Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: johnshenry on October 21, 2009, 14:30:32

Title: How to tell year/month?
Post by: johnshenry on October 21, 2009, 14:30:32: Hi group, newbie here in the process of purchasing a 113.

I am trying to find out the year/month of manufacture. Does this plate have this information:

(http://www.sl113.org/wiki/uploads/DataCard/BP4.jpg)

Or is it only from the VIN tag?

I have these numbers from the car I am looking at (this pic from the tech manual here), and I understand the last 5 digits are the body number, but is the VIN data on this tag such that I could find the month of manufacture in this table:

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/DataCard/USModelYear

???

Thanks.. many more Qs to come I'm sure
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: al_lieffring on October 21, 2009, 14:58:14: The table you found in the Tech Manual section shows the last 6 numbers of the VIN The 113 044 12 on the chassis tag tells us that the car is a 280 sl with left hand steering and automatic transmission, The VIN tag is on the left window post and the 6 digits that you are looking for start after the #12.
The color codes on the tag indicate the car is light blue metalic with a dark blue hard top and hubcaps.
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: johnshenry on October 21, 2009, 15:27:39: Thanks Al.

So the VIN digits needed to tell manuf month are on the VIN tag/windshield post and not on the body tag shown in the pic, right?
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: Douglas on October 21, 2009, 23:17:33: Check the driver-side door threshold for a black & silver plate that's stamped with the manufacture date on the top right corner. That's one way. The other way is to cross-check the VIN against the chart in the database on this site that correlates serial numbers with production dates by month.
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: louie2 on October 22, 2009, 03:02:31: The body number will also allow you to determine if hood and top go with car. The body number is stamped on underside of hood and on top below rear window.
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: johnshenry on October 23, 2009, 02:39:05: Quote from: louie2 on October 22, 2009, 03:02:31
The body number will also allow you to determine if hood and top go with car. The body number is stamped on underside of hood and on top below rear window.

I presume you mean the hardtop, right??
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: johnshenry on October 27, 2009, 01:04:47: The engine number on this 280 I am looking is (if I am making the numbers out correctly): 130-983-12-004209

I am pretty sure it is original to the car. Is there a list that correlates the engine number sequence number (004209) to a month/year? The vin sequence number is 006598 and that seems to be a Nov '68 manufacture.

TIA

JH
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: Anfinn on October 27, 2009, 13:43:04: The data-card from MB contains the Motor number and would confirm if it is original.

Looking at the difference in VIN and motor number to what is on the data-card of my car (October 1970 manufacture),
I have abt. 15000 higher VIN number, but only abt. 10000 higher engine no.

I don't know why there is a difference....
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: johnshenry on October 28, 2009, 16:14:24: Can you mail MB and get new data cards for a card whose card has been lost?
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: Anfinn on October 28, 2009, 17:03:54: You have to provide proof of ownership of the car to get a copy.

I am not sure if electronic copies are accepted. See the thread on Data card

I sent mine snail-mail.
Title: Re: How to tell year/month?
Post by: 66andBlue on October 28, 2009, 17:51:52: Call Tom Hanson at the Classic Center and he'll get you a replacement.
See: http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=10991.msg73997#msg73997