Holy Grail volume 3? On BAT

[kampala]

This 280sl is supposed to have only 17k miles from new.  It does look very impressive  Would be interesting to see what our members think.   

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1969-mercedes-benz-280sl-25/

[hkollan]

Looks like the real deal. Amazing car.

[Garry]

I want to know how they kept the fire wall pad looking like that and also how did they keep the cad plating looking so good after 50 years.  There is a market for that knowledge...😃

[bogeyman]

Wrong tail lights??
Floating battery??
Subframe covers??

[mbzse]

Yes Bogeyman, my thoughts also.
The engine seems to have been out from the car, many areas on this SL seem to have been attended to. So, not an untouched original SL.
But, of course, a very very well kept and maintained Pagoda indeed.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

While it is a very nice car I must say our engines (on our well driven cars) are in better shape (IMHO), then this one for having spend so .. so many years in storage. For that reason I for one prefer my car before this one.



Dieter

[Taleb]

the fender notches doesn't look original to me !!

[MikeSimon]

Educate me, please!
I am still at odds with the cylinder heads on the 280SL. This one's casting mark says "280". I thought the correct one for the 280SL would be 280SE/A. Mine says 280SEL/SL and I have never seen another one like it.

[mbzse]

Educate me, please! I am still at odds with the cylinder heads on the 280SL.../...

The SE/SL etc. lettering (casting) is only of marginal interest.
You should look at the part No (also cast into the head). Which part (head) that fits what 280 SL engine can be seen in the table published in our Tech Manual (Wiki).
On this particular SL car, the head has Part No 130 016 0701 (can be seen in one of the 600+ pictures attached at BAT) This is a correct type according to the table.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Mike,

Mine shows only 280 (as photo) and the engine number.

Dieter

[MikeSimon]

So, the head is correct on this car, being a 1968 model
As discussed before elsewhere, my cylinder head - original to the car - does not fit into any of the listings. The casting mark is 280SEL/SL and the part-number is 130 016 1701 AND it is a 9.0 compression. Nobody has been able to tell me what this actually is. The combustion chambers are "oval"

[neelyrc]

The car looks fantastic, almost to perfect.  Very low VIN  - 000440.  Would have been middle of the first month of production.

Nit-picking comments from the peanut gallery:  No fuse pliers shown in tool kit.  One wheel cover not painted inside?  Other three have correct original paint color inside. 

[hkollan]

The car looks fantastic, almost to perfect.  Very low VIN  - 000440.  Would have been middle of the first month of production.

Just read your comment and thought WTF when I read VIN - 000440.

My dark blue 1968 280 SL  has this VIN.
It’s an automatic so its full VIN is 11304412000440.
Checked the datacard pictured in the auction, and the VIN of the BAT car really is  ...004401 and not 000440 as stated in the auction info.


Hans K

[Mike Hughes]

One commenter wrote that the wooden center tray should have had a carpet insert instead of the vinyl insert shown.  The vinyl insert pictured is original to the car and is pretty pristine.  Note the pressed edging and that the front corners are squared off, while the rear corners are radiused to match the contours of the wooden tray construction.  Had it been flipped over the reverse side would have exhibited evidence of a thin micro cell foam padding, perhaps partially or completely perished after 50 years.  Bound carpet inserts were aftermarket items, and are still commonly included in aftermarket replacement carpet sets.

[neelyrc]

Just read your comment and thought WTF when I read VIN - 000440.

My dark blue 1968 280 SL  has this VIN.
It’s an automatic so its full VIN is 11304412000440.
Checked the datacard pictured in the auction, and the VIN of the BAT car really is  ...004401 and not 000440 as stated in the auction info.


Hans K

You are correct.  BAT left the final “1” off in the general description.  The documents and and name plate show the VIN as 4401 as you indicate.

[gimp]

mine still has the vinyl insert and yes the micro cell padding is no longer

[mrfatboy]

This car's vin is 30 before mine which makes it around a early Aug 68 build.  It has survived better than my car thru the years

A lot of little details to compare.

It was my understanding the head rests didn't come into play later.  They must have been added.

It's hard to tell but it looks like door latch on the B pillar are the 3 screw type.  My is 3 also.  I was wondering when the switch over to 4 hole was.

[mclewis]

The soft top is missing the screws to attach it to the windshield.

[johnk]

Is it just me or is the underside missing white overspray On the sides?  Seems
The the primer om the underside should be more green?  The cosmoline is still amber color and never absorbed dirt. Also the exhaust is still black?

Seems to have had more work done to it than being a 50’year old holy grail.

Definately second the comment about the cadmium still
Being yellow.

[49er]

Looks pretty darn nice too me. Firewall padding and notches look OK. Can’t see to many “nits” to pick at😄

John

[neelyrc]

For Gernold and others involved in the discussion at PUB Virginia and later here on the forum about the hood latch bolts being painted body color at the factory, you can see remnants of the white paint on the bolts in the BAT pictures of this car.

[49er]

For Gernold and others involved in the discussion at PUB Virginia and later here on the forum about the hood latch bolts being painted body color at the factory, you can see remnants of the white paint on the bolts in the BAT pictures of this car.

 I missed that discussion but looks like mine were painted body color as well. Not today though because when the engine was replaced, the hood had to come off and the paint was chipped off the bolts. Time to get out my touch up paint

John

[Mike Hughes]

Yes, the hood hinge bolts should be body color as well, but I think Ralph was referring to the four phillips screws that secure the hood latch on the firewall above the rear of the valve cover still exhibiting evidence of paint.

[49er]

Yes, the hood hinge bolts should be body color as well, but I think Ralph was referring to the four phillips screws that secure the hood latch on the firewall above the rear of the valve cover still exhibiting evidence of paint.

Yep, your so right. My reading skills are not quite as good as they used to be. Regarding the 4 screws, paint sloped on with a brush after final assembly.

John