This is why I should stop looking. I was happy. I had an E28 that was a done deal: it looked good, drove well and was all the ’80s saloon car I needed….wasn’t it…? The grass is always greener and in this case…literally. I stumbled across this immaculate ’84 E-Class whilst flicking through the usual classifieds and well, found myself driving to what felt like the end of the world to see it (12 hours, 400 miles no stopping ’till bedtime). I’d bought it before I even got there, turning up was just required to drive it home.
The car has had one owner from new who maintained it at the supplying dealer fastidiously. It’s never wanted for anything and it’s only ever known OE parts. It’s amazing, an absolute credit to the poor guy who let it go because, at 90, he was unable to drive any more. I love it.
I love everything about it: Every piece of trim, the pneumatic central locking that makes the door pins lift like a Bond girl rising out of treacle, the way it rides, the chrome trims, the zebrano wood on the dash, the light in the rear you switch on from the front….EVERYTHING.
So far I’ve got about 30 hours in the suspension alone just working on getting it sitting right: it’s been up, down, down some more, back up again, I’ve raised the engine, raised the exhaust, lowered them back down and gone through two sets of springs, 2 profiles of tire and most of the skin off my hands. But now I’m happy. It’s not the lowest in the world (though it is down a good 4+”) but it rides right and I can drive it anywhere. Maybe I won’t impress the internet with this one and maybe I’m getting old, but a touch of luxury is cool, dragging your exhaust off outside your house is not. Eventually, I need Air. or do I? I’m still thinking about it.
