Optional Carpet Material?

[pagodapete]

Hi, I was told by a rather knowledgable German collector that 280SL's could be ordered with the velour type carpeting that was found in the W111 coupes and cabriolets.  I just aquired a '71 model that has this type carpet and was wondering if it is possible that it could be original.  I've attached a copy of the data card in case there is an option code for this.  Does anyone know?

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Brian Peters
Motoring Investments

[Bob G ✝︎]

It would of had to be a special request from someone up in Daimler-Benz management for such a request.. From what I know and I do not speak for every one. Velour wool carpeting was not a listed option for the 280SL neither was fabric upholstery. supplied was multi loop weaved carpeting sinthetic. If indeed this was done it would of had to been a very special request with the premission of someone high in rank. Not even the famous racing driver Sterling Moss was able to cox Daimler -Benz in 1967 to putting a 280SL motor in his 250SL. That being that Sterling Moss was considered royality in the racing grand prix world not even his influence got Daimler- Benz to give him what he wanted.
Bob Geco

[rwmastel]

Brian,

From our database tables, here's what I get from your data card:

113044-12-023499 - Made in Jan. 1971, one of the last 400 made.

670 = Light Ivory body & hard top
140 - NOT LISTED - anyone know this MB-Tex code?
401 = Single seats
416 = Hard top mounted
426 - MB power steering with auto floor shift
440 - Bumper guards front & rear
461 - Instruments in English
491 - US Version
503 - Left outside mirror
515 - Becker Radio, Europa MU (2-band)
524 - Paint coat preservative
595 - Heat absorbing glass
600 - Garnish moulding on hard top
641 - White wall tires
669 - 10 liters of fuel & mode of packing
249 - Rear window electrically heated
745 - Beige soft top

Your only hope of a unique interior is that 140 code.  I hope you got something special!

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[A Dalton]

Trim 140 is a standard .044 trim code.
MB Tex Cognoc 8006 Uph.
Bamboo 8038 Headlining
Brown 8008 Loop Carpet

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by A Dalton

Trim 140 is a standard .044 trim code.

Good point - our database does say the listing is for 230SL & 250SL.  Thanks for the input!  Does anyone with Gunter Engelen's book want to make a 280SL table of interior colors?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Douglas]

Brian,

Does your Wilton Wool carpet have a black rubber piece of trim around the floor shift surround?

(The aftermarket carpets always use a piece of leather as trim.)

The original black rubber piece is (or was when I last checked) available separately, but nobody bothers to go to that length.

Here's the piece I'm referring to:

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Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[TR]

Here's an alternative perspective.  I'm having the interior and trunk of my signal-red '71 280SL restored and enhanced.  No structural changes, but all surface materials are being upgraded.  For example, we are getting brand new MB carpet in flat roll and then forming it to the interior and trunk (spare removed).  Far fewer seams than the original interior carpet this way.  All MB tex materials are being replaced with leather of the quality used in Gulf Stream and Falcon jets.  Everything is being covered in this leather.  Seat heaters, active seat ventilation, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, etc., etc. are being added.  The Frigiking unit will maintain its original look, but everything inside is new and will be pumping out over double the normal air volume, plus it has been piped so that A/C also comes out the chrome vents on each side of the dash.

I'm not advocating such enhancements, but it will make the car much more comfortable and pleasant for my wife.  And since only surface materials are being upgraded it could all be easily returned to standard W113 materials at any time should the mood strike.

Tom in Boise

P.S.  We looked for the finest quality carpet material we could find.  Aviation stuff, that used in Rolls, Bentley, Ferrari, etc.  But the new MB carpet seems the best to us.

[A Dalton]

quote:Originally posted by rwmastel

quote:Originally posted by A Dalton

Trim 140 is a standard .044 trim code.

Good point - our database does say the listing is for 230SL & 250SL.  Thanks for the input!  Does anyone with Gunter Engelen's book want to make a 280SL table of interior colors?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

 R
 If you remember back when I joined this group, I emailed you and I brought the limits of the trim database to your attention , offered this info from my 113 library and was told it would be accepted only if I had it in your data base format .
 Well, I certainly did not know how to do that, so I left it there..
 It is available for listing, but I would rather have someone who knows how to get it into the base  to do the data transfer.
Or, I am sure others have the same content..
 Let me know ...

[rwmastel]

quote:R
 If you remember back when I joined this group, I emailed you and I brought the limits of the trim database to your attention , offered this info from my 113 library and was told it would be accepted only if I had it in your data base format .
 Well, I certainly did not know how to do that, so I left it there..
 It is available for listing, but I would rather have someone who knows how to get it into the base  to do the data transfer.

What do you have, a spreadsheet?  The data entry will have to be done by hand, but I think any "Full Member" can create tables and enter data.  If you can't enter it, then e-mail it to me and I'll be happy to enter it.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[A Dalton]

Ok
 I will blow it up and email it....

[Benz Dr.]

It may not be original but my car had dark brown wilton wool in most of the interior. It was cut with the factory edging so it looked to be the real deal.

 There is very little about this car that could be called usual.

Daniel G Caron

[pagodapete]

Douglas:  The shifter surround is blue vinyl, still soft and supple as opposed to the binding on the rest of the carpet which while the same color and material is hard and brittle.(!?)  The original heel pad is gone of course.  This car has a blue leather dash with an incorrect stitched seam facing the occupants.  I suspect some time ago someone decided to change the interior color so covered the dash in leather and installed the carpet.  Too bad, but the carpet is quite nice an luxurious.

Rodd:  Thanks for the breakdown on codes from the database.

A Dalton: Your analysis of the original interior colors make sense considering that this car was #670 light ivory originally outside.

Thanks Everyone,

Brian Peters
Motoring Investments

[Ben]

My 230SL had a wilton wool fitted carpet when I got it. This was an expertly made and expertly fitted carpet, far better than any generic aftermarket kit I've seen in any other car !

But it was mid green and unoriginal, and rotten through dampness,so I changed it to black, but the black kit is poor quality though it looks okay !

I often wondered why someone would put a green carpet into a car with black trim and white exterior ? If they had used the same quality material in black I would have kept it !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[A Dalton]

quote:Originally posted by A Dalton

Ok
 I will blow it up and email it....

 I can only leave this site up for a few days , so anyone interested , just run a copy..

http://members.aol.com/ajdalton7/arthur.jpg

[Jonny B]

Just a word of caution. The list posted is from Meredith's book. I did a bit of comparing last night to what is called out in Engelen's book. There are some discrepancies. The MB Tex combo 118 for the 250SL lists  2137 for upholstery versus the 2101 listed for both(230/250) in the Meredith list. Engelen lists 6131 (anthracite)(250SL) versus 6135 (mid grey)(230SL) also on the 118 MB Tex combo.
For the 250SL for Leather, combo 204 Engelen lists 2300 for the upholstery versus 1088 for the 230SL.

All the 280 SL combinations (for interior match).

I looked at some of the hard top/soft top/ body combinations and the few I looked at, there were some differences.

This is like the paint code comparison I looked at a couple of weeks ago.

Rodd mentioned that the data card would be the real arbiter, but that is a much larger task.

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto

[A Dalton]

That is a  problem with all these charts...I have yet to see any without discrepancies...
On the 250s in particular , there was major mid-production interior changes .
 The early  250 followed the 230 styles and the late were more in line with 280.
 I have yet to see any without discrepancies...