Follow the restoration and fun stories behind this old 1959 220S

Originally bought in 1959 at the Bob Francisco Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Rancho Santa Fe, California. One owner until I bought it in 2007.

Here's the Fahrzeug-Daten:



Trying to get some older photos to document the car's history, and then I'll start posting current photos of the car, and it's pictorial progress.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

Chassis: 180010Z-9500919
(180 = Type / 0 = Gasoline [vice "1" for diesel] / 10 = Model [vice "11" for sliding sunroof] / Z = Hydrax Clutch / 95 = year of production [reversed] / 00919 = Serial Number)

Engine: 180924-11-9500336
(180924 is the engine number prefix for the 220S / first "1" is LH = Left Hand Drive / second "1" is Hydrax Clutch / 95 = year of production [reversed] / 00336 = Serial Number)

335 - Paintwork: Mercedes-Benz Blue
243 - Interior Trim: Light Red Leather


Owner's Manual: QL-6510-1592-02 Edition A & B
220S 1956-1959

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

Hdyrax clutch has been removed and replaced with manual steering column shift.

The car's long-time mechanic said that the Hydrax Clutch was a good idea, but practically it caused too many mechanical problems. A good working original Hydrax Clutch is hard to find nowadays. Thus, many originally fitted Pontons with Hydrax Clutch have had them removed and switched to manual shifters.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

Currently researching the correct style of front and rear seats that originally came with the car in 1959.



Either way, based on the data card, I do know that the leather is Mercedes-Benz code 243
RED


As for the headliner. I'm told it's a wool broadcloth headliner material.
But still don't know what the original color is supposed to be.
Choices: Gray / Light Gray / Beige / Black / Taupe / Maroon / Straw / Blue-Gray / Tan


Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center is helping me out. Tom Hanson, Mike Kunz, & Co. are awesome !!

Also, GAHH has all that I need for the leather / material interior restoration process. http://www.gahh.com

installation, upon recommendation from ONAGER CORP. in Chula Vista, I may go with OCEAN BEACH Auto Upholstery. They've been doing this type of work since 1947.

Woodwork is another story, for another day....


Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

no luck on getting older photos of the car...
so here's what it looked like the day it came home:







Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

a couple more current photos:





Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

anyone have any (any) information regarding:
BOB FRANCISCO's Mercedes-Benz (either dealership or service center) in the late 1950's / early 1960's in Rancho Santa Fe area of San Diego ????

looking for any and all information regarding this franchise. Only thing I know is that it closed sometime around 1965-1966 timeframe.

Thanks.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

Very cool car! Have you tried the classic center for the hydrak clutch?

 

well, my intent is not to re-install the Hydrax clutch... it's only bound to break again.
I've gotten used to the manual steering column shifter, and will keep it that way. The only reason I would ever go for a return to the Hydrax Clutch is if I wanted to do a CONCOURSE type of full restoration, where everything on the car would have to go back to original.

As of right now, I'm even debating whether to go with the original "red" color for the leather seats. I'm thinking of just a blue or light gray, although my wife is suggesting tan leather.

But yes, the Classic Center has been very helpful, and if I did want to go that route, they would be the best bet for Hydrax Clutch restoration.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

Keep it the original red! Why not keep the car as original as possible?

From what I have heard the Hydrax is actually reliable if used properly, and that they usually failed because people held on to the shifter and wore out the clutch.

 

that's what I'm leaning towards... original red leather interior.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

the car looks to be in pretty good shape. body and chrome look pretty straight. is there any bondo that you can tell? how about the chrome- will some polish and time bring all of that back to snuff?

 

The right rear door has a scratch-free dent that affects the quarter panel chrome piece.
But I have a brand new replacement chrome part sitting in bubble wrap and in a box in the trunk.
There are 3 small rust spots (2 under the fog lights) (1 on the panel just behind the left front wheel. The 2 up front are due to a design flaw which curves the metal from behind to form a lip. Over time water accumulates in this lip, and there's no place where a drainage hole could be drilled.
All 3 rust spots are no bigger than a 50-cent piece.

