Author Topic: sunvisors (Read 8726 times)

pablo_o2 · « **on:** January 11, 2005, 06:58:57 »

We all know the sunvisors for our cars are extremely expensive. What's so special about these things? I cut one open to discover there's only a foam layer and some plied steelwire inside. No hightech materials are used only the price is hightech. I think I'll try to renew the outershell with mb-tex or leather in the upholstery's color since I have the form of the old initial shell as an example. Don't understand why no supplier ever tried to copie these visors since they are not difficult to make. I inserted a picture to show what I mean.

Download Attachment:

sunvisor 2 bis.jpg
60.98 KB

Paul Haems
'68 280SL

Ed Cave · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2005, 08:48:43 »

You're not kidding about the price of new sun visors. I recently had to make a decision; purchase a new 60" Hi Def Flat Panel Plasma television for the family room <OR> two new visors for the Pagoda.

And of course, that sexy little German girl won out again.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1964 356C
1971 280SL
2002 SC430
2004 A4 3.0

pagode.info · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2005, 09:44:29 »

MB cannot produce them in large numbers.
That makes the price. Old visors, that
have not been destroyed yet, can be given
in exchange. That reduces the price for
a factory new pair to 275,87 Euro incl.
brackets. (Export price not incl. VAT).

Have a nice day,

Tom

www.pagode.info

Ben · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2005, 09:50:17 »

I have seen these go on eBay for nearly new prices.

Doesn't make sense !

I have a perfect LH visor but the chrome bracket is broken. MB do not sell this part seperately and despite searching for 3 years and missing the only 2 that have come up on eBay I still cannot get them !

[

!]

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

mdsalemi · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2005, 10:19:04 »

Gents,

I've had a brief off-line discussion of sun visors with the good doctor and with Eryck from Hong Kong.

Some years ago I replaced mine for $375 each and put the old ones on eBay. So I have "nothing" to work with.

I have to suggest that the remanufacture of these items should not be that big a deal. They are pretty lo tech as Pablo as pointed out.

For those of you NOT in Southern California or in Detroit, you might not know or understand this, but there are is all kinds of prototyping and lo-volume parts manufacturing that go on in these two parts of the country. This prototyping is for the auto industry's show cars; special projects, test parts, etc. Every part that goes on any car must be made in lo-volume prototype form before it is converted to high-volume production. No exceptions; sometime this stuff goes on for years before they finalize a part. By extention it also happens to cars that are hard to get parts for (you know like a 25 year old Audi) or rare and obscure cars such as a 1954 Hudson Italia. These kinds of things are made every day. It really is only Mercedes owners that have the luxury of easy to get parts. How much would it cost to get these parts made? Who knows and that's the big question. But there is probably no other part in greater demand that commands such an astronomical price then the darn sunvisors.

If anybody has a "donor" sunvisor (as long as it is in one piece, condition irrelevant; it will be returned) I'd be happy to take it to the prototype places around here and also discuss it with the automotive engineers I know. I'd also locate those in SoCal and have our other friends out there (Hi Bob Geco

) do the same. Perhaps we can find someone to make these in small quantities at a price lower then $375 each!

I also think that they could be made in China (hence my note about Eryck)pretty easily as well, and probably less costly.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

pagode.info · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2005, 12:06:57 »

The price of Euro 275,87 (aproximately
375 US $) is for a pair of new orig.
MB Sunvisors incl. left & right side
brackets, when old parts will be re-
turned. Sounds too much ?

Ben: I can help You with a single good
used bracket from my stock.

Tom

rwmastel · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2005, 15:47:21 »

quote:
Originally posted by pagode.info

The price of Euro 275,87 (aproximately
375 US $) is for a pair of new orig.
MB Sunvisors incl. left & right side
brackets, when old parts will be re-
turned. Sounds too much ?

That sounds better than what others have reported as asking prices and sale prices. For that price, what material are they? Does the passanger side visor include the mirror?

I agree that in the picture they look like such a simple item that the cost should be lower. Perhaps including a 230SL hinge (nice chrome part) with leather covering would justify the $375/pair cost (with trade-in).

Here's a question: Did the leather interiors come with leather sun visors?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both tops
1994 E420

pagode.info · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2005, 22:34:30 »

As there are no repros available on the market,
I was talking about orig. Merc 113 new parts.

You know the 230 SL ones from Merc always come
in 8001 beige matching to the roof lining. The
orig. covering is not leather. The passenger
side has a mirror.

Tom

www.pagode.info

Ben · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2005, 03:42:35 »

Hi Tom, thanks for the offer for the hinge.

This is great ! !

Let me know what the cost is and I will organise it !

BTW I think $375.00 for a pair including the hinges is pretty good. I was under the impression this was each !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

pagode.info · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2005, 02:24:59 »

Ben, I`ll get it to the post office
today. You know I received a parcel
including more old parts that I ex-
pected. Keep the bracket.

