☰
conceptcarz.com
✕

1952 Mercedes-Benz 220

Those having never experienced the tragedy of war can tend to live in a dream world, where the 'sky's the limit'. War, however, changes things. There is an appreciation. Getting by, and making due, often become of greater importance. Then, once things have settled, the unknown can become tested again. Mercedes was in exactly that position after the end of World War II.

During the mid-1930s Mercedes-Benz introduced its W136 line of four-cylinder automobiles, including the 170. Though widely popular before the war, it would be of utmost importance after the cessation of hostilities.

During the war, Mercedes-Benz was targeted heavily by American and British bombing. The company's production sites were bombed and went through great destruction. However, the tooling for the 170 survived. The 170 would help revive Mercedes-Benz after the war.

The 170 featured a large rectangular-shaped chrome grille and two large round headlights to either side. To the side of the tall, narrow nose were heavily sculpted front wheel fenders that swept down into the narrow running boards on either side of the car.

The tall, narrow nose widened as it travelled aft toward the passenger compartment and often came with chrome trim along its rounded edges and side. The small, but comfortable passenger compartment featured a one-piece, flat windscreen, bench seating and small windshield wipers. The four-door sedan models worked upon a central hinge location, whereby the front doors opened backward and the rear doors opened forward.

The 170 would serve as the basis for such innovations as the economical 38 PS diesel engine. At the time, the diesel-powered 170 was only the world's third diesel-powered passenger car, but it was the first to be offered to the public since after the Second World War's end.

Because the tooling for the 170 was about the only complete set to have survived the war, all subsequent designs would share features with the 170, at least for a while. This was true when Mercedes-Benz introduced its model 220 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951.

The model 220 featured a similar front grille. The tall, rounded rectangular design featured chrome accents around the meshed grille. However, one obvious design change catches the eye when comparing the two model cars. In an effort to achieve more modern styling, Mercedes-Benz moved the large, round headlights. The designers moved the headlights from right beside the grille, as with the 170, to the leading edge of the sculpted front wheel fenders.

Sold in a sedan, cabriolet and coupe models, the 220 was practically the same car from the headlights back. Even the chrome trim-work along the side of the wedge-shaped nose and waist of the car was practically the same.

While aesthetically the cars looked very similar, the engine that powered the model 220 provided the greatest difference between the models. The model 170 used four-cylinder petrol-powered or diesel engines. The model 220, however, saw Mercedes-Benz offer a 2.2-liter straight-6 engine capable of producing 80 hp.

Very simple, and yet elegant, the 220 came with a leather interior and either a three-speed column shift automatic or a four-speed manual transmission. Braking for the full-size car was accomplished through servo-assisted drums

The sedan version of the model 220 only lasted from 1951 until 1953. In 1953, the sedan was replaced by the W105/W180. Although the sedan was replaced by a subsequent model, the coupe and cabriolet model production lasted for another year and a half. All production of model 220s ceased by August 1955. By its end in 1955, over 18,500 model 220s had been built and helped serve as a strong foundation for Mercedes-Benz becoming the car manufacturer it is today.

Mercedes-Benz worked with what it had to help build a strong foundation for the future. Out of its model 170 and 220, Mercedes-Benz would be able to fashion such forward-thinking designs as the 300SL and CL-Class designs of today.

Sources:

'1957 Mercedes-Benz 220S', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13421/Mercedes-Benz-220S.aspx). ConceptCarz: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13421/Mercedes-Benz-220S.aspx. Retrieved 7 February 2011.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Mercedes-Benz W136', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 October 2010, 22:01 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mercedes-Benz_W136&oldid=393685009 accessed 7 February 2011

Wikipedia contributors, 'Mercedes-Benz W187', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 21 October 2010, 18:26 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mercedes-Benz_W187&oldid=392070058 accessed 7 February 2011

by Jeremy McMullen

Convertible
Chassis number: 0343152

Max Hoffman built a successful business beginning in the 1930s importing and distributing European cars in the U.S. At the conclusion of the Second World War, he became the U.S Mercedes-Benz distributor. The first car introduced by Mercedes-Benz in the post-War era was the 170 Series. It was powered by a 38 horsepower engine that displaced 1697ccs, had side-valves and four cylinders. This low horsepower unit remained for only a short time, before being replaced by a proper engine that featured single overhead camshafts and six-cylinders. From the 2195cc unit, 80 horsepower was generated, doubling the ouptu of the prior engine. It was placed in a revised chassis known as the 220.

Mercedes-Benz handled the coachwork for the 220 Series and outfitted with elegance and luxury in keeping with the companies tradition. With the help of Max Hoffman, the cars sold well, with over 16,000 built during the three-year production lifespan. Two-thousand were given additional luxury appointments and fitted with attractive open coachwork bodies.

This 1952 Mercedes-Benz 220A Cabriolet was offered for sale at the 2007 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it had an estimated value of $80,000 - $110,000. It was offered without reserve. It was treated to a restoration in 1992 and still shows well today. The exterior paint is burgundy with a matching tan convertible top. The interior features bucket seats in the front and a folding bench in the rear. There is factory fitted luggage, a four-speed column-mounted shifter, and a proven six-cylinder engine. It was shown at Meadow Brook Hall's Concours d'Elegance and is a brilliant example of the legendary Mercedes-Benz marque. At auction, the high bid quickly surpassed the estimated value, reaching $154,000 including buyer's premium. The lot was sold.

by Dan Vaughan

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.

