Recovering Radio Area + Glove box Door

[Jack the Knife]

Howdy gents,

I set about removing the old Eclipse CD player the first owner added to my SL. That was quite a bit of wrangling, as it appears the guy who evidently cut the opening was drunk. The opening can accommodate a Becker Europa. I have a unit sitting in my living room converted over to the Aurora guts by Bill the Radio Guy over in Washington. My car was originally optioned without a radio. I'd appreciate everyone's advice here:

Would you keep the radio opening size as-is and install the Becker I have in-hand?
Or would you purchase an unmolested 230SL mounting plate (seems these are relatively inexpensive at $89 from Authentic Classics) and install the correctly-sized radio?
Or install no radio at all, as that was how the car was delivered I suppose, and instead opt for a fine JBL Bluetooth speaker setup throughout the car?

Just as well, it appears the first owner for some reason decided to drill two holes in the glove box door... also at a slight angle... and mount the radio delete plate there. I have removed that plate, though I now have two holes in my glove box door. Seems I can acquire a glove box door for around $150-$200 and refinish/repaint it. Unless there is a better option with the existing door?

As always, I appreciate the great advice on this forum. See attached for a photo of everything before I took it all apart.

[DaveB]

I would try the Europa radio, seeing as you already have it. And just live with the holes in the glovebox. They could be welded up and repainted but if you’re going to do that you may as well buy the new sheet metal with the smaller cutout and paint that at the same time. Then you’d need to find an expensive original radio.

[lreppond]

You have a couple of options.  Here goes from cheapest to most expensive.
1. Leave everything as is and live with it.   
2. If cut out area will house a Becker Europa and the face frame will cover any cuts in the sheet metal, go that route and leave the radio delete plate bolted to the glove box.
3. Since you have a 230, you can buy a new and primed sheet metal piece but you’ll have to have the paint matched and then re-install.  The opening will be smaller and only house either a Becker Europa or Grand Prix in the TG or TR format or similar vintage Blaupunkt Frankfurt or Köln radio.  A newer Becker Europa will be too big.  Leave the glove box alone. 
4. If you’re a purist, remove the existing CD player and radio delete plate, replace all damaged sheet metal, match paint and get a new unmolested delete plate (paint matched) and place it where it would have gone originally.  This would leave the car without a radio but return it to how it left the assembly line.
5. Do all the above except don’t get a new radio delete plate and install a proper Becker or Blaupunkt radio of the period. 

Only you know what you can and cannot live with and how much money you want to invest in this project.  If you have the ability and time to do the work (painting) that will lower the cost. Let us know what you decide to do. 

[Jack the Knife]

I found a decent glove box door for $140, so I'll see how it goes making that one how it should be. I can't live with the holes. I thought about getting a new delete plate and affixing it over the holes with some strong tape or something, but I might as well do it right. It seems taking it back to the smaller opening is an inexpensive thing, and I am committed to having some kind of radio for now since there is an antenna on the car, so I'll just use the one I have.

I'd rather spend more money on carpet and repairing the parcel shelf...

Thanks guys!

[rwmastel]

Why not just drop something like this in your center tray and call it a day?

https://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Emberton-Portable-Bluetooth-Speaker/dp/B08B951D35/ref=mp_s_a_1_18?content-id=amzn1.sym.4d2857d0-578a-447e-ad82-f39435a4c278%3Aamzn1.sym.4d2857d0-578a-447e-ad82-f39435a4c278&keywords=fender+bluetooth+speakers&pd_rd_r=10f43f31-e9f4-4ac7-8d3e-1ae20ddd177e&pd_rd_w=Nb6AU&pd_rd_wg=kspCh&pf_rd_p=4d2857d0-578a-447e-ad82-f39435a4c278&pf_rd_r=8HCTSVXJM655DGCGSMPD&qid=1671257550&sr=8-18

[DaveB]

A newer Becker Europa will be too big.

Actually I think it is possible to mount a newer 55mm Becker behind the 230-style 44mm cutout and mate it to new repro 230-style external hardware (bezel/faceplate/knobs). I believe Alfred did something like this, fitting a Europa II stereo into a 230 dash, but I can't find the link.
It would be some effort so if you're interested in trying you'd want to first be sure you're happy with your Aurora radio and also to check whether it can in fact mate to the 230-style external hardware.

[DaveB]

Why not just drop something like this in your center tray and call it a day?

or yeah do that

the old Beckers look cool though..

[getsmart]

JTK,

I was asking myself similar questions to you when I was looking at that part of my resto. Its all very subjective.

1. Yes you can easily replace the entire radio face plate (I made my own as I still had the old one as a template).
2. My data card has no radio (was installed later by the dealer)
3. I prefer not to have a radio and if I want music I'll sort out a bluetooth speaker somewhere
4. I sourced a used 230sl delete plate and I'll mount it once I get it.

Hope this helps,

Rgds, Joe

[Jack the Knife]

I got at it today and noticed the radio in my possession actually is the "right" size, that is, it's an earlier Europa that should fit the smaller opening. So I went ahead and ordered a new plate. It appears that while the old dash was certainly cut at some point, the Eclipse unit in there was smaller than whatever it was cut for and required an adapter to fit the opening. New radio plate will be on the way tomorrow...

By the way, when googling for the radio plate, I saw this picture: https://c7.alamy.com/comp/BXKX1E/broadcast-radio-car-dashboard-mercedes-230-sl-mercedes-benz-germany-BXKX1E.jpg Nice piece of equipment!

[Garry]

Joe,


Even though you car did not come with a radio, it would have then had the radio delete plate in place rather than a complete dash.

[getsmart]

Thats my understanding too Garry, hence I'll return mine to factory

Rgds, Joe

[Pinder]

I think its good to put the glove box door to how it should look (cheaper solution is to patch the holes with JB Weld or good quality bondo and paint it or if you already spent the money on a new door, swap it out for that. Its a cleaner look.
Add the Europa radio as with the radio on it gives a nice glow to the interior.

Regards

Pinder