Ashtray types - early vs.late

[egggplant]

Hello:

My early 250SL is missing the ashtray but I'm confused as to which ashtray goes with the early 250SL.  Is it the flat top style shown in the first image or is it the one with the handle as shown in the bottom image?

[waqas]

I've never seen a 113 ashtray (early late whatever) with a handle. They've always been as shown in your first picture.

I see you took that second picture from the parts manual. Interesting, I've never noticed it before. Perhaps others can provide better information here.

[psmith]

I'm not sure that's really a handle.  It looks to me like the artist was trying to show a shadow to indicate the padded top is curved.

[paulr]

I don't think that the top picture is quite correct for you, I have a 280 that has a padded piece like the photo but I am sure that the 250 ashtray is flatter with the chrome being a little wider and flatter ( basic ). So I suggest that the top one is for a 280. If you stare at the bottom one  and imagine the top to be flat, that is more like a 250 one although the "padding" does still look a little mean.

[114015]

Hello Eggplant,

Too difficult to answer. The parts number for the ashtray, 1138100030, never changed throughout the production run.

However, there are many little details which changed over the years.
And yes, there was a more "flat style" of the lid. I have observed that one only on original 1964 cars. Later those seemed to be changed into the shape that is still available today.

Other changes are the spring for the lid, the addition of the GHE manufacturer imprint ... The grain of the padding clearly changed several times over the years.
If you open the lid and look at its inner surface, some have flat chrome (i.e. brushed) others are polished.

Recently I found and old (and rusty) ashtray without lid which has clearly different openings (for the ashes), these are smaller!

I am still doing research on this...

For your case (250 SL) I would go with what you can find today, don't become crazy on these little differences.
If you want to do it exactly you have to look at the real survivors like John's ("The Lews") red 250 or the light blue late 250 firstownercar of "Van White". The latter was posted a couple of years ago, I believe it was still on the Yahoo site. Most pics of that car are from the completely authentic engine bay. I have to look whether interior pics were posted too but I doubt.
I recommend: John (Lewenauer)'s.

Best,
Achim

(no SL but parts & ashtray collector)

[Joe]

The picture of the second ashtray cover was taken from the SLS site,
http://www.sls-hh-catalogue.de/bin/dbframes.phtml?mid=IN02
Joe

[Eryck]

Don't think that's a handle but rather, as psmith stated, it's a shadow!

[suzy]

the ashtray in my 250 looks exactly like the top picture (i think Eryk is correct--it's a shadow in the drawing, not a handle.

[stassenk]

I think the leather ontop of the ashtray must be black for all 230SL, 250SL and maybe some early 280SL's. It's only the later 280SL's that was the same colour as the rest of the interior. Maybe Jaco v/d Walt can help out here. I bought my Pagoda without an ashtray and bought a new reproduction from Millers and only black is available.

Download Attachment: 113 ashtray.jpg
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Download Attachment: Pagoda asbak1_resize.jpg
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[waqas]

quote:Originally posted by stassenk

I think the leather ontop of the ashtray must be black for all 230SL, 250SL and maybe some early 280SL's. It's only the later 280SL's that was the same colour as the rest of the interior. Maybe Jaco v/d Walt can help out here. I bought my Pagoda without an ashtray and bought a new reproduction from Millers and only black is available.

Not true. Mine is original and matches my natural leather interior (210).

Current availability does not necessarily reflect original configuration. There are some items now only available in a given colour (door sill rubber comes to mind).

[jacovdw]

For the 230SL's up to chassis no 012466 the window crank inserts, ashtray lid and passenger door grab handle is black.

From chassis no 012467 (including 250 and 280SL's) these parts match the interior colour.

Achim posted the information with reference to the grab handles here:

http://index.php?topic=5031

[Jkalplus1]

there are many little details which changed over the years.
And yes, there was a more "flat style" of the lid. I have observed that one only on original 1964 cars. Later those seemed to be changed into the shape that is still available today.

I found the original ashtray cover lid in my parts bin.  The restored cover currently in the car has padding and blue leather to match the interior.  I thought the original was a "homemade" lid cover since the vinyl pattern has lines (like a hide) as opposed to little bumps over the top like we see in available new ashtrays today, and had no padding at all.

Based on what I read above, it seems this flat "MB-Tex with no padding" is right for 1964 230SLs...Can anyone with a similar car confirm, before I take the old MB-Tex from the old lid and put it on the nice new chromed lid?  Many thanks!

[KevinC]

The lid on my car's ashtray seems to have no padding at all...

[Jkalplus1]

Thanks, this is very useful.  I also see on your picture that you seem to have the flat style chrome lip that goes over the MB Tex on the ashtray lid.  Can you confirm your MB-Tex is actually embossed so that it appears to be flattened along the outer rim where the Tex meets the chrome rim?  I am trying to determine whether my MB Tex is worthless aftermarket or the original -and restorable- Tex that I want to install in the car to replace the incorrect aftermarket blue leather.

My MB Tex is glued to the lid, there is zero padding behind, it has no yield at all when you push down on it.  And where the Tex meets the chrome it is not embossed like it seems to be on yours.

Thanks

Jerome

[49er]

Not sure if the 280SL's had a different type of padded lid or not but here are a few photos of mine (Cognac MB Tex).

John

[KevinC]

Thanks, this is very useful.  I also see on your picture that you seem to have the flat style chrome lip that goes over the MB Tex on the ashtray lid.  Can you confirm your MB-Tex is actually embossed so that it appears to be flattened along the outer rim where the Tex meets the chrome rim?  I am trying to determine whether my MB Tex is worthless aftermarket or the original -and restorable- Tex that I want to install in the car to replace the incorrect aftermarket blue leather.

My MB Tex is glued to the lid, there is zero padding behind, it has no yield at all when you push down on it.  And where the Tex meets the chrome it is not embossed like it seems to be on yours.

Thanks

Jerome

Jerome,

My guess is that the pressure that must have been applied to the chrome trim to keep it in place has actually squeezed the vinyl to such a degree it formed an impression on its own. While it actually appears to be padded, it feels that there may be just a second thin but stiffer layer of something even like cardboard underneath. When depressed, there may be about an 1/8" of "give".  That said, it could have been glued down more tightly originally and the glue is just given up!

[Jkalplus1]

My guess is that the pressure that must have been applied to the chrome trim to keep it in place has actually squeezed the vinyl to such a degree it formed an impression on its own. While it actually appears to be padded, it feels that there may be just a second thin but stiffer layer of something even like cardboard underneath. When depressed, there may be about an 1/8" of "give".  That said, it could have been glued down more tightly originally and the glue is just given up!

Thanks Kevin,
that's exactly what I thought from looking at your picture, it did seem there was more than just the actual vinyl layer there.  I add a small piece of super thin foam underneath.  That is the confirmation I was missing, and I thank you very much!

[thelews]

Early 250 original ashtray and interior.

[Jkalplus1]

Thanks John, I see your ashtray lid has the padded TEX and rounded lid edge...where Kevin's (also a '67 car) has the flat lid edge.
The lid on my 64 is flat, and what I believe to be the original TEX is glued on it with no padding...I'll post pictures once it is installed on the new flat edge lid.

And I don't even smoke anymore!