Potential Buy

[Garry]

Now I know you all like looking at photos of Pagodas for sale and itemising all the non standard items etc so have a try at these three photos.  Larry (Gnuface) is having a look for me next Tuesday.
So far I can see cracked dash and steering wheel, incorrect lables on engine, wrong firewall pad no sun visors? wrong radio, under hood colour.
All comments welcome

[Jonny B]

Garry,

Good luck. Is the plan to leave it in the UK and drive it around for the Pagoda event next year??

Yes, yes, yes, there are a number of non standard items, but I will leave that be.

[Garry]

That is the plan at this point of time.

Ministeress of Finance has been asking me to look for an auto for some time and with the Euro tour coming up and good exchange rates in our favour it is an opportunity to buy and use there and then ship. Seller offered to store it for me until then. At least I don't have to do a left to right conversion but I know the next step, the Ministeress will say too many cars and one will have to go.  That was what I was trying to do with the Jag from US I used at PUB this year.  It was the correct colour but should have been an auto, I forgot, or that is what I am pleading with the Minister.  

[ctm14]

I noticed the steering wheel seems to be on the wrong side . Just kidding I know some of you prefer it that way.

[Benz Dr.]

In the picture of the engine bay, the air filter hose is wrong, the distributor has been replaced with something much newer, and the bracket that holds the throttle cross shaft is on backwards. None of these things would stop me from buying a car like this. RHD might though.

[Larry & Norma]

Hi Garry, just thought I would join in with this before my visit.
What has been previously spotted plus:-
No spot welds on wing (fender)
Not original pipe clips.
No top battery frame.
CSS painted.
Can't see headlight notch.
Not sure about bracket for windscreen washer bottle?

Larry

[Wolfmann]

Hi Larry,

What is a CSS please  ?

Steve.

PS Looks like a non-standard inlet manifold to air cleaner box hose too. If it really matters !!

No blue centre to brake fluid reservoir cap. (I am told my car should have one of those !)

Washer bottle bracket is the same pattern as on my '64 230, not sure what colour it should be. the cap is identical to mine.

My car has a metal channel/tube through which all the HT leads are routed, I don't know whether this car should have that or whether it was deleted in favour of the later external clips by this age..?

Looks like the dash top has some additional fastenings on the top too.

The windscreen wiper motor looks to have been sprayed black all over.

Looks a nice car...

[Larry & Norma]

Hi Steve,
Constant Speed Solenoid. It is mounted on a bracket above the inlet manifold.
It is only found on auto's and cars with aircon and compensates for the drop in revs
when put in gear or aircon is turned on. It simply pushes the throttle linkage a little
to increase revs.
Larry

[Wolfmann]

Thanks Larry !

What colour should it be please, mine is now painted black with a gold end, it stripped beautifully but started to rust wherever it was touched, if it is supposed to be metal coloured I suppose I could re-strip it and use a satin varnish - I didn't want to get it plated for obvious reasons.

I am not aiming for nth degree concourse in any event just a straight clean and pretty car that is reasonably correct, hose clips etc do not bother me although spot welds and notches do !  I guess we all have our particular level...

S.

[Richard Madison]

Garry:

These comments are from a late 280SL guy so please confirm for a 230SL:

The color inside the hood usually (always?) matches the exterior and engine bay colour...black may be a re-paint error or maybe the hood is not original to the car...may have an embossed number to verify originality....not super important but a new hood might have been installed because of an accident or rust damage?

The missing Sunvisors may prevent driving the car...in many places this is a safety issue...new pair can run as much as US$1,000.

Have not seen pushpins or rivets on a dash cover before.

The trunk lid may need a bit of positioning as the space between the lid and the body seems a bit wide. The back end of the hood (over the engine compartment) seems bit high...might have to turn down the bumper post for a better position.

Also, your signature says "looking for...any blue" Pagoda. You may not have noticed, but this car is not blue!   0)
It is however very lovely color, perhaps Tunis Beige, one of my favored colors.

Richard M, NYC

[Larry & Norma]

Steve, I think it should be plated but as you say difficult to do without stripping it down
which I believe is near impossible. Mine is a little rusty also. I think there is spray paint
available which is supposed to look like the yellow zinc plating.
Larry

[Wolfmann]

Thanks Larry, I have seen that paint...Enough said about it. I think I shall retain my black one as it is a nice contrast, has an "original quality" finish and a bit of detail. It makes a nice contrast to the acres of aluminium coloured stuff under the bonnet too.

