Underside paint colours for 230sl 1964 uk car

[Raffles84]

Hi, I am currently restoring my 230sl to ancpncourse standard! Can anyone kindly tell me the correct factory spec colour for the underside, wheel arches, inner bot lid and boot and under the carpets??

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[mbzse]

.../...Can anyone kindly tell me the correct factory spec colour for the underside, wheel arches, inner bot lid and boot and under the carpets.../...

Some references in this Forum thread: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=27472.msg197256#msg197256

[silver surfer]

Hi there

Underside was treated from new with a heavy underseal which when originally applied was a matt off-white / beige finish. It faded out along the transmission tunnel which was left in olive green undercoat from when the cars were dipped. The underseal extended to the wheel arches which were sprayed body colour over the underseal. The underside of the boot lid and inside the boot compartment was sprayed satin black which over the years fades a little to very dark grey. I think you may be able to purchase the correct paint from Merc?

Go onto Motoring Investments San Diego website for reference pictures of the cars they have restored as you will find it very useful.

[Garry]

I think the jury is still out on the trunk/ boot colour for early Pagodas Black or Dark Grey, depending on who you talk to.

[silver surfer]

Fair enough Garry - every day is a school day!. I wasn't aware the 230SL was any different as the 190 and 300SL used a similar satin black paint for the engine bays prior to the W113 being launched. My 280SL boot compartment is still in its original satin black paint but would be interested to see an early W113 boot to compare.   

[Garry]

Ashley,


There is a bundle of stuff here on the forum on this and I dont know the ‘right’ answer but there certainly appears to be some early dark greys and there are also some blacks as well so all a bit confusing.


I have lifted the material on my original painted 1965 trunk to see under the pressure label and the corners and it appears as grey even in those covered areas.


I think it depends on your year of manufacture and luck of the draw but even that is not definate.

[silver surfer]

Garry

Very interesting.
I think to answer Raffles84 original post painting the area in satin black or dark grey should be fine for concours.

Raffles - I don't suppose you have any paint in your boot area that might look original?


   

[Garry]

These were the areas I looked at on my trunk.  I suspect there will be somewhere where the original paint is still there around the trunk rea and then try to get a match to that.  That way what ever colour it is there is a match to the original.

[Garry]

To put this discussion to bed.


I just had a most inerestin lunch and discussion with Boris Bracq, son of Paul Bracq who owns and runs the Bracq Pagoda restoration workshop in Bordeaux France.

He stated catagorically that the trunk in all Pagoda’s was Dunkel Grey code 164. and had documentation from MB that stated that.

So some have black,   mmmmm. NBL

[Mike Hughes]

After all the discussion on this subject here's my take:  Just maybe Dunkel Grau, code 164, is just so dark that it looks black to some observers.  When I look at Garry's photos I see the same black that I see in my own trunk, even though he swears it is gray.  ;^)

[dirkbalter]

Garry,
To silence any doubters, did you take any photos or copies of the MB documentation you mentioned above?
(Hopefully, I will be painting 164 dunkel grau shortly as well)

[Garry]

Rolf Dieter and I were discussing last night that some one would ask that question and we should have photographed Boris Bracqs information but alas I did not so there will still be some doubters. Boris just stated that he held documentation from MB to that effect.


I will throw a small spanner in the works, When there were four Pagodas side by side, all with original trunks/boot there was one that stood out from the rest that looked different.......😂😂😂

[pj]

In our Technical Manual, Dunkelgrau 164 is mentioned in the table of additional colours, but there's no image of it in the list of colour images. And I haven't found one yet in any of the threads.

[stickandrudderman]

It has always been Dunkelgrau 164 as far as I'm concerned.

[neelyrc]

After all the discussion on this subject here's my take:  Just maybe Dunkel Grau, code 164, is just so dark that it looks black to some observers.  When I look at Garry's photos I see the same black that I see in my own trunk, even though he swears it is gray.  ;^)

Right on Mike!! in an earlier thread on the subject I had the same thought.  My dark grey is your black!

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=25325.msg181261#msg181261

[Garry]

Right on.  only when you see them together do you see the difference.