SPECIAL CONVERSIONS SPACE Binz 190b AGEMercedes-Benz did not officially build estate cars until 1977, but Richard Truesdell found this Ponton wagon in California, built in Germany in the 62 early 1960s – and 63 saved by its present owner from the scrapyard two decades later. IMAGES Richard Truesdell “PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN BUILDER OF MERCEDES ESTATES BACK THEN WAS BINZ, A SPECIALIST COACHBUILDER IN LORCH, GERMANY“ www.classicmercedesmagazine.com www.classicmercedesmagazine.com SPECIAL CONVERSIONS Binz 190b n the United States, estate cars remained popular up until the introduction of the Chrysler Minivans in late 1983. From that point on, traditional station wagons declined in popularity I here, with SUVs and car based ‘crossovers’ being the final nails in their coffin. The traditional American built, rear-wheel drive station wagons are now all but extinct on this side of the pond, the last being the 2005 to 2008 Dodge Magnum, a car conceived when Chrysler was part of the ill-fated, supposed merger of equals of 1999, the DaimlerChrysler conglomorate. Ironically it is European prestige manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW that still offer rear-wheel drive station wagons in the US, albeit priced way beyond the reach of mainstream buyers. And since its introduction of the S123 range in the late 1970s, wagons have been an important and popular part of the US Mercedes line up, accounting for up to 20 per cent of sales. But before the W123 series, did Mercedes-Benz ever offer estates? The answer is both yes and no. If you mean factory built station wagons, no. But if the question is did Mercedes 00264 00365 offer any estate, then yes, when you CLOCKWISE FROM top consider coachbuilt models from firms Ponton has the classic like Miesen and Binz in Germany, 1950s instruments and steering column shifter. along with IMA in Belgium, which A bench front seat was built the Universal models with full a very common feature factory approval from 1965 to 1968. in cars from the 1950s. Probably the best known builder of The 1980s factory vinyl Mercedes estates back then was Binz was a perfect match for he was involved in the purchase of two “This chassis was delivered to Binz in the original cabin trim. GmbH, a specialist coachbuilder in Maker’s plate identifies older Mercedes-Benzes which set him Germany on September 3 1959, the Lorch, east of Stuttgart in Germany. who carried out the on his present course, a 1961 220SEb commission number being 1,540,” says Binz has a long history of producing conversion, and where. and a 1967 250SE. Gunthorp. “In 1964, after completing custom vehicles, many on platforms Instrument cluster is By 1979 Gunthorp had quit full time the transformation into an estate, Binz small, but it displays provided by Mercedes-Benz. all the info you’ll need. wage slavery to concentrate on the returned the completed vehicle to used parts business he had set up, the Daimler-Benz AG for US shipment.” ne quite rare model that was Onager Corporation in nearby Chula manufactured many years Vista, not far from the US/Mexican urther research confirmed that it O before Mercedes-Benz offered border. This has spawned a service was shipped to Mercedes-Benz of its own factory built estates is the wine department, which has also acquired North America on October 30 F below red Binz built 1961 190b featured a number of Mercedes classics, 1964. For reasons not fully explained, Grille badges show here, owned by long time Mercedes including this 190b Binz Estate. the vehicle was titled as a 1963 model that the owner is a enthusiast Bob Gunthorp, who has an The ownership history of this car – neither the date the chassis was Mercedes club man. association with the brand dating back is not fully documented, but diligent constructed, nor the time frame in below left A radio is fitted in the to the late 1960s, when he was hired as detective work, including direct which it was imported into the United dash, one of the basic a technician at Mercedes-Benz of San correspondence with Mercedes-Benz, States. When Gunthorp contacted Becker Europa models. Diego. Next came a five-year stint at has pieced together much of its history. Mercedes-Benz USA about its origin German Motors, an independent shop It was built on a 1959 petrol engined he was told, “You have an incorrect “THE OWNERSHIP HISTORY IS NOT in nearby Pacific Beach. While there, 190b chassis, one of 349 chassis only chassis number. There was no such 190b units produced for completion chassis number ever used.” FULLY DOCUMENTED, BUT DILIGENT Specifications as station wagons, ambulances and When he