I think that maybe I have yellow zinc plated some items that should not be but I can always get the errant parts redone in the correct colour when the Gods of originality descend on my poor girl on her show outings next year.

AND I like my polished brass expansion tank too, of course I know it isn't right but you just don't see brass on modern cars, I did it myself, it took a whole day with nitromors, a media blaster and a drill polishing kit. NEVER again !!!

[Naj ✝︎]

I suspect the engine is not original.
There is a casting # (maybe '8') visible between the hoses on the head.
The 230 head has no #s cast there.

I wonder if the left cross shaft bracket has been turned around to get a new wear surface on the cross shaft? Or maybe just incorrectly installed as the good Dr said.

Naj

[Jordan]

Garry, despite all that it is a nice looking car.  Unless I missed it in someones post, it is also missing an exterior rear view mirror and the tail lights are incorrect.  Did you get any pictures of the underside?

[bogeyman]

Garry:
Just a general observation - it appears to be a restoration done to a budget by someone not particularly concerned with originality.

Right wing replaced - sloppy job - reason? - can't see left wing in pictures -
Booster too glossy
No yellow cad or replating apparent - fuel lines appear to be just cleaned up.
Are the wheels black? can't really tell.
Incorrect fuel cap.
Leather on seats incorrect finish - pleats not done correctly - padding not correct.
Door panels appear to have been padded.
Carpet - incorrect color and weave.
Seats are in backwards - or is that a rhd thing?? (Don't think so)
Doesn't appear to have underdash panels in place.
No ashtray.

Of course, rust is the primary concern on any of these cars.

[Richard Madison]

and the tail lights are incorrect

The taillights look like a match to those in the Tech Manual for modified lights for Australia...so these should be OK Downunder.

Richard M, NYC

[49er]

Excuse my ignorance of RHD pagodas but is that the correct location of the emergency brake handle?

John

[Larry & Norma]

John, Yes

[49er]

Thanks Larry, that must be quite a stretch when driving with a manual transmission in hilly locations. Also might be a little awkward when out on a date and reaching over to apply the handbrake:-)
 In looking at the pictures I noticed the three rubber "bumpers" were missing from the crimp at the top of the firewall. And as it seems to be the case of most restorations, things always seem to be too "shinny" in the engine bay. Sure there are lots of other things when the car is visually examined.
John

[Nate]

Non-correct seat covers, right front fender replaced, poor shut lines on hood and where rf fender meets passenger door, probably a replacement hood, I could keep going but won't.

[Wolfmann]

Wow !

I wonder if original cars straight out of the factory would all have passed our critical observations !  Panel gaps, trim fit etc.

Seriously, I really do think we could rubbish a factory car...

Any opinions ??

[49er]

Wow !

I wonder if original cars straight out of the factory would all have passed our critical observations ! 

Any opinions ??

 Hello Steve,
 I have posted pictures of my engine bay (taken the night I drove it home from the dealer and about 6 months later) and it certainly didn't look as good as some of the restorations I have seen. Some of the cars exterior paint has blemishes (dust particles) that were not caught by the inspectors. Also the painted areas behind the front bumper were not buffed to a high lustre. This was true of the engine compartment as well with paint runs here and there.

John

[Wolfmann]

Thanks John, it is great to know that even the uber efficient Mercedes men didn't get everything right all of the time. Any comment on trim fit, panel gaps etc or were all these 100% on your original car ?

S.

[Cees Klumper]

... a new hood might have been installed because of an accident or rust damage?

Richard M, NYC

The hood being aluminum a replacement would not be due to rust but accident damage could be.

[49er]

Any comment on trim fit, panel gaps etc or were all these 100% on your original car ?

S.

The fit of the body panels fit was (and is) flawless. About .13" (3mm) around the hood, doors, and boot lid. Amazing when you think this was done before robots and lasers. Also the areas of the fenders that were welded then silver soldered are undetectable. My friends at the time were always amazed to see what seemed to be just one piece of body work surrounding the hood and rear lid:-) The interior was also perfectly fitted other then a slight mismatch on the glove box door (which of have seen on other 280SLs). Also the under dash panels never quite fit right. To me, even with these few "flaws" the car was and is perfect in every regard. The thrill is still there after 43 years of ownership:-)

John