Body Workmanship

[bpossel]

 :oops: I thought that my car had some minor body work on the drivers side rear inner wheel well, but as I saw this picture of another Pagoda (note: this is not my car), I noticed that it has the same "metal plate" installed.  Looks like it was bent to fit, then welded in place.  Seems somewhat out of place....  not a smooth fit...

Do you have this also?  Why did MB build the 113's this way?

Bob

Download Attachment: whlwell4.jpg
60.15 KB

bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320

[waltklatt]

Hello Bob,

No, this is the first I've seen of this metal plate.
I think this was an attempt to cover the rust holes behind.  Mercedes would not put a plate on top of the undercoating, especially in that area of constant water splashing from the tire.

Walter Klatt

[ranchomerced]

That plate is correct for the later cars with the big square plastic gas fumes container in the trunk!

[bpossel]

Hi Walter,

I would agree with you and this is why I want to bring this topic up with this team of 113'rs.  Here is another example that I found.  This is not my car, but exactly what my looks like on the drivers side rear wheel well.

Does anyone else have this "bent metal plate" on the lower rear side of the wheel well (drivers side)?

Thanks,
Bob


Download Attachment: whlwell3.jpg
60.75 KB

bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320

[Bob G ✝︎]

The plate is in the left rear fender well and should be black not painted body color.
bob Geco

[bpossel]

Hi Bob,

That's even better news!  My car is light beige and my plate is black.  Very odd!  Here is a picture of my plate, taken when I was replacing the rotors and brakes.

Why did MB build these cars this way?

Bob

bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320

Download Attachment: mywhlwell.jpg
56.72 KB

[Cees Klumper]

Ranchomerced indicated that later cars with the larger gas fumes container in the trunk have this plate; could it be that these were only cars destined for the US market, and MB chose to fit these extra emissions controls in the trunk only when the cars had gone through the production line, rather than treat these US cars differently. I.e. they had to open up that part of the body to do a kind of retrofit for the extra emissions controls.

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[BHap]

my guess is that the metal plate is intended to protect the fuel vapor lines that exit the trunk just above the plate...

[TheEngineer]

I don't have that plate.My car was built Jan. 1969 to US specs.

'69 280SL,Signal Red,007537,tired engineer, West-Seattle, WA

[TR]

I went to visit my car today.  It has the plate.  Was built in July '70, and always registered as a '71.

I'm sure Mark Passarelli is right.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[mbzse]

quote:Cees Klumper wrote

...later cars with the larger gas fumes container in the trunk have this plate; could it be that these were only cars destined for the US market

Engelen (ISBN 3-613-01367-3) states that this modification on the trunk bottom metal was made on US market cars after 1 Aug 1969, chassis No 11 948 onwards

/Hans in Stockholm

[bpossel]

fyi...

While scanning the parts book I ran across the answer to the metal plate that is located on the drivers side, rear wheel well on the later 113 models....

Look at the attached parts listing for fuel system...  item #63 shows a clear picture of the plate.  So... factory installed, as Cees and Ranchomerced pointed out....
Bob

Download Attachment: plate.jpg
53.59 KB

bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320