This meticulously restored, multiple award winning 220 SE Cabriolet is the pinnacle model of the famous 1950’s era Mercedes Ponton range of automobiles and is now offered from the collection of Dr. L. Philip Lutfy, an enthusiast known for collecting the finest in Mercedes-Benz classics for over 50 years. With a robust trophy case full of blue ribbons, exemplary record keeping and a peerless restoration, this W128 chassis Mercedes comes dressed in stunning anthracite grey metallic over red leather with a burled walnut dash and luxurious chrome trim throughout. Chassis 003744 is a three owner example sporting a level of authenticity and quality rarely seen on the W128 chassis.
Highlights
- 1959 Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet
- Matching Numbers
- Chassis no 128030-10-003744
- Engine no 127983-10-001034
- 2016 Best in Class at La Jolla
- 2016 MBCA prize at La Jolla
- 2016 Best in Class at San Marino
- 2016 Best in Class at Legends of the Autobahn
- Anthracite w/ red leather
- Burled walnut dash and door trim
- Becker Mexico radio
- Fitted matching luggage
- M127 inline-six engine
- Bosch einspritz mechanical fuel-injection
- 4-speed manual transmission
- 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes
- Original books and factory brochure
- Original tools
- Concours trophies
- Numerous period 220 Club pamphlets
- Extensive service and ownership records
- Restoration receipts and photos
- Jack and spare tire
220 SE Cabriolet History
The 220 SE Cabriolet, with its easily retractable convertible soft top, is the most desirable of the three body styles built on the W128 chassis. In 1958, the 220 “Ponton” range of Mercedes-Benz was upgraded in limited numbers with a fuel-injected (Einspritzmotor) version of the 2.2-litre overhead-camshaft six cylinder engine. Maximum power of the SE model was increased beyond that of the more numerously produced and carbureted 220 S examples that came before it giving a noticeable improvement in acceleration that dropped the 0-100km/h speed by a full two seconds. The one-piece chassis and body (unibody), designed with collapsible components for safety in collisions, has a single clean styling line from the headlamp along the front fender across the door panel that ends at the taillight at the end of the rear fender. SE’s were equipped with four wheel hydraulic drum brakes and were engineered with the luxury buyer in mind, having been produced to precise standards for every day use if required.
In the mid 1950’s, there were four major advances made by Mercedes-Benz, succinctly described by the terms Ponton, Unibody, Einsprintzmotor and Cabriolet. These advances culminated in the production of the 220 SE Cabriolet, the flagship luxury car of this period for Mercedes-Benz and of which only 1,112 examples were produced between July of 1958 and November of 1960. Today, these luxuriously equipped Mercedes-Benz Grand Tourers are lauded by connoisseurs for their operating precision and highly sought after by collectors, with “best-of-the-best” restored examples being extremely rare because of the knowledge and expenditures necessary in order to restore one comprehensively.
Chassis 003744, the car offered here, was delivered new to the United States on October 3rd, 1959. The car was originally finished in 1060 creme paint with 519 black leather interior with a wood dash and a door trim luxury package. It was accompanied by a black soft top and black leather tonneau cover for when the top was down. Having had only three private owners from new, the first owner was Justin McIntyre. As noted in the original, numerous period 220 Club newsletters that accompany the car today, Mr. McIntyre was a club member from the very beginning of the enthusiast group which has its roots in the 1970’s. The 220 Club (or Ponton Club) produced regular newsletters where enthusiasts could share tips and tactics for caring for their beloved Ponton’s similar to the way the Gullwing Group International of today functions for 300SL Gullwings and Roadsters.
