RH door pull handle

[severson]

I'm in the process of restoring my interior on my 250SL.  I didn't have a pull handle installed when I purchased the car.  I see that it was standard to have one.  Now would be the time for me to replace since I just finished wrapping the door in blue leather.  So my questions are: does the handle stay in the original black color or do you change it to match the interior?  Second, do you just attach it through the door panel fiberboard, or does it attach somewhere hard to the door frame?  I'm trying to locate the screw holes if it does so.

-Matt


Matt
Alexandria, VA
1967 250SL
Silver, Blue leather
Both tops.

[J. Huber]

Hey Matt. Not sure about color on the 250SL. With the early cars (like mine) the handles are black (actually kind of a dark grey I think). As for how it is secured: it definitely is not just through the panel fiberboard. It screws into the door frame. Its hard for me to tell you where -- maybe somebody with their panel off can measure and give pics?

James
63 230SL

[Ed Cave]

Matt:

James says his '63 230 handle was black and my '71 280 handle (see photo) is black so I think its safe to assume that they were always black, not the color of the interior.

Download Attachment: Passenger-door.jpg
30.1 KB

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430

[JPMOSE]

My 1968 250SL has an all original Cognac interior and it is black as well.  The W111/W112 cars had colors on the pull handle, which may be why people expect it on the W113 cars.  The following photo is an example of a W111 door:



Download Attachment: 280SE Cab.jpg
29.22 KB

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL

[JPMOSE]

Page 77 of "Original Mercedes SL - The Restorer's Guide" shows a bamboo color handle on a Pagoda...so perhaps black wasn't the only handle color available.  I'm sure others will pipe in....

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL

[114015]

... and ah yes,

You guys are all correct, somehow...
The passenger door grab handle was black (or dark grey) on all 230 SLs up to VIN 012466. Thereafter (all other pagodas after VIN 012467)it was matching the interior color. There were a couple of colors available for these door handles, perhaps 10 or so but surely not 23 like (all) available leather interior paint codes.
If you want to recreate yours with the correct outfit, dont't cover it with the matching vinyl or leather, but use vinyl paint instead.

Sorry Ed,
you have an outstanding beautiful car, absolutely! But certainly your handle was taken from your old door panel which was previously covered with black MB tex - thus the black handle. With the new parchment (Pergament) leather it should have a (somehow) matching color.

Best,

Achim
(1964 230 with black interior and (faded) black door handle)

[114015]

Matt...

One more thing,
yes there are holes in the cast frame of the door to where the screws of the door handle go.
Just remove the door panel, then you will see them.

And please say 'hi' to Tom when he returns from Deutschland. I cannot send him an email unfortunately due to technical reasons.

Best,

Achim
(Magdeburg, Germany)

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by 114015

The passenger door grab handle was black (or dark grey) on all 230 SLs up to VIN 012466. Thereafter (all other pagodas after VIN 012467)it was matching the interior color.

Interesting.  I don't recall seeing matching handles on late 230 SLs or newer Pagodas.  I'll have to start looking closer at the photos from our Pagoda events around the world.  My car is 113.042-12-018381 and it has a very dark brown or black handle.  It sort of matches the steering wheel and gear shift knob.  But who knows what might have been replaced in 40 years?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Douglas]

Ed,

Achim is right, of course. A 280 SL should definitely have a color-coordinated door handle. (Remember that your gorgeous SL once had a black interior.) You can dye it to match flawlessly, of course.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[Douglas]

Here's the factory right-side door pull from a 1970 US-spec 280 SL. As you can see, it matches the door panel:



Download Attachment: pull.jpg
8.34 KB

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[Ed Cave]

Achim & Douglas:

I stand corrected and appreciate your observation. I'll probably let it live black, at least for now. I guess if the interior had previously been anything other than black it would have been a no brainer.

Thanks for pointing this out and sorry if I misled anyone previously.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430

[KevinC]

My car (VIN 019213) has a black/dark grey grab handle too. No signs of any previous door panel work done. Interesting.

Kevin

quote:Originally posted by rwmastel

quote:Originally posted by 114015

The passenger door grab handle was black (or dark grey) on all 230 SLs up to VIN 012466. Thereafter (all other pagodas after VIN 012467)it was matching the interior color.

Interesting.  I don't recall seeing matching handles on late 230 SLs or newer Pagodas.  I'll have to start looking closer at the photos from our Pagoda events around the world.  My car is 113.042-12-018381 and it has a very dark brown or black handle.  It sort of matches the steering wheel and gear shift knob.  But who knows what might have been replaced in 40 years?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

Kevin Caputo
Boca Raton, FL
1967 230 SL Automatic
670 Light Ivory
113 Bronze/Brown MB Tex

[severson]

After looking at Douglas's picture, am I also to assume that I need to dye my window crank cover pad as well?  

Can you order these parts already to color spec's?
 
If not, what is the best source of die for these projects?

Thanks,
Matt
Non pull-handled 250SL

Matt
Alexandria, VA
1967 250SL
Silver, Blue leather
Both tops.

[Douglas]

I don't think the particular dye matters much. If I had to pick one, I'd say Leatherique dyes since they have experience with Mercedes colors, but I think most of the water-based dyes are comparable. (Color Plus, Sem, etc.) They're quite good. Self-levelling, not harsh, easy to apply....

Douglas Kim
New York
USA