What is the difference between 1970 280SL early and late model?

[CJHenderson]

What is the difference between 1970 280SL early and late model? Needing to order the exhaust system and other items.

[MikeSimon]

I think "early" and "late" are too general of terms to answer this. Most changes were engine related - cylinder head, e.g. - and you have to look at engine serial number to determine when what changes took place
It also depends whether it is a manual or automatic and what country spec the car originally is. For the exhaust, I believe, you should be OK. No change that affected this. Other parts, you need to look at one by one.

[TJMart]

You may want to look at "Pagoda World" Issue #25 September 2019. It has an excellent article for the Changes made to the 280SL by VIN and Date. This may help you on specific changes made.

[GM]

Also in the Tech Manual, in Pagoda Notes - Volume II, No.1, January 2017
https://www.sl113.org/wiki/uploads/Restricted/PNv11i1.pdf
Continues in Volume II, No.2

[scoot]

You may be thinking of the difference between a early and late 250SL...   Early has the interior of a 230 SL, late has the interior of a 280 SL.

[Shvegel]

There is a major bresk in the 280 run where the changed cylinder head and emission control on the US model.  Simply if you have a small steel oil fill cap and not a cast aluminum one you have a later engine.  Another way to double check is if you have 2 Blackbrelay boxes behind the battery a foot or so.