Tail Lamps Plastic Thumb Nuts - Always White?

[Pawel66]

I do not seem to find a lot of information on this - can you help?

Were the thumb plastic nuts holding tail lamps always white on Pagodas or there might have been black ones too?

On most of the pictures I see them white. There were old black ones on my car (march 1970 280SL) - but I am not sure if they were replaced of original.

Always white?

[Pawel66]

That would suggest "the original" is white (I keep looking):

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=26022.msg186421#msg186421

[280SE Guy]

They are black on my W108.

[scoot]

They are black on my W108.

My recollection is the ones on a W108 or W111 aren't exactly the same as the ones on a W113.   I could be wrong.

[Pawel66]

In the EPC for 113044 and for 113042 the part number is A1119900257. Today you get black nut with this number.

In every post I found a mention about this nuts, fellow Members are referring to white ones as originals. I did not find many pictures of the back of installed lamp - maybe one or two. They were with white nuts.

But I am not sure if the late were not black - when the light unit changed or whatever point in time Daimler decided to use black plastic.

[280SE Guy]

My W108 was produced in January of 1971, maybe they changed them sometime in that era?

[Pawel66]

I would have thought someone with late 280Sl would have to confirm...

[BaronYoungman]

My 1971 (production Oct 1970 I think) had black ones which I think were original, correct aging and in box of original parts from when taken apart in 1987.
Bob

[Pawel66]

Thank you Bob! It might mean there were black ones later...

[chumps]

I have Black knobs. 1971 280 SL. I am almost 100% sure they are original. I am second owner for many years.

[Jonny B]

I checked my 1970 (Sept 1969 build) and it has the black thumb nuts. There are only two as the style and construction of the lamp has changed. There are four studs that mount the light to the body, but they are affixed with regular hexagonal nuts. There are two black thumb nuts on the back of the fixture, that would allow the back to be removed so the bulbs can be changed.

[Pawel66]

Thank you! The placement of these nuts has also crossed my mind as, indeed, given that the intention of thumb nut is to get to bulbs without the tools - they should hold the center piece in the newer lamps, rather than a lamp itself.

I think I know what to do now with my lamps.