from soft (US) to hard (Euro) door pocket

[jan lauwers]

Hello again guys,

I am restoring my car from US to Euro look... like so many others do. Now I have a dilemma about the door pockets.

I'm thinking of buying Euro hard door pockets. These are expensive, so before I spend that money, I want to be 100% sure that they will fit.
I have heard that it is a simple matter of changing the place of the bolted metal strip inside the door on to the 2 holes that are ready-made in the door. See picture please... so I would move the metal strip to where the green marker is.
Is that correct? Is it that simple or is there anything else that I need to know? Will any hard type pocket fit then?

Thanks!

Jan

[doitwright]

I Plan on doing the same door pocket conversion as you. I raised the question on these forums about the other subtle differences between US and Euro cars.

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=27287.msg195786#msg195786

[jan lauwers]

Hi Frank,

Thanks for reacting. Yes I had read through that post, but it does not contain the answer to my question.

Jan

[450sl]

Jan, I have gone from soft to hard.
although it's has been a while since, I remember making a metal strip for mounting of a handle. The whole proces really shows itself how to do.
only thing to watch for is the left door handle protruding less towards the seat than right door one. This because there is less space on the left. So check before you buy one.
Pull handle is optional. but I would go for one, it makes closing of the door easier.
Succes
Mark

[66andBlue]

...
I have heard that it is a simple matter of changing the place of the bolted metal strip inside the door on to the 2 holes that are ready-made in the door. See picture please... so I would move the metal strip to where the green marker is.
Is that correct? Is it that simple or is there anything else that I need to know? Will any hard type pocket fit then?
Thanks!
Jan

Having done this I think it is not difficult but you have to consider a number of parts that you will need.
1. Are you trying to use your old door boards or will you buy new ones with the correct holes already cut for a 230SL/Euro board?
2. When you buy new pockets, e.g.  from SLS, make sure they come with all the parts: chrome trim on top and tab rail at the bottom. At the moment SLS does no longer provide that tab rail!! https://www.sls-hh-shop.de/main/en/mercedes-230-280sl-w113-/72-door/72-a-door/rail-for-lower-door-pocket-fixature-p-134780
That means you now have to drill holes into the small edge at the bottom. Read this discussion:
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=18466.msg128774#msg128774

This vendor apparently has a better set: https://www.ebay.de/itm/MERCEDES-Turtasche-links-Door-Pocket-left-W113-Pagode-Pagoda/283558700507

Don't forget the chrome trim: https://www.sls-hh-shop.de/main/de/mercedes-230-280sl-w113/72-tuer/72-a-tuer/zierstab-t-rtasche-euro-links-repro-p-6275

Below are photos showing the location of the new vertical bar to hold the door panel and other that might be useful.
Good luck!

[thelews]

To be original, there is no left door handle, at least not on the 230/early 250.  Also, the door latch pull is different.

[jan lauwers]

Thanks for yr help guys.

I am not sure that I understand 100% the discussion about the lower rail. Would you say that the door pocket from supplier Niemueller has the lower rail? see:
https://www.niemoeller.de/en/w113/w113/B044/721/d721021b-door-pocket-single-left

If I buy this, I suppose that i have to cut openings in the board, slide the tabs through and fold them behind the board?

Thanks!

Jan

[66andBlue]

Niemoeller's part does have the tab rail attached. Looks to me they are selling the part made in Hungary (but at a higher price!).
Yes, you need to cut slits in the board where the tabs go through. Problem is finding the correct location. I had a used 230SL board available that I used as a template for cutting holes in a new panel board.
If you consider that you also will need to buy new MB-Tex or leather and correct foam to cover the board you might want to have an experienced upholstery shop make new door panels with the desired leather or vinyl for you.

[jan lauwers]

Thanks, Alfred. Who is that supplier in Hungary? Could be interesting!

Jan

[66andBlue]

Jan,
the first link was in my previous reply. Here it is again:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/MERCEDES-Turtasche-links-Door-Pocket-left-W113-Pagode-Pagoda/283558700507
https://www.ebay.de/itm/MERCEDES-Turtasche-rechts-Door-Pocket-right-W113-Pagode-Pagoda/283558698769

[jan lauwers]

Hello again guys,

I think I have read everything there is on the forum on this topic and I am ready to go ahead with the hard door pockets. I want to show you guys what I plan on doing, so that I am 100% certain  that I make no mistakes.

I have bought the parts from Niemueller, (see pic).

I plan to:
cut the new boards
drill holes in the lower rim of the hard pocket. (Niemueller did not supply the rail). Later I will rivet the pocket on the board through these holes.
Drill through the board and in the armrest (where the spots are pre-indicated) and use the 'yellow' screws, with the washers to attach the armrest to the board.
The 'white' galvanised screws through the 2 tabs in the metal pocket to fix the armrest to the metal pocket.
Finally, a new screw through the leather and the hard board to go into the metal bracket that I have moved forward on the door frame. This fixes everything tightly to the door.
I think it speaks for itself, but like I said, I want to do a final check here to make sure it is correct.

Any thoughts?

Thanks guys,

Jan

[georgem]

To be original, there is no left door handle, at least not on the 230/early 250.  Also, the door latch pull is different.

Our RHD 230 came with a door handle/pull on both sides - not sure whether it was original or added for convenience by a previous owner.
I wonder what the logic was for not having a door pull on the drivers side of LHD cars and it also begs the question do RHD cars normally have it on both?

[Garry]

George,


The answer is no they did not come with both sides having handles. Someone would have added one for convenience to your car.

[66andBlue]

Sorry Garry,
if you look up: https://www.sl113.org/wiki/uploads/Restricted/PNv9i4.pdf
you'll find that 230SLs until VIN xxx915 had handles on both doors including LHD and RHD.
There are two part numbers, one for each side.
Since George doesn't show the year or VIN for his 230SL we can't tell whether it is correct or not.

[Garry]

So the first 915 Pagodas in 1963  had the double handle. Learning new things every day.

[georgem]

Sorry Garry,
if you look up: https://www.sl113.org/wiki/uploads/Restricted/PNv9i4.pdf
you'll find that 230SLs until VIN xxx915 had handles on both doors including LHD and RHD.
There are two part numbers, one for each side.
Since George doesn't show the year or VIN for his 230SL we can't tell whether it is correct or not.

Alfred,

easily fixed - VIN is 14076 which is early Nov1965.

Still begs the question re why they dropped the drivers side

[66andBlue]

.....
Still begs the question re why they dropped the drivers side

George,
that is easily answered. Because the grip cannot be attached to the frame, there are no holes drilled (see photo)!
Now it is your job to find out why there are no holes. Did they forget to drill them? 

Seriously, I have no clue as to why. Except to say that at the same time they changed the armrest from an elongated "D" shape to a "cow horn" which makes it easier to grab the armrest and pull the door. https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Interior/DoorTrim

But then, of course, we'll have to ask, why not the same on the passenger side? 🤔

[Garry]

I am about to learn some more.  If there are no drill holes in the door from Driver side, does that mean that there are lhd left hand doors and rhd left hand doors and vis versa for the right side of the car?.?


This is the inside drivers (right hand side on a rhd car) from my first Pagoda 1969 280sl