Is this owners tag significant?

[MichaelB.]

I like finding things like this for sure... But I wondered how comon it actually was. My car has it tucked in the back of the service manual. Is that where yours is?



Of course this dog tag plate lists the original owners information etc for service visit convenience (or so it says).  Anyone else have one?

[Bob G ✝︎]

Michael:

I have the same warranty book with stamps for serve along with the metal plate that was use to imprint the owners information on the dealer work orders. Yes these are highly valued items that can help the next owners of any classic Mercedes-Benz. And yes it is hard to get good mechanics to work on these car with out scratching the paint and digging their heals in to the carpet. I wish I lived back east were all my good  friends who know these cars are. in California it is just a Mercedes nothing more no history no one  cares. So sad.

Bob Geco

[MichaelB.]

Hey that's very cool. I figured things like this plate would have been long since lost. I have come to expect books & records with collector cars but the original metal plate was a real bonus find for me.

I would bet that if I took this into the dealership they would have no clue what to do with it  (the car or the plate!)

[awolff280sl]

So true. And in Germany, where they may have more experience with our cars, Gernold mentioned that the dealerships/mechanics are declining to work on these cars because their owners are "too demanding".

[MichaelB.]

So true. And in Germany, where they may have more experience with our cars, Gernold mentioned that the dealerships/mechanics are declining to work on these cars because their owners are "too demanding".

Holy Moly! Too demanding? Like the Pagoda owner wants them to use a fender cover when they work on it? Or keep the floor mat clean when the tech gets in & out? I hope its nothing like that...

[Douglas]

...dealerships/mechanics are declining to work on these cars because their owners are "too demanding".

That's a pretty amazing thought: the dealers don't know what they're doing with these old cars and it's the owners who are "too demanding." What a world we live in, eh?

[Bob G ✝︎]

Mr. michael Benet:

Did you send me the picture of the 230SL soft  top label? I tried to contact  you three times and it keeps bounding my emails back. if you right & correct  person please call me or leave me your phone number where I can reach you. Your picture was right in the pickel barrel right on! I want to talk with you further if you are the correct person who sent me the  picture.
Bob Geco
krwaxbz@yahoo.com
310-839-8337 cell on during the day.
Thanks so very much!! I owe you !

[49er]

Here's mine. Address has changed but the name the same:-)

John

[badali]

The data plate in my 4.5 sedan came in a card.  I don't have the one for my 230 SL.

[tobacco]

This warranty plate isn't particularly interesting except that the name on it, like John's above, is my own.  The "SE" at the end of my first name was indicating that I was a Second Lieutenant at the time.

And if you can make out the date, you'll see I celebrated my 40th anniversary with this car yesterday.

[49er]

This warranty plate isn't particularly interesting except that the name on it, like John's above, is my own.  The "SE" at the end of my first name was indicating that I was a Second Lieutenant at the time.

And if you can make out the date, you'll see I celebrated my 40th anniversary with this car yesterday.

Hello "Tobacco". Congratulations on the 40th anniversary of owning your 280SL. Quite an achievement and shows our good sense in buying these cars back then when they were only around $7000. 
 We will celebrating #43 this September 18for ours. Have you posted any pictures of your car?

John

[tobacco]

Hello "Tobacco". Congratulations on the 40th anniversary of owning your 280SL. Quite an achievement and shows our good sense in buying these cars back then when they were only around $7000. 
 We will celebrating #43 this September 18for ours. Have you posted any pictures of your car?

John

John, send me an email to the address in my Profile and we can compare notes.  You're located just down the road from Mather AFB where I was stationed and von Housens Motors where I purchased my car in 1971.  You have a California black-plate, I see, and I'm allowed in Illinois to display my original California blue-plate.  There appear to be a half-dozen or so original owners on this site -- I wonder if we should request an ad-hoc group to address some of the originality questions that pop up about Pagodas here.  One of them might be that, no, the car wasn't referred to as a Pagoda in the U.S. until years after it had gone out of production.
 

[Garry]

Bill,

It might'nt have been refered to as the Pagoda model in the USA until after it had gone out of production but it certainly was known for its 'pagoda roof' for the rest of the world from very early days of production.

 Maybe the US was a bit slow on the uptake?

Garry

[49er]

I have to agree with Bill. I never recall anyone referring to the SL's as a "Pagoda" either, just 230, 250, or 280SL.

John

[mbzse]

Please note that Daimler-Benz never referred to this "Pagoda" designation for the W113 series - it was never official from the factory. The name came to after the launch of the W113 car in Geneva in March 1963, among motor journalists
/Hans in Sweden

It might'nt have been refered to as the Pagoda model in the USA until after it had gone out of production but it certainly was known for its 'pagoda roof' for the rest of the world from very early days of production.  Maybe the US was a bit slow on the uptake?

[Garry]

Hans

I agree with you, Benz has never referred to it as the Pagoda. I had a UK article that I am not able to locate at the moment that was written up around 64/65 and the journo's were already referring to the 'pagoda roof'.  I must do some more research on Newspaper articles and reviews to see it I can find more referenced to the roof.

[Sirasila]

On this official Mercedes Benz 230SL introduction film which demonstates all of the new model's features, it clearly said "the characteristic roof design resembling a pagoda is not a fashion feature, but has a functional purpose" around 7 and a half minutes into the film. 
Here is a link to the film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIuo82fubVA

[49er]

Hans

I agree with you, Benz has never referred to it as the Pagoda. I had a UK article that I am not able to locate at the moment that was written up around 64/65 and the journo's were already referring to the 'pagoda roof'.  I must do some more research on Newspaper articles and reviews to see it I can find more referenced to the roof.

I have a copy of a 1965 issue of Car and Driver that has a road test of a 230SL and here is a quote " Many people have laughed at the "Pagoda" roof of the hardtop. Ho, ho, ho. We've rarely driven a car with such magnificent, panoramic visibility."

John

[Jordan]

A May 1963 issue of Road & Track also refers to the "pagoda roof".  Article says the roof design was patented in 1956. 

[douglas dees]

Hello "Tobacco". Congratulations on the 40th anniversary of owning your 280SL. Quite an achievement and shows our good sense in buying these cars back then when they were only around $7000. 
 We will celebrating #43 this September 18for ours. Have you posted any pictures of your car?

John

John: you have a wonderful car with great memories. It was great visiting you with my sister linda from Camino
happy easter
Doug Dees

[49er]

John: you have a wonderful car with great memories. It was great visiting you with my sister linda from Camino
happy easter
Doug Dees

Hi Doug,
 Happy Easter to you as well. Got my car back from Ernie a couple of days ago and I can now say, it is good as new. Had all the suspension rubber replaced, new shocks, steering components, motor and subframe mounts, etc. Just in time for some nice drives this spring. I imagine your sister is glad to see some warm weather coming after all the snow she has had this year!

Besure to stop by if you are ever out this way again,

John