Cabriolet B

Mercedes-Benz introduced the 220 series in 1951 at the Frankfort Motor Show. The 220 was offered in Sedan, Coupe and Cabriolet. The 220 was in production from April 1951 through August 1955 with only 997 Cabriolet B's produced (the Cabriolet B was a two-door, four-seater). This 220 was sold new to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany.

The 220 engine is a 134 cubic-inch, 2195cc, single overhead cam straight 6 that develops 80 horsepower and can achieve a top speed of 87 miles-per-hour.

The current mileage is 450,000 - this car is driven regularly. The car is named 'Troidl' and was purchased by the current owner's family in 1958 in Munich, Germany for $700. It has been driven regularly and currently has over 350,000 miles. Bodywork and a repaint occurred in 2005. Stuttgart factory repairs were performed in 1963.

Cabriolet A

Produced between 1951 and 1955, the W187 came in three body types: a sedan, coupe or cabriolet. Mercedes offered two models of open cars called cabriolet A and cabriolet B. They varied in passenger capacity and in profile and number of side windows.

The A is a two-window, four passenger model, while the slightly larger B a four-window, four- or five-passenger car. Mercedes-Benz produced 18,514 W187s before the model was changed in 1955, with just 1,278 of these dashing and stylish cabriolet A, making this vehicle quite rare today.

The car features a 2.2-liter, 6-cylinder gasoline engine making 80 horsepower at 4600 RPM, capable of reaching 90 mph. It has a four-speed manual transmission, timing adjustable from the dashboard, and a pedal operated central lubrication system. With a heavy steel and wood frame, this 220 weighs a substantial 3,124 pounds. The sleek styling of the Cabriolet A includes chrome bumpers, two small independently mounted headlamps, a large crisply angled grille for airflow, and two larger integral headlamps.

The W187 was based upon the pre-war 170 series, and still required much handwork on the body, assembly and wooden frame. Higher volume models in the Mercedes line were converting to all-steel production by this time.

This particular car has been in the owner's family for nearly 40 years and underwent a complete restoration in 2004. Much sheet metal was replaced; parts of the ash frame required rebuilding with imported German wood and all of the chrome was renewed. Many rubber bushings and metal fasteners, long unavailable, were custom made for this restoration. The result is a wonderfully restored period driver and an elegant show.

Cabriolet B
Chassis number: 220.187.0130707052

For Mercedes-Benz, post-war production had been limited by the destruction of all factory tooling except for that used for the 170 model line. The new 220 Mercedes-Benz was introduced at the 1951 Frankfurt Motor Show and was a redesigned variant of the 170. The most visual changes to the styling was the more modern headlight arrangement. The chassis, however, had been greatly enhanced with the installation of the 2.2-liter six-cylinder motor, a big improvement over the 170's four-cylinder.

The 220 was produced in both a sedan and Cabriolet version. Additionally, a small number of coupes were built. The Cabriolet was offered in two styles: the A, a two-passenger with a rear jump seat, and the B, a four-seater with rear quarter windows. The Cabriolet B featured an all-metal subframe. The interior trim copied that of the sedan with an ash dash top. The wood was not stained but varnished.

The Mercedes-Benz 220 was the last model to have suicide doors.

This 220 Cabriolet B was purchased in 1982 by Richard St. John of Seattle, Washington. The car was then treated to a restoration which lasted three years. After the work was completed, the car was entered in the 1986 Mercedes-Benz Club event at Chateau St. Michell in Woodinville, Washington, where it won Best of Show. Later that summer, the Mercedes-Benz was shown at the Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance in Oregon where it won its class. It was invited to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for the 100-year celebration of the automobile and the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz. The 220 Cabriolet B won its class.

The car was later sold and has since remained in the Pacific Northwest as a member of two notable collections.

The car is finished in the correct Tobacco Brown over biscuit leather. It has a rare rear spare carrier that pivots down to gain access to the luggage compartment. The overhead cam engine has a dual-downdraft Solex 30 PAAJ carburetor and produces 80 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel servo-assisted drum brakes.

In 2013, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $130,000 - $160,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $154,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet A

The first of the pontoon-fendered Mercedes Benz designs debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show, in 1951. Among the first new post-war models, the 220 offered both quality engineering and construction. They were known for outstanding reliability, exemplary road handling and distinguished style, in addition to well-appointed and comfortable interiors.

Compared to other contemporary cars, the 220 was years ahead in terms of comfort, handling and construction. It was priced accordingly at nearly $5,000, or the equivalent of a Cadillac limousine of the era. The car featured a newly designed six-cylinder engine with increased compression and approximately 1,278 of the open air examples were built.

This car, finished in Silver Blue and Stone over Navy is a matching number car, complete with its original luggage. The current owner just completed a restoration of the vehicle finishing up in February of 2014.

