Retromoible Paris 2020

[kampala]

The Retromobile event is being held in Paris this week.   

Lots and lots of Pagodas! Was quite surprised at the amount of Pagodas in the vendor stalls.  Prices ranged from about €69k to about €250k.

There was one very very very early Pagoda - they claim it was the 3rd Pagoda Built - a pre-series build with VIN  113-042-10-000008

Here are photos of this early car and additional photos of this early car in next post.

[kampala]

more photos of the very early car

[Charles 230SL]

That's a beautiful 230SL, just wonder why the restorer didn't use the correct wheels w/pins for the hub caps.

[114015]

... just wonder why the restorer didn't use the correct wheels w/pins for the hub caps.

Charles,
You can only have the correct wheels when you have/can get them. 
Not all especially 'older' SLs have those anymore.

And ... by the way, those rims must be stamped _before_ 02/63. 
VIN 000015 had one original left-over (sparewheel) rim, stamped 02/63...; thus 03/63 would be too young for these both cars here ....

Well,
a(ny) restoration shop doing/performing a high end restoration must always look to  costs - even for the >> 150,000 €€/$$ cars - and time.
They cannot go "anal crazy" "on everything" as many of us do with the utmost picky often almost invisible details that regular owners would never detect.

I have heard of people who even trade stuff cross-Continental  or across the Ocean in order to get the period correct items.... Absolutely crazy, don't you think so?? 

Best,
Achim

[114015]

There was one very very very early Pagoda - they claim it was the 3rd Pagoda Built - a pre-series build with VIN  113-042-10-000008

Aslam!

You know very well how much of a favor you did to me with these pics, don't you?
Thank you so much!

This car, VIN 113042-10-000008 was thoroughly discussed on the Pagodentreff forum about a bit more than half a year ago. The body number is 00003; so the car was "planned"/put on production as the third Pagoda ever (after the 1962/63 prototype cars, which had totally different VINs, without '113') but after VIN 000001 an 000002 (both white with yellow leather) not finished as third car but only as 8th car! Very interesting indeed.

The car was sold back then (half a year ago) and I tried to keep track of it (you know how much I am interested in the really early 230ies) but when I contacted the owner/seller  the car was already passed on. Still unrestored back then.

Also interesting: This car 000008 as well as 000015 (which I visited on 2nd December in Casalgrande near Modena/Maranello, Italy) as well as my car (a couple of vins younger) are all hellbeige 181 (light beige) over red leather 203.... very interesting coincidence!

Now you found this car back for me! Thank you so much. Clearly looking great! 

A few observations here:

1) the softtop frame is a later one after VIN 007640 because of the metal bow over the (non-visible) rear window - so, too young for this car 
2) Look at the position of the ashtray - very correct here, you won't find/see that too often. But the padding in the ashtray's lid should be black.
3) Look at the firewall insulation mat: it looks almost like the original one. And ah yes, early cars at least up to VIN 000400 had a completely different-looking insulation mat (one-piece) _without_ the commonly known/accepted/desired waffle pattern!
However, he added the opening for the heater valve ....; a very common aftermarket change-over. 

4) Most interesting: The car has got an automatic shift gate and also the neutral switch and bracket on the firewall - but is a -10- 'stick shift' car according to the VIN; so, a (maybe factory-) converted car!
Exactly in the same way as done with VIN 000009 (orange with turquoise leather), which was the Fritz Nallinger car!

Very very interesting indeed.
I hope you have taken >> 180 pics for me...; and all high-res. please!

Thank you so much!

Best,
Achim

[kampala]

Achim,

Here's a few more for you -  I was already getting the "stink-eye" from the booth owners grabbing these shots, especially the extreme closeup.   

obviously new vin tag etc.   

[MikeSimon]

From the letter that was co-signed by Uhlenhaut, I take that this car was used by Daimler Benz Engineering as a "long-term" test mule. Interesting.

[Charles 230SL]

Charles, You can only have the correct wheels when you have/can get them.  Not all especially 'older' SLs have those anymore.

hello Achim, I wonder why so many early SL's seem to 'lose' their wheels. Several early SL's I've come across (including my own) didn't have their original/correct wheels.

I have heard of people who even trade stuff cross-Continental  or across the Ocean in order to get the period correct items.... Absolutely crazy, don't you think so??

  Yes, there's a lot of crazy people out there 

[waltklatt]

Achim,
I also thought the early ones did not have the short metal rod on the soft top-the one that is riveted to the straps near the windshield.
They added it later to prevent the 'ballooning' effect.
Also a data card would be interesting to see, and the plate card near the hood release inside the engine bay.
Walter

[Aaron h]

It's a shame that with all of the time and money spent on this restoration they decided to use cheap leather.  And didn't the very early Pagodas have wood over the top of the instrument cluster?  I've seen two early 230SL's that had wood atop the instrumentation.  Naturally, I assumed someone had added that, but it looked to perfect, and the straight grained walnut and nitrocellulose lacquer finish looked too much like the rest of the wood.  It's a mystery! 

[Jonny B]

To Walt's comment, I thought the very early cars did not have the small data plate at the hood secondary latch point. A friend here has an early 230 SL with the round steering wheel horn ring too, and it does not have the plate. There is some info stamped/carved/embossed? into the metal where the data plate would go.

[paults1]

My early 1963 230sl also has the number stamped, no plate.

[Neil Thompson]

Achim, my 1964 car has pins on the wheels dated 2/64

Neil