Shock Tower Caps, covers on Distributors, Valve Caps etc

[Garry]

One of the things that came out of the gathering of Pagodas in Canberra last weekend were several questions on the correctness of some cosmetic items.  Here are some.

1.  Should only one or both shock-absorber towers have the protective plastic caps on them? And is it limited to earlier cars?

2. Should all models have the metal valve caps or only the early ones?

3. Were all dealer fitted radios fitted with Hirschmann (power) antennas?

4. Was there varying lengths for the Auto gear lever in the earlier cars to the later cars. ie shorter in the earlier cars?

5. Water covers for distributor and coil.

That is a start.

Garry

[Richard Madison]

Here's a message I posted a while back discussing shock tower covers and a few other items.
A number of replies added more information (or misinformation) about other small parts.

My source was mostly from observation and anecdotal from other owners.

It seems that only the earlier cars (not 280's) had shock top covers. Cars that had them had covers for both towers. 

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=12065.msg81291#msg81291

Richard M, NYC

[49er]

One of the things that came out of the gathering of Pagodas in Canberra last weekend were several questions on the correctness of some cosmetic items.  Here are some.

1.  Should only one or both shock-absorber towers have the protective plastic caps on them? And is it limited to earlier cars?

2. Should all models have the metal valve caps or only the early ones?

3. Were all dealer fitted radios fitted with Hirschmann (power) antennas?

4. Was there varying lengths for the Auto gear lever in the earlier cars to the later cars. ie shorter in the earlier cars?

5. Water covers for distributor and coil.

That is a start.

Garry

My 250 SL had the plastic covers over the sub frame mounts. My 280 does not
Don't know the answer to no. 2
My 250 had the hircshmann dealer installed. I removed it ( along with the Blaupunkt radio) and put a dummy antenna in. Installed both in my 280
Don't know the answer to no. 4
250 had rubber boot on coil and no plastic  cover over the distributer cap. 280 has the rubber coil boot and the plastic cover over the distributer cap.

Hope this helps

John

[Jonny B]

Antennas, not all were power. My 280 SL has the Becker radio and a manual antenna.

[Garry]

Jonny B

So the H on the aerial is not necessarily on all cars?

[69 280]

My 250 SL had the plastic covers over the sub frame mounts. My 280 does not
Don't know the answer to no. 2
My 250 had the hircshmann dealer installed. I removed it ( along with the Blaupunkt radio) and put a dummy antenna in. Installed both in my 280
Don't know the answer to no. 4
250 had rubber boot on coil and no plastic  cover over the distributer cap. 280 has the rubber coil boot and the plastic cover over the distributer cap.

Hope this helps

John

Hello John,
I like the idea of the dummy antenna. My car had a busted antenna so I have pulled it out. I also pulled out the radio and put in a delete plate. Is the dummy antenna a common part? I have been wondering how to cover the hole left behind.

Cheers
Hamid

[Jonny B]

I thought there should be the "h" on the antenna. My manual one (on the 280 SL) does have the mark. It is also a locking one, and I do have the key

[49er]

Hello John,
I like the idea of the dummy antenna. My car had a busted antenna so I have pulled it out. I also pulled out the radio and put in a delete plate. Is the dummy antenna a common part? I have been wondering how to cover the hole left behind.

 Hello Hamid,
 When I referred to a "dummy" antenna, I was talking about an inexpensive common manual antenna that I bought at a local auto parts for a few dollars. I also put back the radio delete plate before trading the car in for my 280SL.  It was a "dummy" because there was no radio in the car:-)

John

[Garry]

So I can confirm so far that

Shock towers had two covers not one,

All antennas were the H type

A rubber boot on the distributor but not the coil

Unknown on the gear lever length and
unknown on the metal valve caps?

[49er]

So I can confirm so far that

Shock towers had two covers not one,

All antennas were the H type

A rubber boot on the distributor but not the coil

Unknown on the gear lever length and
unknown on the metal valve caps?

 I will try and clarify my earlier comments
The "shock tower" had no cover on either my 250 or 280. Just the stud from the shock with a nut and rubber bushing.
Many after market manual (and power) anntenas were available in the early 70s and  had no markings.
Both ends of the coil wire have rubber boots. The 280 has a plastic snap on cover over the distributer cap
I am presuming the "valve caps" you are referring too are on the tire's valve stems. They (and the stems) were rubber on the steel wheels.

John

[Garry]

John,

I asked these questions as they came up when they were judging the cars at the 50th.

Correct, someone said that the metal tire valve stem covers not the plastic ones were correct for the Pagodas.

Also that all, repeat all fitted radios were fitted with Hirschmann (power) antennas.

There was much discussion in the car park on two or one shock tower cover.  The open side of the engine certainly but the manifold side of the engine apparently, according to some, did not have the cover.

On the rubber boots, it appears that the 230's only had the distributor covers and not the coil.  The two covers appears to have been introduced somewhere in the mid 250 production but I dont know when.

On the gear lever length in the Autos. I have seen several of both the short and longer stems on the 230's.  I cannot find out if the short ones, (in the minority) are original or that they have been shortened/cut at some point.  Mine is short but looking at it without the knob on the end does not show that it has been cut. It is 100mm (4") from the top to the gear indicator cover.

Garry

[thelews]

Subframe mounting covers were eliminated in 1967 with the 250 SL  #4190

[Garry]

Tom, John and others,

Thanks for all the input.  I think that answers all my questions and now I need to do some searching for items that I dont have to make my 230SL correct.

Garry

[69 280]

Hello Hamid,
 When I referred to a "dummy" antenna, I was talking about an inexpensive common manual antenna that I bought at a local auto parts for a few dollars. I also put back the radio delete plate before trading the car in for my 280SL.  It was a "dummy" because there was no radio in the car:-)

John

Hi John
Thanks. As I typed my last post, I was wondering how much of a "dummy" question it would be

Talk soon
Hamid

[ja17]

The correct original distributor covers used on the later pagodas had metal snaps to hold them closed after installation. After the Pagoda, in later years the covers were  made with plastic snaps instead of the metal. When the plastic covers were installed, the spark plug cables always ran under the metal injector lines. I have a service bulletin somewhere on these covers with a bit more info. I will add info when I find it.

The original covers with metal snaps are hard to come by these days.