Perfectly Preserved Ponton

Article Jaime Kopchinski

Images Denis L. Tanney

This 1959 Mercedes-Benz 219 sat forgotten in a warehouse for more than three decades

People often reach out to me with questions about their old Mercedes-Benz vehicles, thanks to my outdated website, which still exists on the internet. That’s what happened in spring 2015. Kevin Quirk called asking for advice about getting a 450SLC running again after it had been sitting for a few years: He owned a classic-car storage business and had just bought the car from an estate. I went over the basics of what he should consider in terms of lubrication and the fuel system before starting the car. He thanked me for the information and we ended our call.

A few days later, Quirk called back asking, "How would you like to go see a warehouse full of old Mercedes-Benz cars?" How could I say no?

Derelict dreamland

The warehouse was only a few miles from where I was working at the time, at Mercedes-Benz USA in Montvale, New Jersey. I arranged to meet him there later that week. The location was a large commercial building that appeared to be abandoned, overgrown with vegetation, and surrounded by trash and discarded vehicles. Inside, the place wasn't much better – filled with clutter and junk – a hoarder’s dream. There was an accumulation of construction equipment, outdated magazine racks and an old fire engine. And a lot of cars.

Quirk explained that the owner of the warehouse had recently died and his family was starting the process of selling everything inside; they had hired him to help with the cars. Inside the building, there were about a dozen or so Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Quirk wanted me to figure out what they were and whether they were worth anything; most were in pretty bad shape. There were several W126s with high mileage, rust, body damage, a moldy interior, or a combination of all these problems. There were some Finbacks from the 1960s, also in rough shape. But off in a dark back corner, there was something that looked much more interesting: a green Ponton. I took a quick look. Dusty. Flat tires. Intact interior and no visible rust on the body or underneath. It seemed to have fared very well compared with the other cars. I casually remarked, "Personally, if I were to buy one of these cars, it would probably be this one."

The mystery Ponton

A week later, I was loading the green 1959 219 sedan onto a trailer. The car came with nearly nothing – no paperwork, no history, no provenance. All of that had died with the owner. I was lucky to find the keys in a bucket on the floor near the car.
Putting air in the whitewall tires, I noticed they were trademarked Phoenix Firestone; they looked as old as the car. It took some effort to get the car to move at first – one of the rear wheels was locked – but it started rolling after being dragged a few feet. While securing the car down to the trailer, I was able to take a good look at the underside: The floor looked solid, though some of the original paint was peeling; no rust in any of the common areas; and the critical structural areas around the rear trailing arm mounts were perfect.

At the time, I was working on a 1963 300SE Coupe that wasn’t quite finished; I didn't have the time or space for a new project, so I ended up storing the car in a rental garage until I could tackle it. In the meantime, I started to do some research on the old green car. I was very familiar with the Ponton lineup built by Mercedes-Benz from 1953-1962, with their integrated chassis and body shell. The new structural design was lighter, easier to produce, less costly, less likely to develop squeaks and rattles, and offered better handling than the old body-on-frame while providing enhanced collision safety to the occupants.

The 219 produced from 1956-1959 was the mid-range model in the Ponton lineup, between the simple 180/190 sedans and the better-appointed 220S. Built on the W105 chassis, it looked much like a W121 190 inside and out, but with a longer hood and front fenders to package a single downdraft carburetor version of the M180 6-cylinder engine from the 220S. The engine was rated at 100 horsepower, but the 130 pound-feet of torque carrying only 2,778 pounds feels surprisingly powerful. With the stock 4-speed manual transmission, rather than the optional Hydrak automatic-clutch transmission, it can accelerate smartly and cruise comfortably at modern highway speeds, despite a maximum speed of 92 mph.

This 219 came with yellow New Jersey license plates of the style that were used beginning in 1959. The same plate number was written on the state inspection sticker on the windshield; the sticker expired in 1982. All five tires matched and the spare was unused. Even the insides of the wheels were quite clean. I began to realize the implications: As indicated on the odometer, this car had likely only been driven 10,078 miles.

The 219 awakens

I gradually compiled a list of parts needed to bring the car back to life. The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California, stocked most of what I needed, including brake hoses, wheel cylinders, engine mounts, an exhaust system and other bits and pieces available for immediate delivery. In late summer, my father and I drove to Maryland to visit Phil Langlois. Among his large collection of Ponton parts, he had a restored fuel tank and five steel wheels with the correct date code for the car. I had the wheels sand blasted and painted to the car’s original color, No. 221 Dark Green. I stripped and masked the hubcaps to have them painted at the same time.

