1971 Mercedes Benz 280 Se 3.5 Cabriolet on 2040-cars

Your search is over.  Up for auction is 1971 Mercedes Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet, 111027-12-003238.  All matching ID tags and stampings.  A mere 43,000 miles.  An extremely coveted color combination-Arctic White, (Glasurit DB147)  Fitted with original black interior, (impeccable condition),  new black top with gray headliner, carpet kit, (GAHH of Hollywood).  Trimmed in Madagascar Zebrano wood (performed by Heritage Woodworks).  A USA designated delivery Cab, loaded with factory options such as floor shift, town and country horns (4 instead of 2), 8 blade cooling fan (most come with 5), reconditioned Becker Europa radio and a new Hirshman automatic antenna, center console arm rest cushion, (makes for a six passenger), Dealer key fob with four master and four valet keys, expanded complete tool kit, road hazard triangle, tire chalks, locking gas cap, first aid kit, an abundance of receipts, original sales brochures, factory workshop manuals, owner’s manuals, the list goes on and on.  Retains all dated stamped 1971 rims (powered coated) with new Cooper Classics. This Cab is in a class of its own, possibly the finest example on the planet.  Accident free, never one spot of rust.  Certainly puts it in the 99 percentile or above of the total production produced.  

We are Restoration Associates, a high line shop specializing in European classics.  An authorized Glasurit facility.  Just completed is a rotisserie, nuts & bolts, bare metal, concourse, number one, restoration to the highest standards…“all documented”.  Laser straight, impeccable gaps...shear perfection.   It would be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive restoration anywhere.  Nothing left to chance, all T’s crossed and I’s dotted.  No expense spared.  It certainly feels as if we were to calculate our insane amount of man hours invested, (can you say labor of love), it may rival that of the factory…of course, they were automated, per say, (1971 was the last year MBZ hand built their cars, as we all know).  Truly factory fresh.    

Now for the technical…So extensive we could fill volumes…Here is the condensed version…Still retains many of the factory parts such as; the lens and housings from the head lights, tail lights, turn signals, and marker lights, (sports the original stampings and stickers on the insides).  All systems have been refurbished to perform as new.  Soft top mechanism is a dream.  Incredible detail has been taken to restore all of the original parts, with many improvements preformed over that of the factory’s level at conception.  Majority of the bright work preformed.  Stripping and powder coating.  Porcelainized intake and exhaust manifolds.  Plated hardware such as; nuts, bolts and brackets, a multitude have been replaced with new Wurth fasteners.  New windshield, wiper arms and blades, MBZ battery, moldings, hoses and hose clamps, shocks, steering stabilizer, shift linkage (shift gate rubber), heating and air adjustment levers, exhaust, wheel bearings, brakes (calipers, rotors, pads, also emergency), rear end compensation spring, motor mounts, alignment and transmission service, etc.  Simple stated, any and every available seal, felt, hangers, bushings, hood and fire wall insulation, has all been replaced with Original Mercedes Benz Parts from the Mercedes Benz Factory Classic Center in Anaheim, California.

Now for a little provenance…My Mother’s Corporation, Pepsi-Cola of Oregon, ran a fleet of Mercedes.  She purchased the Cab, to add to her stable, paying $68,000 in 1990 with 38,000 miles.  She enjoyed driving the Cab for 5,000 some miles.  The whole time she hated the Burnt Red Orange Metallic color and decided on the color change to Arctic White, Glasurit DB147.  The restoration process was started many years ago under the watchful eye of Guenter Schroeder at German Car Service (who serviced the Pepsi fleet for years, long since gone).  My Mother fell in ill health and the Cab had to be stored in a climate controlled warehouse for all of those years.

This is the good, or not, depending on how you evaluate it.  As I stated many years ago during the restoration process, the decision was made while the engine was out to do the engine compartment, to resurface the  heads, with new seals, seats and guides, a valve grind and new injectors, etc.  Unfortunately the machine shop went out of business and lost the heads.   The current engine 116.980-12-003987  installed in the Cab (as pictured) is from my Mother’s 1971 280SE 3.5  Coupe.  It also is an extremely low mile 35,000 to be exact.  It as well, due to long term storage, has had a whole top end rebuild…that and more as described above.  Our motivation in doing so was to expedite the restoration as well as working out any bugs, and that we are in the process of building a Mechitronics concept conversion Coupe with an E55 AMG power plant and did not need the engine…(for your viewing pleasure:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z0_Y_yPXa0).  Good news…We retained all of the original engine 116.980-12-002845 except for, of course, the lost heads.  It has been sent out to our machinist guru,  performing a complete shake down,  and has passed with flying colors.  All in standard specs…pistons, rings, crank, mains, rods, etc. etc.  We have two extra 3.5 donor engines 116.980-12-008596 or 116.983-10-004857.  All 3.5 takes the same heads, right 116.016 1801, left 116.016 1901.  You have some options...take the car with the current engine or have us continue the re-build of the original and install (time frame approximately 1 month), or you take it from here, receiving Coupe, Cab and a donor engine. 

A picture is worth a thousand words…a plethora in the making...Click on my photobucket link… http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii68/konschot/

The Mercedes Benz Factory Classic Center charges $350,000 to restore a Cab to this level…and you supply the car!  A Blue Chip car on everyone’s bucket list, (see Hagerty Price Index Guide).  Unequivocably-Comprehensive-Documentary-Provenance…Bid with confidence…Good Luck! 

Serious inquiries only, please.  You may phone me 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Mountain time. Kurt Konschot 801-649-9411.