Is this set up even possible? I went online to see if I could source parts after I made the purchase but I can't find a place that sells parts for a 1985 Euro 380 SE with a dual overhead cam 6 cylinder? everything is V8. can anybody help me out with this one. all the VIN numbers match the registration. it's the original engine with 227,000 miles on it. how would I buy parts for this thing?

any info is appreciated

 

Sounds more like a Euro 280SE to me.

 

that's what I told the guy. but he showed me a past registration that says it's a 380 SE. did he just get it registered that way? and even still where can I buy parts for a 1985 280 SE? what year model is that engine? maybe I can get the parts if this same engine is in another model?

 

See PM but a Euro 280SE with no smog gear is considerably livelier than a US 380.

The same 280 motor was used from 1972 to 1985 when the Twin cam 6 cylinder was changed to the single cam 300.

Top end gives trouble at high mileages including ability to snap a totally worn out timing chain but the same engine was imported into the US in the early 116 280 S and SE so some parts should be available in US.

Failing that every other country in the world had that motor so parts should be plentiful if you are prepared to pay the postage like us in the ROW have to.

 

thanks for the info. I'm still considering getting the car BUT the current owner has no records of repairs and she claims her mechanic knows everything about the car. so I checked with him and he said just a fuel distributor is needed but the car struggles hard to keep idle but amazingly drives very good and has good compression..so weird.... visually it's solid with paint fade, no rust but rust undercar, color is bronze with gray panels, brown interior, all trime is there and tight, no cracked headlights, muffler has holes in it, bumper pushed in a tad on the back left side, missing wiper on left headlight but they work, the interior is all there with no rips in the back but the front seats are gone but with seat covers, floors are solid with carpet, no visual tampering of console, all there, buttons all there for entire dash, shifts soft but "clunks" into gear(new tranny? ), all windows work, fronts are power, rear are roll downs, sunroof opens and closes great and tight, doors slam shut solid, all window rubber is good, will need tie rod ends, ball joints, and other suspension parts I'm sure, tires are decent could use a new set, wheels are bundts, everything is oily under there,from engine to tranny, so a leak is somewhere, I let the car run and no leak appeared to "drip" at all. but surprisingly all the suspension parts are dry with dirt packed on. and I let the car run for the entire time I was inspecting it. I'm torn. becuz if parts are not readily available in the US that could hurt because I want to use it as a daily driver and would hate to wait 2 weeks for a part.

I did not put the car on the highway because I was pressed for time, but I did punch it in the neighborhood and city streets I turned on and it took my heavy foot and stopped well, the brake pads need to be updated but the rotors looked great with not "lip" on them.

should I have taken it out on the highway?

from what I've told you should I just take the plunge and get this one even though she has no records of repairs?

 

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