Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: ryanpe56 on July 20, 2023, 13:52:37
-
I am getting started on a 1971 280SL that has been in a barn for 15 yrs. It's all there but needs a ton of parts to get it to the point where I'd be comfortable turning the key. What is my best parts source to get engine and fuel related components from? I was initially looking at Autohaus AZ.
-
Welcome to the group.
For "regular parts" related to maintenance, I like below or pelican Parts.
https://www.rmeuropean.com/Make/Mercedes-Benz/1966/230SL-Base-113042-23L-L6.aspx?catalogID=001
For more specific parts, we have a vendor list in our tech manual.
Shopping around and comparing will help you with the pricing.
-
Autohaus AZ is great for mechanical parts
-
Welcome to the forum! AutohausAG is just one of many parts suppliers. As indicated an extensive list is in the technical manual.
As you are starting on a long process to bring your 280SL back to life, I would highly recommend you join the group as a full member. It will be the best $30 you can spend on your new find. This will give you full access to the extensive manual. Many questions that come up will be answered there for you in detail.
You will find members here very receptive to helping with problems you encounter. We would also be interested in hearing about how you found your Pagoda. We look forward to following your revival adventure. Please keep us posted on your progress.
-
Yes, indeed - welcome to the forum.
I will echo Ralph's comment about joining up as a full member. That is by far the best money you can spend for your Pagoda. Access to the tech manual is priceless.
Also, I highly recommend you become familiar with the Search functionality on the site. This is the fourth from the left in the string of items starting with "Home". Most all questions about the car have been asked/discussed, so a bit of poking around is well worth the effort.
If you join as a full member you get access to past Pagoda Notes (if you check the listing there are two issues that deal with the search function), and, twice a year, a copy of our magazine Pagoda World.
Good luck on your Pagoda journey!
-
Welcome Ryan.
You will love the work.
Mike Mizesko
President
-
Ryan,
Welcome--and I echo all the others. Join as a full member...for all the reasons noted.
There is most definitely NOT one place to consider "the best" to get parts from.
I was where you were in 1999. Car had been sitting since 1985. I knew nothing much about the model, and little about the parts suppliers. So I joined the MBCA (far more active then than now); made friends (invaluable) with fellow members, found the old Yahoo! forums which in short order became this forum and the club.
I have bought parts from darn near everyone who is in our vendor list, and went searching for a bunch at that time who today are no longer in existence. At that time definitely the most useful parts suppliers for me were Caliber Motors in Anaheim CA (which became Mercedes-Benz of Anaheim Hills); there was a guy there named Tom Hanson who later went to the Classic Center when they started up. He was a wealth of help. (Tom has since retired from the Classic Center, and the Classic Center moved from Irvine to Long Beach) In addition, I cannot say enough nice things about Mike Ochoa at Miller's Mercedes. Mr. Miller retired, sold the company to a husband/wife team, are now headquartered in Phoenix, but last I heard Mike Ochoa was still there.
What separated these two vendors from the rest (some at the time, who are now gone, were so arrogant as to not return phone calls or emails) is that they were exceedingly helpful at that time to help a newbie who didn't know what he was buying. So when I said I wanted to do X, and to do that I think I need A, B and C, they would say you also need D, E, F, and while you are at it, you may as well choose to do Y, and for that you'll need G, H, and I. In other words, they were visualizing what my goal was and ensuring I had all the parts I needed and also replaced or restored other parts "in the way" of getting to what I needed. Now that's a great vendor.
But if you look at our vendor list we have a LOT of fine vendors that help us all to keep these cars running...
-
Welcome Ryan,
I want to echo Michael's advice and the rest of those who replied by saying there are many sources for parts. Join as a full member. This is the best automotive forum on the planet. The W113's are so very expensive to restore. Parts can be very costly. I've owned many Pagodas and even found some very hard to find parts on Ebay Motors.
Best of luck Ryan,
John
-
Ditto to what others have said. Joining this group opens you up to a knowledge base that is immeasurably vast. Members are very willing to share their experiences with you and genuinely seem happy to help! You might just make a few friends along the way too.
As for searching for parts, I’m a firm believer in OEM if they are still available. Yeah they can be more expensive, but their quality and fit are in many cases just superior. That said, some OEM parts are no longer available… and either the secondary market or reproductions will be your only choice. I personally have used the Classic Center, Authentic, Vintage Euro, eBay, Pelican Parts, Budz, Niemoller, Konig Klassik, and a few more. Each has provided me with excellent parts and service.
-
Just to note that OP has upgraded to full membership.