What's not listed on the data card?

[blairwag]

I recently received the copy of the data card for my '71 280SL. It was most enlightening. Particularly, that I thought I had leather interior - card says it's the MB-tex !!!!

Anyway, I noticed there's no description of the sound equipment, nor the antenna. Interesting to me, because my car has the Becker Europa stereo (option code 515) with amp and 2 speakers *AND* a WISI telescopic antenna (not power) (option code 279???).
My car also has the frigiking A/C (option code 257). None of these are listed on the data card.

Should this info be found on the data card? Is yours?
What (other) options could the car have that don't show on the data card?


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
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[Douglas]

Bill,

I'm not in the least surprised that those particular options aren't listed on your data card. The stereo and a/c were typically installed at the dealership and not at the factory. Is your car a US model?

I'm interested in why you thought your card should show leather. Does your car now have leather? For what it's worth, you should know that the leather interiors were not partial leather interiors, as they are on today's cars. Leather cars had leather gloveboxes, dashboards and even A-pillars. It's pretty impressive.

Do tell more about your interior.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #018260

[blairwag]

Hey Douglass,
Yea, I guess you're right. My Dad suggested the same - perhaps the dealer installed the radio, antenna, and frigiking A/C. The radio doesn't seem to bad, but the A/C kit looks like a bear to install after manufacturing. Seems like it'd be a whole lot easier to install at the factory. We the MB dealers saving money (and keeping it) by installing these items themselves?

I thought the interior was leather because that's what the paper work indicated, from the original owner when selling the car to my father. I must admit (with red faced embarassment), that I didn't realize the interior was NOT leather. I guess I'm just not very observant (or just gullable). However, m y Dad confirms the material is as the data card says: MB Tex. I am, however, pleasantly suprised at how well the material has held up over the years. I wonder if leather would have done so well.


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Douglas]

Bill,

I had a friend who passed away fairly recently who installed a/c and Becker radios for Mercedes back in the 60s, so I have some insight into this. He installed the stereos and a/c for M-B cars in the NYC area.

It's a charming story how he started. He and his business partner decided to go into a/c installation together in, I believe, the 1960s. The problem was they could only afford the tuition for one of them to take a/c installation classes. Their solution was for one to take the class, then to show the other one the lesson after class each day. For whatever reason, this isn't the kind of story you're likely to hear today.

And yes, M-B Tex is remarkable stuff. It is many times more durable than leather and looks remarkably leather-like. I think it's fair to say that most leather interiors in Pagodas aren't original today.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #018260