ANOTHER ROOKIE QUESTION

[terry shores]

In a couple weeks I am scheduled to take my pagoda into a restoration shop for a engine detailing!!  I want to stay as original as possible.  I am having the appropriate items bead blasted and I was asked if I wanted the line and linkage and fasteners Cad plated (looks yellow) or plated to look silver or chrome(I forget the correct term)  I noticed that some beautiful engine compartments have the gold looking lines and some have the silver looking lines.  WHICH IS CORRECT AND ORIGINAL? And if the silver looking ones are ORIGINAL, WHY DO SOME PEOPLE DO THE GOLD LOOKING LINES??? I'm confused!!!!

Thanks in advance,

Terry (rookie)

71 red/blk 280sl
01 red/blk sl500 sport

[Douglas]

Injection lines are cad-plated a gold color. The reason you've seen silver is the plating wears off over time. (And please don't paint them gold!)

http://www.mbsl.de/prospekt_280SL_1267/280sl_1267_12.jpg

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[terry shores]

Thanks, now I know how to have it done.  I would of guessed that the silver look was original and the gold was just someone getting fancy!!  OH WELL, LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY!!





Injection lines are cad-plated a gold color. The reason you've seen silver is the plating wears off over time. (And please don't paint them gold!)

http://www.mbsl.de/prospekt_280SL_1267/280sl_1267_12.jpg

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[Douglas]

There are a lot of ways people get "fancy" that you should avoid. Generally, people like to make things too shiny like the wiper blades on a 280 SL (as in the dark red ebay SL), refinishing the wood to a high gloss, painting parts in the engine bay a high gloss black like the radiator, the coolant expansion tank or brake booster.....

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[Kenneth Gear]

I think I dectected some confusion.  The gold CAD plating was original not the silver look.  However, when the cad wears off, as it had a tendencey to do, it looks silver.

When Douglas said don't "paint" them gold, I don't think he was saying don't plate them in CAD he was just saying do it right and use CAD plating not paint.

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

[gugel]

Are the lines supposed to be cad-plated on a 230SL also?

I think they are, but I ask because much of the expertise in this group seems to apply to the 280SL, and many things are different on the earlier cars.  For example, on the 230SL there is no gasket under the chrome strips just under the trunk lid, and I believe the ashtray lid insert is black, not the same color as the upholstery, to name a couple.

Also, is there a list anywhere of just which engine parts should be cad-plated?

Chris Earnest

[Douglas]

Chris: In the eyes of our maker (Paul Bracq), we are all equals here. There is no bias towards the 280 SL, so please put those feelings aside. :-)

Seriously though, those injection lines are the same on a 230 SL as they would be on a 280 SL. I think there was a lot of variation in the 230 SL, particularly on the earlier models. Also, judging by some of the early factory pix, some of the earliest models didn't seem to be as "pretty," cosmetically speaking, in the engine bay.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[Ed Cave]

Here are two photos, pulled once again from Brian Peters restoration log, that show (but don't list) the numerous parts, fasteners, etc. that he Cad plated for this project. Not sure where you might find a better photo giving you an idea just how many parts in the engine bay were in fact Cadmium II plated.

Sorry the photos aren't larger, you may see the detail better here http://www.motoringinvestments.com/RestoLog4.htm  Click the photo for a larger view. (PS this is the same car that had the "23" in grease pencil in the headlight bucket, recently discussed in a different posting).

Download Attachment: CAD Plated1.jpg
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Download Attachment: CAD Plated2.jpg
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Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA


1971 280SL
1973 911S
2004 A4 3.0
2006 GS430