1955 Mercedes-Benz 220A Ponton (W180)
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Highlights
- Superb original condition throughout
- Beautiful leather upholstery
- One family ownership since 1980
The Appeal
This Mercedes Ponton is a true time capsule. It is one of those rare examples of a car which has survived nearly seventy years in its original specification. The patinated paint, the luxurious leather, the mildly marbled steering wheel, the pitted plating, all of these could be seen as defects, but we prefer to look upon them as hard-earned signs of a historical survivor.
The car would be an ideal candidate for preservation and running as an ‘oily rag’ unrestored example. It appears to be a largely solid base from which to start, and of course, there’s still the option of a full restoration to bring it back to better than new. But it’s only original once.
There’s little more evocative than a ‘barn find’ such as this to get the imagination racing with the possibilities of bringing an old survivor back to its former glory. We’re sure this Mercedes has plenty more years of service left in it, with a little careful recommissioning.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered 16th June 1955
- Owned by one family from 1980
- Road Tax and MOT exempt
- Extensive history file
- Hand-written and typed correspondence between previous owners
- Historic MOT certificates on file, going back to 1973
- Original buff logbook
- Invoices for parts and servicing
- The V5C shows only one former keeper, but four names are listed on the buff logbook
- ‘UUR 10’ desirable registration plate included in sale
The Interior
- The interior is superbly original and unrestored
- It is clearly constructed from high quality materials and will respond well to careful conservation
- The originality is quite impressive
- The leather upholstery is complete, and generally in good condition, with no rips or tears reported
- It would benefit from some conservation treatment and cleaning
- The leather-covered door cards are in similar condition, and only missing a couple of pieces of door furniture in some pictures that are present and sold with the car
- Original headlining remains in place, but is a little stained
- The solid wooden dashboard gives the car an air of quality - the finish is in very good condition for its age
- There is a split in one wooden door surround and some shrinkage eideint
- The pull switches and sliders are reassuringly tactile and solidly built
- There is far less pitting to the chrome plating than you might expect
- The original Becker Le Mans radio is still fitted
- Original ivory-coloured steering wheel with chrome horn ring and column gear change
- The door seals would probably benefit from replacement
- To the rear, the boot is spacious and unlined
- There is a little corrosion in one of the spare wheel well
- Full size spare wheel and original jack
The Exterior
- Sleek ‘Ponton’ styling
- Smart black paintwork, now in attractive ‘oily rag’ condition
- There are plenty of scratches, chips, flaking and bubbling to be found
- The chrome trim is extensively pitted but otherwise appears largely solid
- Some of the lights have water ingress
- The rubber seals are showing their age
- Running on steel wheels with large chrome hubcaps
- The whitewall strips appear to be removable
- The rear bumper is present but currently not fitted
- Underneath, the car looks to be in generally good condition, but a close inspection has not been possible
- Two new doors included in the sale
The Mechanics
- 2,195cc six-cylinder engine produces 84 hp
- Manual transmission
- Rear-wheel drive
- The engine bay looks to be in good original condition
- It even retains its original Trico glass screenwash bottle
- Original sound deadening materials on the bulkhead
- All new brakes reportedly fitted last year, including wheel cylinders, shoes, brake pipes, hoses and handbrake cables
- New exhaust
- Rebuilt starter motor
- New fuel pump diaphragm
- All electrical components said to work, other than the wiper switch
- Said to start, run and drive, but there is a fuelling issue, such that it currently only runs with an external fuel supply
Summary
This Mercedes is in superbly original condition, crying out for some careful preservation and light-touch restoration to bring it back to a useable state.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
A non-refundable buyer’s deposit is payable on this item, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for the applicable percentage.
All bidding, buying and offers are subject to our Terms and Conditions.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1955
- Make Mercedes
- Model 220a
- Colour Black
- Odometer 77,571 Miles
- Engine size 2195
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Town Belfast
- Location Northern Ireland
- Country United Kingdom
43 bids
- a-•••• £8,500 07/02/23
- sa•••• £8,400 07/02/23
- a-•••• £8,300 07/02/23
- sa•••• £8,200 07/02/23
- a-•••• £8,100 07/02/23
- sa•••• £8,000 07/02/23
- a-•••• £7,900 07/02/23
- sa•••• £7,800 07/02/23
- a-•••• £7,700 07/02/23
- sa•••• £7,600 07/02/23
The Gallery
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