Pagoda 280 SL History

[fitz99]

Hello
New to the forum and Pagodas. My husband and I fell in love with a Pagoda we found for sale a few months ago which we bought and are trying to find out some history on it, Im not sure if I am in the right section to do this. Can anyone suggest how I would start trying to find out. It is a 1970 280 SL in Silver/grey which spent a lot of its life in the Netherlands and Denmark apart from that I don't know much more. Its still in beautiful condition, but would love to know more. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Thank you

[Garry]

Hi Fitz ,

First welcome to the Group and Forum.  You will find lots of information here that will enable you to work out exactly what you have purchased, such things as original colours etc and casting numbers and markings that give clues to your car and how it came out of the factory, but the biggest and most important thing to first get is the Data Card that goes through all items fitted as options etc. As an Associate Member, that you are, you will have partial access to most of the Technical Manual.  As a Full Member for a small cost to help with maintaining the Forum etc, you have full access to the Manual and also receive a half yearly Pagoda World magazine and access to all the past Pagoda Notes as well.   Remember this Group is run by all volunteers  and there are lots here who can help so any questions just post.

The Data Card can be had from Tom Hanson at Mercedes Classic Centre in Irvine California just by sending an email to him  together with a copy of your registration to show proof of ownership. This is a no cost service to MB Owners. They are also a very good source for spares.

Email address is thomas.hanson@mbusa.com

Again Welcome.

Garry
Membership Administrator

[mbzse]

.../... the biggest and most important thing to first get is the Data Card.../...The Data Card can be had from.../... California.../...

Yeah, or [closer] contact Colin Ferns in London area website http://www.colinferns.com

/Hans in Sweden
.

[stickandrudderman]

Your local dealer can, if he is inclined, get the data card for you but in the event that it's too much trouble for them I can get it for you.

[fitz99]

Thank you for your replys I will follow up for the data card.
I do know that she was manufactured for the Italian market,  ( I think I am correct in saying that it was only the Italian ones that were manufactured with the little orange disc on the front wing that was required by law ).
Would anyone know how many were made for the Italian market , and anyone's guess how many are now left.
Also the roof on ours has black vinyl, is this something that is original ? And if not original what should it be ?
Thank you to everyone reading this .

[114015]

Nope,

I think nobody knows exactly how many cars where delivered to the individual countries.
Daimler-Benz perhaps.

For the US (exports) this is known: about 19,900 cars (230 - 280 SL), a few more or less perhaps.

2nd)
No, nobody knows exactly how many Pagodas (W113s) have survived. There is no reliable statistics working worldwide. There were just to many.
The aficionados _do_ know that 242 amoung the 252 built BMW 507 cars survived.
But with not so rare cars like the Pagoda nobody knows.
Usually, the countries may know how many are today registered but there are also many cars that are not registered: collector's cars, barn finds or sleeping beauties, etc.

"Our" guess is (who is "our" ?) that about 20 - 25 thousand Pagodas survived among the 48,912 that were built. Perhaps a few more or less.
But how many are still alive in Africa ....? Nobody knows ....!

3)
As to your softtop,
no (again), rubberized black vinyl is clearly cheap aftermarket stuff.
Your car needs to have a fabric (cloth) top, called "Sonnenland".

See our Wiki how that looks like

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/SoftTop

Or enjoy the attached pic here (it is/was Bob Waldman's car here)


Good luck & welcome !

Achim
(softtopafficionado)

[fitz99]

Were there that many 280's built , I thought 25000 .
Sorry I wasnt refering to the soft top it is the hard top that is hard vinyl  ? Ie it is not painted .
Thanks

[JamesL]

fitz

If you're trying to find history, have a look at the V5. You may be able to track down a previous UK owner and see what they know about it's past and what's happened to it.
I've not seen a "vinyl" finish on the hardtop before. I've only ever seen painted (indeed, not seen any merc convertible with a vinyl-ised hardtop.)

Painted will either be body colour or a contrasting one  and if contrasting should be the same colour as your hubcaps. You should have a data plate on the top of the (UK) nearside front wheelarch (back from the battery, slightly back and above the top of the suspension strut/shock)). It's stamped metal and should have your colour code or codes on it - normally three digits, likely followed by a G or an H. Plate is about 6cm by 3cm

if you find it/them, post them up and some whizz will tell you the body colour and perhaps what the hardtop should be