Radio Speaker Grille

[Rolf]

Hello All,

  I am a new member to this forum as well as a new owner of a 1966 230SL automatic. I was told that the car was in pretty good shape. It looked very nice and drove well. That was until I found out all the things that weren't correct. I didn't know this at the time. I have been slowly learning about the car. My question is, I had to change out the radio. I removed the speaker grille and found out it was held in with pins not screws. I was told the speaker grille was screwed in. Are there different types of speaker grilles or do I have one that is not correct?

Rolf
Ridgewood, NJ
1966 230 Auto
1992 300D

[sjiatrou]

Rolf:

I'm not sure when Mercedes shifted to screws in the speaker grill but pins are correct for earlier 230s.  I encountered a similar situation with my '64.  The wood was in pretty bad shape when I bought my car (in Dec 06) and I couldn't find any screws, after careful examination of the situation I was able to pry up the grill and sure enough - two pins, no screws!  I have attached a picture of the underside of my grill with the pins (and a closeup of the pin.)  

I've also attached a before-and-after shots of the grill and the bows to show you what's possible with a little care and patience.  My grill and dash wood were in pretty bad shape but with some Homer Formby's refinisher, some 0000 steel wool and a very VERY light touch I was able to refinish the pieces.  Be aware that these pieces have a very thin veneer that is easily rubbed through. Search this forum some very enlighenting experiences with the veneer and with getting the bows out (the passenger side is relatively easy, the drivers side is quite difficult.  The passenger side should have two nuts, the drivers side has three and the middle one is right about instrument cluster - it's best left to someone with very slender fingers.)

I hope this helps!

Steve

quote:Originally posted by Rolf

Hello All,

  I am a new member to this forum as well as a new owner of a 1966 230SL automatic. I was told that the car was in pretty good shape. It looked very nice and drove well. That was until I found out all the things that weren't correct. I didn't know this at the time. I have been slowly learning about the car. My question is, I had to change out the radio. I removed the speaker grille and found out it was held in with pins not screws. I was told the speaker grille was screwed in. Are there different types of speaker grilles or do I have one that is not correct?

Rolf
Ridgewood, NJ
1966 230 Auto
1992 300D

Download Attachment: SpeakerGrill.jpg
47.35 KB

Download Attachment: SpeakerGrill-b-and-a.jpg
42.83 KB

Download Attachment: Bows-b-and-a.jpg
42.62 KB

Steve Iatrou
Seaside, CA
1964 230sl roadster
White (050)/Black (116)

[Rolf]

Thank you Steve. I just had to change out the speaker, it was really tired. The wood is in decent shape. I was surprised to see the pins. My car was deliverd on Sep 13, 1965, according to the data card. I don't know if mine is classified as an early 230 or not.

Rolf
Ridgewood, NJ
1966 230SL Auto
1992 300D

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by Rolf

My car was deliverd on Sep 13, 1965, according to the data card. I don't know if mine is classified as an early 230 or not.

Rolf,

Hi.  My car was built at the end of Sept. 1966 and it has screws holding the wood radio grille down.

Regarding the classification of what year to call your car.
 - Europe, and I suppose most of the World, went by the date of production.  My car is titled as a '66 because it was originally sold in Italy.
 - USA models went by their own method.  I'm not sure of the date, but I think if it was built after July 1(?) then it counts as the next model year.  So, if my car was shipped to the USA, it would have been a '67.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420