Brake Booster Vacuum Line

[Richard Madison]

While at PUB 2011, several people pointed out that my brake booster vacuum line should be black fabric covered and not clear plastic.

A parts vendor just told me that my plastic was original.

Now I am confused (as often happens).

Which is correct and original for 1969 280SL, plastic or black fabric?

And because I have received conflicting opinions already, please mention the source for your comment (vintage photo of engine, orig car in family since new, etc.)

Photos of both tubes are here.

Thanks,
Richard M, NYC

[Garry]

Richard,

Here is a link to 49er, John's car that he took I believe in the first weeks of ownership from new.

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13651.0;attach=8674

No plastic there on the 69 280SL and a great reference photo because of it's originality.

Garry

[zoegrlh]

The Ate T51 /1801 brake servo diameter increased from 8in to 9in on LHD cars Nov. 28, 1968 (change 6619), and new power brake regulator installed Dec. 4, 1968 (change 6748).  My guess is that during these two changes, the vacuum line was changed from the old black line w/collecting reservoir to the clear line w/trap switch.  What is the date on you data card of completed assembly?
Bob

[Richard Madison]

Robert:

Don't have the Datacard here but from the Production Schedule in the Tech Manual, my car would have been completed in mid to late December 1968.

So it seems that the plastic tube in my car may be the original tube.

Richard M

[66andBlue]

The plastic trap (p/n 111 435 0 27) was indeed eliminated after VIN 006618 and the braided connecting hose changed to the clear plastic one starting with VIN 006619 - with one exception: VIN 006572. 
You better check your VIN, Richard.  Wouldn't that be something to write about if this is your car! 

[Richard Madison]

Alfred:

You may have been standing near by when some Pub attendees pointed to my plastic tube telling me it was wrong...well, as we see here...it was not wrong, just a different production date.

My VIN is a double James Bond: 007007, so my car is clearly in the plastic camp.

Regards,

Richard

[Frank Mallory]

Garry; THANKS for that reference pic!

[Garry]

Alfred,

Do you think it is different for Euro cars or RHD vehicles?

And Frank thank John for posting the great photos he took when he brought his car in 1968 and kept.

Garry

[66andBlue]

Garry,
what I posted comes from the 250SL/280SL Spare Parts List Ed. C, 1972. It shows that that the trap and the braided connecting hose was installed up to VIN 006618. It does not show what kind of hose came afterwards.

[Garry]

My reason for asking was that I removed a very old bradded hose from my car vin 7785 that I had thought was original and replaced it with the same type but nos hose.

Thus maybe Euro models were different.

Garry

[Richard Madison]

Garry:

I was asking about the vacuum hose in a 1969 Euro version car produced 23 December 1968.

The car has the plastic vacuum hose which appears original to the car.

Richard M, NYC

[mdsalemi]

Richard, are you sure about production on 23.Dec.68? My vin is -7262 and was late in January 1969, according to a letter I received from DBAG about 1999. anyway, i have both the original and a clean replacement line and check valve--plastic like yours, not braided.

[hauser]

Mine is also plastic, 1969 Euro version.

[Garry]

That is interesting Richard, where was it originally sold in Europe.  Obviously not RHD.  Now. I have some doubt on my braided hose for my car.

Garry

[Richard Madison]

The Datacard for 007007 has a date in the lower left hand box (hard to read but it may be Űbernahmetag, date of delivery.)

The date is "23 Dez 1968". This same date is stamped on the Datacard in the  unlabeled box at the lower right of the card.

The Tech Manual shows that the last 280SL made in November 1968 had VIN 6670...the last made in December 1968 was VIN 7114...so my VIN 7007 was produced in late December 1968 which is consistent with the date on the card.

The production dates might appear to be a little out of sync because of the significant increase in 113 production: 444 113's were produced in December while 658 were made in January 1969, an increase of almost 50%. The production month VIN numbers shown in the Tech Manual are probably accurate as we have vintage documents from MB showing these Production Month and VIN number.

Garry: 7007 was originally sold in Naples, Italy and is a Euro version car.

According to what we see here, Garry's VIN 7785 came with a plastic hose...but as we have seen before, very little is definite about these cars.

Richard M, NYC

P.S. A hint from Joe Alexander. The plastic vacuum hose includes a rubber covered check valve. The rubber should be dressed with a vinyl protectant from time to time to prevent drying out.

[mdsalemi]

The production dates might appear to be a little out of sync because of the significant increase in 113 production: 444 113's were produced in December while 658 were made in January 1969, an increase of almost 50%.

HOLIDAYS!  (which begged the original question...)

[al_lieffring]

I don't know if this has come up in this thread, but production changes like this were made incrimentaly through the production run, not  all at once during a model year change, having the white hose would indicate the car was made in 69 or later, but the black hose dosn't mean that it isn't a 69.