1971 Mercedes Benz 280S Classic Rally Car

Rally Preparation Services have been instructed to offer for sale this ultra-reliable proven and category winning Mercedes Benz 280s classic rally car.

Mercedes Benz arguably has the strongest claim to being the first manufacturer of a car driven by an internal combustion engine with the Benz Patented-Motorwagen of 1885. Over many years and many more great cars Mercedes firmly established themselves as one of the world’s best car manufacturers; in 1965 the new W108 was the latest large luxury saloon produced by the German manufacturer to carry the three-pointed star. It is said the three points of the marques badge represent the use of Mercedes engines on land, sea and in the air. The W108 series was developed with a modern look being slightly larger than its predecessor the “Fin-tail” W111. Originally the existing running gear was carried over from model to model, but new engines soon followed including the 2800cc. 140 bhp twin carburettor version found in this 280S.

Mercedes Benz of this period are renowned for the sturdy construction which of course serves well for all the many varied duties they have carried out and especially so for long-distance classic car rallies. The rally preparation on this car has followed that well-trodden maxim – Keep it simple. For occupant safety, a full cage has been installed with TRS full harness seat belts and a fire extinguisher. Underneath this Mercedes substantial guards are fitted, and the exhaust has been suitably skidded and features sliding joints. The brake lines are braided for added protection and longevity and a high capacity fuel tank is nicely located in the boot area, allowing ample room for the two spare wheels and trolley jack in there too! Twin Facet fuel pumps feed through to a brace of Filter King fuel filters under the bonnet.

The front seats have been replaced for more comfortable versions for those long days in the car and there is also some well thought out storage to be found below the lower part of the rear seat. Navigational equipment includes both the top of the range Monit G-200 and a Terratrip 303 which has a separate drivers display. Further aids for that black art of co-driving include a pair of digital stopwatches, a Garmin Montana GPS, a map light, and some all-important pen holders!

To add to the overall comfort the previous owner has even had some ingenious rear windows produced with air ducts to create a negative pressure in the cabin space when travelling across the desert to reduce the ingress of dust and sand.

All very straight forward rally preparation traits have been applied and it clearly works as this car has successfully completed the 2013 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, the 2015 Sahara Challenge finishing well as the 2nd Classic and in 2018 Winning the Himalayan Challenge as the 1st overall Classic.

This Mercedes is ideally suited for someone looking for a simple and straightforward way to enjoy adventure rallying in a proven car with winning potential too.

The car is currently residing with Rally Preparation Services sister company SASCo – the Stand Alone Storage Company and is readily available for inspection.

All viewings and test drives welcomed through direct contact with Rally Preparation Services.

All enquiries please contact us on [email protected] or telephone +44(0)1993 358009

Images subject to copyright – Rally Preparation Services Ltd

Specification

2800cc six-cylinder OHC 140bhp

Twin downdraft carburettors

Skidded exhaust

High capacity centrally mounted fuel tank

Twin electronic fuel pumps

Mercedes 4 speed gearbox

Bilstein rear dampers

Full roll cage

TRS competition harnesses

Handheld fire extinguisher

PIAA auxiliary lamps