1968 | Mercedes-Benz 280 SE

The following text describes the Mercedes 280SE Cabriolet, which is currently for sale and has an interesting history. It has been in our family for 39 years.

Here are the key points summarized:

Two previous owners: Daimler-Benz AG and Dr. Kurt Büsing from Ulm.

Connection to Karl Friedrich Flick: Dr. Büsing (second owner and lawyer from Ulm) reported that the vehicle originally belonged to Karl Friedrich Flick (former principal shareholder of Daimler-Benz AG) and that he used it for private vacations. However, there is no written proof of this.

 Response from Mercedes-Benz Classic: They did not confirm the story due to data protection regulations but expressed interest in the vehicle.

 

Technical Data

 

Model 280 SE Cabriolet

 

Production Period 11/67–5/71

 

Model Type 111025

 

Engine Type M 130.980/984/R 6

 

Displacement 2778 cc

 

Power Output 160/118 hp/kW

 

Production Quantity 1390

 

Condition and Value: This vehicle, as a convertible with a high-radiator and 280SE inline six-cylinder engine, is very rare and therefore appreciates in value considerably. Only 1390 vehicles were built between 1967 and 1971, most of which were exported to the USA, with very few receiving German registration.

Dr. Dr. Büsing purchased the vehicle as a nearly new car and drove it until 1976. Afterward, he stored it in a garage, where it remained for the next 10 years. My father met Mr. Büsing in 1985 through the sale of Ulmer cabinets (furniture). A friendship developed, and Mr. Büsing told my father that he also had a Mercedes stored at his place. So, in 1986, my father bought the Mercedes.

From 1986 to 1988, my father carried out a partial restoration. During this process, the entire body and underbody were stripped of paint, repainted, and all cavities and the underbody were sealed (everything can be verified and documented with photographs). A small water drain plate in the left side of the trunk and a small one on the underbody were welded; otherwise, the vehicle is completely unwelded.

In 2000, I bought my father's Mercedes and completely restored it between 2000 and 2004. Since the restoration, our Mercedes has covered approximately 28,500 km.

 

• Complete engine overhaul: New pistons, cylinder liners, crankshaft, and cylinder head converted to run on unleaded fuel.

• The vehicle was completely repainted.

• Transmission and drivetrain bearings replaced.

• Convertible top skin replaced.

• All wiring harnesses and connectors replaced.

• All lines (power steering, coolant, transmission fluid) replaced.

• Complete brake system overhauled and lines replaced.

• All wheel bearings on the front and rear axles replaced

• All rubber bushings on the front and rear axles replaced

• Complete suspension (springs and shock absorbers replaced)

• Complete exhaust system replaced with a stainless steel exhaust system

• All window, door, and convertible top seals replaced

 

The following maintenance work was subsequently carried out:

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 2012 Complete ignition system replaced (distributor, leads, spark plugs)

 

2013 Complete mechanical injection pump with injectors replaced

 

2013 Electric fuel pump replaced + all filters replaced

 

2014 New radiator for coolant, power steering, and automatic transmission

 

2015 Front and rear seats + tonneau cover replaced with original leather

 

2016 All brake calipers replaced

 

2023 Complete rear axle overhauled with all bearings

 

2024 Complete new set of tires with classic tread pattern + wheel alignment

 

2025 Water pump, thermostat, viscous fan, and antifreeze replaced

 

2025 Starter, alternator, and all V-belts replaced

 

2025 All fuel filters and 6 injectors replaced

 

2025 Ignition leads, spark plugs, and ignition coil replaced

 

Annual inspections were performed regularly. Receipts are available for almost all listed items and can be verified on the vehicle.

 

All appraisals from the last 20 years are available. The last appraisal valued the car at €181,000 with a grade of 2+. Personally, I would value it at a grade of 2 to 2.5 and around €120,000. All original documents, owner's manuals, brochures, and the original registration certificate are present. This vehicle is an original factory convertible with German registration and a fully documented history.

