Restoration of a Mercedes-Benz 219 -57

  • Welcome
  • The MB 219
    • Introduction
    • Why it became a Mercedes Ponton
    • Some more...
    • A trip to the Netherlands
    • Introduction
    • How to dismantle a Ponton
      • Introduction
      • The first steps
      • Welding
      • Putting it all together
      • Introduction
      • Engine and oil pump
      • Carburetor
      • Fuel pump and air filter
      • Intake pipe and exhaust system
      • Electrical equipment, engine
      • Engine cooling
      • Engine suspension
      • Running engine on test bed
      • Clutch, transmission
      • Pedals
      • Front axle
      • Rear axle
      • Wheels
      • Propeller shaft
        • Introduction
        • Miscellaneous
        • Brake fluid canister
        • Brake booster
        • Hand brake
      • Steering
      • Fuel tank and filter
      • Exhaust system
      • Radiator
        • Introduction
        • Battery
        • Cables
        • Instruments and switches
        • Dual tone horns
      • Tools
        • Introduction
        • Choice of material
        • Instrument panel, floor etc
        • Door panels
        • Centre pillars
        • Sun visors, straps etc
        • More straps pictures
        • Seats
        • More seat pictures
        • Introduction
        • Doors
        • Fenders, entrance sills
        • Bumpers
        • Hood, Trunk lid
        • Introduction
        • More Webasto sliding roof assembly pictures
        • More pictures of the old Webasto sliding roof
        • Introduction
        • Blinker
        • Head- and foglight
        • Stop and tail light
        • License plate light
        • Windscreen wipers
        • Introduction
        • Air ducts
        • Heat exchangers
        • Blowers and regulation flaps
    • Introduction
    • Rust protection
    • Links
    • Acknowledgements
    • Update history
    • Disclaimer
    • About the site
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The Mercedes-Benz 219 -57 blog

My newly restored Mercedes-Benz 219 -57 at Hornstull in Stockholm, Sweden

My newly restored Mercedes-Benz 219 -57 at Hornstull in Stockholm, Sweden, 13 October 2019

In this blog I will document the Ponton's "life after the restoration", i.e. trips, Mercedes-Benz club related activities we take part in as well as work on the car like improvements, repairs, adjustments etc. Stay tuned!

Saturday 30/7, almost finding the roots

After a deeeeep, dreamless sleep in Västervik, breakfast was eaten and then the main theme for the trip started; to look for my mother’s roots in Småland.

A picture of my 219 Ponton Mercedes with the stone wall so typical of Småland

A picture of my 219 Ponton Mercedes with the stone wall so typical of Småland

Details
Published: 29 December 2022
  • Trips

Read more: Searching my roots in Småland, part 2

Friday 29/7, the many stops before Vetlanda

After an afternoon and evening with the Striders (Meeting Classic Strider) and a very deep sleep in Gränna we woke up to another hot and sunny day. The goal for today was our BnB in Vetlanda with a few carefully selected stops along the way. With the "many" and above all long stops, there was unfortunately no opportunity for so many Mercedes-related photo sessions.

The amazing Vireda kyrka, with an equally amazing, but slightly younger Mercedes 219 Ponton, in the background

The amazing Vireda kyrka with an equally amazing, but younger, Mercedes Ponton in the foreground

Details
Published: 29 December 2022
  • Trips

Read more: Searching my roots in Småland, part 1

Meeting Classic Strider

I had for a long time thought about taking a trip with the Ponton to my mother’s roots in the province (landskap) Småland and the small village Fagerhult. Via Facebook I learnt that the Dutch (but living in New Zeeland) couple Elisabeth and Fred Smits, a.k.a Classic Strider, had planned to visit Sweden in July/August 2022.

Fred and Elisabeth Smits with their MB220S Ponton Abel from 1957

Fred and Elisabeth Smits with their MB220S Ponton Abel from 1957

Details
Published: 29 October 2022
  • Trips

Read more: Meeting Classic Strider

Voltage regulator woes

Bosch Spannungsregler, Bauart RS/UA (Dreielement-Knickregler) voltage regulator, © Robert Bosch GmbH

Bosch Spannungsregler, Bauart RS/UA (Dreielement-Knickregler), © Robert Bosch GmbH

What does a voltage regulator do?

In one sentence, “It regulates the power from the generator”. If you want it a bit more complicated you can say “It’s a relay, in principle, that opens or closes different contacts (up to 250 times per second!) when a certain charging power is reached or exceeded” This it does to achieve two important things:

  1. With the engine stopped, the battery would be completely discharged after a short time via the field windings and the windings of the armature in the generator. Hence, the regulator decouples the generator when the engine is not running.
  2. The amount of electricity supplied by the generator would be correct at medium speed, but too little or too much energy would be available at low or high speed (during the latter overcharging the battery and causing water loss due to electrolysis, i.e. “boiling”).
    Details
    Published: 10 July 2021
    • Maintenance

    Read more: Voltage regulator woes

Are my Ponton condenser/capacitor and ignition coil OK?

Left side of Ponton M180 engine with ignition coil, condenser and distributor

Left side of Mercedes-Benz Ponton M180 engine with ignition coil, condenser and distributor

From the second I got my 219 on the road I asked myself “the engine runs like a sack of potatoes, is my ignition system working as it should or what is wrong?” The same question often turns up on forums.

This blog post obviously does not cover the whole issue/system, only the two parts that affect the ignition coil and the condenser/capacitor. The ignition system consists of more parts, and error sources. Whenever I get time, how it should happen I have no idea, I plan to document the rest of my experiences around those. See this as the first version of this write up.

Details
Published: 08 July 2021
  • Maintenance

Read more: Are my Ponton condenser/capacitor and ignition coil OK?

  1. The Ponton on wintry streets
  2. MB Ponton microfiche workshop manuals
  3. Skånelaholm Castle
  4. Re-taking a 60 years old picture
  5. Reparking the SLK350
  6. Featured in MB Journalen
  7. Featured in Mercedes-Benz Club UK's Instagram flow
  8. Arlanda flygsamlingar
  9. A trip to the countryside house
  10. Vehicle inspection

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Latest blog posts

  • Searching my roots in Småland, part 2
  • Searching my roots in Småland, part 1
  • Meeting Classic Strider
  • Voltage regulator woes
  • Are my Ponton condenser/capacitor and ignition coil OK?

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