My new Pagoda

[Greg]

Hello,
Just bought my favorite car since long, a 230sl which was running in New York and now shipped all the way to my home in Sweden.  I have some questions. I like to keep my cars as original as possible and since mine is quite an early 230sl i have a factory sprayed air vents on dash sides, same color as dash. From all the pictures I can see they are usually in chrome. Is this original? Same as I do not have any chrome list mouldings on the rear fenders.  I bought the famouse pagoda book but the only model I could see without the rear mouldings is the prototype. Is there somebody out there who knows about this?

[Ulf]

The chrome mouldings on the rear fenders often get lost in resprays or after accident damage but should be there - mine were missing too, but i got some nice reproductions from Poland: http://www.retroteile.pl/index.php?lang=pl-PL&option=com_content&Itemid=9

Have never seen painted dash vents on any Pagoda, maybe the chrome is just beneath the paint...?

Mvh

Ulf

[J. Huber]

Hey. Welcome Greg. Love to see some pictures. And yes, early cars has painted air vents (the dash part). So you are all good there.

[Lars G]

Hi Greg
Mine did also miss the rear chrome but the Holes in the fiender is ther. Intressting with the painted air vents, did not know that early cars was different at that point.
Lars

[pj]

Hello James,
your photo of the dashboard shows the "230SL" chrome identification trim on the glove box door. Was that done by the factory? I thought the chrome id trim only appeared on the radio delete plate, if there was no radio.

[J. Huber]

Hey PJ. I am pretty sure the first owner took the badge off the radio delete plate and put it over there. I added the Becker much later (after several way incorrect stereos). Nice touch I think.

[pj]

Hey PJ. I am pretty sure the first owner took the badge off the radio delete plate and put it over there.... Nice touch I think.

I agree. I thought of doing the same (even though I don't really have a radio at this point and the delete plates seem overpriced to me) but where to find just the chrome id trim by itself? It was in fact one of the first things I thought of when I saw the 3D printers. It ought to be possible to copy an id trim in plastic for less than an Australian dollar, eh? Although then I don't know if the chrome wizards can chrome plastic, come to think of it. It only has to look expensive.

[stickandrudderman]

Although then I don't know if the chrome wizards can chrome plastic

Do a search on "vacuum deposition".

[Greg]

Thank you guys for your knowledge! I am in France and I will post some pictures as soon as I get home. My car is re-painted from red to metallic silver but dash is still factory red. Have to go through all that hassel and re-paint the dash as well. But I guess that the rear mouldings got lost under the process. Will buy new trim.