230 SL Horizontal spare wheel

[Zazozazo]

Good morning all
When or rather which vin # was the first car of the 230 SL range which included the horizontal spare wheel ?
Thank you.
Also , have early cars with a vertical spare know to have been changed to a horizontal spare wheel due to requiring a larger fuel tank ?

[Pawel66]

You may want to use search function. We covered that in detail a couple of weeks ago.

Also here: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=14721.msg115566#msg115566

[Zazozazo]

Thank you
my request was answered :-)

[114015]

Good morning all
When or rather which vin # was the first car of the 230 SL range which included the horizontal spare wheel ?

006069 was the very first single 230 SL with horizontal spare wheel.
Officially then from 007205 onward.

Also, have early cars with a vertical spare know to have been changed to a horizontal spare wheel due to requiring a larger fuel tank ?

Officially, no 230 SL ever had a 82 liter gas tank from the factory, only 65 liters.
Only the 250 & 280 SLs had the 82 liter gas tank.
You "could" retrofit a 82 ltr gas tank on 230 SLs after 007204 but you have to relocate the fuel pump then.
82 ltr tank does not fit with the vertical spare wheel well.


Achim

[Zazozazo]

Achim, thank you for your concise answer to my query.

Is it common that in Germany some owners, either due to a restore, or either to requiring more luggage space and a larger fuel tank have changed the configuration of the rear from a vertical spare wheel to a horizontal spare wheel ? Is this a detriment to a matching numbers full restoration vehicle
Thank you   

[114015]

Well Zazo...,

Hard to tell...
Yes, it has happened that during restoration of some of the spare wheel well cars the spare wheel well was removed.
Once because the well was just not rarely rusty or bent, otherwise because it is easier to replace the whole trunk floor (due to surface rust) without the "hassle" of keeping the well. Maybe also the one or other owner wanted the larger tank. Hard to tell...; this surely were individual decisions.
Personally, I would not want to have that one removed - although I do not like the looks of the well from the outside very much. Personally,  I think the car looks nicer without.


Achim

[Zazozazo]

Thank you Achim