From Classic Center Archives -- 230SL rear wheel arch chrome trim

[Jack the Knife]

https://mercedes-benz-publicarchive.com/marsClassic/en/instance/picture/Mercedes-Benz-Typ-230-SL.xhtml?oid=106790&ls=L3NlYXJjaHJlc3VsdC9zZWFyY2hyZXN1bHQueGh0bWw_c2VhcmNoU3RyaW5nPXcxMTMmc2VhcmNoSWQ9MCZzZWFyY2hUeXBlPWRldGFpbGVkJnJlc3VsdEluZm9UeXBlSWQ9MTcyJnZpZXdUeXBlPWdyaWQmc29ydERlZmluaXRpb249QVJDSElWRU5VTUJFUi0xJnJvd1N0YXJ0PTgwJnRodW1iU2NhbGVJbmRleD0xJnJvd0NvdW50c0luZGV4PTU!&rs=85

I have never seen this exact trim on a production car, though the caption notes this is 1964.

[Garry]

Its an awful after market trim that some put on their cars that almost guarantees rust in the outer guard if on for a long period of time. Sometimes used on the later sedans and coupes as well.

[Jonny B]

That picture is from the "rather interesting" 113 that MB has on display at the museum inStuttgart. There are a number of other goofy things about that car. I scratch my head whenever I think about it being in the museum.

It was standard on the 600 limo, and the 300 SE coupe and cabs, and the 220 coupes and cabs, and the 300 S coupes, cabs and roadster, never on the Pagoda or the 111 coupes/cabs.

Garry is spot on it just calls out "Okay rust, you can form up here!"

[Jack the Knife]

It was standard on the 600 limo, and the 300 SE coupe and cabs, and the 220 coupes and cabs, and the 300 S coupes, cabs and roadster, never on the Pagoda or the 111 coupes/cabs.

I think on some of the cars you mentioned it can look quite elegant. However, compared to the 220 cabrio below, it certainly isn't very well-integrated into the other chrome.

Somewhat related, but when Germany banned wheels from being wider than the arches in which they sit, BMW and other companies made wheel arches often in chrome which helped their performance cars conform to the new regulations. Some others choose to paint them.

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/art-and-culture/museum/mercedes-benz-230-sl/
I think it looks rather nice on this car from a bit further away. So many of you put extreme faith in how deliberative Mercedes tends to be about their choices... at least when it agrees with you. So one might argue there has to be a reason they would choose to have this car be the headlining 230SL in their museum. Perhaps I'll send them an email to ask and hope for a reply.

[Jonny B]

Will be most curious to see if you get a response from the MB museum re the 230 SL. It has been on display a long while. It might even have been in the old museum.

[Jack the Knife]

Will be most curious to see if you get a response from the MB museum re the 230 SL. It has been on display a long while. It might even have been in the old museum.

I got an answer this morning to that question and some other questions... I spoke with Andreas Hosch, "Product Management Classic Spare Parts".

In re: the chrome arch. There was no answer. I view this as an answer.

I asked about if a M116 motor was ever considered in the 113. They said they built a prototype, but didn't elaborate. I suspect he is mistaking an M116-powered car with the well-known 6.3 car.

He referred any questions I have about pre-merger AMG to AMG-classic. I asked about whether AMG had ever considered racing the 113, as it was contemporary to their time, and if so, if there are any details/drawings/literature about such a car. I await a response from AMG.

I asked about the Talbot mirror shown in factory videos of the 113 upon its debut and whether that was going to be considered an option. He has no information to that.

I asked about the yellow headlight covers one sees on eBay, Authentic Classics, etc and if those are genuine, as they have the same part number as the clear ones. He said all French market cars had other reflectors, yellow chrome (?), yellow lights. All the lenses are the same for all across all of Europe, and no special lenses were made from the factory for the French cars.

Some time ago I posted a thread about plaid fabrics in the 113 and how they were never offered, unlike the SLs before and since. I asked if the factory had considered this as an option. He said no.

Altogether, the car in the museum is still a mystery.

[wwheeler]

I have both the W111 coupe and a W128 220SE coupe. The wheel arch trim on the 220SE is perfectly fitted to the trim in front and behind it. The fenders are somewhat flat sided and so this trim caps it off. Without the trim, it would rather barren. The trim is brass construction then chrome plated. With that it forms a flowing line from front to rear along the underside.

When I bought my W111, it had the aftermarket wheel trims. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was hiding damage to the formed fender flare. Yes, this aftermarket piece is cheap and doesn’t fit well. If you were going to do it on W111, try finding the original used on the 300SE. Plus unlike the Ponton with its flat sides, the W111 and W113 have substantial formed flares on the sheet metal already. So they don’t really need the trim, just a matter of preference.

[MikeSimon]

The trims on my 280SL -  yes, it has trims - also have a rubber underlay which forms a rim on the outside circumference of the chrome part.

[fd-li]

The chrome was quite common among German Pagoda owners during the 70-80ties and I’d say around 5-10 percent of cars still have it installed, in particular if they haven’t received a full restoration recently. There were different aftermarket versions, some with a rubber lining which if properly installed can help with rust (still there will be holes in the fenders so a pain to remove).

[MikeSimon]

I asked about if a M116 motor was ever considered in the 113. They said they built a prototype, but didn't elaborate. I suspect he is mistaking an M116-powered car with the well-known 6.3 car.

Jack: I posted this elsewhere a while ago. From my time way back in Germany, I do remember a 280SL with a 3.5L M116 prototype. It was not a car to consider putting an M116 in a W113 but a mule to test the new V8 which was forthcoming in the R107 in early 1971. Years ago, I did have a photo of the car, but it got lost somehow.