Vin 113044-10-012502

[Pawel66]

Very good point Seb ( about the engine )
There is a mark on the engine 280 SE/A . is this a 280 SL engine

No, no no, do not go this avenue. Casting on cylinder head is complicated, no need to get into this here. The SLs had that mark. What you need to check is the engine number. Become a Full Member - it is all there in Tech Manual.

[SEB]

The original Pagoda Engine you can recognize only by the engine number-  it should be 130.983-1x-xxxxx (version with 170PS) the limousine had the Numbers 130.980-1x-xxxxx
As Pawel said there were different castings- and as far I know the SE/A was for America, so version with lower compression. I think Pawel is an expert in this field?  Also the fuel injection pump were different for Pagodas and the limousine and also for American Market with the Y letter on end and for the European market.

If you are attending to buy a Pagoda the best what you can do now is to become a full member and get direct access to the data base. All knowledge you can find there. And I tell you from my experience is the best place in the world.

[Pawel66]

I think Pawel is an expert in this field? 

Forget it. I just did a study trying to help out one of the Members.

[Zazozazo]

SeB,
This is how it was advertised at a previous seller:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee3Dvmf79AQ
Chassis Nr: 113044-10-012502 Engine Nr: 130983-10-004836
Exterior :Tunis Beige metallic
Interior : Green leather with correct beige carpeting.
Soft top : Green / Hard top : Tunis Beige

[Pawel66]

If this is indeed its engine number, it is ok for a Pagoda and it is manual. Datacard is a must.

I see the green carpet with green leather combination - but who knows! Maybe it was ordered in beige.

[SEB]

According to the number this engine is a Pagoda engine. You can check in the data card if this engine with this number was mounted to your Pagoda?
Due to the fact, that I have also a Pagoda in the same color I know, that the green leather was combined with silver (180H) and the two gold colors 462H and 467H.
But without the data card you can not check all this numbers.

What I can also recommend to you is the book written by G. Engelen about the Pagoda ( is in English and German).
Is very interesting story and you can find also all the data there.

[SEB]

Forget it. I just did a study trying to help out one of the Members.

But Pawel I remember, that I was reading quite interesting study, what you made about all the Cylinder Heads. I think and recommend to put it here on the Wiki?

[MikeSimon]

Aha! Cylinder Heads! I can chime in. 280 SE/A is NOT a US version and is NOT low compression. It is also NOT exclusive to SL. Almost all 2.8l M130s had this head - among others. Like 280 SE/SL, 280 SEL/SL or even just plain 280.
I have at least one of each of these. Only one I have not encountered is 280/SL. There is no rhyme nor reason for which head with what marking ended up on an SL
The only way, like Pawel said, to id a 280SL engine correctly is by the engine number 130 983....

[SEB]

I think that the first version of the M130 had only the 280 stamp?
But for all the other stamps is there any logic?

[Zazozazo]

Thank you SeB
The datacard, I will ask for tomorrow

[Zazozazo]

It has been determined that the car is a US first registration sent with a German type engine, Original colours are white and beige leatherette.
This will impinge heavily on the price.

[MikeSimon]

When that car was new, you could not register a car in the U.S. with an engine that did not comply with U.S. emission regulations. I find it hard to believe, that the car had a "German engine" spec.
Although, the basic bare engine was the same, there were many additions to make the car compliant.

And yes, it is correct that the early 280SLs had a "280" only head casting mark. This is in line with the "square" combustion chamber/head gasket. It changed in 1968/69.
As for the other versions, our limited knowledge does not explain any logic behind the use.
The head on my car is original to the car and rather rare. I first thought the marking was on late cars but I found cars with higher serial numbers that had more common heads.
So far, I have encountered (heard of) only two other cars (worldwide) that had the same head. One in the U.K (SL) and one in Denmark (SEL)

[SEB]

But how you can recognize if the engine was European or US Spec?
I am not en expert, but as far I remember you can recognize the configuration only by the type of the fuel injection pump?
The European Pagoda engines had the Pumps with the end numbers R21, R23 and R25
and the US Spec Pagodas had pumps with the end numbers R20Y, R22Y and R24Y. With the additional solenoid and the better fine tuning possibility to fullfill the US regulations.

In the data card you can find also the country/dealer code- so based on this you can see who ordered the car and in what specification

[Pawel66]

Perhaps you can apply the cylinder head coding, at least to some extent. Different number on camshaft I guess, as well.

The market is also on the Paint Option Plate - the one next to bracket for relays. Ask for a picture of it.

[MikeSimon]

Both the FI pump type and the camshaft could be good indicators whether it is a US or Euro spec engine.

[Iconic]

Zazozazo,
I believe that the presence of the heater and ventilation "instruction" plate near the controls indicates it is a chassis for the US market.
But, a picture of the plate under the hood, driver's side (on this car) near the windshield washer pump, will tell us for which market this Pagode was originally intended.
Good luck to you !!

[Zazozazo]

Iconic, yes it is a Us example , now stated by the owner. Thank you