SOLD 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet

Olive Green 8-Cylinder

The Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 was considered by most observers in the early 1970’s as the finest car in the world. In addition to modern amenities such as air conditioning, power windows and 4-speed automatic floor shifting, the Cabriolet version of the car allowed for top-down cruising combined with a powerful 3.5 liter V8 engine that allowed for effortless highway speed cruising or neighborhood joy-riding. This combination of luxurious comfort and well established Mercedes-Benz engineering prowess, along with high performance mechanical specifications made the ‘3.5 Cab’ the most expensive and desirable cruiser money could buy at the Mercedes dealership in period. Today, the 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet is both a sought after collection piece for the Mercedes-Benz aficionado as well as the ultimate classic experience in power-driven luxury cruising with the top down. The 3.5 Cabriolet has long been considered a car that bridges the gap between the classic and modern eras; generally speaking, it is one of the most widely desired cars built since the inception of Mercedes-Benz.

As one of only 1,232 examples built, and one of just 802 designated for import into the United States, this beautifully restored Mercedes-Benz 3.5 Cabriolet was delivered from the factory dressed in 181 Light Beige paint with ever-desirable 250 cognac leather adorning the  interior. As was customary for the model, burled walnut wood was apportioned to the dash as an accent of luxury, and, notable from a collectibility standpoint, the car was fitted from new with desirable features such as a center console floor shift 4-speed automatic transmission, power windows and factory-installed Behr air conditioning for the ultimate combination of care-free luxury implements. Further, the car was delivered with instruments in English as a USA version, an outside rearview mirror on the left, Becker radio, automatic antenna, heat insulated glass, white wall tires and a soft top in brown fabric.

This particular 3.5 Cabriolet, chassis 002800, bares all the hallmarks of a car that has obvioulsy been well taken care of over the course of the past 50+ years, even prior to the comprehensive restoration performed on the car in 2003 by noted Mercedes-Benz W111 specialist Jurgen Klockemann of San Jose, California. Klockemann, well known in Mercedes-Benz circles for his expertise in both 300SL’s and the myriad of W111 Mercedes models, was tasked by Jason Singer of Palo Alto, California with restoring this car to show quality standards. As indicated by the appearance of the car today and the comprehensive records accompanying it, the restoration work performed on the car by Klockemann was both quite thorough and completed to a high level of accuracy for the model. A bare metal repaint was performed in the appealing Mercedes-Benz period correct color of 291H Dark Olive Green while the interior was reupholstered as it was when delivered new with code 250 Cognac leather and matching brown carpets. The superb finishes of the refinished wood on the dash are also worthy of note, having been refinished in burled walnut which adds a sense of excess to an already luxury laden driving machine. At the request of Mr. Singer, commissioner of the restoration, the door tops of the car were luxuriously apportioned with burled walnut surfaces to match the dash ala the ultra-luxury of the famed Mercedes 600’s of the 1960’s that preceded the 280SE 3.5 model.

Worthy of note is the exceptional driving capability wielded by this particularly well-sorted 3.5.  Evident is both the quality of the mechanical functions both in restoration and in subsequent services over the years. The mechanical work performed by Klockemann as part of the thorough overall restoration process, which included attention to all facets of the car, included the a fully rebuilt engine along with what appears to be a comprehensive recommissioning of all other major mechanical components of the car. All rubber on the interior, exterior, undercarriage and throughout the engine bay appears to have been replaced upon restoration, while all of the chrome trim on the interior and exterior have been re-plated to standards matching the excellent, eye catching paint work done in imposing, deep dark green. The convertible top was expertly replaced at the of restoration in the correct brown canvas material as originally delivered, a fitting match for the beautiful cognac leather of the interior.

Jason Singer would go on to own this 3.5 Cab for a short period of time, winning several Concours awards including a prize at the Palo Alto Concours. By late 2004, chassis 002800 280SE 3.5 was purchased and subsequently entered into the collection of well-known, long-time Mercedes-Benz collector Dr. Jack Nelson of New York. As noted by documentation accompanying the car, a mileage marker of 39,064 miles was recorded in March of 2012 while in the ownership of Dr. Nelson. On June 12, 2014 the car was sold by Dr. Nelson via Cooper Classics of New York City to Jonathan Klein, also a resident of New York City. After a brief stint of ownership, the car was sold from Klein to its next owner, Marc Noel, a long time Mercedes-Benz collector and a decades long client of Scott Grundfor Company based in the Southern United States.

During his ownership tenure, Noel put roughly 3,000 miles on it, leaving it in exceptional condition condition thoughout with a believed to be accurate and original to the car odometer reading of just 42,778 miles. During this decade long stint of collector ownership, this 280SE 3.5 cabriolet was expertly maintained for nearly a decade by long time colleague of Scott Grundfor Company and fellow Mercedes-Benz expert Bjorn Nordemo of Sport Leicht Restorations (SLR Restorations) based out of West End, North Carolina. Comprehensive servicing records from this ownership period accompany the car today and speak to the level of care the car has seen in recent years. The record keeping from this ownership tenure also explains fabulous function of the car while running it through its paces on the open roads.

Equipped from new with all of the most collectible and desirable options available during the limited 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet production run, chassis 002800 offers 4 speed automatic floor shifting, power windows and Behr air conditioning, all ex-factory. Powerfully precise and oozing excesses of luxury, the 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet model has become famous in collector circles for all the right reasons, all of which are embodied in this high quality example. Ready-for-show or regular driving use, this Mercedes-Benz is a lovely restored car by a well known 280SE 3.5 expert and remains in beautiful cosmetic condition while driving like a dream. Dressed elegantly in 291H Dark Olive paint over 250 Cognac leather with a brown canvas top, this car comes with books, tools, good record keeping and copy of factory data card; ready for new adventures under new ownership on the open roads.