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Modified 1980 Mercedes - badbusdriver

Meandering through the internet the other day, with SLO's thread on 'bad cars' in mind, i came upon this little gem. The Mercedes Benz 280TE 'by Zender'. Zender being a German outfit offering up various means to (ahem) 'improve' your car back in the day. I seem to recall they did stuff as minor and inexpensive as front spoilers, but at the other end of the scale was this mental Merc. The exterior doesn't look too bad, albeit very much 'of its time', but the interior is something to behold.

Feast your eyes on this people...........!

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i.redd.it/f7e5megjuin01.jpg

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Modified 1980 Mercedes - madf

Ahh..... shagpile suede.. how delightfully (!) dated..

Modified 1980 Mercedes - SLO76
Stylish!
Modified 1980 Mercedes - badbusdriver

No such thing as "too much blue suede"!. Look closely at the 2nd pic and note the 'doors' for the 6 cassette's have had the treatment, and it appears that the handbook/service book (i think that is what's under the glove box?) has also been trimmed in the stuff.

But that stereo is a thing of wonder, as are the full electic controls for the Recaro's!.

A question though, bearing in mind the 280TE was fuel injected, what is the knob on the far left of the dashboard, just under the wood strip?, as it does look to me like a choke!.

Modified 1980 Mercedes - elekie&a/c doctor
I think you will find the knob control on the far left is for the hydraulic levelling rear suspension.
Modified 1980 Mercedes - badbusdriver
I think you will find the knob control on the far left is for the hydraulic levelling rear suspension.

Thanks for that doc, mystery solved!

Modified 1980 Mercedes - Avant

Talking about knobs, you'd think that after all that expense on the blue suede, they'd have changed the obviously worn gear lever knob!

Modified 1980 Mercedes - Happy Blue!

I was thinking just the same thing. Not blingy enough by half...

Modified 1980 Mercedes - Bilboman

The world's fastest fluffy toilet seat cover!

Modified 1980 Mercedes - Engineer Andy

Woah! Any blue suede...

It's a German version of those 'Huggy Bear' type cars from the 1970s. Externally very nice.

Modified 1980 Mercedes - John F

Presumably the occupants were similarly attired - and shod....uh huh!