couple questions,,,

[mespe]

1) My Pagoda has a cloth soft top cover for when the top is down. It also has a couple zippers, I have yet to see another, everyone I've seen has the metal soft top cover on hinges, like the R107's Is this OEM or aftermarket.

2) How does one go about finding the original purchaser of a Mercedes?

[waqas]

1) My Pagoda has a cloth soft top cover for when the top is down. It also has a couple zippers, I have yet to see another, everyone I've seen has the metal soft top cover on hinges, like the R107's Is this OEM or aftermarket.

Aftermarket. Your pagoda has either (a) lost the original aluminum hinged cover, or (b) been converted from a california coupe (is there a soft-top compartment?)

2) How does one go about finding the original purchaser of a Mercedes?

No idea. I too would like to know the answer to this one.

[mespe]

actually it's a euro version, so the california coupe option is a no. And according to the build list it had a blue hardtop at one time, (which I don't have) but I still have the rear bench seat, which is useless unless the soft top is up. No room to even have the seatback in it's upright position.

[waqas]

actually it's a euro version, so the california coupe option is a no. And according to the build list it had a blue hardtop at one time, (which I don't have) but I still have the rear bench seat, which is useless unless the soft top is up. No room to even have the seatback in it's upright position.

The bench seat was usually only there for california coupes. The build sheet should also tell you whether or not the soft-top was originally installed.

There is also a 'kinder seat' option which is present in one of my cars. This allowed a side-facing seat there, whilst maintaining the original soft top configuration.

If you post some pictures of that area, we should be able to help with identification.

[Douglas]

The Coupe (aka "California" Coupe) was available in Europe as well. Sounds like that's what you have.

The bench seat is a drop-down seat almost like a Ferrari 365 GTC4. Sort of a pseudo-2+2.

[mespe]

some pics of rear bench seat/top and the build sheet

And classicparts@mbusa.com also typed in this in their reply

chassis number:   113 043 10 003871
engine number:          129 982 10 001940
rear axle number: 004053
front axle number, l&r: 347
transmission number:    015755
steering box number:    957
exterior color code:    717 - papyrus white body / 332 - dark blue hardtop
interior color code:    116 - kaviar mbtex
option codes:
401   single seats
417   hardtop with rear bench seat
422   power steering
516   Becker radio
551   steering wheel ivory colored
596   heat insulated glass
600   trim strips on hardtop

[waqas]

That is indeed the California coupe. It appears that a previous owner added a soft-top and had a custom zippered enclosure made for it. This is why there is "no room to even have the seatback in it's upright position."

If you want to convert this to the conventional setup (I'm not suggesting whether or not you should), you'll need the soft-top compartment, aluminum lid, soft-top/trunk hinges, release cable, release lever, etc.

[Douglas]

For some detailed pix of a California Coupe, go to the MotoringInvestments.com site. He has at least one Coupe on there that he called an "Alpine Roadster." You'll have to scroll down the page a fair amount since he sold the car a couple of years ago. It's a 280SL in a dark tan color.

[Richard Madison]

Original Purchaser:

Some cars have a plate with the name of the original purchaser on the front of the AC, glove compartment door, etc.

Some states in the US will send a Vehicle Registration History Report (or Title History) either for 10 years back or from the first time the car was registered in that state. Not sure if privacy issues have affected these reports but in the past I've received reports from New Jersey and California.  Of course, you have to know the place of original ownership. Some Data Cards indicate the dealer code which might help.  Not sure if these reports are  available in Europe or elsewhere.

Richard M, NYC 

[Klaus]

According to the Auftrags-No. on the data card the car was originally sold in the Nuremberg, Germany area.
German version cars came with a Kraftfahrzeugbrief (title document) which stayed with the car when it was sold and contained the names of all owners.
Since the car was exported from Germany, at the time the registration in Germany was terminated, the title was stamped "ungueltig" (no more valid) on all pages, but was still the proof of ownership when registered in the US. When a new US title was issued, the old German title may have been surrendered (depends on the state in which the car was registered in the US) or may still be with the documents.