US vs Euro 230SL

[Jordan]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

I have a 1966 230SL, just purchased this fall, whose first owner bought it in Germany but only kept it for two years.  The body and paint plate under the hood shows a "2" at the end of the second line indicating it is a "german" car and as such assume it was a Euro version car when originally built.  The second owner brought the car to the US, which I understand from various threads, would have required the head lights to have been changed.  The speedometer also must have been changed because it is in mph.  Most of the threads comparing US and Euro versions deal with the 280SL.  As mine is a 230, would anyone know what else would have had to have been changed or what else would have been different between the two versions.  I do not have the data card and MB in Stuttgart tells me it is illegible so I am stuck.  I would like to eventually, over the next number of years, return the car back to its original condition, such as the headlights and speedometer but I do not know what else I need to look at. 

Any help from the members would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Marcus

[dtuttle123]

Marcus - I'll take a stab at this, and ask others to join in or confirm:

The 230SL was made up until 1967, and it was midyear 1967 that the real differences started to show on the cars between the US and Euro  - specifically the later 250SL's.  The 230SL for the US and Euro should be very similar with the exception of the headlights, and the gauges.  

The 230SL didn't have headrests, bumper guards, side lights, soft door pockets (as opposed to hard pockets), blacked out rear view mirror or pollution devices.  So bringing a 230SL into the country probably only required headlight changes, and gauge changes.

Other items that I missed?

[Richard Madison]

Euro engines were fitted with a hotter camshaft that produced a few more horsepower when compared to the US version...this was true for 280SL's, not sure about 230 SL cams. Can be verified when the head is off as the two cams have different part numbers.

Data Card: might be worth a call to the MB Classic Center in California to ask about the data card...it is possible they may use a different database with a legible card.

Richard M, NYC driving a Euro version with a hotter cam

[ja17]

Hello Richard,

I believe the 230SLs had no emission add-ons.  They used the same camshaft configurations.  In addition the early USA 280SLs were also fitted the same cams as the euro cars.

[114015]

Hello Marcus,

There are no differences between US and Euro - 230 SLs other than instruments (water thermometer, oil pressure gauge and speedo), headlights and stickers, the latter being language-specific as well. Other than that the cars are identical. There is definitely no difference on the engines.

However, several sources name the rear axle ratio but others do not. Personally, I cannot confirm this. Euro 230ies always had the 3.75 rear end whereas US (or later US) 230ies had a 4.08 rear end instead of 3.75 for better acceleration.
But that's about it.

Best,
Achim

[J. Huber]

You know, I believe Achim and Joe's statements about the engines being identical, while credible to the hilt, do go against earlier notions. I am sure I had heard the "euro cam" idea before and always believed it true. Since mine is a replacement engine, I cannot say the news makes much difference to me anyway but wanted to mention it..

[114015]

Ah James, no, I disagree here.

Although I am sadly more into cosmetical details & differences on our cars than on the technical side (I am not a technical guy by education), these technical differences do draw my attention very much.

Furthermore, it is fun to have the different single engine pieces in your hands (pistons, crank, valves, gears, etc.) - especially during assembly. It is no fun, however, if you're tinkering around with broken parts like cylinder heads or so - this does not belong to my top 100.

Anyway, as to the cams, there were only two cams produced for the M127 II (230 engine):
the early hollow version (A180 051 70 01)
and the late solid version (A180 051 84 01).

Both have the basically the identical cam dimensions and are regarded as "hot" cams.
This does (and did) not prevent shade tree mechanics from using any other sedan's cams as replacement - those do fit.

Please refer also to http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=11908.0

I am sure I had heard the "euro cam" idea before and always believed it true.

There's definitely no US versus Euro cam on the M127II.
This is, however, the case on the M130 engines (280 SE and SL).
That's why you might have been confused here.

As a recommendation to see what you have, take off your valve cover, get a little makeup mirror and hold it behind the rear end of the camshaft (it's tight there in the car). You should be able to read the number which is stamped in from behind and reflects the 7th and 8th digits in the spare part number of the cam, here: "70" or "84".

Since you have got a replacement engine you might already have the 84 01 camshaft.

Best,
Achim

[Jordan]

Well, now having read numerous threads from other sections I can add a few items, I think, that are different between the US and Euro version:

The chrome horn ring is polished on the Euro version (matt finish on the US).
The arm of the rear view mirror is polished chrome on Euro version (again matt finish on US).  These are both for safety reasons apparently (don't get the sun shining in your eyes).  The early 230SL's may have had polished chrome for the US and were changed later?
The map pocket is hard on Euro version, soft on US?    Some threads suggest this but can't get confirmation anywhere.
Other items have already been identified above.
Any others?

[Richard Madison]

Our Tech Manual has a section on Euro and US version cars with more information. Anyone can edit the article.

Richard M, NYC

[Ulf]

My 230 SL was originally purchased in Germany (probably by an expat, maybe military) and exported privately to San Diego and then back to Europe in 2002. The only difference that I can spot is the adding of a warning flasher underneath the dash - but neither the headlights nor the km/h-gauges have been touched since it left Germany...

[Miloslav Maun]

Ulf,
The hazzard light switch was standard AFAIK for 230 SL in 1966. In my previous pagoda from 1965, US delivery, the switch was absent.
My German delivery Pagoda from 1966 has it and it seems to be factory original.

[Jordan]

Ulf and Muf, mine is a 66 and I have two switches under the drivers side dash (around knee level I guess).  One is a small metal toggle switch which I think may be the hazards.  The other one the previous owner did not know but thought that it might have been for an air horn of some type but was disconnected.  I haven't followed the wiring to see where it goes yet.  Do you have a picture of your hazard switch.  My car is in a few pieces right now so I can't check it but it would be nice to knoe before I start putting the pieces back together.  Thanks

[ja17]

Hello Jordan,

I believe all the 230SLs had the chrome high polished horn rings, wiper arms, wiper arm nuts, and interior rear view mirror. Some of the later W113 cars (280 SLs) had the matte finish.

The most obvious indicator of a euro W113 car is the metric gauges. Some models also lacked the side marker lights or reflectors.

I am not sure if the euro models kept the more durable, solid plastic heater controls ?? as opposed to the rubber and plastic units which appeared in the later W113 cars.

[Ulf]

Jordan/Muff - my warning flasher switch look very aftermarket - mine is a 65', they might have added them in 66'?
Most european cars didn't have them until the 70's - my previous 1969 Triumph TR6 (ex-UK and converted to LHD) didn't, but I used to see a lot of ex-US cars here that had it as a standard feature on the dashboard.

[Richard Madison]

I drive a fairly original Euro Version (Italy) 1969 280SL.

There is no switch for flashing warning lights.

Richard M, NYC