Author Topic: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)  (Read 6361 times)

Richard Madison

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Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« on: January 05, 2008, 14:14:17 »
This is a slightly long (and somewhat boring) treatise on the VIN numbers in our Car Registry.

Our Car Registry was looking a little ragged with VIN numbers in varying formats, cars listed that were not Pagodas, missing data, and more.

In a moment of idle time (actually a few hours), and thanks to our Admin Peter for sending me an editable copy of the Registry, I tried to clean things up a bit.

I re-entered the VIN numbers to be consistent with the format used on the MB data cards. A Sort of the VIN column now allows display of similar models and trannies together; you can now more easily locate the oldest or youngest car within a model group; or find the car with the VIN number closest to yours; and do other trivial searches.

The Registry (along with many other of the website pages) will eventually migrate to a Wiki format. Sorting by column may not be available in the Wiki format. If sorting is not possible, I for one (and maybe the only one) will be saddened by the loss of flexibility.

If interested in playing with the Registry, take a look at the changes. There are a few out-of-sort items due to my carelessness in making entries; perhaps these will be corrected in a later edit.  Also some owners did not make entries in all of the columns so the data for some cars is incomplete.

A hint: when entering a car in the Registry, if you are a Full Member always Log-In before making the entry. A logged-in Full Member can edit his/her entry. A non-logged in entry is not editable by the lister.

Once the VIN numbers were cleaned up, sorting the VIN column revealed some really useless information about the cars listed and, due to my generous nature, I want to share this with you.

Of the Cars in the Registry:    

37% are 230SL (157 of 430 cars listed)
13% are 250SL  (54)
49% are 280SL  (211)

230SL transmission details:

LHD Manual code 10:     59% (92 of 157)
RHD Manual code 20:     >1% (4)
LHD Auto   code 12:   26% (41)
RHD Auto   code 22:   >1% (6)

250SL transmission details:

LHD Manual code 10:     47% (21 of 45)
RHD Manual code 20:     0 % (0)
LHD Auto   code 12:   51% (23)
RHD Auto   code 22:   >1% (2)

280SL transmission details:

LHD Manual code 10:     30% (61 of 202)
RHD Manual code 20:     >1 % (4)
LHD Auto   code 12:   64% (130)
RHD Auto   code 22:   >1% (5)

Number of each Model in the Registry by Year of Registration (not year of manufacture):

230 SL:
1963 13 (of 159 cars)   8%
1964 40 cars      25%
1965 36 cars      23%
1966 52 cars      33%
1967 18 cars      11%

250 SL:
1967 54 (of 54 cars)   100%

280SL:
1968 56 (of 229 cars)    24%
1969 72 cars      31%
1970 51 cars      22%
1971 50 cars      22%

Some comments by a non-statistician:

A total of 48,912 W113 cars were produced; of these 41% (19,831) were 230 SL’s, 11% (5,196) were 250 SL’s and 49% (23,885) were 280 SL’s. Our proportion of ownership of each Model is consistent with these total production percentages.

Verifying what we already knew, among the cars in the Registry: 230 SL’s have a greater percentage of Manual transmissions (60% manual to 25% automatic), the 250’s are about 50/50; while the 280 SL’s are biased toward automatic transmissions (30% manual to 65% automatic).

The Car Registry also indicates that about 10% of the cars listed in the Registry are EURO models. This includes cars in the Registry that are located in North America as well as cars outside North America. This 10% figure does not tell us the proportion of cars produced that were EURO version cars. It only indicates that when viewing a gathering of W113’s at an event or show in North America, we can expect that fewer than 1 in 10 cars is likely to be a EURO version.

Comments are welcome if you are still awake.   :o)

Richard M, NYC

http://www.sl113.org/data/carreg/show_table.asp
 
1969 280 SL, Tunis Beige, Euro Model (Italy).

Douglas

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2008, 15:43:00 »
Really interesting stats, Richard. You mentioned Euro vs. US-spec cars. Those production stats are readily available, but I don't have those numbers available to me as I loaned that book to a friend. Can anyone else cite that number? It's not 90/10 as in this group, but I recall 280 SL production was heavily biased towards US delivery.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

hauser

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2008, 19:08:53 »
OT -  Richard, it just occurred to me that your user name no longer reflects your current car.[:0]

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

mdsalemi

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2008, 19:09:54 »
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas

Really interesting stats, Richard. You mentioned Euro vs. US-spec cars. Those production stats are readily available, but I don't have those numbers available to me as I loaned that book to a friend. Can anyone else cite that number? It's not 90/10 as in this group, but I recall 280 SL production was heavily biased towards US delivery.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA



Douglas/Richard,

I have the Nitsce (sp) book; the Engelen book; the Meredith book and a slew of others; I see no breakdown of US/Euro production stats.  Is it somewhere in one of those?  Or do we have to wait for JonnyB to check his library?

