Rusty But Trusty

Mercedes have never held as great appeal for me as some other cars, I think because they didn’t have sporting intentions like my preferred Italians and Germans. That said, coupes can be pretty sporty, and the 2.8 liter engine in the top-of-the line W114 Mercedes coupes is a twincam six, so there must be something fun about it. Also, as Mercedes goes off on a path of broader appeal to people who like McMansions, people who like SUVs, and other things like that, it’s getting easier and easier to appreciate the over-engineered, last-forever approach they took to their cars up through the 1980s. Combined with the positive associations the W114/W115 bodystyle has for me (the family of a childhood friend had a red 280 sedan I think I mentioned in a past post), I find myself looking at these and wanting to see what kind of a weekend driver they would be. This post’s example is an elegant white 280C in Mira Loma for a paltry $3500.

What a formal roof line – elegant and yet different from the later, sleeker W123 and W124 coupes. Unfortunately, the seller decided to post night photos, but since it’s a white car you can at least see there’s no major rust penetration. Also, you can hope for limited rust since the car’s down in inland southern California, but at the same time there’s no telling how shiny or dull the paint is. At least it’s reflecting the flash, so it’s got some gloss left in it. According to the seller it’s dent-free and everything works well, so that’s a good start.

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