1970 vs 1971 - Help solve the puzzle

[Delvis]

Hello everyone, hope you are all doing well and staying safe in this weird time. quick question...but I'm guessing the answer may be longer.

Question: what is the agreed chassis/vin number for the start of the 1971 year 280SL pagoda?

Currently on Bring A Trailer there is a 280SL listed for auction. 113-044-12-01926, production month 6/70. very nice looking 280SL, Listed as 1971
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-48/

I own chassis/vin number 113-044-12-0945, production month 7/70, and it's registered as a 1970.

is it possible that both are 1970 or are they both actually 1971?

Looking for your guidance and opinions to help solve this mystery (well at least my curiosity).

Stay safe everyone!

Devlin

[Pawel66]

Something wrong with the VIN number for your car - too short I think.

My car is 16726 and is from March 70.

Maybe simple mistake in listing as 71 in the one you are asking about.

Have you looked at Technical Manual - you have the statistics there.

[Norm]

The listing shows VIN 019126.  Which, confirmed by the data in the Tech Manual, would have been produced in June, 1970.  Since new model years for many manufacturers were scheduled for sale starting in the fall of the preceding year.  It would not be unusual for a car with few cosmetic changes, sold in the fall, to be titled as the next year's model. For a car produced in June and shipped to the US a few months between production and sale, to me, would not be out of the question.

I actually have a newer example where my SL 550 (R230) was built in December 2009 but sold and titled as a 2011. 

As stated, your VIN seems incorrect, you might want to recheck your number.

July 1970 production began with 019242 and ended with 019991 according to the tech data production info.

Norm

[Bonnyboy]

Some of the discrepancy is also the final destination and who registered it and when it was registered - I have a German market car and its production is December 1969 and it is noted as a 1969 car on insurance documents but US cars built even "some" months before mine I have seen advertised as a 1970 car as they would have been for the 1970 model year.    The car on BAT is a USA market car so they started calling them by the next model year much sooner than home market cars.   

I don't think it really matters what year they call it for our cars - what matters is the serial number and the changes made up to that date. 

[MikeSimon]

The Tech Manual says that 1971 Model Year began with serial number 18506.
This is relevant to U.S. models only.
Mercedes Benz did not build "Model Year" cars. A car produced in January of 1970 and sold and registered in that same month in Germany was a 1970 280SL. And so was a car that was produced in December of 1970, sold and registered in that same month. If that latter car would have sat at the dealership until February of 1971 and sold and registered then, it would have been a 1971 280SL.

[Delvis]

oops - fat finger typo.

my vin should have read: 113.044-12-019453

thanks to everyone for the quick replies.

cheers.

stay well.

[doitwright]

If I am not mistaken, 71 cars were the only year that came with a rear window defroster. A 71 would have a knob added in the center console just to the rear of the ash tray. This BAT car does not have the defrost knob.

[Delvis]

The last post and comment regarding Heated Rear Window adds more questions. My car has both the knob/switch in the centre console. Plus the body tag on the driver door has reference to "regulations applicable to 1971 model year"
Please see pictures for more details.
Any new thoughts?

thanks Devlin

[Nicolas Aristodemou]

 Ine is 018773 and as per Mercedes homologation department was manufactured in December 1970. A US supplied car.

[Pawel66]

If I am not mistaken, 71 cars were the only year that came with a rear window defroster. A 71 would have a knob added in the center console just to the rear of the ash tray. This BAT car does not have the defrost knob.

Not really. My car is march 1970 and it came with heated rear window. German market delivery.

I think this is simply the model year interpretation by the seller, perhaps relevant for the US.

[MikeSimon]

Ine is 018773 and as per Mercedes homologation department was manufactured in December 1970. A US supplied car.

This can't be right. My car is 22774 and has a delivery date of December 16 1970. The Technical Manual lists 18773 as a June 1970 car.

[Nicolas Aristodemou]

This is the Mercedes issued certificate with vin number attached......

[Jonny B]

That is most puzzling. The list of changes for the car (as published by Engelen) shows that the 18773 would have been manufactured around June 1970. MB was well on their way to finishing up production of the 113 series of cars in December, and the number were in the 22000+ range.

[Pawel66]

Please note that the info form Daimler may not be bulletproof. A lot has been written about these manufacturing dates. It may as well be mixed with delivery date or registration date.

E.g. https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=27758.msg199664#msg199664

What is the data card saying for VIN 18773?

[MikeSimon]

I think it is not only "not bulletproof', it is just plain wrong.
I don't need a document from Daimler Benz, I have the original title for first registration and the data card and both say December 16, 1970 for chassis 22774.
Which confirms the dates compiled in the Tech Manual.

[Garry]

The Data Card was that was produced and date stamped at production with the date will be the most accurate way to get the answer.  Is there a Data Card and if so what date is on that.

[MikeSimon]

The U.K. is somewhat strange as far as registration of vintage vehicles are concerned. I have sold a couple of motorcycles to there and in order for the owners to get a specific plate that indicates the year, they need a document which shows when the vehicle was produced. This creates all kinds of weird stuff with obscure dates on them. A lot of vehicles sold in the US have a date stamp somewhere on a VIN plate. It usually shows month and year of production. That works well as proof of production date.