Please critique this 6.9 for me

[Gpapaniko]

Here is another one. Seller wants 95k Eur for it!

https://www.classic-sterne.de/en/cars/car-details/mercedes-benz-450-sel-6-9-w116-4.html

Is this one that perfect??

From the photos, i prefer the German one, less seems to have been hidden and she would be easier to determine what may be an issue,  and she has a sunroof.  Tyers are only a couple of years old.  Get the history of ownership if you can.  Close inspection of window and door rubbers is necessary as even he best cared for 50 yo car needs these changed - they only have a 20 year life in the best of conditions

[rumb]

Near perfect?  Close at least. Nothing major but a few very small items.
The valance panel behind front bumper looks painted blue in pict, these are usually semigloss black. The blue I think actually looks better.
The hydro line from pump to tank is not original - they are avail from MB.
The 4 bolts that hold the front roll pan on under the bumper should be body color
The rubber boot on AC condensor needs replaced
Why not just clean the spots on instrument cluster instead of photographing them all???
Radio is retro
The rubber inserts on from bumper need replaced as do the 2 rubber bumpers on gas tank door.
The wheel valve stems do not look like the correct MB ones.
And finally the underside could stand a dry ice cleaning or something.
*the yellow zinc plating in engine bay has all faded. Replating all would make all that pop.

[raueda1]

#2 is certainly a beautiful car from all appearances, as it should be for that much $$$!!  Seems to have all the right stuff.  Velour!  Spoiler!  Euro body!  Sunroof!  Even "air suspension Hydropneumatics!"      But lack of service history is unfortunate even though car seems well maintained.  Again, videos and assurance that >>everything<< works would be nice. Trunk pictures with carpets removed would also be nice. For that kind of money EVERYTHING should be perfect, no gaps, no question unanswered, and they should be happy to prove it.   

As for the tradeoffs, here you get the sunroof but you also get the execrable automatic AC.  This is really a down-grade IMO, as the manual AC is an enormous advantage.  Others can probably comment. The car has also retained the 14" wheels and nice tires.  That's great if your goal is originality.  But if you plan on actually doing a lot of driving then I'd pull them off and go with 15" wheels and bigger tires (I'm running 235/60-15's FWIW and the improvement in handling is enormous), but opinions vary.

Apart from that, I'm curious about the spattering on the instruments.  It looked to me to actually be underneath the plastic lens, so getting rid of it would be pretty involved.  But what is it and why?  I do appreciate that they tried to show the minor bodywork flaws.  Similarly, they didn't see fit to remove the bugs behind the grill.  But that suggests that the car is actually being driven, not a bad thing! [Sidebar - I just pulled my aux fan and discovered a fist-size ball of dead wasps hidden behind the fan hub!]    Still, for the money, they could have cleaned it up better.  And the rubber boot on the AC drier is cracked.  OK, this is really nit-picking, but it's a very cheap and easy fix which suggests that nobody had total perfection in mind.  So we probably don't have a show car but we do have a show car price.

Anyway, you seem to be finding beautiful cars, each with substantial pros and cons.  None will likely be 100% perfect in every respect.  Cheers,

[McNuggets]

Here's a Euro one in California: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ctd/d/monterey-1979-mercedes-benz-450-class-69/7672497042.html

[rumb]

SF car has not only heated and ortho seats, but rare reclining rear seat. 

[daantjie]

Here's a Euro one in California: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ctd/d/monterey-1979-mercedes-benz-450-class-69/7672497042.html

Highly specced but I'm afraid this one likely has a looong laundry list of deferred maintenance.  Flipper/dealer seller to boot, so I would tread very lightly.

[BCK1963]

It comes with the rare two-tone metallic grey paint and the 'skip-the-front-spoiler' option.

[raueda1]

SF car has not only heated and ortho seats, but rare reclining rear seat. 

Hey Robert, let's convince seller that it's a parts car, go out there and strip it.  I get the windshield if it's OE and we flip for the interior!  More seriously, why do people post cars like this on Craigslist?  The buyer pool can't b e very big. 

[rumb]

Dave, you can have the chrome bundts and the stainless air cleaner to match your valve covers!

Anyone know what the rectangular box is protruding from the floor on light side of driveshaft?

Also has a O2 sensor in front of right cat. Wonder how that works?

Car now shows as sold on dealer website. Interesting and affordable bunch of old MBs for sale there.   https://www.dodiauto.com/cars-for-sale?PageNumber=1&RecaptchaResponse=03AFcWeA49xR_Rif3EfVpVe_uLxkilHGnNHAN4MMDFFGFJzysw7g-8HVk7LOoBQ7Uu8a4wj99TqFl2_JNrYOf3dCo09AZaNX713k2JiQ5ZKfIzHMTjko0xhM5paLyr447UIdcy49qRJILxzRMWrGqYfh9DBnbTz8_7rXoJ4FdcTVFXSTp2gHcItpGda6iSXvj-VthUPSlDhEFTJk2aanM0fR5c2lyrAQcgRRN6VrErHJkiKoGgVJ2v7ynL4Aj9egal_wYkZHnb45jK3uxRFUuUXdxV4apNrjkzOU9zGRWfE55Pq_O_4Gk0whjPS6hjcxqkaaq-xgiVeTOT0GKolAkKWoO1tuBWzCcgd6yl0G0Ca1O9FCRED8RU0k4TGh_z5Q_kpnbqgl_koqpWdtnkYLXVNHuL8880YFW13P9zfSUxC-04coZGrkw8L1mdwYhEN3XTosn8XY4C7x74XhpIMvKxjoaGxXckjZ60Vah_VfvVMkCQz_S-Q0zh48eCNMahNU2KebJXMk6kKoUa6N-RXEjbYLIPfQV6b-MTog&Sort=&StockNumber=&Location=&Condition=&BodyStyle=Sedan&Make=Mercedes-Benz&Model=&MaxPrice=&Mileage=&SoldStatus=AllVehicles&StockNumber=

[sirmathrocks]

Folks.. My search has come to an end. I pulled the trigger on this 6.9 on Bat

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-mercedes-benz-450sel-6-9-26/

Thx to everyone who has helped in this journey so far especially @rumb

Although I wanted a Euro model I feel this was a low mileage good example and the US bumpers may grow on me with time.

I also set a new BAT comp for these so y'all are welcome 😀

[daantjie]

Nicely done 

[Gpapaniko]

Well you have the euro headlights so it's only the bumpers you need to change. I have that same colour combo in a 280SEL, Just a tough less in power though:)

[Gpapaniko]

And with that chassis no it's a very late 69. We'll done

[Randys01]

Looks like a real beauty!! Congrats!

[raueda1]

Beautiful!  Enjoy it.  Cheers,