1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Cabriolet. 2 Owner car, documented ownership

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This 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SE cabriolet was sold new at Putnam Volkswagen of Elkhart, Indiana and is finished in Tunis Beige Metallic over dark brown leather. Equipment includes Kuhlmeister air conditioning, power windows, a Blaupunkt AM/FM radio, and a brown convertible top. The numbers-matching 2.8L inline-six remains fitted, as does the original floor-shifted automatic transmission. The car reportedly stayed with the second owner for 46 years and nearly 100k miles, prior to being acquired by the selling dealer in late 2019. The cylinder head has since been rebuilt, and the timing chain, water pump, fuel pump, and spark plugs were also replaced. This W111 cabriolet is now offered with a copy of its data card, a stamped service booklet, tool roll, and a clean Ohio title.
Just 1,390 280SE cabriolets were produced from 1967 through 1971. This example has been refinished in its factory Tunis Beige Metallic (462 G), though the selling dealer states that the paintwork now displays signs of aging. Exterior trim is shown up close in the photo gallery below, as are a number of chips, scratches, bubbling, and a dent in the rear bumper.
Factory 14″ steel wheels wear body-colored hubcaps, and the selling dealer had a new set of 195/70 Michelin Defender tires mounted. The car is equipped with power steering, as well as a brown convertible top and a matching boot cover.
The interior was upholstered from the factory in dark brown leather (248). It features front bucket seats with headrests and a rear bench seat with a fold-down armrest. The seller states that both rows of seats have been reupholstered. Coco mats cover the carpeting, and Kangol seatbelts are mounted front and rear.
The 2.8-liter M130 inline-six features Bosch mechanical fuel injection and is paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Within the last few months the seller has replaced the head gasket, timing chain, water pump, auxiliary belts, and spark plugs. A Bosch short-style fuel pump has also been fitted, and the oil was changed.The seller also machined and rebuilt the cylinder head, including replacement of the valves and valve guides.Block stamping 130980-12-022616 can be seen above and matches the engine number listed on the data plate and card. The matching transmission stamping (*000352*) is shown in the gallery.