No less than seven Mercedes-Benz are on the first October listing from Bilweb Auctions. Two of them stands out a bit extra: a low milage 1970 280 SE V8 coupe and a 1980 280 convertible, converted by one of Sweden’s most well known customizers, Leif Mellberg.
The coupe in a radiant golden metallic has spent its entire life in the same Swedish family. It was sold by the Swedish importer Philipsson in March 1970 and was given the registration number AB726 - this was before Sweden changed its registration plates in 1973. The customer chose to pay extra in order to get the new 3.5-litre, 200 horsepower, V8 engine. It was the first Mercedes engine after the war that had a volume over 3 litres.
When the first owner passed away in 1988, the car was carefully taken care of by his son. In 2016 it was time for a cosmetic restoration which included new paint and rechromed trim. The interior was not touched in order not to lose the original condition.
The coupe version of the 280 SE is one of the most beautiful and sought after Mercedes models and with only 129 700 kilometers on the clock, this car represents an unusual opportunity.
Bilweb Auctions has estimated the value of the 280 SE to between 1 and 1,1 million SEK.
To the auction
Exactly 10 years younger is the 280 convertible that came off the production line as a coupe. Mercedes did not produce an open variant of the W123 generation that was manufactured from 1976 until 1986.
However, in 1988 the Swedish customizer Leif Mellberg got the assignment to turn the elegant coupe into a convertible. He was closed to be declared a genius in the Swedish car scene in the 1980s and created a long row of high class custom cars. Saab also trusted him to build their radical sports car concept EV1 in 1985, a car that could be seen in the film Back to the future II a couple of years later.
The Mercedes 280 that now is up for bidding on Bilweb Auctions is, however, a much more conventional build, where the fixed roof has been replaced by an electric soft top. The conversion is of a very high quality and reflects the extraordinary skills of Leif Mellberg.
Apart from the roof this Mercedes 280 is in an original state and under the hood resides the straight six of 2.8 litres and 156 horsepower.
The auction closes on 13 October and Bilweb Auctions has estimated the value to between 150 000 and 200 000 SEK.
