Italian Side Mirror or After Market?

[Typpo]

My 67 250SL is originally an Italian car imported to the U.S. in the early 70’s. It has small round front side markers and the speedo is in KM. It came with these side view mirrors made in England (pic attached). I searched the forum but didn’t find anyone posting or mentioning it but if this has been discussed countless times, my apologies. I am well aware that there were 2 kinds of mirrors for 230SL & 250SL, goose neck, and 280SL. Does anyone know if these were standard for cars exported to Italy, or it was added on by the dealer in Italy, or were they aftermarket mirrors that previous owner attached?

I appreciate your expertise.

[neelyrc]

Typpo,

Mirrors, where factory delivered, did not vary by country.  Yours  is likely PO installed.  Have you checked the data card for your car to see what might be indicated as factory delivered?

[Typpo]

Thank you for that confirmation. I am a new owner of an early 250SL and haven't gotten to getting the data card yet. But I am now inspired to get correct ones. I love the way the goose neck mirrors look.

[Tomnistuff]

My 1966 230SL, also Italian, had a slightly different mirror, but black plastic and equally ugly.  It also has a longer bolt spacing than the two traditional M-B models, so I can't even replace it without body work.
Tom Kizer

[mbzse]

My 67 250SL is originally an Italian car.../... It came with these side view mirrors made in England .../... [were] these standard for cars exported to Italy, or it was added on by the dealer in Italy, or were they aftermarket mirrors that previous owner attached

The matter was discussed long ago; see: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=21123.msg150642#msg150642
My mirrors were made in England as well, they seem very similar or identical to the ones on your SL.
The questions you put forward are relevant; and I would lean towards "added by dealer in Italy" or possibly "mounted by Italian PO" .
The level of workmanship (was: not so good) for the mount excludes factory fit. Besides, the factory would just mount the normal SL mirrors, yes?

On my Italian delivery SL I have replaced these English made mirrors with the standard 280SL type, and mounted them with support plate inside door skin (see pic attached)

[Typpo]

Hans:

Thank you for that info. So the Italian cars did have different mirrors prior to being exported. My bolt center distance is 40mm and I found out that the 280SL mirror is the same. When you replaced yours, did you have to do any body or paint work?

[mbzse]

.../...So the Italian cars did have different mirrors prior to being exported.../...

From factory, the W113 Pagoda cars in general were not fitted with external mirrors unless they had one or two external mirrors on the order sheet, from the customer
(note: this customer could be a retailer, placing an order for cars to put on their showroom floor)

Re: Italian market, I do not know if all W113 had "locally mounted" external mirrors.
That is, I do not know if any cars were delivered to the Italian market, from the factory, with the std. M-B mirror type (the type of mirror seen on the green car in my previous posting)

[zak]

Typpo, is your 250 SL an early or late model?

[Typpo]

It is an early car, 000940. I know the goose neck is the correct one. My choice is later mirror or body and paint work. The existing bolt hole distance is 40mm and positioned too close to the A pillar for the early mirror. Let me know if I'm wrong.