Undercarriage, under hood colour

[Keen]

I have started the restoration of a 1964 230SL recently and am attempting to verify if the colour of the undercarriage and under the hood and trunk was body colour when it left the factory. I have encountered conflicting information and would like to defer to the members of this forum. With thanks.

[mbzse]

I have started the restoration of a 1964 230SL recently and am attempting to verify if the colour of the undercarriage..../...

Much has been written in this Forum on the subject. Use search function. Here is a start:
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=27423.msg196936#msg196936
Under hood was body colour; luggage and soft top compartment was charcoal deep dark grey.

[Pawel66]

Keen, welcome to the Forum!

As you are starting the 230SL project, I am sure you will find a lot of priceless information here.

A good practice is to start from New Members Introductions within General Discussions section.

For the Members to be able to help you it is important that everyone is, indeed, following the order that is suggested in the header of the Forum: check the Tech Manual, use the Search function and then post a question if you still have not found what you were looking for.

As stated in the previous reply, you will find the answer to your question on the Forum - I think almost all has been said on this topic, including paint codes, details such as wheel wells painting etc.

I am sure you will come back with a lot of questions as you go through the project and fellow Members will be happy to help. You may also find it usefull to join Full Members as more is available for them.

For future clarity and reference it may also be useful to post threads in certain section, e.g. yours would probably best fit Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items.

Good luck with the project!

[silver surfer]

Hi Keen

The underside of the hood is body colour. The undercarriage is satin black as is the underside and inside of the trunk ( I think you can buy the correct paint from Mercedes?) .

A good website for reference is Motoring Investments in San Diego who restore these cars correctly and have lots of pictures to help you.

[Garry]

And where is the definitive authority on the Black or Dark Grey of the trunk.  Jury is still out I think.


https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=21599.msg153808#msg153808


https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=3565.msg21074#msg21074


https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=28068.msg202840#msg202840


and so it goes on and on for the past 15 years........

[Shvegel]

Underbody is actually an underbody sealer that can vary in color from near white to beige.  Center of underbody is a strip of grey primer.  Suspension is semi gloss black with the entire rear axle painted black including the control arms.  No gold bolts showing etc. it appears they were delivered to Mercedes as complete assemblies.  All of the various paint marking are inspection marks that were painted on on the assembly line.  There seems to be a bit of a system to them that we have not cracked yet but to me it looks like yellow for torque.  Green for alignment which also covers any spring mounts etc.  Red for caliper bolts.  You will see these markings as you clean your parts.  Photograph them well as it seems each car is a little different.

[mbzse]

.../...Suspension is semi gloss black with the entire rear axle painted black including the control arms.  No gold bolts showing etc.../...

That is correct, both front and rear suspension were overspayed semi gloss black as a unit, after assembly

.../...they were delivered to Mercedes as complete assemblies

The chassis sub assemblies for all passenger cars of the sixties were manufactured and built by M-B in Unterturkheim. They were transported to Sindelfingen as complete, painted assemblies, yes (same for gear boxes and engine units)

[Shvegel]

Mbze, thanks for the information.  I didn’t know they were assembled by Mercedes.

[mbzse]

.../...I didn’t know they were assembled by Mercedes

Somewhat unique in the Auto industry, Mercedes (Daimler-Benz) have traditionally made most major components in-house.
Then, there were (and still so) many important sub-contractors like Bosch, Behr, Suedrad, Ebersprächer, Securit, Continental etc

[Paul99]

My 230 1966 has black paint under the hood (bonnet ). Body colour is white.  The car is a "matching numbers" - with full history - car and the factory stamped number is clear on the side of the bonnet and so find it difficult to believe the underside of the bonnet should be body colour?   Mine certainly isnt/wasnt ?

Is this a "one off" or something different? 

Paul.

[mbzse]

.../... find it difficult to believe the underside of the bonnet should be body colour.../...

That is the way they came off the factory production line in Sindelfingen.

Is this a "one off" or something different?

My guess, a P.O. went ahead and did something (or rather, their chosen workshop)

[Paul99]

Well seems strange but I guess the lady owner who bought it from new from Mercedes dealer in Chelsea London had all the white paint removed and repainted black\grey and then had the body number re stamped ....just before we bought it... ... Hmmm... Seems unlikely but I guess that is what happened.

[mbzse]

Well seems strange but I guess the lady owner who bought it from new.../...

One wild idea comes to my mind...  A new hood (bonnet) from M-B is delivered in black base paint finish.

If original was somehow damaged, and the replacement bonnet was only painted body colour on top...? Fitted to the car by the dealer or subsequently by a workshop. This would be if the part was somehow dented/damaged when the car was transported, or kept in their care.
What does it look like around the hinge parts each side - traces of that some work/change has been done there?
You say "body No stamped on the side". Could you supply a photo? 

[Paul99]

it is a strange one. It looks original, and the fact that the number is stamped on the outside edge as normal matching the numbers on the soft top lid etc seems that is must be a true MB bonnet and yet it is black.  the car paint code is white, and the car is white.   I met the original lady owner who would be the last person to paint the inside of her car bonnet. Unfortunately I cant ask her about the car now.

It was interesting that when we bought the car she rang me and said when you pick up the car i do have a box full of all the MOTs and receipts, history etc of  the  car, shall i just throw all that away, Im sure you wouldn't want it !!

We said we wouldn't mind taking it with the car!
 
Its no real big deal re the colour, just a strange exception to the rule it seems.