Fender Notches

[Shvegel]

Found one from first fitting.  He then filed the hood to fit the final opening and sent me one with stickers all over it.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

I assume the measurement on your tag is mm (Millimeter). If so your fellow has the gap set much too close. The Mercedes spec for this gap is 4 mm ... 4.0 mm (= 0.15748") all around.

Looks to me like he is working to the tenth of a mm not a hundreds just saying ~grin~ Did he never check what the correct gap should be or did you tell him to make it smaller?

[mbzse]

.../... The Mercedes spec for this gap is 4 mm ... 4.0 mm (= 0.15748") all around.../...

Yes Rolf-Dieter, this is what M-B body repair manual states.
I have purchased these devices [see pic], which I have found useful for instance when re-fitting hood (bonnet) back onto the SL. I set the plastic spacers to 4mm and the suction cup (or square magnets) holds them in position.
/Hans in Sweden

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hello Hans,

Nice to have the right tools my dad always said to me

"son you don't have to know everything, just know where to find it and once you do know what to do with it"

Well done Hans !

Dieter

[Shvegel]

That was the initial fitting.  He filed the hood to the proper gap.  Unfortunately when the car was baked and then E-coated the side gaps widened and he made a fixture to pull the fenders back in and bring everything back into alignment.

[mbzse]

.../...filed the hood to the proper gap.../...

OK, so all is well, great

Unfortunately when the car was baked and then E-coated the side gaps widened.../...

Oh no! How could this happen? Any expansion in the metal due to baking (warming up) should have shrunk back, no?
Sounds like something to beware of.
/hans

[pj]

Back to the original topic. The consensus seems to be that the fender notches are original. (Sorry, Dan.) And all the jokes about how the Teutonic Masters decided it had to be done this way are very cute. But I still have a hard time believing the factory used lead or cheap plastic to form them. Maybe John in Placerville or someone else with a trusted original can try the magnet test on the notches?

[Shvegel]

Peter,
The reason so many notches are missing is not because the fenders have been changed.  The steel is original but the notches are lead and tend to get sanded off during any repainting.

[49er]

Maybe John in Placerville or someone else with a trusted original can try the magnet test on the notches?

 Magnet sticks to the notch. The plot thickens:-)

John

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

I don't have the Notches ...

Oh well I love her just the same ...

[ja17]

Notches were definitely added after the metal fenders were stamped out of sheetmetal.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Peter,

You should be adding a thread (you must have tons of photos and videos by now) of all the work that is ongoing. Don't be shy now ~grin~

Btw ... Did you ever find the notches?

I don't have them and I like it that way ... So I said it

[pj]

Hi Dieter and everyone
it's been months since I checked this thread. Our body shop is not quite at the point of deciding about the notches.
In the meantime, we have all moved into what the pundits are calling a "post-truth" world. Joe insists the notches were added after the fenders were stamped, but John provided a photo to show that his trusted original fenders have nothing but metal under the notches.
I realize you and Dan are among those who say there is no special value to the notches, but I think they are cute. I hope I can persuade the body shop to put them right in the metal.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Peter,

As you know the notches should line up with the notches in the light chrome ring. I still don't think much of the notches for the simple reason that the light chrome rings go on only one way so why the "line up Notches in the Fenders" to my mind it makes no sense at all.

Anyway, my car was re-painted by RM in 1992 and they filled the original notches. If you like your notches back (unless your fenders are new and have no original notches ~ I say this since I believe the notches may not be in replacement fenders) just have your painter use a small pencil like magnet and go over the edges were the notches should be then the magnet will tell him where they are since the fill material is not magnetic.

I still think that the notches were put there with a chisel at the factory paint shop. However, I stand to be corrected by our learned Forum Members.

[Joel]

hello,
I'm working on a 280 and after sandblasting it did not have notches, after i cut out the lamp housing i had room to make them myself.
Last year i also did a 230 and again after sandblasting it did not have notches.
first foto 280 sl
second foto 230 sl

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Joel,

Nice job! You do all the work yourself (remove everything then blast, restore and paint and finally put it all together again)? How long did it take you to do the 230SL.

Cheers,

Dieter

[Shvegel]

Also keep in mind a good magnet will stick to the steel behind the lead notch. There are a ton of cars with original fenders but the notch has been sanded off.

[Joel]

Hi Rolf-Dieter,
My client takes them apart and send them to me. I send them out for sandblasting and i do the body work. he puts them back together.
this is the 280 project:
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=24700.0

The 230 took me quite some time but it is my job and I love it.
 

[pj]

Hi Dieter
I thought the whole point about the notches was that the chrome trim ring is the same on the right & left fenders. I only see a single headlight trim on the websites of Authentic Classics, SLS and K&K. Am I wrong about this?

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Peter, I don't know the answer to this, perhaps Alfred or Hans from Sweden will chime in and clarify this.

Dieter

[66andBlue]

There is only one part number: 1138260189
for the chrome frame for Euro lamps and you need two of them per car.