One of the great things about being an automotive enthusiast is you can participate in the hobby even when you’re not behind the wheel of a car. A simple walk through a shopping district can be full of interesting sights that trigger your inner gearhead. The only catch is you never know the story behind a particular vehicle that catches your eye. But if you happen to catch in person our Pick of the Day, a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet listed by a New York City dealership on ClassicCars.com, you’ll already know its background and details.
Part of the W111 series of vehicles, which ran from the late 1950s through the early 1970s, the V8-powered 280SE 3.5 is a relative rarity from the last few years of production, particularly in drop-top form. Out of the hundreds of thousands of W111s made, only 1,232 of them were 280SE 3.5 Cabriolets.
According to the selling dealer, this particular one is a Texas car that has only had two owners and accumulated approximately 43,000 miles. Of course, mileage is often outweighed by the passage of time, which explains why this open-air beauty was restored not just once but twice.
The first time around, it was stripped down to bare metal and refinished in its original Tobacco Brown. In addition, the air conditioning system was overhauled, the top headliner and cover were replaced, and the interior was fitted with new tan upholstery and cream carpeting.
In 2022, the selling dealer had KJA Restorations in New Jersey update that decades-old restoration. The shop performed a full mechanical service and tune-up on the fuel-injected 3.5-liter V8, refinished the wood trim on the dashboard, installed a rebuilt steering box, and replaced any worn-out suspension components. It also put on new tires (including the spare) and updated the engine belts and the A/C compressor.
If you happen to be with someone when you pass this wonderful machine, you can rattle off those facts to them. Just how majestic this car is should go without saying, but it probably won’t. Just look at it – that rich brown paint, the strong and tasteful body lines, the warm tan of the interior, that gleaming wood trim that adds form to the A-pillars’ function and curves behind the top of the dashboard.
Of course, you don’t have to wait around for the off chance that you’ll walk by this distinctive piece of Mercedes history. You can reach out to the dealership to find out how much it’ll cost to make it yours. Just click one of the pictures above or click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day, where you can contact the dealer directly.
Source: www.classiccars.com