Hard top $$ and water pump replacement

[johnshenry]

{Noobie warning, see my post in New Member Introductions if needed}

I've got a line on 230SL many, many miles away from me.  Will have a friend check it out this week, and will fly out to see it firsthand if needed.  I'm not bent on this one, there seems to be many for sale.  Its a '67 230.

I was told by the caretaker on the phone that it is missing the hardtop, needs a water pump and a "part for the differential" (who knows what that could be).

I wanted to ask the group:

What is the going rate for a hardtop and how hard are they to find?  Also, are they the same through all the pagodas 230/250/280, or do I need a 230 one.

Can you comment on the average qualified shop cost to replace the ater pump?  Also, how hard is it to replace (as in easy/about the same as most cars/you might was well shove bamboo splints under you fingernails...).

Thanks in advance.... I'll be back with more Qs during my quest for a 230....

JH

[DaveB]

Hardtops come up for sale regularly, you can expect to pay $500 or more for a reasonable one. All hardtops are interchangeable for fit.
Water pumps are relatively inexpensive and should not take more than a couple of hours labor time. So those two factors should not rule out the car. The "differential part" may just be a rubber mount but could easily be more complex and expensive.
A professional inspection is always worthwhile as it may save you from buying a bad car and it will also turn up things that need fixing on an otherwise good car. If you provide the seller with a list of things that need fixing you're in a good position to knock at least a few hundred off the asking price, which will usually more than cover the cost of the inspection.

[waqas]

As Dave mentioned below, the cost of water pump replacement is relatively low on the pagoda repair price-list.

However, your decision to buy this car should not hinge on the cost of this type of repair. Once this is fixed, it will surely uncover other potentially more serious problems.  Does the car run fine otherwise?  If not, then when was it last run? These cars don't like to sit still for too long, and long periods of inactivity can require very costly repairs in future.

Your decision to buy should be based more on the overall condition. The technical manual has a good inspection checklist. Also, the forum search function will unearth a large quantity of information regarding purchasing decisions.

In any case, this forum presents an excellent opportunity to educate yourself about these cars and their stewardship.

[johnshenry]

Thanks for the tips.  I am by no means considering or shying away from this car for only water pump (or hard top).  I was just trying to see if there were any "run away!" things about them.  And the availability of the top.

As I stated in my intro, I have been into vintage VWs for 28 years and have been buying some progressively older ones over the years.  There are some early parts that folks might just assume are available/reasonable.... and they aren't.

In any case, I am having some one local (a certified VW guy who can spot the "run away!" stuff pretty well) give it a prelim crawl around, and take lots of pics.  If it looks viable, I'll fly out and see it myself, and either arrange transport or drive it back (oh, 2700 miles or so, that would be some quick "bonding" with my new car huh?).

I am just looking for a complete, unmolested, un hacked, even patina driver 230.  The caretaker swears it is beautiful, but we have all heard that before.  I'll keep you posted and invariably will post pics  for some opinions....

TIA..

JH

[LFrank]

Johnshenry - don't know if you'd heard that while hardtops are relatively easy to find (Mine was just $200, but it involved a three-hour drive to pick up), there is a difference in terms of earlier and later models. Earlier models have the securing lathes incorporated into the top; on later ones, they are separate tools, and from what I've heard, hard to find if they don't come with your top.

[johnshenry]

Thanks LFrank.  Do I read that as either will work on, for example, a '67 230?  Or is there a change in the latch on the car body/windshield frame as well?  

Do you (or anyone) know when that change was made?  If I have to get one, I'd like to get the "correct" one for my car, even if "functionall" others will work/

TIA

JH

[Richard Madison]

Not to be controversial but a missing hard top might not be a bad thing.

My hard top is stored in a garage about 50 miles away. In the more than seven years I've driven these cars, I've never used the hard top.

I don't drive in winter except on moderate days once a month or so to keep the car juices flowing. I use the soft top with the heater if necessary.

I kind of wish my car didn't have a hard top. It would save me the trouble of storing it and worrying about the top becoming a home for mice or going to rust.

True, the car is worth slightly less on resale but the price should be slightly less on the purchase of a car without a hard top.

A hard top might be important for a driver who is out on the cold roads fairly frequently but for the rest of us, having no hard top might be a plus...and it avoids the heavy lifting.

Richard M, NYC