230SL Wheel Question

[DavidAPease]

Hi, 113 trivia buffs,

Here's a question I've wondered about for a while, and eBay has given me the chance to ask it:  

I've often read descriptions of 113 wheels that talk about the later ones not having the "pins" to hold an early-style hub cap. (Hub cap as opposed to the 280SL-syle wheel covers).  On eBay are two (supposed) 230SL wheels.  The first:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34209&item=4538228850&rd=1

has something that indeed resembles pins, and it's claimed that these are used to hold the hub caps.  The second:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34209&item=4540376657&rd=1

has "bumps" (for lack of a better word) just like old US cars had.  My '66 230SL wheels, which I firmly believe to be original, have bumps, and they seem to hold the hub caps on just fine.  Did the "bumps" go away too?  Did Mercedes use both (or all 3) styles of wheels at different times?  Important questions...

Any thoughts?


-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[plumzany]

My 1965 230SL Euro has pins.

[Benz Dr.]

Early cars have pins and are the only ones that have a 113 part number on them. I think they're 5 1/2 '' wide.
The next rim has bumps that hold the centre cap on. I think these are 108 rims and are 6'' wide.
Later rims are typical discs and use spring loaded clips hold the caps on. These are the least valuable in my opinion.

First 2 types are painted body colour while last type is black.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org

[JOS]

My 1965, 1966 and 1967 230SL's have bumps.

[114015]

Hello David and colleagues,

Benz Dr. is of course right.
If your's a "real" 1966 it should have the later rims, if it is a "false 1966" built anywhere in 1965 it might have the older rims with pins instead of bumps depending on the VIN. Both are 6 J x 14 H2 rims.

Parts numbers: 113 400 0106 (pins)
and            108 400 0002 (bumps)

Achim
(1964 230 with pins attached to the rims)

[114015]

Ooops?[:0]

One more thing:
The earliest rims, part no. 113 400 00 06, were used until VIN 005400 something.
Those are 5.5 J x 14 H2 as Benz Dr. already mentioned.

Best,

Achim
(Magdeburg, Germany)

[J. Huber]

Would you call these bumps or clips? or pins?



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James
63 230SL

[Mike Hughes]

I would call those pins.

quote:Originally posted by J. Huber

Would you call these bumps or clips? or pins?



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46.45 KB

James
63 230SL

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[J. Huber]

Me too. Just checking. This has just turned into a very enlightening thread for me. Here's why. My spare has the bumps and says 6JX14. But car is 63. For years and years I thought the PO had somehow changed my rims... But just now in looking for pins on the car, I see the 4 wheels in service have pins, the part number, are 5 1/2 J's and actually have the number 63 stamped on them. Never knew this!

So mine are original afterall. I painted them black. I suppose they should be white since car is white. Thanks guys!

James
63 230SL

[Benz Dr.]

I have 4 early rims ( with pins ) in case anyone needs them.
  Rims are date coded back then. I have some dated 1953 for a 170SD. Now that's rare!

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org

[mille]

Hi,

Does the colour of the rims always follow the body colour? And for the Fuchs 6 x 14 alloy rims, what is the correct colour code?

Cheers

Finn
1964 230Sl Euro 4-speed - currently totally stripped for restoration

[mbzse]

quote:Originally posted by mille

Does the colour of the rims always follow the body colour?

The wheel rims came from the manufacturer (Südrad, Kronprinz or Lemmerz, outside of M-B) in grey-green, and were sprayed on the _outside_ with the same body colour as the specific car that the wheels where then mounted onto.

 Later (1967), wheel rims came black from the manufacturer, and were sprayed body colour the same way.

Then in the beginning of 1968, M-B launched the full-wheel cover with the introduction of the "new generation" /8. Thus, the wheel rims were left painted base colour, i.e. all black (as they were no longer visible). With time, the wheel rims that DanC mentions, lacking the three knobs for the central small hubcap were introduced (No 108 400 1402)

/Hans in Stockholm

[mille]

Hans,

Thank you for your clarification.

/Finn