1964 230SL Dealer/Country Code

[Charles 230SL]

hello,
I'm trying to confirm the origin of an early 230SL I bought. The data card shows the Dealer/Country (Auftrags-Nr) code as "47190164"
If I'm interpreting the data card correctly, the 230 was ordered in 1964 from a dealer in St. Pierre et Miquelon (country code 719). Doe's this mean there was a Studebaker-Packard dealer on the Island of St. Pierre et Miquelon in 1964? Why would such a dealer order a 230SL? What do the last 4 digits signify (0164).
The car is currently at Bud's Benz near ATL undergoing partial restoration...if I'm right, it sure has come a long ways..thanks!

[J. Huber]

I don't quite get where the Studebaker-Packard dealer fits in?

[Charles 230SL]

ok, learning this as I go..I thought prior to 1965 MBs were sold in N America by Studebaker-Packard.

[Jordan]

You are correct Charles.  In the 50's MB entered into an agreement with Studebaker to use their dealerships to distribute and sell their cars.  When Studebaker folded, many of these dealerships were converted to MB dealerships.  Studebaker US production ceased in 1963 but continued in Canada until 1966.  Only an assumption but not unreasonable to think anything going to the island would have come from Canada, so maybe there was a Studebaker dealership at the time.

[J. Huber]

Well, Charles, you were ahead of me on that one -- never knew that. Thanks Jordan for enlightening me!

[Charles 230SL]

thanks Jordan, how would I interpret the last 4-digits (0164)?
thanks again, Charles

[franjo_66]

Charles, I think the last four digits represent the order number, so your car would have been the 164th car ordered for country code 719

Regards
Franjo

[Charles 230SL]

got it, thanks Franjo

[douglas dees]

St Pierre amd Miquelon were and are French not Canadian so the country code should be France. The car could have been ordered by a SB dealer in Canada but I don't remember MB at SB dealers in Canada but I did check with an old MB manager who tells me that MB's were sold through SB dealerships in the early 1960s and there was a SB dealer in Halifax which would be the closest dealer or it could have been ordered out of Montreal that speaks French.
Most dealers in Canada are corporate stores and the first Mercedes sold in Canada was an Adenauer that was shipped by rail from New York City. I bought my first Mercedes In Toronto in 1965 from a corporate store.
Today there are very few cars on the islands so the buyer must have been someone important or perhpas a consular official.
Look for the French country code on the data card
Doug Dees

[Jordan]

Doug, yes the islands are French but Charles is correct in that they still had thier own code, just like St. Marten and Aruba have their own codes rather than have them fall under the Netherlands.  I don't know what the last four digits would be but I can't see their being 164 Pagoda's going to the islands, especially by 1964.  I'd be surprised if there were 164 cars on the islands.

[franjo_66]

I think the order number relates to any Mercedes model of the time and not just restricted to the W113 models.

Rgds
Franjo

[jacovdw]

Franjo is correct with his statement.