Author Topic: Is chrome supposed to be painted?  (Read 2121 times)

demichae

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Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« on: August 20, 2022, 07:07:16 »
So on the far right and left of my dash the prior owner painted the bottom portion of the chrome white, to match his repaint of the blue exterior from blue to white.  I was at Monterey car week and all of the pagodas I saw were from 67 or later and the chrome was not painted. But I’ve also found photos of original 1964 pagodas where the chrome is painted.  Mine clearly was painted blue to match the exterior. Can anyone answer whether a 64 pagoda should have the chrome section painted or not?

BobH

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2022, 09:06:01 »
Hello, Have a look at this post, it seems to depend on the chassis number when the change from painted to chrome took place in 1964

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=2133.25

Have a look through Pagoda Notes, these also document the changes through the years

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=16123.msg111487#msg111487
« Last Edit: August 20, 2022, 09:30:20 by BobH »
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

lreppond

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2022, 22:57:47 »
Here’s a copy of a dash photograph from a sales brochure from 1963.  Clearly the piece is painted with the louvers and small window vent in chrome as well as the top section.  Fascinating little discovery.  I never realized this. 
~Len

1971 280 SL
576G red/251 Beige
4 speed manual
Family owned since new (father —> son)

lagolag

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2022, 15:17:10 »
The very early cars had two separate vents  the small one was fitted directly into the painted dash and the big one includes the mesh that goes across the dash, later the two parts became one but when it happend I don’t know.
230SL 1967 since July 2021
SL55 AMG 2003 since July 2008
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rwmastel

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2022, 18:45:38 »
I've not seen this before.  That looks great!  They should have kept it that way.   >:(
Rodd

Did you search the forum before asking?
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Mike Hughes

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2022, 21:04:30 »
I've not seen this before.  That looks great!  They should have kept it that way.   >:(

I could surmise that the original intent was to paint the flat area of the vent to match painted area of the dash, which might have been somewhat labor intensive.  Eventually, the bean counters may have stepped in to eliminate that operation as a production efficiency and cost saving measure.
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Jonny B

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2022, 15:20:37 »
Also a word of caution about gauging originality from the sales brochures. A number of times the photos are from prototypes and may not be indicative of what actually made it to production.
Jonny B
1967 250 SL Auto, DB 568
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ctaylor738

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2022, 15:55:56 »
On "early" cars, the area around the vent was painted body color.  My car. 000133 is that way.  There does not seem to be anything in the "change logs" as to when this happened.

Cheers,

CT
Chuck Taylor
1963 230SL #00133
1970 280SL #13027 (restored and sold)
1966 230SL #15274 (sold)
1970 280SL #14076 (sold)
Falls Church VA

ctaylor738

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2022, 16:16:05 »
The latest picture that I have of early cars is of 002038, and that car has painted panels around the vents.

CT
Chuck Taylor
1963 230SL #00133
1970 280SL #13027 (restored and sold)
1966 230SL #15274 (sold)
1970 280SL #14076 (sold)
Falls Church VA

BobH

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Re: Is chrome supposed to be painted?
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2022, 19:08:04 »
The earliest VIN i've seen where the vents are chrome is 2058, so the change from painted to chrome seems to have happened in January 64
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather