1969 Mercedes 280s restomod

Everything with Excellence: The Story of this Mercedes Benz W108 280S isn’t the story I thought I would write. When I first saw it I thought, “Man, this thing is so gangster”, and it would be easy to speak about it in low rider parlance. But what I found was the story of a gent named Mike Ngo (of Eurowise) that captivated & encouraged me in ways I just didn’t expect.

With this Mercedes 280s restomod…

You see a build that is so far beyond ‘simply bolting on parts’… that it almost becomes its own thing. No longer a Mercedes per se, but its own creation. So mega – that its very existence demands you to set your mental bar higher. Expect more, dream bigger, and anything is possible.

Classic Mercedes Elegance customized…

WHERE TO START. For me I guess it is the overall structural reconfiguration & fabrication that catches my eye. Looking at this 1969 Mercedes 280s, it’s clearly been completely reengineered… and done-so intelligently. Those suicide doors, for example. Would it have been easier and quicker to build WITHOUT that detail? Absolutely. Would it have been as BA? No. It grabs your eye from the start, and speaks to the level of attention to detail apparent throughout this whole build. Nothing in this classic Mercedes is bolt-on. Everything is custom. From the B-pillar to the exhaust work… and from the AC-mounts to the chopped roof requiring custom glass all around. This car is an absolute work of art.

The size, shape, & mounting of that boosted LS intercooler is a particularly cool bit, as the central grill on these cars is such a core design element. Mike decided,

“Let’s bring an element of rat-rod culture into this thing and then highly polish each & every last bit.”

Glorious. Absolutely glorious. To imbue a classic Mercedes Benz with more gangster street cred than a 1965 Lincoln Continental is no small feat.

Because this 1969 Mercedes 280s restomod…

Was commissioned to be a bit of a nod to Street Rod performance, there was really only one engine choice. The venerable LS running on standalone fuel injection. Of course not one bit of the GM V8 was left stock.

Turbocharging the LS engine swap…

Because ‘burn out’ and because ‘turbo noises’… a properly plump Borg Warner S366 turbo sits proud on a tubular manifold. It’s complimented with lovely trumpeted wastegate piping & full 3-inch fabbed exhaust singing the praises of petrol-power. Then there’s the transmission. Slushbox? No way. Sequential 6-speed of course!

Wilwood brakes, a C63 steering wheel, the Yellow on those gauge faces urging you on. This restored vintage Mercedes gets all the details so right… it’s almost painful.

Mercedes restomod – chopped roof; slammed ride height…

To go with the chopped roof, of COURSE, this tub had to get dumped. Slammed to the rails… no other way to do it on this vintage Benz. A tandem air suspension setup allows quick drop & hop. Yup, you guessed it. The dual Air Lift systems were planned out and designed by Mike. Mad Scientist achievement = unlocked! From the mechanicals to the luscious deep paint finish…

**This Mercedes Benz restomod is best-of-show no matter where it goes…**

While this particular car was built for a client, you will be happy to know Mike has impeccable taste. He daily drives an E63, still has a Mk2 GTI from back in the day, and just finished a VR6 swap on a MK1 Scirocco. Rad.

Eurowise...

A lot of you know Mike Ngo from Eurowise already, especially if you’ve ever hung around the East Coast Euro scene. He’s hosted events, he’s been an anchor, and he’s been a real life ‘influencer & friend’ for so many… way past the shallow depths of social media. Speaking with him, you immediately get a sense of his intensity. Every word is laced with drive… with purpose. It’s seriously amazing to be around this kind of energy, and it’s no wonder that the cars he builds exude a life of their own. This resto-modded Mercedes Benz has style that speaks with authority. It was birthed from a life of purpose… and that’s something that should elevate & encourage us all. On your next build, next business, next whatever… be like Mike.