New member introductions

[Jonny B]

Bill
Yes, let me add my welcome.

And with some of the background you listed, if you have any ideas for an article (or two) for Pagoda World, I am always on the look out for those.

Good luck in your quest!

[suavemechanic]

Hi guys ! my name is Paulo and I live in country Victoria , Australia
I have the task of restoring a pagoda for the owner
still remember the first one i saw and fell in love with the roof line
thanks for the information !

[ja17]

Welcome Bill !  My first car when I was 16 ears old (back in 1966) was a 1955 190SL.  I drove the car everyday for about 15 years. You'll find the W113 cars very drivable by today's standards. Good wipers, heater, fuel injection, disc brakes etc. Good luck on  your quest.

ja17

[Alex e]

Hi all, I recently joined your excellent site, having also recently bought a 230 SL....Having done my apprenticeship with Mercedes starting in 1970 I worked on and drove many Pagodas, and always thought they were special. However I joined BMW a few years later and have been a BMW person since. I always had a thing about the Padodas and I did buy a 230 SL restoration project back in the 1990`s but never had the time to do it and so it was sold. But finally I have now bought one in the USA which seems to be a very nice car but I have yet to see it in the flesh....so I hope it is. The original colour was dark blue with red leather which is exactly what I would have chosen had I bought a new one all those years ago. Compared with the classic BMW scene life looks easier with the Mercedes. Your site contains so much information, and the availability of parts seems to be very good.
  I look forward to researching the history of my car when it arrives, interestingly among the documents is a factory stamped steel plate containing the engine and gearbox number, paint codes, and surprisingly the name and address of the first owner ! Was this normal ? It will certainly help to start my research.....Regards Alex.

[Mike Hughes]

  I look forward to researching the history of my car when it arrives, interestingly among the documents is a factory stamped steel plate containing the engine and gearbox number, paint codes, and surprisingly the name and address of the first owner ! Was this normal ? It will certainly help to start my research.....Regards Alex.

Welcome, Alex!  Yes the steel plate was normal and its presence among the documents you have seen may be some evidence that the custodians of your new 230SL over the years made a good faith effort to preserve the car and its history.  We all look forward to hearing more about your Pagoda once you receive it.

[neelyrc]

Welcome to the group Alex.  We are looking forward to hearing more about your 230SL when you have it home in England.   

Some more on the metal plate here:

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=27645.msg198700#msg198700

[Alex e]

Interesting to read about people being upset at having to pay $150 to Mercedes for the Data Card info, I know many BMW owners who would gladly part with much more to get such production history for their cars.
 All they can tell you is the exterior colour, date it was built and supplying dealer ! Really NOTHING else....so it is not so bad....Alex

[mchoi]

Hello everyone,

I'm a new member and owner of a US 1970 280SL.  Not a full member yet, but will be shortly.

For those interested, here's the story of how I got the car:
I met the owner of a restaurant that I frequented (it's situated on his farm).  At some point, he started building an expansion to it and I stopped by one weekend to chat with him.  He told me that he needed some extra money to finish the expansion and was thinking about selling some of his farm equipment or maybe his old car.  As a car fanatic, I asked to see it and he led me to a barn on the property.
The 280 was partially covered by a tarp and sat just inside the door of the barn.  I saw the hood peeking out from under the tarp and had a good feeling...  I swear he pulled off the tarp in slow motion.  Probably like the rest of you, I fell in love with the car immediately.
He offered me a ride and we drove around town for a bit.  When we got back, I told him that if he wanted to sell it, I'd buy it.  And now, I'm the proud owner of a 1970 280SL.

The farmer was the 3rd owner of the car.  It was in OK condition.  It has some rust spots and dents.   The interior and engine bay are pretty dirty.  My intention was, and still is, to restore it.

After garaging it for a year, I sent it out to a specialty restoration shop, which gave me a quote that was pretty high, so I brought it back.  Life got in the way and I'm embarrassed to say that it sat undriven and outside for several years.  This has worsened the overall condition a bit, but not drastically.

Fortunately, I have more time now and I’m in a place where I can start working on it myself.  I think I can at least do some of the mechanicals and electricals because 1…I’m young and stupid and 2…I’m an engineer.

In the next few days I’ll post a thread in the General forum and put up some pictures and write some more details about the car.  I must confess that I’m a novice at this, so I’ll need a lot of help and I think this is the right place to be asking for it.  If nothing else, at least I’ll be able to provide some comedy for you guys as a complete newbie tries to restore a car.