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

Richard Madison

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2008, 20:06:55 »
Michael:

If we eliminate the cars produced for North America the remaining cars would be "Euro" cars. My faulty memory suggests that as many as half of the 280SL production was for North America. If that's correct then 50% of the 280 SL's were Euro model cars. I think a significantly lower percentage of 230 SL's were made for North America. Maybe someone will give us the correct numbers.

Hauser: Yes, your sharp eye noticed that "280SL71" no longer owns a 1971 car. Why does "280SL71" continue to use an apparently incorrect handle? Well, who wants to throw away over 300 posts which would be cut loose if a new handle were adopted. The Fourm software does not allow changing the Posting Name, must register a new name with zero postings. Also, the 1971 Tobacco Brown will always have a favored place in my memory and that car is being honored by the "71" part of the handle. And anyway, who said the "71" referred to the year of a car? It could have been my age or something else...

Richard M  :o)

1969 280 SL, Tunis Beige, Euro Model (Italy).

Douglas

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2008, 20:47:07 »
Michael,

It's in the Olson book. It's broken down by year and Euro vs US-spec.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

hauser

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2008, 21:55:37 »
Richard, I for one missed your posts.  When I was looking for my current car I turned to you website numerous times for information and guidance.  It just wouldn't be the same without 280SL71.  And by all means you must continue with the 71 homage as the car that started it all for many of us. :D

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

Peter van Es

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2008, 02:53:30 »
quote:
Originally posted by 280SL71

The Fourm software does not allow changing the Posting Name, must register a new name with zero postings. Also, the 1971 Tobacco Brown will always have a favored place in my memory and that car is being honored by the "71" part of the handle. And anyway, who said the "71" referred to the year of a car? It could have been my age or something else...

Richard M  :o)



I can change your name! And no, you would not lose your posts... just pick a name that does not exist and mail me!

Peter

1970 280SL. Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual.
1970 280SL. System Admin of the site. Please do not mail or PM me questions on Pagoda's... I'm not likely to know the answer.  Please post on the forum instead!

Klaus

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2008, 10:14:12 »
230 SL: Production 19741; Export 11726, of which 4752 USA
250 SL: Production 5196; Export 3808, of which 1761 USA
280 SL: Production 23885; Export 18681, of which 12927 USA

(Engelen, page 218/219)

Klaus
1969 280 SL

mdsalemi

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2008, 10:30:44 »
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas

Michael,

It's in the Olson book. It's broken down by year and Euro vs US-spec.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA



Douglas,

I have the Olson book, alas it is "up north" and not within reach.  I should bring it back.

Richard, the stats in the books other than Olson, from what I found, simply listed total production with no other breakdown.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
2023 Ford Escape Hybrid
2024 Ford Mustang Mach Ex PEV

TR

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2008, 11:16:48 »
Olson's SL Market Letter routinely lists original unit sales of W113s broken down by year, by non-USA, and by USA.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

Jonny B

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2008, 13:09:36 »
I do have the Olsen book, but it is back west at the moment as I am traveling in the UK for a couple of weeks. I am sure someone else can step in on this one.

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto
Jonny B
1967 250 SL Auto, DB 568
1970 280 SL Auto, DB 904
1966 Morris Mini Minor

rwmastel

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Re: Car Registry VIN Numbers (a little long)
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2008, 10:20:27 »
Why are you guys continuing to discuss this when Klaus provided the information and provided it's source?

quote:
Originally posted by Klaus

230 SL: Production 19741; Export 11726, of which 4752 USA
250 SL: Production 5196; Export 3808, of which 1761 USA
280 SL: Production 23885; Export 18681, of which 12927 USA

(Engelen, page 218/219)

Klaus
1969 280 SL



Rodd
1966 230SL: arabian gray, natural leather, euro, auto, both tops
2006 C230: alabaster white, 6-speed manual, no options
Rodd

Did you search the forum before asking?
2017 C43 AMG
2006 Wrangler Rubicon
1966 230SL auto "Italian"