Rear bench seat

[stickandrudderman]

We’re working on a 230 at the moment that has an option I’ve never seen before. It’s a contoured rear bench seat on a convertible, not a cabriolet. sorry, coupe.
As it’s a customer’s car I don’t have the data card but it certainly looks factory fitted and is finished in the same and correct basket weave pattern MB Tex as the front seats.
Has anyone else seen one like this or even know the option code for it?

[Pawel66]

Is it a very early car? Is it ok to share its VIN number? I understand it may not be...

Is it not options related to rear bench for California Coupe? You would have 417 on the code plate. 298 could also be there - mounting gear for seat bench.

We have in the Tech Manual that 417 was available for 250 and 280SL only. But maybe it is a special request? Or retrofitted bench later?

[Mike Hughes]

No clue, and I've never seen one before, but it looks great!

[zak]

Interesting and very well done. Certainly unique.
Can you tell if the front seat covers are factory original ?
Does this rear seat fold down to make a storage platform like in the California coupes ?

jz 

[stickandrudderman]

Interesting and very well done. Certainly unique.
Can you tell if the front seat covers are factory original ?
Does this rear seat fold down to make a storage platform like in the California coupes ?

jz

Certainly the front seats are a perfect match for the rears.
I didn't try to fold the seats down.

I've sent the owner a link to this discussion; maybe he'd prefer to comment himself.

[Raymond]

That is clearly a coupe.  No rag top.  We don't need the whole VIN.  Is it a W113.042 or 43?  All of the factory bench seats would have been smooth all the way across if MB Tex, or have one seam vertical in the middle if leather.  My guess is either someone went to a lot of trouble to replace the soft top tub or, it was born a 250.

[lreppond]

I’m pretty sure that it’s not a California coupe but rather a typical coupe/roadster.   I’ve only seen one car with an almost identical rear seat and the center channels were perforated. The seat corners were clipped in the same manner.  It was either in cognac or bamboo. I saw it at a local show years ago. If I’m not mistaken, the owner bought the car that way.  I have no idea if it was a special order or custom made? 

[rwmastel]

That is clearly a coupe.  No rag top.  We don't need the whole VIN.  Is it a W113.042 or 43?

I disagree.  It clearly looks like a lid for the soft top to me.  Stick said "It’s a contoured rear bench seat on a convertible, not a cabriolet."  I'm not sure what he means by cabriolet with regards to a w113, but he says it's a convertible and it looks to me like a normal soft top lid.  And, you can see the release handle peeking out from the seat back.

Also, he said it's a 230.

Were shoulder belts an option on 230SL?  This can has them.  If not a period option, then perhaps the rear bench with seat belts(!) was installed when the front 3-point belts were installed.

Side note: My Italian spec 230SL, VIN 18381, has original interior and NO seat belts.  No holes in carpet where lap belts would be anchored.  I will be installing 3-point retractable belts one day.

Also, I have what I believe is a dealer installed custom trim piece on the parcel shelf.  Matching leather.

[Pawel66]

Now as rwmastel pointed the lid and the handle, it does look like a bench just fitted in the space between the soft top tub and the front seats. Since we are not aware of such option and Stick says it looks factory quality, we are puzzled. I understand it goes even for characteristic uneven discolouration of perforated and non perforated parts of the seats. Well, I think it is quite possible for a good upholsterer to do it. Also: is it possible that this bench is taken from another car, e.g. Ponton coupe or 107? I have not seen enough of those to judge that….

Here we have one (is it aftermarket?): https://www.ebay.com/itm/113924926311?_ul=IL

[stickandrudderman]

Stick said "It’s a contoured rear bench seat on a convertible, not a cabriolet."  I'm not sure what he means by cabriolet with regards to a w113, but he says it's a convertible and it looks to me like a normal soft top lid. 

My mistake now corrected in the original post.

[Rahul]

That bench looks great! On a (slight) tangent, can the R107 benches in Pawel's link be retrofitted to the W113?

[Kat]

It’s a W113042. First registered September 1964. The rear seatbelts were added in 2014.

[Raymond]

Okay.  I stand corrected.  It's a convertible.  So, that must be an aftermarket installation.  My Coupe seat bottom is longer, the back is taller and there is still a small storage space behind the seat.  In either case, the only folks who can comfortably sit facing forward must be Leprechauns.

[DaveB]

It looks too good not to be a factory job, or at least a period build using factory materials.
I wonder if it has any chalk numbers on the internal parts? But that would require dismantling to find out, not recommended.
I don’t think it’s a transplanted/customised W110/111 bench seat because they look different…but it could be, that would at least explain the identical materials.
Maybe the first owner just had to have a family-friendly 230SL and made it happen somehow.

[rwmastel]

It’s a W113042. First registered September 1964. The rear seatbelts were added in 2014.

Hi Kat.  Are you the owner?