Anyways, this post is long enough.  Thanks for reading and thanks for having me!  I'm happy to be a part of this group.

[Mike Hughes]

Welcome and the best of luck with your old/new project! 

It sounds like it must have been a good runner when you first acquired it, so I might recommend getting it safely running and driving first so you can enjoy it a little bit and get a good sense of it's overall mechanical and operational condition first before you start improving it.  That way you may be able to avoid spending time and money on what's sound and concentrate your expenditures on necessary improvements.

However you decide to proceed you will find a wealth of advice and encouragement here.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Welcome Mchoi,

You certainly came to the right place and help is just around the corner. Once you become a full member you will have access to the full site and something everyone can afford at $30-/year (about 0.09 cents per day). Access to many issues have been carefully prepared by members of this site over the years. In the meantime you can make good use of the Search function of the site, for many issues have been discussed in the past.

I see you like to start a thread about your car, may I recommend to add photos along with your questions. It would be a great way to communicate or ask a question.

Good Luck and we look forward to your barn find photos and questions, to bad you had to store it outside for a few years. That is not what cars like as you I am sure know don’t like. I am sure once you start to tackle the issues one by one you will overcome them all. Being a engineer I am sure you will let others do the job to get the job done.

Best,

Dieter

[neelyrc]

Welcome to the Forum mchoi.  As Dieter says you have come to the right place.  We look forward to reading the posts on your car.  Be sure to record your starting point with a lot of photographs.  You can post as many as you like here, four at a time.  You didn't mention if your car is still in running condition after the outdoor storage.  If it has been completely idle outdoors for a few years you might want to seek some advise and discuss precautions here before trying to start it.

Again welcome!

[Jonny B]

Welcome!

Glad to see another Pagoda getting prepped to be on the road again.

There is a lot of information on the website and many people ready to help.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the Search functionality. You can learn a lot about specific items by poking around with the search feature. Be sure to use the one in the string of items starting with "Home" on the left. The search at the top, just under the group logo, will only search on the forum you are reading. The main search will review all areas of the forums.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Open this link ——> https://www.sl113.org/wiki/uploads/Restricted/PNv13i1.pdf

It provides a detail write up by Jon B. On our search function, scroll down and you will find it. Our search is a very powerful tool.

Dieter

[NotRed]

Hello all. Just joined and looking forward to starting my Pagoda quest. Have to admit I know very little on Pagodas but I can see that your site will help me tremendously on finding the right car. My garage has seen a mix of French, British, Italian and German vintage sports and rally cars over the past 40 years. The exception being a 2CV Fourgonette! I can see that a stick 230SL would appeal most, but living with traffic gridlock and a wife to appease in a major urban area is pushing me to go for an automatic. The 250SL is intriguing as it would sit in the same spot as my 1961 250 GT which will have to go. I really like dark brown and ivory as colours and would prefer to find a fully restored, former #1 car that has matured/worn to the point where I can drive it on long tours and not panic about it being left outside. Let the quest begin...
Campbell

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Campbell,

First welcome to our truly International Group of the Pagoda SL Group. Also thanks for your PM, I will reply here to your question. You may have come across this thread ....

Here ——> https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=28676.0

One of our long time Members Dan Caron (Benz Dr.), is planning to arrange in August on the 24 and 25 a get together of several Pagoda owners at his shop and residence. He will be providing details soon so I recommend you keep an eye out for Dan’s thread. Dan’s Shop is near the Detroit border near Port Lampton Ontario. He is planing this event the weekend of August 24 and 25, 2019. When you read tru the above thread you will note that several Members have already shown there interest to attend. There will be some very knowledgeable long time Members there like for example our Joe Alexander from Ohio, wherevhe g=has a shop working on Pagodas for some 35 plus years, our site VP and international Membership Director (Garry) also our new Membership Director (Hugh) for North America, Hugh is a new Member like yourself and found his Pagoda last year. Garry will drop by on Dan’s Event all the way from Australia after his planned trip to California with his Pagoda then travel all the way to Ontario to attend the event at Dan’s Benz Barn (Shop). He will then drive down to Virginia and ship his car to California to attend the PagodaFest event. Between Joe and Garry there are a combined 70 plus years of very valuable experience you can find in one spot should you decide to drop by Dan Caron’s August event.

