Data card for my 280SL manual

[Pete Franklin]

Hello all,
I recently acquired a 280SL RHD manual. Data card attached. While having an understanding of the 'fundamentals', there is much that I don't know.
So here's what I know so far:
1968 280SL
RHD
Manual (Now it's 5 speed - but I wonder if original? Was it a ZF? A replacement gearbox now in place)
Papyrus White
Roof rack
single front seats
hard top
soft top
Continental tyres

Any further help appreciated!
Regards,
Peter

[BobH]

Hello Peter, i can't see your data card attached, have another bash at attaching it

[Pete Franklin]

Trying now Bob - not sure what's up! Thanks for the heads up.

[BobH]

You've deciphered some of the codes, most of the others on line 2 are on here

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/DataCard/OptionCodes

416, 422, 461, 481, 502, 533, 598, 600, 611, 641, 681

There are some more options not shown on the link above:

471 - oil bath cleaner?
677 - tropical battery, Why?

Rarely ordered, as you said - 269 roof rack
740 - black soft top (not sure why this was rarely ordered?)
835 - Cocomats - do you still have these?

5 speed box would have been option 230, can't see this on your data card

Hope i didn't miss anything, but i probably have!

[Pete Franklin]

Very much appreciated Bob. Some unusual options to be sure, making its history all the more interesting. (Tropical battery and roof rack)
Car will undergo restoration in the coming year.
Thanks for taking the time.
Peter
PS the cocomats are no longer with the car...

[rwmastel]

The data plate screwed to the fender, near the relays in front of the brake booster, includes a code that tells us the market (country) that the car was built for.  That might help with the oil bath filter and tropical battery.  This plate is explained in our wiki, as is the data card.

[Pete Franklin]

Appreciate it - however, that plate is missing. The does need a lot of work - but glad to save it.

[BobH]

Country of delivery is on the data card, car was delivered to "NATO, Tourists, Diplomats", assume it could have been anywhere in the world, would explain some of the options

[WRe]

Hi,
The "Auftrags-Nr." or Order No. contains the dealer resp. country code as explained in box "e" of your data card.
In your case it's "84020452".
- The first digit is the last digit of the year in which the order was placed: "8" =1968
- The next three digits identify the region (if in Germany) or the country from which the order was placed: "402" = Tourists (except USA).

The Body and Paint Number Plate contains in line 3 the first 8 digits of your VIN and the first digit of the distribution code only. In att. example it's "7".
...WRe

[BobH]

Country of delivery is on the data card, car was delivered to "NATO, Tourists, Diplomats", assume it could have been anywhere in the world, would explain some of the options

WRe is correct, your car 402 would be tourists other than USA, 401 would be Nato and 403 would be Diplomats

[Pete Franklin]

Thanks all. While I am in the zone of interpreting the 280s data card, I opened my 230Sl data card. Once again a right hand drive, auto, power steering. I've reviewed many of the options. The ones I can't figure out are 472 amd 677.
Hopefully the card is attached.
Peter

[WRe]

472 oil bath air cleaner
677 tropical battery

[BobH]

That's interesting and a coincidence, both of your cars were ordered with a tropical battery.  Your 230 was delivered to the UK, so perhaps the owner intended to travel, not sure of the need for a special battery in the UK, unless they anticipated global warming in the future

[MikeSimon]

 
740 - black soft top (not sure why this was rarely ordered?)
 

Bob, I am surprised that you ask that question. The color of the soft top is always in the "seldom ordered field". Not because it is seldom ordered, but because that's the filed they picked to put it in.
The way the data card is set up, it has mostly two-digit fields with one number in it. If you try to do that for the soft-top color, all color codes would have to start with the same two digits. As that is not the case, you need a "neutral" field.

[Jordan]

Pete, it looks like your interior was originally light red mbtex with light red multiloop carpet.  Is that what you have now?

[Pete Franklin]

Yes, in relation to carpets, seats etc - Jordan - you are right - all are still in the car today (original at that!)