There is no bondo at all on the car. Does it need a paint job ? eventually.
But for now it's pretty clean.

The chrome is mostly in immaculate condition. There are a few pittings showing up on the front and rear bumpers and on the front grill.
I do need to treat these soon. There is also one skinny chrome strip on driver's door that needs to be replaced. It's not dented, but the chrome is just not shiny at all. Lots of polish and maybe a few replacement trim parts, but otherwise it's in GREAT shape.

The car is a California car and was always garaged. So the original underbody is intact with NO rust.
Wheels wells are good, trunk is good.
Inside the engine bay, everything is pretty good with one exception:
the battery shelf has worn away pretty bad due to leaky batteries over time.
I'm getting that shelf replaced with original parts. That's pretty much it.
Engine runs strong and clean. I drove it on the freeway on Sunday for about 35 miles at about 70-75 mph the whole time. Smooth all the way !

The interior is another story. That is where the majority (90%) of the work needs to happen. Required:
- new seats
- new carpeting & rubber flooring
- new headliner
- new door & quarter panels
- light refurbish to wood trim
- maybe a new clean shiny steering wheel.

Electrical: everything works. Turn signals, high beams, interior lights, windshield wipers, heater blower, radio, etc...

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

got this cool ORIGINAL brochure from 1958-59.



I'll place it in a sealed plastic cover and display it when I take the car to antique or classic car shows.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

saw this on eBay,
bid on it, but lost...

anyway, a cool ORIGINAL tire pressure gauge, specifically for the 220S








Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center offers owners of Classic Mercedes the opportunity to purchase a Personalized Ownership Certificate ("Zertifikat") confirming the identity of the vehicle and identifies one's vehicle's features when it rolled off the assembly line.
Individually issued by the Daimler Corporation Archives in a professionally bound black case.



The certificate also makes an ideal personal gift of lasting value as the owner's name is recorded for posterity in the order books of the Corporate Archives.

Here's the link: http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/data/p...icateorder.pdf

Cost is $125 + tax & S/H.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

or if you are in Europe, you can get it directly from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Stuttgart.
Cost in Europe is €100

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

some random photos of 220S Ponton's found on the internet:

this one's from Wisconsin:


this one's from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada:


this one's from Lakeland, Florida:


this one's from the Bay Area, California:


I'll post more later....

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

here's a shot of the 1959 220S Ponton sandwiched between my neighbor's red 2006 C230 SS and my wife's 2005 ML350 SE:




and in this photo, you can see all 3 again, but with my 2008 smart passion ForTwo and 2003 C320 Sport Coupe in the garage. Missing from the photo is my wife's other car, the 2004.5 C320 SS.



Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

I'm also restoring a 1959 220S Sedan and have the same problem with the battery shelf in the firewall. Did you find a patch panel for your repair, and if so, where did you get it?

Carl

 

Hi Carl,
sorry for replying so late on this, I haven't checked on this thread for a while since I left the States.

Unfortunately, I had to put my restoration project on hold, while I'm living in Stuttgart, Germany for the next few years. The car is currently in climate-controlled storage in San Diego. I never got around to replacing the battery shelf.
I was going to source the part from ONAGER in Chula Vista, CA. But now that I'm here in Stuttgart, there's a PONTON specialist (in Munich I believe) who may be able to help me. His ad was in the last issue of THE STAR magazine if you get that.
It's the guy who takes his PONTON to race in the Mexican PanAmericana every year.

Let me know how your restoration goes, and feel free to start a thread just like this one, detailing your progress and stories of your 220S.

Cheers!

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
1959 220S Ponton

 

bonjour to all i am new here=) hope i'm welcome/ was reading for a while Your forum and now decided to register.)