Mr. McIntyre would own chassis 003477 until 1978, at which point it was sold to Vincent Guiffreda of Sacramento, California. Similar to the ownership tenure of Mr. McIntyre, Guiffreda kept meticulous service records for the car throughout his ownership, all of which accompany the car today as testament to the charmed life led by this very special Ponton Mercedes. Mr. Guiffreda remained steward of chassis 003477 for 32 years, and on January 10th, 2010, Dr. L. Philip Lutfy of Phoenix, Arizona, one of the most highly regarded US based Mercedes-Benz collectors over the past 50 years, would purchase the car with the intent of doing an authentic, ground-up restoration to suit his lofty collecting standards. Between 2010 and 2014, Dr. Lutfy and his award winning team embarked on a no-expense-spared restoration that has since completion gone on to win multiple first place prizes and special awards on the occasions it has been shown publicly.
While an understatement to say, this Cabriolet has been painstakingly restored with the goal of true authenticity and award winning quality, which is evident from the moment one rests eyes on the car. Everything during this restoration process has been done with an emphasis on extreme authenticity and superb quality based on 5 decades of expertise accrued specifically with regards to W128 chassis ownership. Dr. Lutfy is well known in Mercedes circles not only for his collecting habits and award winning cars but also the depth of knowledge he possesses in even the most minute of details towards perfection in restoration. Over the course of a lifetime, collecting more than 100 of the very best Mercedes-Benz classics, Dr. Lutfy has won countless trophies at major concours events with the many three pointed star examples he has exhibited on the United States show circuit over the past 50 years.
The spectacular paint on chassis 003744 is the product of exhaustive body, fit and panel preparation. The paint itself is accented perfectly by the ample amount and fit of the equally well finished, precisely applied body trim in chrome. All of the rare original trim components unique to the cabriolet body style of the W128 chassis are present, including fascia trim and that which comprises the dash gauges. The interior boasts a 1079 red leather seating and carpet scheme that is a perfect compliment to the anthracite metallic paint, and as original, it comes equipped with the Becker Mexico radio and the notably plush, luxurious head rests leaving the interior as true to original as can be. In predictable fashion, as is the case in all of the Mercedes’ that have resided in his collection, Dr. Lutfy employed the services of highly regarded Madera Concepts in Santa Barbara, California to finish the burled walnut dash and door trim pieces, which adds the finest flair of classic luxury to the W128 interior, only matched by that of the 300Sc’s of the same era.
Given Dr. Lutfy’s requirement that all of his cars drive as precisely as they rest easy on the eyes, the mechanical condition of this 220 SE Cabriolet mirrors the quality of the award winning visual presentation. The engine and drivetrain, all original to this chassis, have been completely rebuilt and cosmetically refinished to factory original standards. The undercarriage matches the engine bay in attention to detail towards recreating original surface appearance, offering further evidence of a truly no-stone-unturned restoration process. Everything from a mechanical standpoint was fully attended to down to every last nut and bolt, leaving a driving experience capable of matching the stunning visual presentation offered by the car. Even the original body, chassis, engine and firewall tags have been removed and saved in the file accompanying the car, having been replaced by brand new ones.
Upon completion of the the restoration in 2015, it was clear that the countless hours of work that had been put in towards the pursuit of a peerless 220 SE Cabriolet had paid off. In 2016, the car was taken to and shown at numerous major concours events in the State of California. The awards won included Best in Class along with the Mercedes-Benz Club of America Award of Excellence at La Jolla, Best in Class at The San Marino Motor Classic and, finally, Best in Class at Legends of the Autobahn, the pre-eminent Mercedes-Benz concours showcase held yearly as part of Monterey Car Week.
In addition to the genuine, authentic Mercedes-Benz quality on display with chassis 003744, the car comes with hundreds of pages of detailed restoration receipts documenting the process undertaken by Dr. Lutfy and his team. Also included in the restoration file are photos of the car prior to restoration that show it was a dry, undamaged and good car to restore. The car comes with original books, original tools, fitted matching luggage, MB tire pressure gauge, period 220 Group newsletters, rare original 220 SE factory brochure, service records beginning in the 1960’s and across all three ownership tenures, original jack, spare tire and of course all associated trophies from its concours escapades. This Mercedes is turn-key ready for concours events, and is primed for connoisseurs interested in one of the most precise driving experiences Mercedes produced in the classic era.
