1969 Mercedes Benz 300SE 3.5 Coupe (W112) IN SELL!

[GermanStar]

A 112.021 is a 300SE Coupe 6-cylinder manufactured in late 1965.

[JoE_M]

I contacted the previous owner of my car, and he mentioned that the first owner (We're the third), Was a woman, which bought the car in the U.S. and it came to Venezuela, with her in the way it currently is, and the previous owner, had it the same conditions, and received it, just as my father did. I searched as well, about the VIN, and it mentions about a 300SE from 1965. So what could possible happen here, that she, being the original owner in the U.S., bought it there, since new, and what could she possibly do? Replace the engine with the W111's V8 3.5 liter, and paste a "3.5" badge on the other side? And that's the thing, that the car, and all papers say he's from 1969. The other thing is, if the car is from 1965, howcome he has the big grill, and the big hood? The green foglights? And I'm not quite sure if this 1965 model, the automatic version, brought the shiftknob between the seats, or in the steering wheel. Please check out the pictures in the link, so you can see my car.

[rshackelford]

The 300SE was made from Feb 1962 to Dec 1967. It is distinguished by its 3.0 liter engine, its air suspension, and its extra chrome down the side and over the wheel arches. The air suspension is what warranted it having a type number (W112) different than it's contemporary cabriolet siblings (W111: 220SE, 250SE). MB abandoned it's 2-model approach by offering only the 280SE with 2.8L I6 for 1968. Beginning in 1969, the 280SE was offered with a choice of a 2.8L I6 and 3.5L V8. Both engine options were offered through mid-71. They stopped making the I6 model just a month or two before they stopped making the 3.5 V8 model.

It sounds like this one had an engine swap at some point. The V8 is a better engine than the 3.0L, but the 3.0L has more pedigree due to its use in the 300SL Gullwings and Roadsters. By the late 60's, it was showing its age. So, this car has a superior engine that hurts its market value for anyone who cares about originality. Of course, not everyone cares about originality.

Evidently, the air suspension was wonderful but problematic, mainly because few mechanics knew how to cope with a mechanical/pneumatic suspension. Some owners opted to yank the air suspension off their 300SE's, and used conventional suspension parts from the W111 instead. Does this car still have its air suspension?

[JoE_M]

Thanks for your help. I have several questions, now that I see that you know further information about models produced in this years, and specifically about this model. You may be right about a possibly engine swap, but this car, the previous owner received it in this condition, more than 10 years ago, and was bought by a lady who had bought this car since new, and brought from the U.S., if the car's VIN indicated that the car is from 1965, and it's a 300SE, does this model bring the shift knob in between the seats, and now in the steering wheel? And also, does it bring the wide grill, as well as the hood obviously? Get into the link, so you can see the car.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2252217

[coastline]

my 1967 300seb w108 M189 with zf 5 speed never showed up anywhere but teh car did exist,until terminal rust forced me to part it out....

There are no pics of the engine,but he does mention Mechanical Fuel injection which never existed on any 3.5 v8...Could be a M189 300se with a 3.5 badge or a 280se 3.5 with a 300se badge but the Vin is definately 300se coupe so what gives...where are the engine pics-either way a nice car...if such a car does exist then the price is fair as I have never heard of it,but again I must mention in 1999 i bought a 300seb zf 5 speed w108 that I was also told on the forums does not exist... CTH provided me with the original ad but when I went to look at the car it had a 4 speed shift knob,not until it was at my driveway that I realized it indeed was a 5 speed....