grille screw discrepancies

[lurtch]

Hello All,

 I recently acquired a set of cupped finish washers from Germany for the eight grille surround attachment screws.They have an M-B part number and packaging, but they do not look quite right.

I have always believed that when an oval head screw is pocketed down into a finish washer, the dome of the screw head should be flush with the cupped edge of the washer.  After all these years of designing and building things - - - am I wrong about this ?

The photo of the screws I bought says it all. Not only is the screw head too big , but why is a zinc plated screw mated with a stainless steel washer ?  Needless to say, his will never get  past a Concours Judge inspection team. I should know - -  Pete Lesler trained a group of us last summer.

On my car the drilled hole that accepts these screws  is way over-sized now, the result of  previous owners using #12 sheet metal screws instead of the proper #10's ( or should they be #8's ?).  To get back to the way it should be, I am going to have to install a Tinnerman nut-plate or make something that will do the job.

In my nuts and bolts bins I have been able to find suitable replacements for the screws, see photo, so I am forging ahead.

Regards, Larry in CA





 

 

[Garry]

Larry,

I have just had the same problem with my grill and replaced the wrong screws from the body shop with what I think are the correct screws but had the enlarged holes problem.  I used Joe A's method of using a piece of copper wire in the hole to start with the screw and it worked a treat and the screws gripped and the copper does not show.

[66andBlue]

Hi Larry,
not sure whether I am understanding your question. Did you buy the cup washers and the screws together or are the from different sources? If you bought the together then the seller made a mistake.  
First, the screws should not be gray steel but chromed and should be oval not a pan head - but it is a bit difficult to see what their profile is. What is the p/n on the bag? The should be neither a #10 nor a #8 but a metric DIN screw!!  The cup washers your photo do not look correct either.
Do you need the correct p/n for the cup washers and the screws?
This shows what the cup washers should look like: http://cgi.ebay.de/370502537270
and here are the matching screws: http://cgi.ebay.de/370502537322

[Shvegel]

Thanks for pointing that out. I bought the same set a year ago and never looked at them just threw them up on the shelf with the grille. Now I am looking for chrome DIN screws.

[Richard Madison]

In case it may help, here is a photo of a Grill screw thaat was pronounced "correct" by long time judge of Pagodas.

Richard M, NYC

[Garry]

I thought the screws were meant to be chrome plated.  The screw looks like it is zinc plated?

[thelews]

I can safely say that mine are original and look like 280SL71 above.

[Benz Dr.]

I can safely say that mine are original and look like 280SL71 above.

John,
unless you're taking your car to a MBCA event where it will be judged by '' trained '' experts, what real difference does it make? Aside from knowing that you have a perfect, correct car, who's going to see it, or care for that matter?

 I mean, it's not like we ( the web forum members ) have a dedicated car show or judged events, right?

[thelews]

John,
unless you're taking your car to a MBCA event where it will be judged by '' trained '' experts, what real difference does it make? Aside from knowing that you have a perfect, correct car, who's going to see it, or care for that matter?

 I mean, it's not like we ( the web forum members ) have a dedicated car show or judged events, right?

That's a fair statement and someday maybe there will be a clublike judging that is fun and educational.  Some folks want to be correct for their own enjoyment (bragging rights?) and I just offered mine as a high likelihood of being correct considering its history.  They appear to be the same as what's used on my 190 SL.

[66andBlue]

I can safely say that mine are original and look like 280SL71 above.

So, are the screws chromed or Zinc plated?

[Dave]

Hi All
New Pagoda owner here.  I have sheet metal screws in my grille and my cowl vent (duh! - who would do that?).   I've replaced a few missing tinnerman nuts, etc. but here's my question -

On the top of the cowl vent, I have an empty hole.  Is there some sort of fastener that goes in there?  If so, what's it supposed to do?

[Naj ✝︎]

Hi All

On the top of the cowl vent, I have an empty hole.  Is there some sort of fastener that goes in there?  If so, what's it supposed to do?

Windscreen washer jet!

Naj

[thelews]

So, are the screws chromed or Zinc plated?

Looks like chrome to me

[Dave]

Thanks Naj.  Looks like I have some work to do.

[66andBlue]

Perfect John, you get a price. 
The p/n for the screw is 007983 003216. That means DIN 7983 and DBL (Daimler Benz Liefervorschrift=supply spec)) 8454 which specifies a lens head counter sunk screw, 3.9 x 13 mm, finish: chrome.
The p/n for the counter sunk washer is N900056 003507  - about $3/each from MB - ouch!

[jaymanek]

I recently replaced mine with parts from mercedes and have the ones like the red car above, both the countersunk washer and screw are chrome..

[benz55]

Im fairly sure the screws and CS washers should all be chromed. There is a kit below with the correct MB parts for reference.

http://www.authenticclassics.com/Grille-Installation-Kit-for-Mercedes-230SL-250SL-2-p/auth-002998.htm