1978 Mercedes Benz 450 SEL rust free survivor 4.5 liter 450SEL W116 108,727 mile

Description

Up for sale is this nice 1978 Mercedes Benz 450 SEL with the 4.5 liter V8. Vehicle Drives very nicely. 99% rust free. Back seat has tons of room for your guests. All the doors, hood and trunk open and close very nicely. We welcome 3rd party inspections and strongly encourage one for your peace of mind. Sunroof and power antenna work. HVAC blower motor does not work. Engine runs very good with no timing chain noise or blue smoke. Interior is very nice. Transmission shifts as it should. Front tires are dry cracked, rears are better. Always stored inside since new. One fog lamp is broken but it appears to be aftermarket, stereo is not stock and has an aux input. You will enjoy owning and driving this classic Mercedes.Any questions please call (607) 276-2238 (please leave a message on the weekends, we will call you back during business hours)Vehicle must be paid for in person or with bank wire transfer before it leaves.We can ship for $1/mile from zip code 14804. Call for availability.History of the 1973-1979 Mercedes-Benz 450The Mercedes-Benz 450 SE and SEL sedans replaced the 300SE 4.5 V8, which was the last of the 1960s “tall” grille Mercedes sedans. The changes were largely to meet the stricter U.S. safety requirements, and the big bumpers necessitated a redesign of the body. The engine also powered the new 450SL roadster.

The 450SE sedans were widely considered one of the best cars for the money in their day, with a 190-hp fuel-injected, 4.5-liter SOHC V8, three-speed automatic transmission, independent suspension and disc brakes all round, and standard air conditioning. Upholstery was vinyl on the SE, leather on the SEL, which stretched the wheelbase four inches for back seat passengers.

U.S. models were adorned with 5-inch round headlights, instead of the more handsome, square, one-piece European halogen lights, which were not imported. Technically, the 600 “Grosser” sedans were available in this same time period, using the same engine, but they were never cataloged in the U.S.

The Mercedes-Benz 450 received Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1975, but there were few changes until 1977, when the base SE model was dropped. Also in 1977, the 6.9-liter 450SEL was introduced with 250 horsepower, and a 140-mph-plus top speed. This model was only built through 1979 but it was considered the best sedan extant during its day, and it cost a whopping $15,000 more than the “ordinary” $30,000 450SEL. The 6.9 could do 0-60mph in 7 seconds, which was pretty good going for a car that weighed about 4,500 pounds, and it rode on a complex but sublime hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension.

For anyone considering buying one of these models, a pre-purchase inspection is essential. Complete service records and an unbroken chain of ownership are a must, as original owners could afford, and always maintained the cars. Later aspirational owners, on the other hand, tended to sell the cars on when they received bad news from the garage. A total of 101,179 450SE and SEL sedans were sold and there are plenty of survivors.

The same is true in spades with the 6.9-liter cars, but with only 7,380 built, these have always been collectible and far fewer have fallen into serious disrepair. Of course, some have so be forewarned.

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The Mercedes-Benz 450 SE and SEL sedans replaced the 300SE 4.5 V8, which was the last of the 1960s “tall” grille Mercedes sedans. The changes were largely to meet the stricter U.S. safety requirements, and the big bumpers necessitated a redesign of the body. The engine also powered the new 450SL roadster.

The 450SE sedans were widely considered one of the best cars for the money in their day, with a 190-hp fuel-injected, 4.5-liter SOHC V8, three-speed automatic transmission, independent suspension and disc brakes all round, and standard air conditioning. Upholstery was vinyl on the SE, leather on the SEL, which stretched the wheelbase four inches for back seat passengers.

U.S. models were adorned with 5-inch round headlights, instead of the more handsome, square, one-piece European halogen lights, which were not imported. Technically, the 600 “Grosser” sedans were available in this same time period, using the same engine, but they were never cataloged in the U.S.

The Mercedes-Benz 450 received Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1975, but there were few changes until 1977, when the base SE model was dropped. Also in 1977, the 6.9-liter 450SEL was introduced with 250 horsepower, and a 140-mph-plus top speed. This model was only built through 1979 but it was considered the best sedan extant during its day, and it cost a whopping $15,000 more than the “ordinary” $30,000 450SEL. The 6.9 could do 0-60mph in 7 seconds, which was pretty good going for a car that weighed about 4,500 pounds, and it rode on a complex but sublime hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension.

For anyone considering buying one of these models, a pre-purchase inspection is essential. Complete service records and an unbroken chain of ownership are a must, as original owners could afford, and always maintained the cars. Later aspirational owners, on the other hand, tended to sell the cars on when they received bad news from the garage. A total of 101,179 450SE and SEL sedans were sold and there are plenty of survivors.

The same is true in spades with the 6.9-liter cars, but with only 7,380 built, these have always been collectible and far fewer have fallen into serious disrepair. Of course, some have so be forewarned.