Vehicle Description
1959 Mercedes-Benz 220S Cabriolet – Concours-Level 7-Year Restoration, M180 Straight-Six, Only 786 Produced
One of just 786 such cars produced in 1959, this Mercedes-Benz 220S Cabriolet has completed a seven-year, concours-level restoration that included new paint, a full engine rebuild, and the complete replating of all chromed components. The interior has been completely redone with new leathers and carpeting, and the car is completely rust-free with new floors and sheetmetal. With just 1,000 miles on the rebuilt original M180 straight-six engine, new glass, new top, renewed wood veneers, and a strongly clean underside, this rare cabriolet is a stunning example of Mercedes-Benz’s late-Fifties elegance.
Powertrain
- Original Mercedes-Benz M180 2,195-cc OHC straight-six engine
- Factory-rated 106 horsepower with 7.6:1 compression ratio
- Twin downdraft Solex carburetors
- Approximately 1,000 miles since full engine rebuild
- Engine idles well without smoke after warming up
- Daimler-Benz column-shifted four-speed manual transmission
- Transmission changes gears well (linkage recommends professional adjustment)
- No powertrain leaks
- Engine bay presents as stock and strongly clean
Exterior & Body
- Repainted approximately four years ago in nonoriginal but 1959-correct color
- Always garaged when not in use
- New door and trunk seals
- Completely rust-free – all floors replaced, corroded body parts cut out, new sheetmetal substituted
- All chrome re-plated and in excellent condition
- Convertible top functioning properly with no leaks
- Glass is new as of the restoration
- All exterior lighting functional
- Underside appears strongly clean
Interior & Comfort
- All interior leather and carpeting replaced with new materials
- Cabriolet roof has new, sag-free headliner
- All interior chrome replated
- Interior wood veneers renewed
- All instrumentation functional, including original Becker radio
- Trunk carpeting is new and presents as nearly spotless
Chassis, Suspension & Brakes
- Shock absorbers and bushings are new
- Manual steering – should be adjusted to properly center steering wheel
- Four-wheel drum brakes will stop the car but require adjustment for proper pedal feel
- Wheels are free of rash
- Tires are two years old
Restoration & Provenance
- Seven-year, concours-level restoration
- Complete engine rebuild (approximately 1,000 miles ago)
- Full replating of all chromed components
- New paint (nonoriginal but period-correct 1959 color)
- All floors replaced, rust completely eliminated with new sheetmetal
- New interior leather, carpeting, headliner, and wood veneers
- One of only 786 cabriolets produced in 1959
This 1959 Mercedes-Benz 220S Cabriolet is a rare and beautifully restored example of Mercedes-Benz’s late-Fifties craftsmanship. One of just 786 cabriolets produced in 1959, this car has benefited from a painstaking seven-year, concours-level restoration. The original M180 2,195-cc straight-six engine has been fully rebuilt and now has just 1,000 miles on it, idling smoothly without smoke. The column-shifted four-speed manual transmission changes gears well, and the engine bay is stock and strongly clean. The body is completely rust-free, with all floors replaced and corroded areas cut out and replaced with new sheetmetal. The paint, applied four years ago, is a nonoriginal but period-correct 1959 color, and the car has always been garaged. Every chrome component has been re-plated, the glass is new, the convertible top functions perfectly with no leaks, and the underside is strongly clean. Inside, new leather, new carpeting, a sag-free headliner, renewed wood veneers, and a functional original Becker radio create an exquisite cabin. The trunk carpeting is new and spotless. While the steering linkage and brake pedal feel would benefit from professional adjustment, the new shocks and bushings, rash-free wheels, and two-year-old tires make this 220S Cabriolet a stunning, nearly complete restoration that is ready for final sorting and endless enjoyment.
2.2L M180 Straight-Six | Column-Shifted 4-Speed | 106 HP | 7-Year Concours Restoration | Only 786 Produced