Anyway, Dan’s Shop is only a 3 hour drive from Toronto so my suggestion would be to attend the event and speak to some of the Members as well as check out our Technical Manual, there you will find a wealth of experience that Members have devoted a lot of time from the past as well as of reasoned years to help everyone. One article (unless you already saw it) is the “Pre Purchase” Check List it lists all of the important points to look for when seeking the car of your dreams. You obviously have most of this knowledge since you mentioned that several fine cars have been in your garage over the past 40 years.

Also, here in London, On. There is a “Country Cruse” event on Steve Plunket’s Golf Course and Residence. It takes place on the first weekend in June. Last year nearly 3,000 cars attended (mostly American cars, some European) over the weekend. Steve then makes his site available every Thursday for local Old-timer cars to meet. Once Dan makes his official announcements and provides details of his event I will try to get interested parties together to meet here in London at a Tim Hortons on Thursday 22, we may then arrange a drive on Friday August 23 before making our way to Dan’s place for a “Great and Meet get together”

Link to Steve’s June Event is here also you will see a get together I arranged for Hugh to meet Dan in this thread on one of Steve’s charity Thursday evenings events (herald every Thursday in the Summer ....

Here ——> https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=27556.0

My recommendations are a) this site is one where you can find most of what you are looking for b) purchase a good driver and one you can enjoy driving by this I mean get the best you can afford and c) as the years pass work on or improve items that need to be attended to by yourself or others. It is important that you enjoy the car and not have it sitting in a garage for years to get in the shape you like it to be unless that is what you like to do.

Best Wishes in you Search to find the car you seek.

Cheers,

Dieter

[jb280sl]

Hello. I recently purchased a 1969 280SL, ivory over dark brown, with dark brown pagoda top. Automatic trans. 65,000 miles. Very nice car. I am looking to learn more about it and have been told that this is the place to be. I am going to post a few questions today.
Jim Bowersox
Annapolis, MD

[Mike Hughes]

Welcome John!  There are a number of Pagoda owners spread around the Washington/Baltimore area.  Post some pictures of your new baby when you get a chance.  I'm kind of fond of brown Pagodas myself and it sounds like yours may be Tobacco Brown!

[Hugh]

Campbell, How is your 250SL search going? I have one & really enjoy it! I saw you said you have a 1961 250 GT & it has to go. Is it the Ferrari California model you have? They are quite rare! Good luck, Hugh

[NotRed]

Funny you should ask Hugh - I'm leaving in the morning to see a 280 SL and a 230SL in eastern Ont - no luck with a 250 yet. and...
Not a Cal Spyder or ( SWB - my favourite car along with the Blue Train Bentley) but a special GT/E Coupe with one-off features. BTW my NOT RED is my vanity plate on it.
C

[Hugh]

Did you buy a Pagoda? I hope your trip east was productive! H

[NotRed]

Both cars were not as described - still looking.

[Por911t4]

Im new to this forum having been a classic 'Porsche guy' for the past 20+ years and it is with great pleasure that I am able to announce that I have bought  the exceptional '66 Pagoda 230SL that belonged to the late Mike Rutledge who was a very active form member from what I see. I feel genuinely privileged to own such a special car that Mike had clearly loved and cherished for so many years. The condition, the paperwork, the story leaves me speechless and I'm so fortune to be able to take this car forward into the future. I never knew Mike but I can see from his form activity just what an enthusiastic passionate owner he was. Well and truly my kind of guy. I purchased the car from Jim and Sean his brothers who were a delighted to deal with.

Now.... to pay respect to the knowledge of the form members here, as I said earlier Im a deeply immersed Porsche enthusiast, a time served mechanic of many years ago and I own and run our family motor trade business (commercial vehicles) but Im certainly no authority on Pagodas so I plan to build up my knowledge here on the group so please excuse any questions that may seem odd or unusual !

So here I'm … Barry Clarkson based in Glasgow, Scotland UK. Rest in peace Mike Rutledge, your legacy lives on .

[Jonny B]

Welcome to the forum!

There are a couple of Scottish members, so reach out to them on the forum. Good to meet up with people, another big part of  owning an cool old car!

[Por911t4]

Ah great to hear there are some fellow Scots here on the forum . Meeting enthusiastic fellow owners is what it’s all about . Loving the support and enthusiasm here within the group. Great to hear from you . Thanks Barry

[ghenne]

Hey Campbell,

I remember seeing NOT RED at many events with you!

I've had my Pagoda for 42 years. It's in pretty good shape. PM me if you want to drop by and have a look at it and take it for a drive!

George