"D" for "Deutschland" ...

[LXIX SL Rookie]

Fasten your seatbelts ... This is a critical question:  do any of you Europhiles out there know if there's a "correct" side of the back end of our cars on which to affix a "country i.d." -- such as the big black "D" in the white oval -- left or right ... ? ... or does it matter ... ? ... thereby making this question totally inane!  Danke!  PDN

[jan]

Does NOT matter, but most people choose the left side, both here in Scandinavia and Germany.
The reason may be that we drive on the right, thereby passing ... you know

Best Jan Armand

[mbzse]

.../... if there's a "correct" side of the back end of our cars on which to affix a "country i.d." -- such as the big black "D" in the white oval -- left or right ... ?

What about smack in the middle    hi hi   Actually, there is a factory mounting instruction. On a W113, the "D" oval should be either central like on the picture. Or, on the left side of the trunk, 8mm up from lower edge, and 35mm from the left edge of the trunk lid.
/hans in Sweden

[RickM]

Interesting question:

The single letter designation seems to have changed to 2 and three letters formats as time went on. To echo what Jan stated, if going with the earliest one letter version of a Country code decal it needs to be at the rear of the vehicle (near the license (Registration) plate ?) with no specific location described.

This may vary depending on locality and year.

For example:

Except from UK code....   http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090811_en_1

"The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

(3) The letters “GB” may be displayed on a plate or other device in accordance with the Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No. 2411/98 on the recognition in intra-Community traffic of the distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered(3).

(4) Subject to paragraphs (5) to (, there may be displayed on a plate or other device an arrangement of letters corresponding with one of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (9) and an emblem corresponding with one of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (10).

(5) The arrangement of letters and emblem referred to in paragraph (4)—

(a) must be displayed to the left of the registration plate;

(b) must not encroach into the margin,

and for this purpose the expression “margin” is to have the same meaning as in regulations 14(9) and 14A(2)(f)."

[hauser]

Hans

How is the D secured to the middle?  Is there a special bracket?  These are also available with a back light.

[mbzse]

How is the D secured to the middle?

The "D" sign was a metal plate, M-B part No 000 595 0120. According to the factory mounting instruction, two sheet metal
screws dia 4,8mm and 38mm long were to be used, drilled straight into the lower body panel. Rubber washers
No 000 987 2140 were in between.

When the "D" sign was fitted to the W113 trunk lid, it was in the form of a self-adhesive (sticker)

The "D" signs with backlight, I think they were only fitted to pre-war M-B's(?)
/Hans in Sweden

[Danesgate]

Except from UK code....   http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20090811_en_1

"The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

(3) The letters “GB” may be displayed on a plate or other device in accordance with the Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No. 2411/98 on the recognition in intra-Community traffic of the distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered(3).

Rick - those regs relate to where the Country identifier (GB for Great Britain) is made as part of the registration plate (tag) rather than as a plate, decal or sticker on its own.