Author Topic: is this engine correct?  (Read 5245 times)

rumb

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is this engine correct?
« on: February 04, 2014, 13:23:41 »
This engine is in a 67 230SL.  I am unsure about several items I see. obvious items; bay has been sprayed with undercoat, missing hood supports, fan shroud, what is the brass plaque on firewall? Is the expansion tank correct, what is the hose/fitting  by the brake booster? is that an alarm siren? most of all the linkage attachments on the intake manifold look different than other picts I see.  Thanks for your insight.  Were inside of hoods black originally?

KevinC

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2014, 14:40:35 »
rumb,

I am sure others will comment but I think you have picked up on quite a bit on your own. The engine bay and under the hood would have been body colored at the factory. The expansion tank looks like a later 280SL version. All in all though, I have seen engines that have been messed seemingly far more than this one. All you have brought up seems correctable.

Kevin

zoegrlh

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2014, 15:01:35 »
Couple of other things are not correct, the expansion tank is mounted incorrectly, should be parallel to fender, and as Kevin said, wrong tank.  Also the fenders wells are not correct, meaning that the fenders are replacements. Also hood is missing the spring, and as for the brass tag on firewall, it is covering up the cutout for the vin tag (on euro specs W113s).  I think also it is missing firewall insulation.
Bob
Robert Hyatt
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W113, 1970 280SL, Red leather 242 on Silver Gray Met. 180, 4-speed stick, Euro spec, restored
R172 2012 SLK350, Black Premium leather 801 on Mars Red 590, 7-speed auto
W211, 2007 E320 Bluetec, Cashmere MB Tex 144 on Arctic White 650, 7 speed auto

rumb

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2014, 15:49:17 »
so of course everyone want an SL with original metal, but if your after a nice driver, what's that worth? if the car is priced $5-8K under is that reasonable? Assuming the rest of car is in very good shape.

after searching for more 230SL pictures I found somewhat earlier engines that had the same intake manifold. any comments on that?

Shvegel

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2014, 19:54:38 »
You might want to ask where the VIN stampings are for the body and check them against the title. That way you will know the title is correct for the car.  The brass plaque scares me a little. 

Shvegel

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2014, 19:58:41 »
Also European cars are usually pretty rusty so please be carefull.  Reach up over the front tires and feel the top of the wheelwell. There are braces that run along the top and the tops of these braces rot as well as the rocker panel area and the rear frame rails behind the rockers on the inside faces.  All really expensive to fix from first hand knowledge.

rumb

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2014, 22:09:35 »
got these numbers from seller, indicate it is a 1963 not 67.  why do you say it euro?

Chassis number: 113 042 10 000211
Engine number: 127 981 10 000236
Transmission number: 000255
Front axle number, l: 000226
Front axle number, r: 000250
Rear axle number: 000203
Steering box number: 018333
Ignition key code: D xxx
Trunk/glove key code: xxx
Door/tank key code: xxx
Exterior color code: 608 – ivory
Interior color code: 116 – caviar mbtex
Option codes:
401 single seats
462 instruments in English
491 USA version
515 Becker radio
720 soft-top fabric, black
320 outside side view mirror, left
330 mode of packing VE IV
« Last Edit: February 05, 2014, 01:05:23 by 280SL71 »

paults1

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2014, 00:52:37 »
The early 230 SL did not have the heater core valve access on the upper fire wall.  Either the fire wall has been replaced or this is not a true early model. The intake manifold is correct.

Shvegel

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2014, 14:26:08 »
Brass plaque is where vin tag for Euro version would have been.  See photo of engine bay here(scroll through) http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=CA0812-134298
Again please find the stampings on the chassis (Right front frame rail I think?) and not the vin tag to verify vin.  It is very easy to change all the tags so the title and the tags match but I would hate to see you buy a car where someone used the body from another car and swapped VIN tags. This would leave you in a legal limbo. It also may explain why the car is in your opinion underpriced.

garymand

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2014, 18:37:59 »
Someone had their own idea of how to treat this car.  There is no reguard for authentisity or the car's intrinsic value.  i'll double check the picture, but it shouldn't run.  The white fitting on the end of the vacuum hose to the brake booster is not plugged into the booster, it should be black, it should allow air to be sucked into the manifold.  I'd be very afraid of this car and expect to be disappointed at every repair/ refurbishment step because so many original parts have been removed, replaced with non mercedes things, and things put back it wrong places.  

Of course, you knew it was hacked and thus many thousands under priced for an un-hacked car, so sit back and enjoy what it is and what it has left to deliver.  If you are serious about digging into what is wrong with your car with the idea of correcting them, wow, you are goinfg to spend far more than if you had paid up front for and un-hacked one.  

Its not just the parts, its the fitment and the labor hours that goes into working on a hand made car.  These cars were custome hand fit.  Every little detail is time consuming. if you want the car to work right.  You can spend 3 or 4 days just getting one door and all its individual components to work as it was intended.  

Have fun with it and don't get serious, unless you are retired with disposable income.  Sorry to be blunt, its just hard to look at what someone did to one of the prettiest girls at the prom and not feel sad for her.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2014, 18:57:41 by garymand »
Gary
Early 250SL German version owned since 71, C320, R350, 89 Porsche 944 Turbo S

KevinC

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Re: is this engine correct?
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2014, 21:24:59 »
Okay so its probably time to take back my "All you have brought up seems correctable" comment!