It looks real, and if it is, cut a deal. You will look a long, long time before you find one of these cars in as good condition as this one appears to be. If I didn't already have a restored 300SEL 4.5, I'd be all over this car.

280SEguy: There can't possibly be a 108 equal to yours anywhere. Priceless.

Agreed!

- Peter.

280SE Guy · #58 03-04-2010, 06:15 PM

Here is a pic of one of the last "full body" washes I found of (Anthracite) my 280SE from about 1989 or 1990. Since then she has only had a sponge bath to remove any dust from her surfaces, along with many coats of lovingly applied wax.

Thanks to everyone for the kind remarks and comments, they are appreciated.

280SE Guy · #59 03-24-2010, 07:22 PM

Here is a rendition of Anthracite on the "Red Moon" I have as my desktop image, enjoy.

Other sizes are available on request.

JeffreyNMemphis · #60 03-25-2010, 09:23 AM

280SE Guy,

Everytime I look at your pictures I am surprised, amazed, awed, jealous? Inspired...

I sell brand new Volkswagens. The 2010 car that I deliver brand new with 10 miles on it probably does not as clean your 40 year old car.

You absolutely MUST enter your car in a Concours d' Elegance! It is guaranteed number one!!

As far as value for comparison; your car should be the bar highest example of W108 on the planet. Whatever the highest price recorded is, your is worth $10,000 more (and probably $100,000 more to you personally). Only Ralph Lauren has cars of equal beauty, but I doubt he has a W108 like yours.