soft top slashed - what's original?

[Ulf]

The slightly worn - but otherwise functional - soft top on my 1965 230 SL was slashes by vandals in June, now the car resides with a trimmer awaiting OK from the insurance. But can anyone tell me when the small chrome list above the rear window was discontinued?
The first registration on my car was December 31st 1965

Best regards

Ulf

[Benz Dr.]

You can figure on the first 7,640 cars built. There were a number of exceptions during that run but anything after that likely didn't have it.
Did you have your loors locked when the top got slashed?

[Ulf]

My VIN ends with 6871, does this mean that it is number 6871 produced?
Yes, the doors were locked - which was a mistake. I locked them because they worked - unlike the ones on the Triumph TR6 that I used to own when I lived in a less posh neighborhood. That never got slashed, but sometimes I could see that people had been sitting in it - if the locks had worked, that probably would have been slashed too..

Ulf

[Ulf]

Perhaps I just found the answer to that myself, found the following production figures by year:

1963: 1,465 cars
1964: 6,911
1965: 6,325

As my car is a late 1965, it shouldn't even have that chrome strip...right?

Best regards

Ulf

[Douglas]

That's correct, Ulf. No chrome on yours. I believe 6000 was the stopping point in 1964.

[Benz Dr.]

I believe the VIN is for total production and not by year so your car should have the chrome strip. Your car is a ' 64 not a ' 65. By the end of  1964 they had already produced 8,376 cars.

 So your car should have the chrome strip.

[Ulf]

Thanks Douglas and Dr. Benz - but now the confusion really sets in...
My trimmer talks about two different soft tops, but is there any way of determining which one is the correct one by looking at the soft top frame.
I've heard that early cars (with chrome strip) had a wooden rear bar on which to attach the soft top fabric with staples, I read it at http://www.pagode.info/26.htm, but it's in German.
And frankly I can't remember whether it is wooden or not as it is hidden by the fabric...
The late soft top is considerably less expensive than the later one, but are they interchangeable?

Thanks for your patience

Ulf

[66andBlue]

Ulf,
you should really check the chassis number (or VIN) that is on your data card and determine whether your car came with the chrome trim piece. If you don't have the card get it from the Classic Center, it is free.
As Dan mentioned, all cars starting with 07641 should NOT come have the trim and no longer have a wooden bow for mounting it. However, there are a large number from VIN 06833 onward that also do not have it. See attached picture with the exact numbers.
In addition there were two types of folding top frames, p/n 113 770 0402 from VIN 07641 to about VIN 19358 - but again with numerous exception, and p/n 113 770 0502 starting with 19359.