230SL spare tire mount year change

[SoupedUp]

I have a 1966 230SL.  The spare tire is in the upright mounted position on left side of trunk sitting in the spare tire carrier hole. When did the 230SL get rid of the spare tire carrier cubby hole just laid the spare tire flat with a hold down? 

[cfm65@me.com]

SoupedUp,
I believe you have it the wrong way round. If I remember correctly, the early Pagodas had the spare, sort of upright and the later models had a bigger fuel tank and therefore a spare horizontal on about a 6 inch post.
My first one, a 65 230SL had the upright spare and the next two, a 71 280SL and 67 250SL both had a bigger tank(80 litres IIRC) and a flat mounted spare on a post, raising the wheel a few inches off the boot floor and moved over to the right.
Regards
Chris

[Jonny B]

The list of changes published in Pagoda Notes (Vol 10 No.1) has the following for the spare tire change

24 Sept 1964 - prototype installed in 230 SL with VIN ending 6069

23 Oct 1964 - change made to horizontal spare at 230 SL VIN ending 7205 with the following exceptions VINs ending 7216, 7232, 7253, 7277

[rwmastel]

I have a 1966 230SL.  The spare tire is in the upright mounted position on left side of trunk sitting in the spare tire carrier hole.

SoupedUp,
What you have is a conflict that you might want to resolve for your own peace of mind.  A 1966 should have the flat spare with the larger fuel tank.
- What is your VIN?
- Maybe your registration/title is incorrect in stating 1966 for some reason.  (More likely)
- Maybe your newer car has been changed to the older style trunk & spare tire  (Less likely)

[SoupedUp]

VIN
11304210006130

[Garry]

My reading is that it was an August 1964 production. So its definitely not a 1966 vehicle but it is right at the changeover of the tyre holding method so a vertical spare floor is probably correct and from the final parts bin in production line.

[Benz Dr.]

SoupedUp,
What you have is a conflict that you might want to resolve for your own peace of mind.  A 1966 should have the flat spare with the larger fuel tank.
- What is your VIN?
- Maybe your registration/title is incorrect in stating 1966 for some reason.  (More likely)
- Maybe your newer car has been changed to the older style trunk & spare tire  (Less likely)

All 230SL's had the 65 liter fuel tank. I have a '66 and changed it to the 82 liter tank so I'm sure of this.

Whatever is in this car is likely correct.

[MikeSimon]

All 230SL's had the 65 liter fuel tank. 

Is it allowed to disagree? All these have the spare lying flat in the trunk:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1964-mercedes-benz-230sl-27/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-mercedes-benz-230sl-49/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-mercedes-benz-230sl-48/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-mercedes-benz-230sl-46/

..and there are more.

My parts list shows the 65L fuel tank p/n 113 470 0601 only through 230SL serial-no 000203

[Benz Dr.]

Is it allowed to disagree? All these have the spare lying flat in the trunk:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1964-mercedes-benz-230sl-27/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-mercedes-benz-230sl-49/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-mercedes-benz-230sl-48/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-mercedes-benz-230sl-46/

..and there are more.

My parts list shows the 65L fuel tank p/n 113 470 0601 only through 230SL serial-no 000203

I have a factory dealer's parts book and yes, there is a foot note on VIN 203. However that footnote only indicates a design change and not the size of the fuel tank which remained the same throughout  230SL production.

So yes, you can disagree if you like, but my late '66 says otherwise. 

 

[WRe]

Hi, - my 2 cents -
according to Xentry parts information for 230 SL: A 113 470 02 01 to VIN 202; A 113 470 03 01 replaced by A 113 470 06 01 from VIN 203.
ALL 65l , although there would have been space for the large one (from VIN 7204).
The spare wheel trough was omitted from end of 1964, a possible tank enlargement could have followed from January 1965.
Then uniform for 250 and 280 SL: A 113 470 07 01 (82l).
...WRe

[MikeSimon]

I read this wrong. The change was from serial number 000203 FORWARD not up to. It probably referred to the part-number only, not the size of the tank.
In any case, the OP needed to know when the spare tire mount was changed from upright to horizontal not the fuel tank size, and I think that has been determined

[Benz Dr.]

Looks like we are all talking about the same thing.

[rwmastel]

VIN
11304210006130

SoupedUp,
So, I hope you are satisfied that the VIN shows a 1964 build.  If you want to work on changing your title or registration, that is up to you.  As always, order parts based on your VIN to eliminate errors.

[SoupedUp]

According to history the car has been titled as a 66 since new. 2 owner car

[rwmastel]

It must have sat in inventory for a long time.  Perhaps it was used by Mercedes-Benz for some corporate or dealership purpose and never titled until sold to the public?

[john.mancini]

Back in the day, the year of imported cars was determined by the date it was sold from the dealer, not the production sequenced VIN. I have an early 65 that was sold in 66, thus the title says 66. That was changed, (please correct me if I am wrong), for model year 1969 in the USA. That's when cars were titled according to their production model year, not the year they first sold.

[rwmastel]

SoupedUp,

That's an interesting looking spare tire!  I don't see any markings on it.  Can you tell us what it is?  Might it be factory original spare??

[SoupedUp]

Firestone Phoenix