Mercedes-Benz Type 180Db Ponton sedan

Norbert Janssen / norbertjanssen@yahoo.com / Germany

Norbert's homepage: www.norbertjanssen.de.vu



Greetings!

This Mercedes-Benz Type 180Db Ponton sedan (with Webasto sunroof) was owned by my parents from 1963 until my mother's death in 1975 — when I was 15 years old. 

The car was painted several times by my father — a professional car painter at Spies Hecker of Cologne (now Hoesch) — before he sold it 1975 after my mother's death. The images are in chronological order.

To possibly find the current owner, here is the registration history while it was in our family

  • From 1963 to 1968, it was registered in Heimbach-Hasenfeld, Schwammenauler Strasse, County of Schleiden with # SLE-N 142
  • From 1968 to 1975, it was registered in Dueren-Guerzenich, Schillingsstrasse 24/248, County of Dueren with # DN-L 845
  • My father sold it 1975 to Autohaus Wunsch, Dueren-Birgel

The first house in full view on the left was my birth house — Josef Schregel-Strasse 45. The photo dates from about 1960. The VW was our family car.


Our dog was named "Bijou" (French word for jewel)


Prepared to handle the sunshine!

On a journey with my mother — circa 1963


1963 / Enjoying the Webasto sunroof and driving with no hands!


On the way to/from Switzerland on a car-train over the Brenner Pass (in the Alps - between Austria and Italy)
This photo dates from 1964


New paint / 1975


I remember an event while building our house in 1965 - 1966. It was on farm land with trees (see photo), and the Ponton was used as a cheap "bulldog" for clearing trees from the building area — but he was hurt by one. I said "hurt" and not "damaged", because the Mercedes-Benz was a family member!


This is another Mercedes-Benz photo (maybe my father was amazed to see another, similar car?), but I don't know where or when it was taken! We made several holidays in Switzerland and Italy during my childhood. Notice the white sign above the green P (Parking) sign: "Hier Gut Essen" - "Here Good Meals" — This looks very foreign to German visitors!

Best Regards,

Norbert Janssen
D-52349 Dueren, North Rhine-Westfalia — between Aachen and Cologne
Germany


Created: August 2, 2012 / Jeff Miller
© www.mbzponton.org


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