1952 Mercedes-Benz 220 Sedan-Delivery Lieferwagen

This Sedan-Delivery vehicle shares the front-end sheet metal, bumpers and trim with the 220 sedan. While the sedan's bodies are all stamped steel, this vehicle's doors are hand-formed of steel sheeting around ash wood frames. The rear tail-lamps are not shared with any other Type 187 models, but interestingly, can be seen on all Type 187 wiring diagrams. The Sedan-Delivery's roof is several pieces of butt-welded steel. Autenrich Karosserie, the constructor of this unique Mercedes-Benz coachwork, was founded in 1921 and closed in 1964. Note the Nuremberg road service sticker in the lower right corner of the windshield, which translates to, 'Protection and Safety within sight of the castle.' This fine example was restored by the owner.

After World War II, German businesses desperately needed commercial vehicles to help rebuild. So in 1946, the first post-war production Mercedes-Benzes were actually simple light-duty vans and pick-up trucks based on the pre-war 170 sedan chassis. But by 1951, when the new 220 came along, demand for this type of vehicle had diminished to where only about two dozen 'cab only' chassis were built. This 220 chassis was originally delivered to a building materials company, as a panel van.

Autenrieth Karrosserie was founded in 1921 and was in business until 1964. No other examples of this body are known. The vehicle was first delivered in October of 1952 to building material business based in Dortmund, Germany. It was exported in 1971 and was discovered on the west coast in the late 1990s. It has been completely restored by the owners in the facility, Europe Macchina.