 

Since its restoration and engine overhaul in 2005, the Mercedes-Benz 280SE Cabriolet has covered 38,500 km.

 

The 280SE offered here is an early factory convertible from April 1968 and has been in our family for 39 years. The car has only been driven in good weather, regularly serviced, and is in excellent condition with no deferred maintenance.

... Details:

 

Owned by the same owner for 39 years

 

Engine has only covered 38,500 km since its complete overhaul

 

High-pressure injection pump and injectors replaced

 

Rear axle differential and complete rear axle overhauled

 

Special equipment as delivered:

 

Power brakes

 

Power steering

 

Electric windows

 

Becker radio with automatic station search

 

Disc brakes front and rear

 

Viewing:

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Viewing and test drive are possible by appointment.

** **

Ralf Jankowski

** **

89616 Rottenacker

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Email: ralfjankowski82@gmail.com

Further information on these Mercedes models: Mercedes 280SE Factory Convertible (W111) The moderate tail fins, compared to contemporary US vehicles, were called "guide fins" by the manufacturer and, according to Mercedes, served as parking aids, marking the rear of the car. The W111 succeeded the large "Ponton" series (W105 and W180), which was built until 1959. Its elegantly straight body shape was the work of then-MB chief designer Karl Wilfert and his team. The body was characterized by a level of passive safety previously unseen: it was the first to feature a stable chassis and effective crumple zones. Mercedes conducted extensive crash tests, including a rollover test at 80 km/h over a ramp. The W 111 and W 112 model series included not only the four-door sedans (the "fintail" models) but also the coupes and convertibles with flatter bodies and rounded fins that were only subtly recognizable. The new Mercedes-Benz 220 SE(b) Coupe was presented at the opening of the Daimler-Benz Museum in Untertürkheim on February 24, 1961. As the W 111, the coupe and convertible were initially available with the same technology as the 220 SE sedan, designated 220 SEb/C. Unlike its predecessor, the coupe was based on the full-length frame and floor assembly of the corresponding sedan, making it a true four-seater. While the coupe and sedan shared numerous stylistic similarities, not a single body shell from the four-door model could be used for the coupe or convertible. Four times as many parts were handcrafted for the coupes and convertibles as for the sedan. These C-models were the last Mercedes to be largely handcrafted, which is why the price of the coupes and convertibles was almost twice that of the sedans. The 220 SEb/C was the first Mercedes production passenger car to be equipped with disc brakes on the front wheels. The original type designation "SE(b)/C" is unique because, on the one hand, it clearly distinguishes it from its predecessor, the Ponton (SE or SE(a)), and on the other hand, it was discontinued with the introduction of the nearly identical 250 SE Coupe. From 1965 onward, the 250 SE Coupe models with 150 hp were released, based on the Mercedes-Benz 129 engine of the W108 series. Like the three-liter models, they received the 14-inch wheels and larger disc brakes from the top-of-the-line 108 series, now with disc brakes on the rear wheels as well. In 1967, Mercedes introduced a new 2.8-liter Mercedes-Benz M130 engine with 160 hp. There were also minor changes to the interior. For example, the previously veneered dashboard was now covered in leather. After more than ten years of production, the last W 111 six-cylinder coupes and convertibles were manufactured in May 1971. Production of the eight-cylinder coupes and convertibles also ended in July of the same year. This also marked the end, at least for the time being, of four-seater convertible production, as the successor, the W116, was only available as a sedan. The SLC of the 107 series succeeded the coupe. A total of 28,918 coupes and 7,013 convertibles were built at the Sindelfingen plant. Although the convertibles cost only about 10% more than the coupes during their production run, today, in comparable condition and with similar engines, they are more than twice as expensive. Consequently, some coupes have been (and still are) converted into convertibles. For stability reasons, the floor assembly of original convertibles is more rigid at the transmission tunnel – a modification that is missing in some conversions.