Ski rack option code

[jmbour]

Hello !

I thought I knew the history of my US 280 SL pretty well :
the former (and first) owner gave me a lot of information on the car, in particular on the fact that it was "European delivered" in Germany.

I knew that it was a somehow  "rare" US model, with manual transmission and no air conditioning, and with options like 635 : first aid box, 248 : rear window heating, or 663 : 50 l of fuel (I presume for the delivery in Germany).

But I just get a copy of the data card and discovered two other "special" options : 600 : trim strips on hard top, and 289 : ski rack.

Unfortunately, there was no ski rack when I bought the car.
Are these two options complementary (i.e. is it necessary to have trim strips on the hard top to instal a ski rack) ?
Is there a way to check the hard top option ? How my hard top could be different from a standard one ?

JMB

[Garry]

You do need the trim on the roof for the racks that was an option on its own and the racks do come up occasionally for sale but due to their rarity they command a big price.

If your data card is showing the options for trim the only other option for the hard top other than the racks I think is the heated rear window and the sun roof for the 280SL otherwise all hard tops start the same and just add options.

Garry

[jmbour]

Garry,

I have browsed on the forum, and saw that the trim option for hardtop is not rare. On the contrary, it could have been standard.
So there seems to be no direct relation between the trim option and the ski rack option.
However, the rear window heating is there, with its button on the console tray and the cable to be plugged to the hard top.
As I have no information to confirm that the car was really delivered with a ski rack (taking into account that the first owner lived in the Washington DC area, and is now somewhere in Chile), I wonder if there is no other meaning for code 289.
May be somebody could bring more information about it.
JMB

[66andBlue]

... So there seems to be no direct relation between the trim option and the ski rack option  ...

It is the other way around. You cannot have code 289 alone (you would have no way of mounting it) without code 600. But you could have ordered code 600 alone (it was not standard).  And if both codes are listed on the data card you can be assured that the car was delivered that way.
Most likely one of the previous owners sold the ski rack for a good profit.

[sandcrab59]

If my memory serves me correctly. I remember that the ski rack was mounted on the trunk lid not the roof.
Or am I mixing it up with my original 1972 220D. 115 Chasis.
Correct if I am wrong Alfred.
Tom

[Hans2012]

The ski rack came with the two crossbars that attached to the garnish strips on the hardtop.  The attached picture is not very good quality, but should illustrate the components.  There was one for sale on US eBay shipping from Germany for US$1,500 asking price, but it only has four ski holders instead of eight.

There is a picture of the ski rack in the accessory catalog from the period as well but I could not locate mine immediately. 

Regards
John

[66andBlue]

If my memory serves me correctly. I remember that the ski rack was mounted on the trunk lid not the roof. ...

Hi Tom,
your memory did not fail you!
There were two type of ski racks, the one for the hard top that Hans2012 posted and another one for the soft top that you had in mind.
These options were not that expensive when you ordered them with the new car:
1. Hard top garnish moldings (1 pair): 40 DM (German Mark)
2. Hard top roof rack: 280 DM
3. Hard top ski rack: 135 DM
I could not find a price for the ski rack mounted over the trunk.

[Garry]

Hey Alfred,

Love those wide whitewalls in the first photo.  When I get mine 2 1/2" ones on the car at the end of January it will be interesting to see how they will look in the flesh. May have to post pictures with a poll attached to gauge comment.

Garry

[mbzse]

Love those wide whitewalls in the first photo..../...

Note however, that those are diagonal tires on 13" wheel rims, and they are mounted on the plaster cast mock-up of the Pagoda prototype in the design studio
/Hans in Sweden

.

[sandcrab59]

Alfred:
You have some nice pictures.
I will look in my archives for the picture I have of the ski rack that fits the trunk.
As I recall (HA HA ) the rack that I remember, I believe fit differently that the picture you posted.
Thanks for the complement about my memory, as we grow older that seems to fade away.
Tom

[jaymanek]

Hi,

If you want a hard top ski rack, I may sell the one I have...

I bought it as it came up for sale but of course will never really have any use for it other than maybe to show it on the car at a get together or something!

[Flyair]

roof rack would be useful for those who plan to participate in either US or European event in August 2013…. In may case I look at my spare wheal with some nasty idea of leaving it behind for the trip, on the other hand…. 2200 km (both ways) makes me wonder…
so… back to roof rack idea...

[Iconic]

Garry,

I have browsed on the forum, and saw that the trim option for hardtop is not rare. On the contrary, it could have been standard.
So there seems to be no direct relation between the trim option and the ski rack option.
However, the rear window heating is there, with its button on the console tray and the cable to be plugged to the hard top.
As I have no information to confirm that the car was really delivered with a ski rack (taking into account that the first owner lived in the Washington DC area, and is now somewhere in Chile), I wonder if there is no other meaning for code 289.
May be somebody could bring more information about it.
JMB

1. Did you know you could look for numbers stamped into your hardtop to insure it is the original hardtop?
2. You could look for "witness marks" on the garnish moldings on your hardtop to see if it appears a ski rack has ever been fitted.
3. Since you have 600 on your data card, I believe your car is an early one, correct? The garnish roof top moldings were not standard on all cars. I believe the garnish moldings became standard on "later" cars, or at least later cars in the USA, but not standard on the early cars.

You can put your model and year of Pagoda in your signatue line which will help us help you.

[Garry]

The roof garnish are readily available, not so the ski rack, but for what you are getting they are both expensive.  The garnish a pain to fit correctly. I believe some members have just siliconed them in place

I am not sure that they ever became standard.  My '69 did not have them, my 230 has them and I think they set off the roof well.

[jmbour]

To Iconic,

Thanks, this is the information I was asking for.
My Car is a 1971 US Spec 280SL, built in august 1970, which I consider a "late" 280SL
The stamped number on the hard top matches the body number. I have to check if I can find some marks.
As many of pagoda hard tops, mine has spent 99% of its time stored in my garage (after my wife declared that she will never again help me to put it on the car), so if I was to buy ski racks, I am afraid they will also stay in the garage.

JMB

1971 280 SL
1973 280 CE
1987 300 E
2005 C 230