Speedometer red lines and "K.L." "C.L."

[Richard Madison]

Long weekend here in much of the USA. I had a little too much time on my hands and actually looked at the instruments, I mean really looked at them. This resulted in two simple (?) questions:

1. The Euro Center Cluster has "K.L." as the label for the upper right indicator lights. I think a USA Cluster says "C.L."

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What does "K.L" and "C.L" stand for? Using my skills in fake German, I guessed "Komponent Lichts" for K.L but the German dictionary gives "einzeln" or "bestandteil" for the English word "Component".

My Sherlock Holmes training tells me that the first word starts with "K" in German and "C" in English (Watson would say: "Brilliant, Holmes")

Anyone know what KL and CL mean?  

2. The Second, just as useful question:

The Kilometer speedo has several red hash marks starting just past the 50K speed mark to about the 60K position. I assume this is a warning not to have the pointer here under some condition.

I thought this might tell the driver not to stay in First Gear with a manual tranny past this point. If this is correct, why don't all USA speedos have the same marks (at least in manual cars)? and don't auto tranny Euro cars also have the marks? I think so.  I assume my "shift out of First now" theory is not correct.

What are the hash marks for?

Richard M, New York City on a slow night.

[hauser]

I was told that the red markings on the speedo was an indication for max speed in certain areas?  Don't know if this is true or not.  My first thought was max speed in first gear but was never able to confirm either.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[sjiatrou]

I took a look at my 230 sl owner's manual (pages 13-14) and found this for the red/white hash marks (#4):

"White-red mark on speedometer: 31-37 miles/h (50-60 km/h) range"

There's no explanation why this is significant and I did not see it mentioned anywhere else in the manual. But I would guess it's similar to the old lines at 55 mph in American cars in the late 70's; it was the predominant max speed in many areas and therefore deserved emphasis.

As for the K.L. v. C.L. markings I again refer to the owner's manual picture (#s 3 and 11) and suggest that they stand for Kontrolleuchte and Control Light respectively.  (at least that's my guess.)



Steve
Seaside, CA
1964 230sl roadster
White (050)/Black (116)

[Peter van Es]

Steve is exactly right. Control lights and Kontrol Leuchte.

The 50-60 km/h marking is for the max speed in towns in Europe (pre speed bumps and 30 km/h pedestian zones).  In those days, when speed camera's, laser guns were non-existant and speedometers essentially inaccurate, you were expected to get away with it if you drove in that "red" area in town.

Peter

1970 280SL. Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual.