For every-day use, solid, reliable and ”unbreakable” – this image of the Mercedes Ponton made it to the ideal Mercedes of the fifties. The Ponton vehicle body started a new era with its new design and still is a Mercedes cult car to this day.
In 1953 the Mercedes Ponton was introduced as first post-war model from Daimler-Benz at the motor show in Frankfurt. Although Daimler-Benz did not have a leading position in Ponton vehicle bodies – to the first known vehicles with a classical Ponton vehicle body counts the Bugatti Type 32 ‘’Tank” that had taken part at the French Grand Prix in 1923 –the Mercedes 180 caused a sensation that contributed to stabilize the brand Mercedes with solid cars until today.
Made of solid metal with a sturdy side steered four-cylinder petrol engine out of the pre-war model 170 Sb, it was easy to say that the vehicle would last ”forever”. This reputation of Mercedes sturdiness even consolidated when the first diesel engine was added to the Ponton series in 1954. The 180 D replaced its precursor step-by-step and soon ruled in typical taxi-black the cityscape of the fifties. Since taxi drivers mostly decided to have vehicles that are reliable and solid the Mercedes Ponton made it straightly to the crowds’ mind.
“Ponton” actually a stylistic description of a modern vehicle body established its name rapidly as version overlapping model name and by today a variety of four-and six-cylinder engines out of the Mercedes-Benz-family from 1953 to 1962 are known with it.
As for the restoration Ponton fans mostly have the same problem. Typical weak points are:
- wooden dashboards
- mudguards
- doors
- guiding gib of sliding roofs
- seats
- battery box
- wheel house
- wishbones at front axle
- door sills and door handles
- longitudinal griders
- foot boards
These and others spare parts for Mercedes Benz vintage cars are not easy to find. If you are looking for Mercedes Ponton spare parts you will find a wide range of parts online. for example at Niemoeller’s well-assorted online shop.