1970 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet – The Car of My Dreams | MBCA

Mike Marsh

Finding, refurbishing, and enjoying a rare 1970 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet – the fastest, most luxurious, and most expensive Mercedes-Benz convertible of its era.

1970 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet – The Car of My Dreams

Article Mike Marsh, Images Rick Guy

As far back as I can remember, I’ve been interested in Mercedes-Benz cars. More than 15 years ago, impressed by the wonderful combination of sophistication and sportiness embodied by the Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet, I started researching the model. With only 1,232 ever made and only about half that number exported to the United States, I realized finding one of these rare beauties for myself would not be easy.

Finding the car of my dreams

While visiting the Tupelo Automobile Museum in Mississippi circa 2003, I saw the car of my dreams sitting in the repair shop. The dash, seats and carpet were out and I assumed it was part of the museum’s collection. The curator corrected me: “Oh no, that is Mr. Spain’s personal car, though he hasn’t driven it for awhile.” Ken Spain founded the museum to display his collection of 100-plus automobiles and other motoring items. Was it for sale? Definitely not.

Nevertheless, I stayed in contact with the curator; when I heard a year later that Mr. Spain had passed away, I relayed my interest in buying the car should Mrs. Spain ever want to sell it. In November 2005 the curator called: Would I be interested in buying the car, even though it was still in pieces in the workshop? Interested? By 2:30 that afternoon I had completed the transaction, loaded the car on my trailer and parts into my truck, and was headed back to my home in Jackson, Mississippi.

Early history

From the records I received when I purchased the car, I learned that a customer living on Fifth Avenue in New York City purchased the 280SE new via European delivery. The first maintenance ticket I could find in the files is from the Garage Selvosa, the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Cannes, France, which replaced the oil at the end of the break-in period. To this day I have no idea how the car eventually made its way to the museum in Mississippi.

Putting the dream together

Only one technician in my area had the talent to work on the car – Ed Mackey of European Automotive Engineering. In addition to reassembling the dash and reinstalling seats and carpet, he replaced all filters and performed a complete tune-up – tasks necessary when a car has been sitting for a long time.

When I first saw the partially dissembled car years ago in the museum shop, I thought it would need to be completely repainted, but after a skillful deep polishing, the original Moss Green paint (Mercedes color No. 834) came right back to life. It looks great. As a finishing touch, David Latham and his great team at Bud’s Benz thoroughly detailed the cabriolet’s large engine bay, making for yet another “Wow” reaction when the car is viewed.

I think the Moss Green exterior and Cognac interior is the most beautiful combination of colors that Mercedes-Benz has produced. The presentation invariably excites the admiration of people who see it at shows: I hear “Gorgeous” most often.

Award-winner

Of the 11 examples of the Mercedes-Benz marque I have owned, beginning with my first – a 1975 300D – this elegant 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet is by far the most rewarding. Sharing its beauty with others is almost as enjoyable as driving it, which I do on most Sunday afternoons.

The 280SE has been well received on the show field. The car has won awards at the Houston Keels & Wheels; Highlands Motoring Festival in North Carolina; Memphis Euro-Fest; Heimatfest in Birmingham, Alabama; and MBCA Peachtree Section’s Concours d’Elegance. Most recently, it earned 99 points out of 100 at Hilton Head Island’s concours event.

I’ve also shown it for display-only at events that I founded, including the Renaissance Euro Fest in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and the Towne Center and L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Euro Fests in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. And, many a homecoming queen, elected official and others have enjoyed a drive at events and parades.

Fortunate caretaker

But this Moss Green cabriolet is not just a show queen. Each time I drive it, I realize how fortunate I am to be its caretaker. On a typical afternoon, I cruise at 60 mph for a bit, and then take it up to 80 – no strain, noise, smoke or vibration. When out cruising with the top down, I am reminded of Robert Browning’s poem, “Pippa’s Song”: “God’s in His heaven – All’s right with the world!”

Lineage of the 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet

The 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet is arguably the apex of a progression of luxury cabriolets built in small numbers by Mercedes-Benz to attract customers and gain brand visibility on the boulevards. The car’s lineage can be traced back to 1952.

300S 1952-1958: Cabriolets built on W188 chassis.

220S 1956-1960: Cabriolets built on the W180 chassis.

The next generation of cabriolets and their sibling coupes, with their subtle fins penned by Paul Bracq, were built on the W111/112 chassis for an incredible 10 years, 1961-1971. While all the W111/112 cabriolets look similar, they evolved over time, with model designation changing with the engine size.

220SE 1961–1965: The 220SE had a 2.2-liter 120-horsepower 6-cylinder engine and shared the 220SE designation with the W128 Pontons that had come before it.

300SE 1962–1967: This car was built on the W112 chassis; main differences from the W111 cars were air-ride suspension and engine it shared with the famous 300SL roadsters. A long chrome trim strip down the side of the car distinguishes it visually from the 220SE.

250SE 1965–1967: This model was fitted with an improved 2.5-liter 150-horsepower engine with 14-inch wheels to accommodate larger disc brakes; seat belts and large bumper overriders were added in 1966 to meet safety mandates.

280SE 1967–1971: The 6-cylinder engine was upgraded to 2.8 liters, producing 160 horsepower and outperforming the 300SE, which was retired. One-piece wheel covers – often accompanied with a thin whitewall tire – gave a modern elegant look. Taillights were updated and side markers on all four fenders required by safety regulations were added in 1968. In 1969, to buy some time before new models would be ready to compete with American luxury cars, the company updated styling to harmonize with other models, reducing grille height, raising the bumper and slanting the hood to the front. Air conditioning was made standard.

In 1969, the newly developed M116 3.5-liter V-8 engine producing 200 horsepower was made available in the 280SE in addition to the 6-cylinder engine, increasing performance. The only difference between the two versions was a discrete badge reading “3.5” on the right rear of the upper-back panel. Because these cars were mostly hand-built – the last Mercedes units not assembled on production lines – they cost three times the price of a comparable Cadillac; consequently, few were sold. This combination of style, performance and rarity puts them high on the list of today’s most collectible Mercedes-Benz automobiles. Mike Spicer