TAIL LIGHT LENS 66 230 SL

[5316]

I AM IN NEED OF BOTH TAIL LIGHT LENS FOR A 1966 230 SL. I ORDERED A SET BUT THEY WOULD NOT FIT THE OPENING AND SENT THEM BACK AND HAD TO PAY A RESTOCKING FEE. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THE TAIL LIGHTS LENS IF THE CAR WAS BUILT TO EURO SPECIFICATIONS OR US?

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR MODEL WAS BUILT TO EURO SPECS OR US.

I THOUGHT I READ ONE TIME THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO CUT AWAY SOME OF THE BODY TO MAKE THE TAIL LIGHTS WORK BECAUSE THE LENS ARE DIFFERENT NOW THAN THE ORIGINAL

[DavidAPease]

"5316",

In general, there is no difference in 230SL taillights between US and Euro spec cars.  There is a difference between early (230SL/250SL/very early 280SL) and late (most 280SL) cars.  

Early taillights are often referred to as "one-piece" or "all-red" (though there were different color schemes in other countries such as France and Italy).  These taillights were not designed to have replaceable lenses; you had to buy a full one-piece chrome frame with molded-in lens and reflector.  I believe that they have not been available new for may years.  I also believe that there is a technique for "breaking out" the old lenses and gluing in new ones (available from some after-market vendors).

The later taillights typically have a yellow turn-signal lens section, have a much flatter profile than the original, and have replaceable lenses.  These are available new, and are often used in the older cars where the originals are not available.  These taillights should "drop in" to older cars - no body work necessary.

-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[J. Huber]

Nice explanation, David. Mine is an example of an early euro car with "new" later-style tail-lights. They fit right in.

I am hanging onto my all-red originals -- one is about a 7 or 8 out of 10. The other has no lens! It may be a candidate for the glued-in method someday...

PS 5316, I just caught another of your questions. There are a few ways to tell if yours is a euro model or not. Full-Lens headlamps and gauges in Kilometer Per Hour (versus MPH) are a couple (although these could have been changed later on). Checking the data card for country of delivery is also useful. You can search here for the complete run-down on such things.

James
63 230SL

[DavidAPease]

Thanks, James.

Just to add a footnote to your points on how to tell Euro versus US: There is a digit on the stamped plate just inside the left fender (the one with the paint codes on it) that tells the market that the car was built for.  One of our Mercedes sages (Achim, Hans, ) wrote a post on how to read that code.

-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[Douglas]

The code is the last digit on the next-to-last line.

5 is Europe except Germany. The others are:
2,3 Germany
4 Diplomats, NATO, Tourists except US-Tourists
6 Africa
7 America
8 Asia
9 Australia


Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[DavidAPease]

Thanks, Douglas,

I was too busy and/or lazy to look that up.  

-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[rwmastel]

5316,

Hello and welcome to the Group!  First of all, I wanted to let you know that typing in all capital letter is like SHOUTING AND YELLING!  Second, if you're not happy with your parts source, there are many options.  Here is our parts suppliers list:
http://www.sl113.org/data/show_table.asp?table_name=usr_parts_and_service_suppliers

Most people typically end up with a small (from 3 to 6) group of suppliers that they use.

There's a lot of neat stuff here:
http://www.sl113.org/data/

Best of luck with your 230SL restoration.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420