Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items => Topic started by: Jacks1965230sl on August 04, 2025, 03:27:34
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I’m deciding on exterior paint colors and the original is 180g silver gray. Wanted opinion if a more modern Tesla Quicksilver paint which I like would be a modernization of my 230sl.
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I'm not a fan of deviations from the original colour but sometimes a change of colour can add significant value with blue and silver seeming to offer the best return.
However, since the dash is painted in body colour, as well as the engine bay, there's a lot more work involved than simply repainting in the original colour (assuming your car still has the original colour).
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No right answer to this one as it is yours to do as you like. However since you have asked…
1) If you bought it to hold long term, not enter car shows and just enjoy, go for it as you will see it every day and hopefully love the final result.
2) If you are doing it to resell in the near 5-10 year future, don’t do it. Buyers of Pagoda’s tend to be a purist group and prices drop significantly if they are modern colours and not original Mercedes glasurit paint colours.
3) You could always consider a cheap wrap and see if you like the colour. Heck, change it every year if the original paint underneath remains original.
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Thank you stick and Dave for your experienced opinions. I think I will repaint the car the original silver gray color. It was painted by the second owner a champagne/brown/gold-ish color which I have no idea of the code. I found the paint offered by alpha automotive paints in gallon containers. Does anyone have experience with these paint maker? Also, should I keep the original blue interior color or change to a black? Thanks!
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Tesla...! sorry but not sure why you want a real car to be painted in the colour of a milk float. ;D
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Keep that blue interior! DB180 + blue interior with blue soft top is absolutely classic!
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I’m almost convinced that I should restore to the original colors. Here is a photo. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to change to a darker blue instead of the light blue. Thoughts? As you see, the brown/gold exterior paint doesn’t coordinate with blue.
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Compared to MODERN cars, the palette of available colors for the Pagoda during its run is extensive. Modern cars have black, white, silver, gray, and then a smattering of some others on occasion. You SHOULD be able to find a suitable color in the original color palette, thus pleasing yourself along with preserving the integrity even if it's repainted not in the "as born" color on the data plate.
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Is the engine bay still in the original color? Nothing is more unattractive in my mind than opening the hood and seeing an engine bay, that’s a different color than the outside of the car. It’s a lot of work to paint the engine bay correctly
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It seems that when the second owner repainted the car, he had them epoxy the engine bay black. I scrapped off some of the black epoxy and the silver gray paint was there. Here is a pic of it. The firewall insulation was taken off and it’s the original color beneath it.
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Are you going to paint the engine bay as well? Mine engine bay was repainted a different color along with the body before I restored it without pulling the engine and it didn’t look bad. Better that being a different color.
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Yes. I will paint the engine bay also.
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My two cents, (and that’s about what my opinion is worth), stay with the original DB180.