ROCKER PANEL PAINT MADDNESS BLACK OR DARK GRAY 7164?

[w113bkk]

Different parts of this have different opinions on the color of rocker panels. Sorry to beat a dead horse but I'm going to paint mine tomorrow and don't want to do this twice.
this link says that according to the classic center rockers are black paint over shutz http://www.sl113.org/wiki/ChassisBody/Paint
flat back
Kofferraum innen: Tiefdunkelgrau, DB 164   Trunk inside: 164 dark grey
Heckdeckel innen: Tiefdunkelgrau, DB 164   Trunk lid, inside: 164 dark grey
Radkasten: Wagenfarbe UT   Wheel wells: body color
Schweller: matt schwarz DB 169   Rocker panels/Sills: flat black 169
Bumper innen: weissgrau DB 158   Inside of bumpers: white grey 158. Apparently RUST-OLEUM Painters Touch Ultra Cover 2x Almond Gloss is a good match in color and affords more rust protection (see http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=10791.0)


While others say rockers are
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=18975.0
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=4448.0

Sorry to bludgen this to death but I'd rather be safe than sorry

[66andBlue]

That dead horse has more lives than a young cat!
Here is a photo of a rocker panel, never painted and first time removed from a 1964 230SL.
The part exposed to sunlight, UV, dirt and street hazards is now a light grey while the part on the right that was hidden is certainly not black but looks dark grey to me.
It is your car you can paint it anyway you want!

[w113bkk]

Thanks! I am probably just going to paint it the dark gray because there seem to be more posts which say that is the correct color and since I have to paint the underside of the conv. hatch that color too. Thanks for the great pic!

[66andBlue]

Good choice!

[mbzse]

That dead horse has more lives than a young cat!  Here is a photo of a rocker panel, never painted and first time removed.../..

I have here a totally new (NOS), never installed Pagoda rocker panel, with M-B Parts No sticker attached,  from the seventies. It is dark grey.
I'll post a picture shortly
/Hans in Sweden

[mbzse]

.../...which say that is the correct color ../.. to paint the underside of the conv. hatch

The soft top cover was painted Tiefdunkelgrau 7164 on the underside (inside) from factory, same as trunk (luggage compartment). To the eye this is semi-matte black.
The rocker panel is dark grey. I'll put both these side by side on one pic tomorrow
/Hans in Sweden

[114015]

BKK,

I support what Alfred said about the rocker panel color.

However, the info on the paint code of the trunk and softtop compartment (including inside of the tonneau cover) is not correct  - or better say not complete.

For YOUR 1966 230 SL the paint code for the trunk, softtop compartment was black, not tiefdunkelgrau 7164.

Tiefdunkelgrau (deep dark grey) came only later, sometime in 1969 or so.
Don't let yourself be fooled by this 280 folks who claim that everything they find on their original late 280ies is also correct for the earlier 230ies and 250ies. This is not true. 

I have seen enough 230ies and 250ies with totally untouched trunks and softtop compartments as well as early 280ies.
And those are black inside, not dark grey.

It is your car you can paint it anyway you want!

Alfred is right with what he said, it's your car.

If it were mine I would do it original, and that was/is black, and that's what my car is now.

I know the stories about deep dark grey appears to be almost black. Fuggettaboutit. I know what tiefdunkelgrau is, my 1971 230 sedan has that paint code and it is clearly different.

It's your choice, do what you want.
I go and change the info in the wiki, it's not complete there.
As a board member for almost 10 years and a Pagoda owner for 29 years
I am absolutely confident about what I just mentioned.


Just my 2 cents ....


Achim
(1964 230 with black trunk)

[w113bkk]

Thanks for all the insight and 230 specific notations. My soft top cover which was had the original paint was black come to think of it. So would you guys recommend DB169 which in the paint code section says should be flat black? Or semi gloss? I'm guessing the front aluminum grill inserts should be the same color.

On a separate note I got my seats and arm rests back from the upholster and they sure are comfy. I will post a pic later on.

[Garry]

I know my trunk in my ’65 230SL is original and I have taken three photos of the interior and I got to tell you that it sure has a grey tinge to it!!!!!!!!!!!

[66andBlue]

Garry,
what does it look like behind the felt piece?  You'll be surprised how black that area is.
Based on what my 1966 230SL trunk lid and the lid on the folding top compartment look like I agree with Achim, semi-gloss or satin black.

[Garry]

It could be either,  very hard to tell.  Maybe I need to find a colour spectrometer

[mbzse]

OK gals and guys, I have taken the pictures now. Inside trunk lid and the original rocker panel; side by side in one picture.
Like Garry, the inside of my trunk lid is original and near semi-matte black, but with a greyish tinge. An early 280SL. That is what is on top of pic 1-024

The Rocker panel is grey in comparison, as you can see. The white is a cardboard sheet, as reference. Included also the original sticker on the rear of the NOS spare part (the rocker panel); the workshop owner who sold it to me bought this part in the seventies for one of his Pagoda (customer) projects back then. Somehow it never was mounted. Was not stored very carefully during all those years, in the garage attic, but anyway an original spare part.
/Hans in Sweden
.

[49er]

 Dark grey for my Rockers. Was, is, and always will be...... Dark Grey!

John

[stickandrudderman]

Yes but the NOS panel still doesn't prove one way or another what the required finish is. All Mercedes panels come black from the factory.
Anyway, I think it should be whatever colour you want it to be as nobody but you (as in anyone who owns a pagoda and cares) will know the difference.
The only line I would draw is that it should be either dark grey or black, nothing else.

(And just for Hans' sake: it's not gloss!)