UPDATE – Nathan had a mechanic check this Mercedes out and after installing a battery, put the key in the ignition and it turned right over. They didn’t attempt to run it, but they believe with some fresh fuel, this one would run!
We’ve been helping Reader Nathan G and his family find new homes for their late father’s car collection. If you missed them, you can check out their Volvo 122S here and their BMW 2002 here. Next up is a European classic that was built to be a comfortable cruiser, rather than a high revving sports car. Don’t let that fool you though, this one would still be a fun machine to drive! You see, this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 220A features one rare and valuable feature, a sunroof! Roll that cloth top back and you can enjoy the wind in your hair, but still be in the comforts of a Mercedes. So, if you love unique German classics, be sure to bid on this one!
As great as a convertible top is, there is just something cool about having a 4-door with a cloth roof that opens up to let everyone in the car enjoy the blue sky above! With that thought in mind, it’s easy to see why having one of these original Webasto tops can add so much value. Hagerty estimates that it adds 10% to the car’s value! This one has a tear, so it’s going to need to be recovered, but you have the original for a pattern. There is a great restoration guide for the sunroof here on MB219 that could come in handy for this one.
Just imagine climbing in behind that wooden dash, sliding the roof open, putting the column-mounted shifter into 1st, and hitting the open road in this Benz! While this one is going to need interior work, it’s in better shape than you would initially expect for a car with a soft top. The wood is showing a few cracks but is in great shape overall. Hopefully, the dash wasn’t cut to mount that Chevy stereo. It’s going to need some upholstery work and I’m sure the wood would benefit from a good polishing. Clearly, this one has been indoors, with a hole in the top, moisture would have easily entered and damaged the interior if it had sat outside.
So the underside is showing lots of surface rust, but Nathan hasn’t been able to find any holes and it actually looks to be quite solid. You will definitely want to treat the entire underside right away to keep it that way. Nathan also notes that they haven’t attempted to start the engine, so the engine might be in need of a rebuild or replacement. The 2.2-liter inline-six is known to be quite durable, so hopefully, you can revive it without a total rebuild.
Pontons, as this era of Mercedes are often called, have been steadily gaining interest with collectors. While later Pontons are quite easy to find, coming across a first series W180 with the sunroof is a bit of a challenge. They build just 25k W180 I between ’54 and ’56, with very few of those being equipped with the sunroof. It might need work, but this one definitely deserves to be saved. So be sure to take a closer look, leave any questions in the comments and don’t forget to bid!
- Location: Breckenridge, MN 56520
- Title: Clean
- Transmission: Manual
Bid On This Auction
Owenwa bid $4,400.00 2019-12-19 13:29:36
Maxiwoofus bid $4,300.00 2019-12-19 13:28:55- Owenwa bid $4,200.00 2019-12-19 13:24:57
- Maxiwoofus bid $4,100.00 2019-12-19 13:24:18
- Owenwa bid $4,000.00 2019-12-19 13:15:34
- Maxiwoofus bid $3,900.00 2019-12-19 13:14:37
- Owenwa bid $3,800.00 2019-12-19 13:09:30
- Maxiwoofus bid $3,700.00 2019-12-19 13:09:18
- Owenwa bid $3,600.00 2019-12-19 13:04:09
- Maxiwoofus bid $3,500.00 2019-12-19 13:03:41
JensK bid $3,400.00 2019-12-19 12:58:07
Tubdriver bid $3,300.00 2019-12-19 12:57:26- Owenwa bid $3,100.00 2019-12-19 12:57:15
- Tubdriver bid $3,000.00 2019-12-19 12:54:32
- Maxiwoofus bid $2,900.00 2019-12-19 12:51:34
- Tubdriver bid $2,800.00 2019-12-19 12:12:06
Frank cacciatore bid $2,400.00 2019-12-19 12:02:42- Tubdriver bid $2,300.00 2019-12-19 11:45:57
- Frank cacciatore bid $2,200.00 2019-12-19 10:24:29
- Tubdriver bid $2,100.00 2019-12-18 11:47:23
- Frank cacciatore bid $1,750.00 2019-12-18 11:38:51
- JensK bid $1,650.00 2019-12-18 09:41:24
- Frank cacciatore bid $1,550.00 2019-12-18 07:25:21
- JensK bid $1,450.00 2019-12-17 20:53:56
- Owenwa bid $1,300.00 2019-12-17 12:00:52
Fire69dem bid $1,200.00 2019-12-16 14:22:35- Frank cacciatore bid $1,100.00 2019-12-15 15:34:55
- Owenwa bid $1,000.00 2019-12-12 13:12:25
Auction your car here on Barn Finds for only $99!
Don’t know about the German Merc but would be more interested in what looks to be an American Merc behind it…..
Hi bobhess, maybe you’ve already seen it but we have the 51 Mercury behind it listed now also as an auction!
My experiences with these cars has not been good (newer models Mercedes products, not these old ladies like this) but I like the big hole in the roof & the novelty of the column shift stick shift. If it can be made into a functioning, safe automobile fairly easily, this could be a bargain…especially at the current bid. I would place a bid if I knew more about these. Unfortunately, these are out of my wheel house of knowledge. I wish it wasn’t.
I owned a silver 59 with a webcast top, red leather interior. I bought a replacement canvas top and had my upholstery shop install it. Came out beautiful! Revived the motor after sitting many years. I drove it for a while and had great fun with it. These are great cars- everything about them is quality built and can be serviced!
Lovely looking car. I’ve always loved the Mercedes-Benz Ponton. I find it the best looking shape for the Mercedes-Benz until the W123 Mercedes-Benz.
I sure hope the bidding picks up… This would be a really pretty car when done. The wood set alone is worth more than the current bid! As is the Webasto top. Oh, and did I mention the driving lights are worth about $500 too!
Hi Nathan,
Thanks for the message. I can’t find a way of contacting you. Can you msg me at wyn dot owen at gmail dot com?
Cheers,
Wyn
Looks more like a European 220 S, not a 220a. Lots of $$ to fix this up, but they are wonderful cars on the road. Very comfortable long distance drivers once you have it rolling.