Trying to identify an option code

[Pawel66]

Pawel66 -

The distance from the factory to Paris is indeed 620km, and I just realized that the odometer shows miles (not kilometers.)  620 km is only 383 miles, so the journey to Paris could have occurred within the 504 miles shown at the time of service!

Well, then it is 806km he made before the first service...

Could have been Stuttgart then.

[neelyrc]

What other paperwork, if any, do you have from the original owner.  As the car was driven in Europe, there would have been a registration document, number (license) plates, insurance documents, shipping documents, etc.  My experience in 1969 was that Mercedes Benz of North America, included the cost of all these items in the selling price.  It was also my understanding that they only sold cars for factory delivery, not with options to take delivery in other European locations.

If you go to the Technical Manual on this site and look in the Pagoda Notes Section, you will find in Pagoda Notes, Volume 10 Issue No 3, of September, 2016, copies of some of the above mentioned documentation.

I suppose it is possible that a U.S. person living in Europe could have ordered a car through a local dealer for export rather than through MBNA with factory delivery.  In this case the temporary registration, plates, insurance, etc. would have been from the country where purchased.  This was prior to the existence of the European Community.

[MOliverMc]

Thanks Ralph / Neelyrc - that is very helpful perspective. 

We have great documentation from the 2nd owner through my own ownership, but we have very little from the original owner.  We have a few service records, and all of the original Mercedes-Benz booklets and data cards, but we do not have records of where it was delivered or any foreign registrations or insurance.  (If we did, I would not have so many questions about the possibility of factory delivery!)

I will go learn about the Pagoda notes that you directed me to, thank you!  With the information that we do have about the original owner, I do not think they were living in Europe at the time.  I believe the car was ordered from either New York or Connecticut..

Many Thanks!

[MikeSimon]

Let's think about this for a moment! Why would you order the car from the factory with 50L of fuel, if the car was delivered through a dealership? The dealer, back then, would most likely fill up the tank before the customer picks the car up. At most Mercedes dealerships, that was a common procedure as part of "customer service". If the customer picked up the car in Stuttgart, different story.

[neelyrc]

Mike,

Regarding the 50 liters of fuel. When I ordered my car for factory delivery, fuel was not discussed and it is not shown on the confirmation of order. Apparently for this type of factory delivery it is an “automatic”.  The factory automatically programs this code into the production on the data card, in my case 663.

I am pretty sure the car being discussed here is a factory delivery

[MikeSimon]

Ralph: My argument was trying to support the factory delivery theory also. maybe earlier, with the 230SL, the option code was different than later when you got your car.

[neelyrc]

Yes Mike, I think the 317 code was superseded by 663 and BobH got it right in his reply #1.

I hope that MOliverMc will be able to find other supporting information to satisfy himself that his car was factory delivered.

MOliverMc - You apparently have detailed knowledge about the date your friend took ownership of your Pagoda from the original purchaser, so you have a much clearer picture of your car’s history than many here have been able to establish. I hope you have gone back to your friend to ask if there might have been other documentation from the original purchaser stashed away somewhere.  Wishing you continuing enjoyment from your Pagoda ownership.  …….and, by the way, we look forward to seeing some pictures of your car!

[MOliverMc]

Thanks Gentlemen,

I believe you are both correct.  The garage that serviced the car for the original owner was also used by the following 2 owners, who are good friends of mine.  They told me that the garage owner had told them years ago that the car was a factory delivery.  I’ve only had the car for a few months and this has been my first excursion into data cards, and paint codes, etc.  It has been very enjoyable to fill in little gaps in the cars history which is pretty well documented otherwise. 

I had posted photos earlier and removed that post because I was dissatisfied with the photos I took.  I will get some better pictures that do the car justice and post them as soon as I can,

Thanks again - I really appreciate everyone’s feedback.