Author Topic: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date  (Read 19431 times)

66andBlue

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #50 on: February 10, 2021, 19:13:50 »
Deiter, Anything is certainly possible but the way in which the stamp was done is interesting. They were stamped with a hand punch and it looks as if they were struck twice and in haste.  I had also read on another forum that this is how the 600’s line production date is established. It’s definitely not the date of the steering wheel being manufactured as that would put its manufacture within 2 weeks of the production range. There is another 250sl close by that is within 100 digits of my vin. Ill take a look at that one sometime.
Here is a better shot.
Back to date stamps again. Next time you have access to the emergency switch look at the front, there will be a date stamp that is quite close to the production date.

Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

MikeSimon

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #51 on: February 10, 2021, 20:56:24 »
Many cast parts have a "casting clock" which gives year and month of the actual casting process. It can narrow down vehicle production date, although it is not that close, of course.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

66andBlue

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #52 on: February 10, 2021, 21:23:36 »
When is "close" close enough?
Do you play horseshoe, or throw hand grenades?  ;) 🤣
Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

Raymond

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #53 on: February 11, 2021, 01:40:24 »
As we narrow down when the 250 stopped and the 280 began.  My 280 is serial number 000176.   The number on the steering wheel is 23 12 67.  That was a Saturday. If the numbers in the Wiki are right, If the factory was running 6 days per week, and Christmas was a holiday, that would mean that there were 80 cars after mine produced in th 6 remaining work days that year.  No significance, just fun to know.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2021, 02:07:50 by Raymond »
Ray
'68 280SL 5-spd "California" Coupe

Pawel66

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #54 on: February 11, 2021, 07:36:29 »
What if you find out your car was produced on Monday? Or the first day after October Fest? Scary...
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
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MikeSimon

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #55 on: February 11, 2021, 12:59:49 »
As we narrow down when the 250 stopped and the 280 began.  My 280 is serial number 000176.   The number on the steering wheel is 23 12 67.  That was a Saturday. If the numbers in the Wiki are right, If the factory was running 6 days per week, and Christmas was a holiday, that would mean that there were 80 cars after mine produced in th 6 remaining work days that year.  No significance, just fun to know.

Remember, in Germany there are TWO Christmas Days. The 25th AND the 26th of December. Both Holidays.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

JamesL

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #56 on: February 11, 2021, 14:20:03 »
A habit that happily continues.
James L
Oct69 RHD 280 in DB906 with cognac leather

kampala

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #57 on: February 11, 2021, 15:36:13 »
As we narrow down when the 250 stopped and the 280 began.  My 280 is serial number 000176.   The number on the steering wheel is 23 12 67.

This adds more credence to Tyler's point - again we have a steering stamp date that coincides within days of presumed completion.

 
250sl - later - manual
280sl - 1971 - Auto - LSD

Aslam

Mike Hughes

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #58 on: February 11, 2021, 17:13:54 »
... which leads one to consider that "just in time" logistics is not as recent a phenomenon in automobile assembly plant operations as manufacturers were touting around the turn of the millennium!
- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havana Brown (408)
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MikeSimon

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #59 on: February 12, 2021, 13:45:11 »
Mike, I started working in 1978 and when I got involved in passenger car manufacturing in 1979, there was already "Just in Time".
We always had the discussion about some OEMs interpreting "JiT" as "I can get anything I want at any time I want"
It took a while until both sides, OEMs and suppliers, had solid systems in place that were doing good planning for JiT to work.
I remember that Mercedes had their seat plant in Bremerhaven on JiT for the production of the new 190. They were shipping the correct upholstery color to the car line as needed.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

Mike Hughes

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #60 on: February 12, 2021, 14:15:10 »
Quite true, Mike, and I remember that FoMoCo was talking about the benefits of JIT even when I began my automotive career in 1980.  It seemed like it took forever for it to bear fruit.  By the mid 2000s real life order-to-delivery time had been reduced from 10-12 weeks in the '80s to 3-4 weeks.  Back in 2005, when Taurus and Sable production came from both Chicago and Atlanta assembly plants, I factory ordered a Mercury Sable for a client, told her to expect it in about a month and received it from Atlanta nine days later!
- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havana Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

FGN59

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #61 on: April 21, 2021, 15:19:05 »
A bit late to the party here, but as I recently took my car out of winter storage, I tried looking at the date stamped on the steering wheel: none... it appears that the center plate has been brushed or sanded, and the date, if there ever was one, is gone  >:(

Why would someone do that? Or is it because it could be a replacement? The steering wheel is in perfect condition, no cracks at all.
François

1994 Toyota Land Cruiser SW HDJ80 4.2L diesel
sold:
1969 280SL US specs, 4-speed manual, beige-grey (726H), parchment leather
1962 Jaguar MK2 3.8L (4.2L XJ6 engine), black, tan leather interior
1968 Peugeot 204 roadster, white, black interior
1955 Massey Ferguson TEF20 diesel tractor 😁

Jordan

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Re: Proof Of Vehicle Assembly Completion Date
« Reply #62 on: October 05, 2021, 18:03:51 »
I was going through some pics I had taken some time ago and came across this.  I recalled Tyler mentioning a date stamp on his steering wheel so i thought I would post mine, which was on the splined hub.


Marcus
66 230SL  Euro 4 speed