Author Topic: New guy, questionable car (Read 9894 times)

neffer · « **on:** January 27, 2012, 20:08:00 »

Hello everyone.

New guy here. Seems I've made all the mistakes of what not to do when buying a classic car. What you may ask? Like buying it off ebay without having it inspected and sending the cash before ever even seeing it. I know, how could that go wrong?
Anyway, here are my questions:
The car is a white/red 280SL
Vin is 1130-42-10-008594
Vin plate in the car and on the frame (front right inside engine bay)
On the engine it has stamped on it 130-983-10-000676
It also has 280 on the engine block

The vin states it should be a 230SL

Maybe I bought a car that they threw a 280SL engine in?

knockmacool · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2012, 20:55:42 »

Welcome, New Guy! Engine replacements/swaps are not unusual with Pagodas, and don't seem to detract from the fun. Our more technically minded members can tell you about the engine.

Jordan · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2012, 21:03:14 »

Neffer, the VIN indicates it is a 1965 230SL, built in January of 65 by the look of it. Yes and you have a 280SL engine in your car. How does the rest of the car look? If the different engine doesn't bother you and the rest of the car looks good and is mechanically sound, just enjoy driving it. There are a lot of very talented and knowledgeable members here that can help you out with pretty much any question you have. A lot can be answered just by doing a search.

Welcome to the site and congratulations on becoming a Pagoda owner. Post lots of pictures and let us see.
Marcus

neffer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2012, 22:09:58 »

Thanks for the advice guys! Attached is a pic. Although I've put some money into it, its been running well. Cosmetically it looks great and I'm ok with some of the exterior blemishes. The seats look virtually new and the carpeting has all been redone. The dash could use a little work, that's the next project.

Jordan · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2012, 22:40:46 »

Neffler, if you are like a lot of members here, myself included, the car will start to consume your time, mind and wallet. I love looking into the history of "things" so I have traced the provenance of my car back to its first owner in Stuttgart. I have traced property I own back to 1710 when the Crown started parting it out. All very interesting to me anyway.

Your car looks great. We need more pictures however. The data plate on the interior fender above the left front tire will tell you more about your car. You have side marker lights (are they just markers or hard wired?) which are only found on later model 250 and 280SL's for the US market I believe. Now begins finding out what PO's have done to your car over the last 40+ years. I still keep finding items that have been "modified".
Marcus

glenn · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2012, 20:06:46 »

Start the story that it is Johnny Carson's car.....

louisz · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2012, 00:06:09 »

Ok Guys,

I have a similar question. I have a 1971 280SL, This car was purchased by my Brother 2 years ago via EBAY from a broker, I have the car now, it had a bill of sale and a Florida title, when we registered the car here in Texas, there were no issues.

Since finding this site I have learned allot and now im lost and worried. My tiltle states the Vin # is 12004XXX (im ommiting the last three). I figured that the first seven digits that are missing off the tilte 113044.

Now...the issue. There is No DATA card and I cant find the Vin stamped anywhere. The car seems to have been in a front accident before. Also, according to the technical data, the last six on the title correspond to a 1969 (built around july 68).

How can i find out more info or where are other vin# stamped on the car.

Did someone transfer there info to a 71 body? the block has no number that i can find, but it is a 280 SE engine.

Advise please

twistedtree · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2012, 00:19:23 »

Do you know where to look for the VIN on the chassis? It's stamped on the frame in the engine compartment below the throttle body. There also should be a number/ID plate either on the firewall above the manifolds, or on the drivers side (LHD) door pillar.

Are all those numbers missing?

louisz · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2012, 00:31:36 »

YEAP! missing. Looks like the firewall was sprayed with a undercoating. My next step is to use paint remover to see if I can locate a vin# There is nothing by the brake booster, relay switch or on the block (right side) I will look for the tag. Need to get it to a lift at my shop

twistedtree · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2012, 00:47:46 »

And nothing on the arched frame member below the throttle body in the engine compartment?

I assume you've seen this page in the tech manual http://www.sl113.org/wiki/DataCard/VIN. It shows both the firewall plate and the arched frame number location.

The riveted plates can be easily removed, but the number on the arch would have to be ground off. But it might be covered in a lot of paint.

twistedtree · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2012, 00:54:26 »

Quote from: louisz on January 31, 2012, 00:31:36

YEAP! missing. Looks like the firewall was sprayed with a undercoating. My next step is to use paint remover to see if I can locate a vin# There is nothing by the brake booster, relay switch or on the block (right side) I will look for the tag. Need to get it to a lift at my shop

The tag by the brake booster and relays is a body/build tag, not a VIN tag. But that's on the left side, not the right. The engine SN is on the left side of the engine too, not the right. It's between the #5 & #6 plugs, on the block right below the head/block joint. I just want to be sure you are looking in the correct place since your right/left and components locations don't correlate.

neffer · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2012, 00:58:09 »

Hi Glenn, if you know something I don't. Please tell!

louisz · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2012, 01:57:12 »

Yes, i missed typed. I have been looking on the left (driver side). The arch on frame..thats on the RIGHT, Correct? Thats where I have looked and its all covered with what appears to be undercoating. I will start removing paint tomorrow and maybe even disassemble parts off engine to get a better look.

i appreciate all the info and help so far.