Tom

Ben · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2005, 05:33:43 »

quote:
Ben, I`ll get it to the post office
today. You know I received a parcel
including more old parts that I ex-
pected. Keep the bracket.

Tom

[:p] So not only have you obtained something which I was unable to get.......but your giving it to me ?? [:0]

Thank you so much Tom. Let me know what I can do for you, now that you are my favourite parts supplier !

Can you send me an email and I'll let you know my address !

Thansk again !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

hands_aus · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2005, 06:33:59 »

Aren't the sunvisors for the 230 sl and early 250 sl different to those for the 280sl?

Which model are you proposing to have reproduced?

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

pagode.info · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2005, 11:25:06 »

Bob:

quote:
Originally posted by pagode.info

As there are no repros available on the market,
I was talking about orig. Merc 113 new parts.

Tom

Ben:

I did not need Your address. It was Your parcel
that included some more parts than I expected.

Tom

hauser · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2005, 22:27:38 »

I believe Mike Salemi is onto something here with his idea.

A friend of mine tipped me off to a show on TLC called Overhauling. The chief designer is Chip Foose. The show is about taking someones car for 7 days and completely transforming it into a one off creation. It's unbelievale what these guys accomplish in just seven days! One of the things that caught my eye is how the interior guys will create new door panels and consoles. If they can do this why not a pair of sunvisors? It's just finding the right people willing and able to do the job.

Anyone intrested in seeing the show it's on TLC with new shos airing every Tuesday.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

Ben · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2005, 08:08:08 »

quote:
Ben:

I did not need Your address. It was Your parcel
that included some more parts than I expected.

Tom

I dont understand, did I send you a parcel previously ? :?:

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

n/a · « **Reply #15 on:** January 24, 2005, 07:32:13 »

quote:
Originally posted by mdsalemi

Gents,

I've had a brief off-line discussion of sun visors with the good doctor and with Eryck from Hong Kong.

Some years ago I replaced mine for $375 each and put the old ones on eBay. So I have "nothing" to work with.

I have to suggest that the remanufacture of these items should not be that big a deal. They are pretty lo tech as Pablo as pointed out.

For those of you NOT in Southern California or in Detroit, you might not know or understand this, but there are is all kinds of prototyping and lo-volume parts manufacturing that go on in these two parts of the country. This prototyping is for the auto industry's show cars; special projects, test parts, etc. Every part that goes on any car must be made in lo-volume prototype form before it is converted to high-volume production. No exceptions; sometime this stuff goes on for years before they finalize a part. By extention it also happens to cars that are hard to get parts for (you know like a 25 year old Audi) or rare and obscure cars such as a 1954 Hudson Italia. These kinds of things are made every day. It really is only Mercedes owners that have the luxury of easy to get parts. How much would it cost to get these parts made? Who knows and that's the big question. But there is probably no other part in greater demand that commands such an astronomical price then the darn sunvisors.

If anybody has a "donor" sunvisor (as long as it is in one piece, condition irrelevant; it will be returned) I'd be happy to take it to the prototype places around here and also discuss it with the automotive engineers I know. I'd also locate those in SoCal and have our other friends out there (Hi Bob Geco ) do the same. Perhaps we can find someone to make these in small quantities at a price lower then $375 each!

I also think that they could be made in China (hence my note about Eryck)pretty easily as well, and probably less costly.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

Sometimes I have to admit I think my decision to buy an original, unrestored, unmolested SL was the right one, even if it did take forever to find one! www.realnoteguitars.com.au/merc to see what a sunvisor should really look like!

Neil Rote, Melbourne Australia

Unrestored '64

Ben · « **Reply #16 on:** February 01, 2005, 05:41:31 »

Tom,
Just to let you know I recieved the part, thank you very much once again, and I've sent the old one back to you as requested !

Guys Tom has sorted me out with the visor hinge having searched for 3 years with no joy. I no longer have to drive around with one "ear" up !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

J. Huber · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2005, 09:59:43 »

Funny you should say that, Ben (about the ears). I have always liked driving with my visors at attention. I think it makes the car look sporty. Like my dog when she's got something in her sights. Others seem to put them perpendicular to the windshield. Mine bugs me like that for some reason.

James
63 230SL

Ben · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2005, 10:01:22 »

Yeah I prefer them up...........and now I can ! Yipeee !!!

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

pagode.info · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2005, 12:53:56 »

Ben,

I´m glad to hear that the 2nd one I sent
arrived arrived succesfully :-)

Tom

www.pagode.info

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Author Topic: sunvisors (Read 8726 times)

Ed Cave

pagode.info

Ben

pagode.info

pagode.info

Ben

pagode.info

Ben

pagode.info

hauser

Ben

n/a

Ben

Ben

pagode.info