Got the Data Card

[Ann]

Well, I got the data card on my 280 SL.

It appears that the car is indeed a 1968. The engine number on the data card is *not* the same number as on the engine block. And the data card says delivered March 21, 1968. Interesting, huh?

Data card engine #130-983-12-001035
Actual engine #130-983-12-002196
CA registration says 1970. I wish my car could talk <G>.

Any wisdom/insight from the Forum on how this might have happened? The sales transactions (as presently known) are all private party= hand-to-hand.

Can I trace the ownership of this car *atleast* in CA?
Can't do the CarFax<G>!

This will be just for personal interest only. And if it's more comfortable, please feel free to email me privately. Everything will be kept 100% confidential by request.

It's kind of like adopting a child and finding out it's older than you thought, eh? She is loved and here to stay.

 The car has all it's Euro gages intact, with obvious Kilometers instead of miles -per observation. Wouldn't this be different if sent thru customs? Can the mystery be unraveled any further?
 
 I  am still completely happy with this little beauty.
Who wouldn't be!
Just thought the Forum would be interested in an update.

 
PS. Question- anyone know what this means(not sure of the spelling):

19.Bereifung 5-foch (or 5-fach)- hard to read the tiny microfich copy.

And thanks to the Forum I requested my data card via Germany (Till Dillenburger) and he forwarded it to (Paul) at the MB Classic center here in CA. It took only 2 days, and was *free*. Thanks to all who contributed this invaluable resource!

Ann

'70 Euro 280 SL silver
'06 BMW Z4 Montego Blue
'98 Jeep Gr.Cherokee (125K mi.)

[Douglas]

Hi Ann,

Clearly, the motor was updated at some point. No big deal. At least they used the correct motor.

Did you confirm the VIN on the passenger side of the engine compartment? It's etched into the right front frame rail like this:

Download Attachment: 113SL_chs_num_loc.jpg
21.72 KB

I'd start here to solve the VIN issue. This is probably the most reliable place to check since it's imprinted into the sheet metal.



Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[DavidAPease]

Hi, Ann,

My German friend translated "Bereifung 5-fach" as "Tires 5-way", meaning that 5 of them were shipped with the car.  Mine said "185HR14 Phön", so I apparently had the Firestone Phoenix tires.  (BTW, I still have one of these - it was on the spare when I bought the car, but is now safely stored away.)

-David Pease
'66 French 230SL

[rogerh113]

How does one get their data card ??  Sorry - I know this was covered someplace, but I did a search and couldn't find any useful leads...

Regards -- Roger

[Chad]

Roger you call Mercedes Classic center (search here for phone number or just google it). Give them your VIN and let them fax or email it to you.
For obvious reasons if you want to key codes to not be blanked out you need to fax them a copy of your title and registration data, I believe.

Don't be too surprised if some things don't match up to the codes.  It's been forty years between then and now.

1967 230SL
2007 Feathercraft K1 Kayak and Aleut Paddle
(A sometimes happy marriage of technology)

[rogerh113]

Thanks for the data card info - been meaning to do it for a long time and it sounds pretty simple....

Regards -- roger

[France]

Hi Guys and Ann,

We've brought several cars in to FL without anything more than a cursory look-see by a bored inspector to verify VIN.  In the early 90s we brought a Fiat Croma Turbo into FL--same chasis as the Alfa 164.  When it came off the ship, the paperwork said either we drive on EU registration for a year and then ship it out again, OR permanently import. (Never fear--it had a catalyst and so was EPA-compliant.)  Then we went to the Sarasota tax office and asked for the car to be registered...which was granted graciously.  No request for technical changes;  for ten years the car remained as it was in Europe, with all-European specs, turning heads in Sarasota, and then was sold.  We never heard more from the customs people...and no one ever followed up. I suspect there are thousands of such cars; only a handful of states (like my native CA) are more hard-nosed.  I remember my cousin brought a Saab Sonett into CA in the early 70s and went through hell to modify it to meet standards.

If your car was bought by a service person and shipped over in military transport (which could jive with its Euro specs), the person's word about the car was probably recorded as gospel--the year of manufacture and much more.  Similar happened to me when I brought Carling into FL a few years ago after buying her on e-Bay in Oklahoma; the tax people asked me what I paid.  I told them and was charged tax accordingly.  I'm sure when military people shipped their cars back from Europe in the early 70s, there were almost no standards applied. What you see is what you get!

Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
Think of your Pagoda as a woman with a past...

[peterm]

If you have ac youll find quite a few commments on cooling issues in the forum, perhaps this was a cooked engine which appears not to be unusual considering the predisposition to overheating.

[France]

Ann,

In answer to one of your questions, 5-fach Bereifung means 5 tires-- including the spare.

Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
Think of your Pagoda as a woman with a past...

[Bob G ✝︎]

Ann:
Call woody at the classic center in Irvine he will be more than happy to fax you information on your car.
(949) 598-4850
Bob Geco