What I am thinking is that its a 69 280 SL and somehow in the past, from owner to owner, the car was accidentally titled as a 71

twistedtree · « **Reply #13 on:** January 31, 2012, 02:21:14 »

Quote from: louisz on January 31, 2012, 01:57:12

Yes, i missed typed. I have been looking on the left (driver side). The arch on frame..thats on the RIGHT, Correct? Thats where I have looked and its all covered with what appears to be undercoating. I will start removing paint tomorrow and maybe even disassemble parts off engine to get a better look.

OK, I'm having a really hard time following you. You've been looking on the left, but know that the VIN is on the right and that's where you have been looking? And I though you said earlier that the fire wall was covered with undercoat? Maybe we have a terminology problem.

Perhaps you can post a picture of where you are looking?

louisz · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2012, 02:37:48 »

OK, I will take some pictures. But i will try to explain better.

i looked at the technical info on this site, and saw the locations that its talking about. This is a LEFT hand drive (U.S Version).

1- I looked for engine number (ON LEFT SIDE). Nothing under the 280SE stamped on head

2- I looked by the Brake booster (ON LEFT SIDE) and by the relay switches. No DATA TAG.

3- NO VIN TAG on door PILLAR (LEFT SIDE_DRIVERS)

4- Looked on RIGHT SIDE Arch frame- NO VIN STAMP.

5- Looked on the LEFT Side Arch Frame- NO VIN STAMP

NO STAMP OF VIN ANYWHERE

The whole engine bay looks like a undercoating was applied, its all thick black, no paint (car is blue)

As for the prior owner, have all of his info and it dates back to 1983. Did some research and his title stated color WHI (could be white)

66andBlue · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2012, 04:29:21 »

Quote from: louisz on January 31, 2012, 02:37:48

... The whole engine bay looks like a undercoating was applied, its all thick black, no paint (car is blue)

Without a detectable VIN you would have a hard time getting it registered here in CA, what about TX?
Start removing the undercoating in the area shown in the photo and hope for the best.
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13588.0;attach=8429;image

twistedtree · « **Reply #16 on:** January 31, 2012, 13:51:01 »

louisz, thanks, that's very clear now. I think you are on the right track. The number on the RH frame arch is the key number to find. Hopefully it matches. I agree with Alfred about registration, but it definitely varies from state to state. In some states cars this age don't even have titles.

I have a somewhat similar problem to resolve on one of my cars. Somewhere along the way it got titled with the engine number, not the VIN. It will be interesting to get that corrected.

By the way, MB factory replacement engines came without a number, so a blank space there isn't unusual. Also, it's sometimes hard to actually see the number, even though it's there. Running over the area with some emery cloth may reveal a number.

louisz · « **Reply #17 on:** January 31, 2012, 15:22:13 »

Thanks guys. I will start the search. Alfred, The car was registered in Florida with the last 7 of the VIN only. Thats the title and bill of sale we received and thats how its registered in TEXAS, so it has texas registration, safety sticker, insurance and Plates.

Now that I know more about these cars, unless i find anything, it would be hard to sell the car down the road in my opinion

glenn · « **Reply #18 on:** January 31, 2012, 17:10:27 »

Neffer, Johnny Carson's car was for sale a couple of years ago--ebay or somewhere. It was white and red. And 'looked' pretty good.....

glenn · « **Reply #19 on:** January 31, 2012, 17:16:14 »

Louisz, The VIN is 'STAMPED' into the metal arch of the frame never the throttle butterfly. The number is into the metal and the metal of the arch is dimpled at each number. It's there forever---unless somebody goes to considerable effort to

it. Never seen one rusted away or destroyed.

49er · « **Reply #20 on:** January 31, 2012, 17:36:10 »

Interesting subject. When I first registered my car here in California back in '68 the VIN entered by the dealer was "280SL003820" and that VIN is still what shows up on my yearly registration renewal. Simpler times I guess.
Good luck Louisz in getting yours figured out.
John

louisz · « **Reply #21 on:** February 01, 2012, 23:45:02 »

UPDATE:

Ok, first I want to thank everyone here that has given me advise and help. After removing the manifold assy, and getting some paint removerto get rid of the undercoating that they sparayed the engine bay with, I was able to find the VIN. The good news is that it is a 1971 VIN, car built in Sept of 1970. The Vin on the title is actually the last 7 of the engine block (from what I can figure out after all the research i have done).

The only issue now is how to get the title corrected with the correct VIN. Im In Texas, so my next step is to contact a title company for help.

Louis

twistedtree · « **Reply #22 on:** February 02, 2012, 00:13:56 »

That's great news. I bet you are greatly relieved.

Interestingly, somewhere along the line one of my cars ended up titled with the engine number too.

Were you able to find the engine number on the block? If you can point to both numbers I expect correcting the title will be a lot easier.

louisz · « **Reply #23 on:** February 02, 2012, 02:54:17 »

No, not yet. Just from reading articles and looking at some pics in the manual, a 0042XX number seems to be the engine block number or body code. Will do more digging and going to see if my local Mercedes Dealer can get me a data card.

66andBlue · « **Reply #24 on:** February 02, 2012, 04:11:12 »

Quote from: louisz on February 02, 2012, 02:54:17

.... and going to see if my local Mercedes Dealer can get me a data card.

You can get it a lot faster by contacting the Classic Center in Irvine:
http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/content/classic/mpc/mpc_classic_website/en/mpc_home/mbc/home/classic/classic_center_usa.html

News:

Author Topic: New guy, questionable car (Read 9894 times)

neffer

knockmacool

neffer

glenn

louisz

louisz

neffer

louisz

louisz

louisz

glenn

glenn

louisz

louisz