Seems like only yesterday

[49er]

 Our SL had a Birthday yesterday, 55 years young. The car is ageless and looks as good today as it did all those years ago. Can't say the same for the owner but I keep trying. Turned 79 a couple of weeks ago but when I get in the car and behind the wheel I'm 24 again (at least mentally, but physically, not so much)

John

[rwmastel]

Tremendous!  Great pics, and even greater motoring experiences/memories.  Well done, John.

My 230SL has a 57th "birthday" coming up the first week of October.  The rubber stamp date on the data card is Oct 5 (in 1966), so that's what I use as its birthday.  I have a 57th birthday coming up 61 days after.   

[Neil Thompson]

Happy Birthday to you both

Neil

[Cees Klumper]

Happy birthday and happy anniversary, John! You and your Pagoda having been together for 57 years, imagine that.

[johnk]

Thanks for sharing John. So impressive to see the original delivery pictures from the same owner after all these years. Did you ever get tired of it and consider selling it along the way?

[mmizesko]

John,

Your story continues to amaze.  True dedication.  Thank you for all you do and share with the rest of us PagodaHeads.

Apologies to the recently departed Jimmy Buffett,

Mike Mizesko

[kampala]

John,

Very nice to see a shot from 1968. Probably in Torrance (Southern California) as I recall that might have been home at that time

[RAY]

Amazing. Looks like time has stood still.

Happy birthday and happy anniversary.

[neelyrc]

John, congratulations on celebrating another set of birthdays.  Keep on trucking! Or perhaps I should say, Pagodaing!

[49er]

Happy birthday and happy anniversary, John! You and your Pagoda having been together for 57 years, imagine that.

Well Cees, If you add the almost 2 years that I owned my departed '67 ( Delivered May '67) that would amount to almost 57 years that I have had a Pagoda in the garage

[49er]

Did you ever get tired of it and consider selling it along the way?

A few times but my wife insisted we keep it. I married the right woman for sure

[49er]

John,

Very nice to a shot from 1968. (probably in Torrance (Southern California) as I recall that might have been home at that time

Yep, Eastwood Avenue, just east of Hawthorne Blvd.

[lreppond]

Congratulations on these two dates of celebration.  Kudos on the beautiful care you’ve give the Pagoda over the years.  She’s a beauty!

I noticed that your 1968 pic shows the car without an antenna.  Today it does. Was the car delivered without one?   Did you have to drill a hole in the fender to accommodate an antenna or was it present with a color coordinated plug.  I did not know cars were delivered without antennas even if a radio was not installed? 

[49er]

Congratulations on these two dates of celebration.  Kudos on the beautiful care you’ve give the Pagoda over the years.  She’s a beauty!

I noticed that your 1968 pic shows the car without an antenna.  Today it does. Was the car delivered without one?   Did you have to drill a hole in the fender to accommodate an antenna or was it present with a color coordinated plug.  I did not know cars were delivered without antennas even if a radio was not installed?

 Thanks Len. The 280 was ordered without a radio. My 250SL was ordered with one and before I traded it in on the 280 I removed the radio and Hirschmann Pwr antenna and filled the hole with a J.C. Whitney manual antenna (I had the 250's radio delete plate and installed it in the dash). I installed the radio and antenna in the 280 and cut the hole in the fender myself. I was thinking ahead and made a template before I traded in the 250.

[Pawel66]

Happy birthday and happy delivery day!

And many, many happy days to come!

[Pawel66]

Tremendous!  Great pics, and even greater motoring experiences/memories.  Well done, John.

My 230SL has a 57th "birthday" coming up the first week of October.  The rubber stamp date on the data card is Oct 5 (in 1966), so that's what I use as its birthday.  I have a 57th birthday coming up 61 days after.   

Know what?

I was born Oct 5, 1966.
Coincidence?

[rwmastel]

I was born Oct 5, 1966.
Coincidence?

Destiny!  We must trade Pagodas!    I'm sure that would be an upgrade for me.

[Xavieer]

Happy belated birthday to your SL! It's truly remarkable to celebrate 55 years of timeless elegance and beauty with such a classic car.