later received proof from DETECTIVE WORK, INCLUDING hearses from 1959 to 1961. However, Mercedes in Germany that the chassis Mercedes-Benz 190b Binz Estate (W121) the total rises to well over 2,200 when number was correct, he once again CORRESPONDENCE WITH Engine M121 1,897cc 4-cyl Power 70bhp@4,800rpm other variants, such as 180b/c, and the wrote to the importer. “This time they Torque 103lb ft@2,800rpm Transmission 4-speed manual MERCEDES-BENZ, HAS PIECED Years produced 1959-1961 Number built 349 diesel powered 180Db/Dc and 190Db stated that the records from that time All figures from Mercedes-Benz are taken into account. period no longer existed,” he TOGETHER MUCH OF IT” www.classicmercedesmagazine.com www.classicmercedesmagazine.com SPECIAL CONVERSIONS Binz 190b 00266 00367 recalls. “I have never been able to taken up residence in both the engine aboVE infestation, was another matter, but not find out who owned it from 1964 until compartment and interior, this Direction indicators are an insurmountable one. As Binz used mounted on the top of I bought it in 1984. I believe this complicating the restoration. “My wife the Ponton’s front wings. non Mercedes materials to trim the station wagon to be one of only 50 and friends looked over the vehicle and aboVE rigHT interior, it was redone in 1980s factory that were built specifically to be sold stated, ‘Only a complete idiot would try Bob Gunthorp bought the vinyl. This turned out to be a perfect 190d 29 years ago and in the United States.” to restore this pile of junk.’ got to work restoring it. match for the colour and texture of I decided to take on this restoration the original material. Other trim aboVE top rigHT unthorp entered the picture project anyway,” says Gunthorp. Binz has earned itself a components were sourced from on September 15 1984, when He nonetheless found the vehicle to badge from Mercedes- Mercedes-Benz models of the period. Benz to mark 500,000km. he received a call from a be in very good mechanical condition. Gunthorp pointed out that the interior G aboVE left woman, about three hours north in The only major component that had This is a 1.9-litre, petrol lights are from the 300 series cars, Fontana, California, whose boyfriend to be replaced was the differential, as it engine, but Binz converted which is why the light switch on the had recently passed away. “She asked was noisy at between 45 and 60mph. In some diesel Pontons too. dash is chrome instead of black plastic. me to make an offer on a lot of five spite of having not been started for Mercedes-Benzes that were sitting in many years the engine ran perfectly s luck would have it, the A contemporary photo of a her yard – when I found out that one and just needed tuning. Binz conversion, from the exterior sheet metal was intact of them was a 190b estate I purchased The interior, because of the rodent Mercedes-Benz archive. Aand essentially rust free, but all five sight unseen over the had suffered from years of neglect. telephone,” he says. “Of the five cars, Over the years, the dented 190b had only the 190b estate wagon was been repainted an incorrect, non operable. Before he died, the previous factory cream, but with a little digging owner was planning to remove the Gunthorp found the original colour, engine and junk the station wagon. the burgundy like Medium Red (Code I saved it, and junked the other four.” 516), which fortunately he liked. The It had all the problems associated restoration started in 1984 and was with a car that had been sitting outside completed in 1987. for many years, the exterior and A common characteristic of most of interior in a sad shape. As is typical in the cars in the Gunthorp collection is such cases, rodents had decided to that they are definitely not trailer www.classicmercedesmagazine.com www.classicmercedesmagazine.com SPECIAL CONVERSIONS Binz 190b queens. Rather, his cars are restored aboVE out to be not quite as much fun as we Choice and the Best of Show. By now to a point that they present The austere load bay is expected, it was too long at about 90 I was just talking to my friends and half tough and durable looking, exceptionally well, but not to the and has a split tailgate. miles, most of that in was city traffic, listening to the announcements, when degree that their owner is afraid to taking over four hours to complete. It I realised that my name had been aboVE left announced. My 190b had won the drive them. There is a sense of balance Hardly a graceful looking would have been a lot more enjoyable that Gunthorp maintains with his estate car, but nonetheless if we had had air conditioning and Judges Choice award.