Storage Compartment door

[pablo_o2]

I was talking this over with my parts supplier, to his opinion the SL's were never delivered with leather storage pockets but always with the solid ones.The leather ones are always aftersale and typical USA he furthermore states. I thought it was a change MB made with the 280SL in 1968. Anyone with the correct answer?

Paul Haems
'68 280SL

[Jonny B]

I am not clear on what you are asking about.

The door comparments on each side? These are soft, with a stretchy elastic top in the post VIN (about 2890) 250SL's. This is when a whole host of changes were made on the 250 to meet new federal guidelines. Mine is an early 250 with the hard pockets which I believe are leather covered.

I think there was a difference for the European models, but do not have any of my reference material with me to type to cut off points.

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto

[Cees Klumper]

As Jonny notes, the soft (leather or, in many cases, MB-tex material i.e. vinyl) pockets were mandated by safety requirements in the US. AFAIK in Europe, the hard ones were maintained throughout, but I am not sure about that.

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[pablo_o2]

As I am in a complete restoration project I want to bring my car back to it's original state. The present upholstery is already not original anymore (changed from MBtex to leather as did the color from green to light-brown) so what else has changed to the previous owners taste. When you tell the door pockets where a result of safety regulations, Johny I think it's likely to be original in the car. Some info cannot be gathered from the datacard (doorpockets).

Thanks for the reply,

Paul Haems
'68 280SL

[Mike Hughes]

The only possible clue one might find on a datacard would be the code for U.S. delivery.  Any U.S. delivery 250SL after a certain serial number, and all U.S. delivery 280SLs would have the soft door pockets instead of the hard door pockets.  The rest of the world got the hard door pockets right up to the end of production.

quote:Originally posted by pablo_o2

As I am in a complete restoration project I want to bring my car back to it's original state. The present upholstery is already not original anymore (changed from MBtex to leather as did the color from green to light-brown) so what else has changed to the previous owners taste. When you tell the door pockets where a result of safety regulations, Johny I think it's likely to be original in the car. Some info cannot be gathered from the datacard (doorpockets).

Thanks for the reply,

Paul Haems
'68 280SL

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[pablo_o2]

The car is a US model so that's right Mike. Thanks for sorting this out for me.

Paul Haems
'68 280SL