Author Topic: Three digits inside rear compartment panel  (Read 1852 times)

Brenco

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  • 1969 280sl auto light ivory
Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« on: July 03, 2020, 22:17:10 »
Just wondering if anyone could explain the meaning of hand written three digits on the inner side of the mb tex covered panels (both left and right) below soft top compartment. I removed them to allow access for waxoyling and discovered the numbers. See photo attached. The number is 590 and it does not match anything on the data card. Is it a signature or signing off on work done?
« Last Edit: July 04, 2020, 00:15:07 by Brenco »
1969 280sl auto US model light ivory

inci

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2020, 02:41:13 »
they were for the production line sequencing; all panels pertaining to that particular vehicle would get the same hand written number. 
i like them..  8)
John Inci
Former Mercedes-Benz Engineer

W113 '67 250SL Ivory/Cognac
W113 '67 250SL Blue - Sold
W113 ’68 280SL Ivory - Sold
W114 '71 250 Blue - 75k miles all original
W123 '77 280E Brown - 32k miles all original
W124 ’95 320E Dark Red Convertible - 40k miles

mbzse

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2020, 09:44:45 »
Quote from: Brenco
Just wondering if anyone could explain the meaning of hand written three digits on the inner side of the mb tex covered panels.../...
These are the last digits of the Production Number. The Factory production Number for your car can be found stamped on the metal plate near the hood catch, and in the data card for the car. It is fun to find the original crayon markings in various positions, as you are doing work on your Pagoda.
See for instance this posting: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=9167.msg61110#msg61110
« Last Edit: July 04, 2020, 11:56:20 by mbzse »
/Hans S

sandcrab59

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2020, 11:09:02 »
I have seen numbers on the interiors of my upholstery. They do relate to that car.
Somewhere (I forgot) on the data card you will find those digits.
Tom
71 280SL-8  Euro
67 250 SL
72 220 D
1982 300 SD
1983 300SD
1985 300SD
1931 Model A Ford Roadster
1997 Corvette C5

Pawel66

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2020, 13:14:25 »
As Hans says, they are part of the Production Number, placed on the plate near the relays and on Data Card.



Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

Brenco

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2020, 17:19:42 »
Thanks for the insights. I am away from my car at the moment and can’t check the data plate but the data card details are in photo attached. I just can’t see that sequence of digits on the card or the serial number VIN for the car.
1969 280sl auto US model light ivory

Pawel66

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2020, 19:12:22 »
Check out our Technical Manual here:
https://www.sl113.org/wiki/DataCard/BodyandPaintNumberPlate

Look at line 4 description.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

Brenco

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2020, 16:13:49 »
Thanks again to the contributors to this particularly Pawel66. I have taken a pic of the data plate and looked at line 4 and still can’t see the 590 sequence. Am I missing something here?
1969 280sl auto US model light ivory

Brenco

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2020, 20:59:47 »
The last three digits of the production number for my car are 610 and the digits on the back of panels are 590. There is only 20 in the difference. The number is approximate rather than exact. Does that explain the discrepancy?
1969 280sl auto US model light ivory

Pawel66

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2020, 09:00:25 »
I do not know, sorry, if it can happen in production that the numbers will be close, but not matching.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

Brenco

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2020, 10:48:05 »
I’d imagine that is the answer Pawel. Its always interesting to discover something new about your car’s history! Thanks for your assistance.
1969 280sl auto US model light ivory

Shvegel

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2020, 10:53:44 »
If I had to guess there way most likely a last minute interior color change for chassis production number 590 and the 590 marked parts were held until another car came along with the same interior color and that car (your's) was given all the 590 parts.  should also be crayon numbers behind the left headlight if you are ever in that area.

Pawel66

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Re: Three digits inside rear compartment panel
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2020, 14:11:37 »
I think it could be like that.

There are pieces of evidence that various parts usage during manufacturing was not necessarily as "dot to dot" as we tend to think.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class