Anyone restoring a late 70 or 71 under the hood? Great reference,

[Shvegel]

Anyone restoring a late 70 or 71 under the hood?  It is pretty much a time capsule under the hood and a great reference except for the following:

Coolant tank should be plastic on a 71. For a 70 the metal tank is correct.

There shouldn't be tye wraps on the small vacuum lines to the distributor on the left(Battery) side.

The bolts for the subframe mounts should be yellow zinc.

The dipstick should be red.

The battery should be a Mercedes part

The battery hold down bolts should have nuts and lock washers as opposed to wing nuts.

I may have missed a detail or two so feel free to chime in.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mercedes-benz/280sl/2323555.html

[cfm65@me.com]

Covers over the body to front suspension, and cover over heater shutoff valve cracked.
Original stickers missing or damaged.
I think the bonnet latch should be clean aluminium and not body colour.
My 2 cents. Still a very nice car.
Regards
Chris

[hkollan]

Anyone restoring a late 70 or 71 under the hood?  It is pretty much a time capsule under the hood and a great reference except for the following:

Coolant tank should be plastic on a 71. For a 70 the metal tank is correct.

There shouldn't be tye wraps n the small vacuum lines to the distributor on the left(Battery) side.

The bolts for the subframe mounts should be yellow zinc.

The dipstick should be red.

The battery should be a Mercedes part

The battery hold down bolts should have nuts and lock washers as opposed to wing nuts.

I may have missed a detail or two so feel free to chime in.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mercedes-benz/280sl/2323555.html

Actually phe pink dipstick would be correct for a late car with the late version oil sump.
I am also pretty sure the coolant tank is original, as I understand it even some of the very late cars got the brass version (again).

It looks like a very very nice car indeed.

Hans K

[Shvegel]

Chris,
No suspension covers on 280's  All W113's had painted latches.  They were painted in position on the car.  Should have just the front of valve cover emission sticker like this extremely low mileage example.

[cfm65@me.com]

Thanks Shvegel,
I didn’t know that,😬
Much appreciated.
Have a great weekend guys
Chris

[Shvegel]

Hans,
I forgot about the return of the metal tank.  Thanks for reminding me.  I can't imagine what an NOS plastic tank would be worth today.

Chris,
You too!  I missed the stickers on the coolant tank.  Thanks for pointing that out.

[MikeSimon]

My car was produced in December 1970. It has serial number 22774 and by US standards would be a 1971 model (In Germany it was called a 1970). The coolant tank is original and it is metal.

[Shvegel]

Thanks Mike!

[MikeSimon]

I have seen quite a few late 280SLs with a plastic tank. Could it be that it was a U.S. variation? Wouldn't make sense, though.
Are you sure it is the original? maybe the plastic was a replacement part at one time?

[Jonny B]

According to the list of changes for the 280 SL (from Engelen's book and published in  Pagoda World 25) the plastic tank was gradually introduced starting at VIN ending 20458 (August of 1970). I believe the thinking about the metal tank in the last part of the 280 SL is due to having run out of the plastic ones and getting metal tanks to end the production run.

Could read that the plastic tanks went to 22306 (see listing in Pagoda World)

[MikeSimon]

For those who have never seen a plastic tank....