Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: Pawel66 on April 14, 2020, 18:37:24
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We know some of these pictures, but I thought I would share:
https://www.facebook.com/vintageautomobilepictures/photos/a.995926857190254/2990193084430278/?type=3&theater
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Great link, Thanks
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Our favourite car is being assembled, Sindelfingen 1964.
Some 20 Pagoda cars were produced each day.
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Question: Why would the front car not have its hardtop like the others?
( are we to assume all those cars were ordered without the soft top fitted?
Ratio does not seem right to me)
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Who knows why! But, they could be ordered with either a hard top,a soft top or both
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Probably the first in queue was ordered without hard top. On the paint and body number plate you could have:
"-" no hard top ordered
"4" hard top packed in a separate case, soft top installed
Or other numbers with hard top on.
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Really? I didn’t know you could order a Pagoda without a hardtop.
Not much of a “Pagoda” without the infamous roof.
I guess climates like California figure they would drive topless most days.
Never stop learning on this forum.
Rob
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Yes, the codes are described in our Technical Manual.
There was a discussion not long ago about ordering a car without soft top, which you could do too (even bigger question!).
There might have been various circumstances, needs, aftermarket supply and pricing, etc..
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Thanks Pawel, yes l was aware of the soft top delete option. My Dark Red 280SL was ordered this way ( compartment, but no soft top). Fortunately for me when l purchased it - one of the P.O’s had fitted a soft top - to save me the trouble and expense.
I only recently became aware that a 280SL could be ordered without power steering. For some reason l thought it was only an option on 230SL’s and assumed it was standard on 250 & 280SL’s.
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I think those mercedes people had it all figured out - I'm sure some customers never used the hard top for their infrequent "fun" driving - (mine has been hanging on the wall for 8 years). On the other hand I know a guy who has never taken his hard top off in 25+ yrs of ownership.
And offering cars without power steering - saves weight and when added to the lack of emissions controls and hotter cam and no air conditioning many of the euro cars were real hot rods. Add a 3.69 LSD rear end and that sounds fun.
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My car, by paint code plate, was delivered without soft top. I am now enjoying 230SL soft top :).
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And offering cars without power steering - saves weight and when added to the lack of emissions controls and hotter cam and no air conditioning many of the euro cars were real hot rods. Add a 3.69 LSD rear end and that sounds fun.
And Australian cars too (thankfully)
Yes really drives well once you have a fresh engine, and esp. in manual format. Manual Steering would be fine on the open road (possibly better)
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Note the brands exhibited on the show:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3066334123482840&set=a.3066326643483588
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Consider that Mercedes Benz is (was) a German manufacturer, most of the car specifications were based on domestic or European demands. Both A/C and power steering were not that popular in Europe in the 60s and 70s. Sourcing components to build an option was always an issue. Suppliers were just not there.
The specific thing with P/S:
When Mercedes started using P/S, they needed to put together a system. They could make their own steering gear/box, but for the pump they looked at an existing manufacturer. P/S was a popular equipment for cars in the U.S. and there was an existing pump supplier: Vickers Inc. Mercedes Benz pursued Vickers to supply a pump and Vickers deviated from their earlier decision to pull out of the Automotive business and agreed to supply MB. They were also pushed to make the pump in Germany and they did install a manufacturing line in their factory which produced industrial hydraulics in the city of Bad Homburg, north of Frankfurt. Capacity was limited and Vickers could supply all needs as longs as P/S remained just an option.
In the seventies, when front axle weights got heavier due to a wider use of V8 engines in cars, MB decided to make P/S standard. Vickers did not have the capacity to meet the volume requirements and MB did not want to rely on one supplier, so ZF was enlisted to make P/S pumps. In the beginning, ZF used a "rotation group", the core of a vane type pump (ring, rotor vanes) sourced and later licensed from Saginaw Steering Gear in the U.S. , who got started making pumps with a license from Vickers.
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Our favourite car is being assembled, Sindelfingen 1964.
Some 20 Pagoda cars were produced each day.
I would truly beleive that the 3rd car in row is mine ;) HT fitted and same DB050 colour. P/S factory installed. According to Pagoda Notes my car with s/n 3226 was assembled on April 1st 1964. Just a trick or? ;D
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Who knows? - from memory someone on this forum laid a good claim that they possibly own the front car (red 230SL I believe).
Too hard to find that thread but it certainly sounded credible at the time...….