Cabriolet B
Chassis number: 187013

After World War II, Mercedes-Benz emerged with just one production automobile platform, the 170. In 1951, the 170 was adapted to a new production automobile. Internally, the model was named the W187, which was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in April of 1951. The new luxury car was powered by a 6-cylinder engine and was offered as a sedan, coupe and cabriolet, all bearing the 220-model designation. The immediate post-war period had dictated the exclusive use of a 4-cylinder engine in passenger cars until 1951, but the 220, and the 300 model introduced simultaneously, became the first post-war Mercedes-Benz models powered by inline-6 engines. Two models of cabriolet were available: the two-door, two-seat 220A and the sporty two-door, four-seat 220B. From 1951 through 1954, Mercedes produced 994 examples of the 220B.

This particular example is a low-mileage example that has just 16,700 miles on its odometer. It was purchased from a German owner in 1967 by an American military veteran of the Vietnam war, who shipped it to Long Beach, California, and then to Hawaii. The current owners completed a frame-off restoration of the car using mostly original parts. The car is still powered by its original 2.2-liter engine backed by a 4-speed column-shift transmission. It is finished in Mercedes Blue with a matching Blue top, and is fitted with a Burgundy leather interior highlighted by wood trim, excellent chrome and bright work and the original radio and wind-up clock. The carpeted trunk carries a set of body color-matching luggage, the original tool kit and a spare wheel and tire that match the car's wide Whitewall radials.

Cabriolet A
Chassis number: 187.012.06634/52
Engine number: 180.920.06800/52

During World War II, Daimler-Benz AG's plants were largely rubble due to Allied bombing. The company's administration was in shambled. The early years that followed were continuations of the four-cylinder 170V. A new car was in the works, the 300 Series, but in 1951, an upscale modernization of the 170 was introduced, the 220 Series, carrying the internal company designation of W187. The 220 Series had styling similar to the 170, but with headlights that were flared into the front fenders instead of free-standing. Under the bonnet, the engine was completely new. It was an inline six-cylinder unit that displaced 2195 cubic centimeters and had a single overhead camshaft operating the vales and short rocker arms. It had a stroke that was shorter than the bore dimension.

Over the production life span, more than 16,000 Mercedes-Benz 220s were sedans. Just 1,278 examples were the two-three seat Cabriolet A.

This 220 Cabriolet A was purchased in 1996 by the current owner from Tom Divel, of New Jersey. It then became the subject of an exhaustive restoration which was completed in 2000. Soon after the work was completed, the owner passed away and the car remained in climate-controlled storage until recently. The car has been driven less than 20 miles since the work was completed. It has been painted black with a tan leather interior.

The car has fitted luggage and several tools in the compartment. There is a four-band pushbutton radio.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet B
Chassis number: 1871400228

This 1952 Mercedes-Benz 220B Cabriolet has been given a comprehensive restoration and 3,350 miles have been added to the odometer since the work was completed. It has been given a recent service by a German auto service shop. This Cabriolet B has a handmade red interior with a black top and white exterior finish. It is one of 997 examples produced, equipped with a six-cylinder engine with a four-speed manual transmission.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet A
Chassis number: 220/187.012.03972/52

Like several other similar creations, Los Angeles-based silkscreen artist Hiro Yamagata gave this 220 A Cabriolet a unique paint scheme during its restoration. Yamagata has worked on over 20 of these cars since the early 1990s, applying his artistic vision to their white matte acrylic canvases. The bumper-to-bumper artwork featured birds, flowers, butterflies, and other nature scenes.

The cars that have been given Yamagata's artwork are collectively known as the Earthly Paradise series, and have been displayed at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, at the 46th Venice Biennale in 1995, and on a tour of European museums that lasted through 1997.

This particular Mercedes-Benz has a kaleidoscope of floral patterns and butterflies and is known as 'Butterflies and Roses.' Upon completion, the car was shown at the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts.

This car has been owned by its current custodian since 2016.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedan-Delivery Lieferwagen

Since the early 1990s, Hiro Yamagata has restored around three dozen of these cars. The cars are properly finished, given correct upholstery, accurate interior woodwork, and even radio hardware. After the work is completed, they are used as a basis for Mr. Yamagat's creativity. The bodies are finished in white matte acrylic and their surfaces roughened, providing a primer coat for Yamagata's artwork. Mr. Yamagata's cars, collectively known as the Earthly Paradise series, have been exhibited at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, at the Venice Biennale in 1995, and on a tour of European museums that lasted through 1997.

This particular example is one of 'Earthly Paradise' cars. It was once in the care of Vinnie Mandzak.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet A
Chassis number: 220.187.012.02929.52

Since the early 1990s, Hiro Yamagata has worked on around three dozen of these cars. Each has been carefully restored, then the bodies are finished in white matte acrylic, and then the surface is roughened, providing a primer coat for Yamagata's creative genius. These 'Earthly Paradise' cars are completely hand-painted by Yamagata. The designs feature bright and colorful birds and flowers.

Yamagata's Cabriolets have been displayed at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, and they have also been attendees at the Venice Biennale in 1995 and on a tour of European museums that lasted through 1997.

by Dan Vaughan