W111 220seb coupe rear plate & fuel door originality questions

[perry113]

Hi.
After a complete engine rebuild my 1963 220seb restoration is close to being completed.

I am looking for an original correct rear plate frame that will allow me to mount my license plate without drilling any holes in the rear fuel door.

I am also trying to verify where to  correctly mount the fuel door opening handle as seen in the following pictures. It will not work in the top center existing hole where I thought it would be. No clearance so I thin it would be off to the side.

I have found it to be very hard to find another extremely original correct 220seb coupe to reference the details.

Any direction would be greatly appreciated.

Regards.

Peter

[wwheeler]

All the pictures I have seen of the early cars have the handle in the middle and makes the most sense. They must have discontinued the hook after the 220SE because I never had one on my 280SE ( I do now ) and never seen one on a later car. I do not have a hole in the upper center as you do, so I mounted it off the upper left side where there is a hole.

You have a Euro car based on the bumper light, so your plate holes should be for a euro plate. My understanding is the US dealers drilled holes in order to mount a US plate. I don't think they made an adapter frame, they just drilled holes.

Attached is the backside of mine. Not that it is 100% correct, but it works quite well. I have the US plate mounted only at the top (two nuts and screws with flat washers). I have rubber buffers at the bottom of the plate and you can see their backside just ahead of the door springs. Then I have two buffers that cushion the fuel door. And finally, the hook is the upper left side. The flat mounting tab of the hook is actually behind the plate and is not seen from the rear. I have two doughnuts between the plate and the door so that if offsets the plate and is even with the buffers below. I hope that makes sense.

 

[Pawel66]

Maybe what I am going to say is total mess, as I do not know W111 so well, but...

A friend of mine asked me exactly this question a couple of years ago. What I told him, based on looking at car pictures (and I just checked it) and the EPC was that:
1. A handle, PN A1117580002, replaced by A1117580102, went with the rear lid lock PN A1107500284, which was a lock fitted with a pad on trunk lid. It was the same lock as the glove compartment lock. This was for W111.014.

2. The lock you have, fitted on trunk wall, not lid, is PN A1117505184. This goes to W111.021 and W111.023. Handle does not go there for 111.021 nor 111.023. It does not fit. Owners, however, install it where they like it (picture).

I have no idea if what I say is correct, but this is what I found in the system. That is what I told my friend.

[perry113]

Maybe what I am going to say is total mess, as I do not know W111 so well, but...

A friend of mine asked me exactly this question a couple of years ago. What I told him, based on looking at car pictures (and I just checked it) and the EPC was that:
1. A handle, PN A1117580002, replaced by A1117580102, went with the rear lid lock PN A1107500284, which was a lock fitted with a pad on trunk lid. It was the same lock as the glove compartment lock. This was for W111.014.

2. The lock you have, fitted on trunk wall, not lid, is PN A1117505184. This goes to W111.021 and W111.023. Handle does not go there for 111.021 nor 111.023. It does not fit. Owners, however, install it where they like it (picture).

I have no idea if what I say is correct, but this is what I found in the system. That is what I told my friend.

Hi Wallace,

I would love to know more about your car and the restoration work you have performed on her. I see you have an what I believe to be an oil level sticker alongside with your tire pressure stickers. I have been trying to reference what is correct for my car.

I would love to chat sometime if you are ever available.

Regards

Peter

[wwheeler]

Hi Peter,

PM sent. Those tags came from Bob Geco and his wife might still be selling these. Bob made a special tire pressure decal for my car because he did not have one like it. It is a beautiful reproduction as were all of his tags. Those are the correct positions for my car. I say my car because things never stayed the same with Mercedes. Somebody once said, "Mercedes never made mistakes...only improvements". Beautifully said.

Your 220SEb probably has the two plunger pump like my W128 220SE. We can discuss that as well.

Wallace

[badali]

The handle was on the 111 finback sedans.  I had one on my 1961 220Sb.  It was in the center.  I'm not sure if it was on any other models...

[waltklatt]

Had 4 W108 models(none had it) and I put one there middle top(on all 4), so the handle lines up right under the center of the trunk lock.
Really helps in saving your fingertips and nails from cracking, breaking or cutting up trying to open the flap.
Just redrill a new hole so the hole on the chrome fingerhold is lined up under the lock and not hitting it.
Much cleaner and more convenient to opening.
W108's never came with these, but W111's did.
I also removed one of the two springs to soften the snap back action when closing.
Walter

[wwheeler]

My 280SE W111 has a large hole in the center as can be seen in the photo. It is so large in fact that I think that was the finger pull for the later. It could only be used with the Euro plate as the US plate covers it up completely. I wonder if that is what the use is?

[ejboyd5]

Perhaps seek advice here:  http://www.w111coupe.com/

[wwheeler]

Very cool! I did not know that existed. I will look into that and thank you.