Grill star question,

[w113dude]

Does anybody know if the grill star on our pagoda matches other models? I mean just the star I have the ring and a barrel but no star, I though I can take it off other models and retrofit it.

Thanks
Shaun

[stickandrudderman]

No, it's unigue to the 113.

[Jordan]

Shaun, the barrel comes in two pieces, the front piece contains the front of the star in that they are welded together so I am not sure if a swap would work unless they were the same size and had the same screw hole configuration.

[114015]

Does anybody know if the grill star on our pagoda matches other models? I mean just the star I have the ring and a barrel but no star, I though I can take it off other models and retrofit it.

Hi Shaun,

As Stick and Jordan already mentioned.
No chance! The star & assembly (3 parts plus screws) is absolutely unique to the W113.

Please have a look at Jordan's pics. If you place the front star (outer ring inclucing welded front part of the star) onto a flat surface you will see that the star and ring are not flat but slightly bent, i.e. the three pointed star is angulated.
There is no chance that any other MB star fits. You need to look for a left-over part from others; sometimes the star itself (without ring) shows up on ebay or so.
What you "could" do is to break out a three-pointed star from another assembly - let's say a (Mercedes) truck's star of Van's star of approximately the same size and "fix that somehow" to the leftover ring you still have.

Another choice would be to use the complete star assembly of a 107 (star plus barrel); it looks different and has a slightly smaller diameter; you'll need some shims to correct the height towards the original grille but it works.

A temporary repair until you find the correct one.

Sorry  :'(

Achim


Achim

[w113dude]

Thanks guys,

Here's what I have in addition to the barrel, I can't buy the star with the ring, so I was wondering if there's anyone who has the broken off start (or off of another model) that I can use to weld and chrome plate. my chrome plating guys says he can do it. the star that I have has one of the wings missing a section.

Cheers,
Shaun

[stickandrudderman]

Good luck with trying to weld it, the alloy used does not take kindly to welding attempts.

[Cees Klumper]

Actually should not be too complicated to make one out of copper then have it chromed? Another material (dare I say injection molded plastic, then 'chromed' like so much plastic is these days)? Do a run of 50, I'm sure there'd be steady interest. Probably not allowed by Mercedes though. Ayone know what a new assembly costs from MB these days?

[ja17]

I have seen reproductions for the 190SL, made using an  inexpensive sand casting for a brass star.  The brass star is then chrome plated. The surface must be sanded and polished before plating. The problem is if an original star is used for the pattern to make the sand mold, slight shrinkage occurs in the brass reproduction, so the 190SL brass reproduction star turned out to be 2mm less in diameter overall. The best results for a sand casting to be dimensionally  correct would be to make a wood pattern slightly oversize then use it to make the sand mold.

[w113dude]

How about white metal casting, can it be done in a large piece like this?

[mdsalemi]

I think the grill star/barrel assembly is about $1,200 these days...or close to it.  Protect your star!

There are a variety of means to reproduce this with varying results--the challenge is it would be hard to do it "non-commercially".  Commercially, it would have to be done on the sly, as nobody wants the DBAG lawyers after them.  I saw some stars like Joe, for the 113, in brass-but they needed a lot of work.  NLA, as are the repro wheel covers with the star...

Maybe today, or in the near future, with CAD systems coming down stream, and 3D printers, we might have something someday, that people can do for themselves.  Who knows...