Preliminary edition Owners manual

[m300cab]

I came across an owners manual for 280SL. It says preliminary edition.
Has anyone ever seen this? I was wondering how rare it is.

[49er]

Not sure it rare or not but mine came with one, delivery September 18,1968.

John 

[neelyrc]

My car, serial number 007749, was delivered at the factory in February, 1969, a few months after John’s car was delivered in California. The manual was apparently changed to “ Edition A” sometime during the period after John’s car was produced and the time my car was produced in January, 1969. 

Attached are photographs of the front and back cover and unnumbered page 1 from my manual.  There is no date in the manual to indicate when Edition A was issued.  Also note that the back cover indicates USA edition so there are no doubt a number of versions of the manual in circulation.

[Jonny B]

Interesting about the "edition A" I had to re-look at mine. It is not the original manual, some $%& stole it from the previous owner - even cut the top to get at it! - go figure.

In any case I found a replacement and it is not quite the same as Ralph's - the cover is the same, the back is almost the same, mine has "Ausgabe USA A/1" the part number is the same 113 584 16 96.

The front page is also a bit different, with no "Edition A" noted.

It also has an additional insert which is now loose, and I suspect was glued to the inside front cover.
A picture is attached.

[49er]

 Back again.. Mine has the same part number but no A/1. My loose insert is a fold out describes braking performance, tire pressure and passing times.

John

[neelyrc]

A little more info:
My manual as pictured above does not have a loose insert providing additional information similar to that of John’s or Jonny B’s book.  Braking information is included in my manual but in a completely different format on fixed pages in the book.

There is a large fold out in the book between pages 38 and 41.  These are pictured here.  They are in fact pages 39 and 40 but the page numbers are not printed on these pages.  This large fold out is firmly attached to the binding the same as normal regular sized pages.

[Jonny B]

I also have the insert 49er shows. This is a "Consumer Information" booklet. Getting this tested the patience meter!

Number on mine is the same as 49er's:
 
113 584 00 98
(12.69) Printed in Germany

I also have the fold out electrical diagram and lubrication chart as Ralph shows, in the same position in my manual.
I have a separate electric diagram KD 00 102 5505 00

[tonytahl]

I am looking for a good used or reprint owners manual for my March 69 280SL.  I found a 250SL - 280SL on Authentic Classics and a good used 280SL one on ebay.  When did the cars come with the 250 - 280 owners manual and when did it move to the 280 one?

[neelyrc]

tonytahl - I wasn’t aware of the joint 250SL - 280SL manual and I can’t answer your specific question.  However, 49er’s car mentioned in Reply #1 and which came with the specific 280SL manual would have been produced in June, 1968, about nine months prior to the production of your car.

My car, produced in January, 1969 is only a couple of months older than yours.  My manual mentioned in Reply #2 should be what would have been delivered with your car but it is possible that there could have been some other minor revisions in the meantime.

[Raymond]

My 280 was completed the first week of December 1967.  The manual is for a 250.  It could be a replacement.  It came in a plastic folio with the radio booklet, world service center directory and other documents contemporary with the car.  I think it might have been a result of the transition from the 250.