With all the parts I needed and two days off from work, I started to work on the 219 in early September 2015. My first task was to get the Ponton running, a task I thought I could do in that amount of time. It is, after all, a pretty simple car.

First, I needed to tackle the fuel system. Finding the single carburetor gummed up to the point that the choke lever was frozen, I completely disassembled, cleaned and reassembled it with a new gasket kit. I installed the new fuel tank and flushed the fuel line running to the engine. Though the original fuel filter was still in place, along with its original cloth-braided hose to the fuel pump, I installed a new filter, gaskets and hose. For a car that sat for such a long time, it was important to be careful when turning the engine the first time; it’s easy to damage the cylinder walls or other components if rust has accumulated. So my next task was to change the oil, then squirt some oil in each cylinder with the old spark plugs removed. I also removed the valve cover to check for damage or corrosion and lubricated the valve train.

Then I installed a new battery. I carefully checked the entire wiring harness for evidence of any damage. Nevertheless, electrical systems always make me nervous in cars that haven’t been driven for a long time. After connecting the positive cable, I just touched the negative cable to the battery; no sparks. Good. I loosely connected the cable; no smoke. Even better.

I used the starter to crank the engine without spark plugs long enough to build oil pressure and ensure oil was flowing up to the camshaft. Then I installed new spark plugs and inspected the rest of the ignition system: The plug wires appeared to be original, albeit a bit moldy, but intact. Cap, rotor and points were clean, so I left them alone for the time being. I primed the fuel system and gave it a try: Thankfully, the engine started quickly, though with a dense cloud of debris blasting out of what remained of the old exhaust system. And it ran – very nicely, in fact.

The brakes were next: I replaced the master cylinder and all wheel cylinders, along with the brake hoses. The linings were still quite thick and the drums looked good. I also changed the wheel bearings, coolant, transmission fluid and differential oil. I put on the freshly refinished wheels mounted with new tires; the original wheels and tires were consigned to storage.
A few short ventures out on the road revealed a smooth-driving car: The transmission shifted well; the engine didn't smoke and demonstrated good power; and suspension and steering were still tight. After cleaning the exterior and interior, my first destination was a local cars and coffee event. The next weekend, my father and I made an 80-mile round trip to a Mercedes-Benz Club of America regional picnic.

I did perform a few more repairs and maintenance tasks during the next few hundred miles, the most serious being replacement of the head gasket; coolant had started leaking down the side of the block after some highway driving.

A member of the family

Since then, the car has become like a member of our family and the go-to car for weekend adventures. My young children are safe and comfortable in two child seats that fit in the back, thanks to seat belts I installed. Even in the summer, with the windows open, the car is comfortable to drive – as long as I’m not stuck in traffic.

 We've since taken several longer journeys, including a 400-mile weekend trek to StarFest® 2016, followed by a trip to Lime Rock Park. We've accumulated about 3,000 miles so far, bringing the total mileage showing on the odometer close to 13,000. Cosmetically, the green 219 still wears some of the patina collected from its time in storage. Local master detailer Ken Saviet helped bring the paint back to life and protect it. My goal is to preserve the car in this condition and only make cosmetic repairs that are absolutely necessary. The original leather is still very nice. Some of the rubber mats on the floor were cracked or damaged from time, so I replaced them with excellent reproductions available from suppliers in Germany.

I’ve always wanted to own a nice original Ponton such as this; I don’t expect to ever see another one as close to original as this green 219. My long-term plans are to preserve and maintain this old car carefully. The 219 is simple and easy to care for and a rolling connection to a past that is quickly disappearing. We intend to keep it as a member of the family for my children to enjoy as they grow.

The Ponton sees the light of day for the first time since 1982.

Period detail: Italian automobile club badge, frayed antifreeze tag and intact factory tool roll.

The soft luster of original chrome and paint highlight the remarkable preserved condition of this time-warp 219.

A more affordable 6-cylinder model built by combining elements of the 190 and 220a, the 219 was designed to attract new customers to Mercedes-Benz.

The 6-cylinder engine, taken from the 220a, required a longer front end, while the 219’s chassis and body from the A-pillar back were lifted from the 190, as was the more modest level of standard equipment.

This 1959 219 Ponton – a happy combination of robust engineering and timeless design, suffused with an unassuming elegance – stands ready to offer more decades of faithful service.