FIP Tutorial

[Naj ✝︎]

Loads of other Pagoda interest items on the same site 

http://weboldtimer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=69&lang=en

naj

[66andBlue]

Nice find, Naj!
Thanks for the link - the report on the 250SL €148K restoration is quite informative.

[Jonny B]

Most impressive indeed, but i still have to scratch my head over $148K for a Pagoda.

[hauser]

Go to the section "Body Ironing Works" then scroll down to the third pic from the bottom.  See anything missing on the firewall?

[66andBlue]

Jonny B,
you need to scratch even deeper - it $186K   (= €148K). However, I doubt that a job like this one would cost less when done by one of the top restorers here.
Hauser,
if you are looking for the plug that covers the heater valve then you may be surprised. They show a 230SL and if it is a very early one then this is correct. Perhaps James Huber can confirm this.

[hauser]

Alfred, if so how did they gain access to the valve?   Perhaps it was located elsewhere?  Anyway it's a cool fact to know!

[jacovdw]

The very early 230SL's did not have the rubber plug in the firewall to gain access to the heater valve.
The rubber plug was introduced in June 1964 (from chassis number 004350 onwards to the 250 and 280SL's).

Hauser,

The heater core and valve assembly used on these earlier cars are the same as the ones used for the rest of the pagoda population.

On these early cars, the only way to gain proper access to the heater core valve is to remove the heater core from under the dashboard after some major disassembly of the dash...

A nasty job to do - been there and got the T-shirt as my pagoda is a Feb 1964 "vintage"

[Jonny B]

Alfred,

After I hit the send key, I was pondering if I had missed the Euro versus the dollar, although in the last couple of days the difference has dwindled down a bit.

[lurtch]

WOW - - - what a thoroughly EXCELLENT production this is!      Nice detective work Naj !!

Also, what a testament to the skill and expertise of the BOSCH engineers to have designed such a complicated device that works so well for so long!

 I scares me to think about how far out of calibration some our FI pumps might be by now and still they continue to perform acceptably.

Larry in CA

[hauser]

I just had some work done to mine.  I don't exactly know what he did but the car is running beautifully.  He did say that he adjusted the rack.

[J. Huber]

Yes, Jaco and Alfred are correct, the earlier cars had a straight-edged firewall ridge and no access hole. Mine started off that way but was "modified" by some overzealous mechanic along the way. He took the liberty to gouge a hole to get to the heater valve. This was the olden days before I subjected mechanics to an FBI background check! I did not notice it until I replaced the padding in 1999. Anyway, I used my tin snips to cut a much rounder hole and stuck an access plug in it. Made the best of the situation...

[jacovdw]

James,

That is just downright sad that a mechanic would butcher your car like that...

If you are a stickler for originality, you can always have a piece of metal welded in one day if you are going the "nuts and bolts resto" way.

Then you sacrifice easy access to the heater valve...