Author Topic: Which Becker Radio? (Read 18769 times)

Largeowner · « **on:** July 18, 2008, 08:08:47 »

My 1967 230 SL is missing the factory installed radio. I am trying to replace it with the "correct" radio. I contacted Becker North America who told me the radio would have been a mono Europa, Grand Prix, or Mexico. The e-mail also linked to a site that pointed out that "early" 230 SL's had a smaller faceplate.

What is the cutoff year for "early" 230 SL's? Can anyone with a 67 tell me what the appropriate radio is?

Thanks for your help!

Large

thelews · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2008, 08:41:02 »

You might give these guys a try.

http://www.blackforestllc.com/becker.html

DaveB · « **Reply #2 on:** July 18, 2008, 10:21:45 »

All 230sl had the small faceplate radios. I believe the Europa TR or Grand Prix were options for 1967, not sure about the Mexico.

rwmastel · « **Reply #3 on:** July 18, 2008, 14:16:36 »

Large,

This is simple to resolve.

Step 1 - Get a data card for your car from the MB Classic Center.
Step 2 - Look up your radio code here (in the 51x range):
http://www.sl113.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=DataCard.OptionCodes

Richard Madison · « **Reply #4 on:** July 18, 2008, 17:30:15 »

Just to note here that many radios were dealer installed and do not appear on the Data Card.

Richard M, NYC

Rolf · « **Reply #5 on:** July 18, 2008, 19:20:01 »

My car was delivered with radio delete. I contacted Tom at Becker and was told the correct radio for my car was a mono Europa. I have a 1966 230 SL

66andBlue · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2008, 21:02:13 »

The old Becker installation instructions list three models for a 230SL: Mexico, Europa, and Monte Carlo, all TR (=transistor) and all were mono.

Richard Madison · « **Reply #7 on:** July 19, 2008, 02:50:49 »

To state the obvious: the Becker Manual was issued in October 1964 and new models were constantly coming out. The inquiry is for a 1967 car, the Manual helps but does not completely answer the question.

Richard M, NYC

Largeowner · « **Reply #8 on:** July 19, 2008, 11:36:20 »

Thanks for all the replies folks!

I was thinking that the "TR" stood for "Tube Radio" and that would put them at the age of the "Pontons". "Transistor" makes much more sense for the era.

All of the graphics for "TR" radios show an amplifier below and aft of the radio unit.....Does all of that equipment really fit into the dash of the Pagoda?

Large

66andBlue · « **Reply #9 on:** July 19, 2008, 18:00:43 »

quote:
Originally posted by Largeowner
.....Does all of that equipment really fit into the dash of the Pagoda?

Hi Large,
Yes it does. There is a square hole in the firewall (next to the infamous drainage tube) that accepts a clip nut to hold a bracket for the audio amplifier and the voltage regulation circuit. A Europa will be dead silent without it. [:0]

66andBlue · « **Reply #10 on:** July 19, 2008, 18:36:12 »

quote:
Originally posted by 280SL71
... and new models were constantly coming out. The inquiry is for a 1967 car, ....

Hi Richard,
fortunately Becker really developed not that many in the 60s and some of them - like a Frankfurt, a Köln or a Monza were not sold by Mercedes and probably did not even fit.

What I should have written for Largeowner's benefit was that it must be a radio with the needlestripe face plate and those include the Europa, Mexico and Grand Prix. I am not even sure whether a Monte Carlo was sold with such a face plate, at least I have never seen one. (I wonder whether Douglas or Achim have??).

However, Largeowner's question was "what the appropriate radio is" for a 67. So if one wants to be "original" then it cannot be a stereo radio.
But since stereo radios were installed in the 280SL after 1969 one can argue - as I do - that a Europa Stereo is appropriate for a W113.

Because I like to listen to stereo music I took my Europa TR out and put a Europa Stereo II in - but I kept the small dash opening and I changed the knobs to match the older ones that are on the dash.

DaveB · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2008, 00:16:11 »

Nice job Alfred - did you use the later MB kick panel speakers too?

66andBlue · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2008, 15:07:07 »

quote:
Originally posted by DaveB
Nice job Alfred - did you use the later MB kick panel speakers too?

Thanks Dave.
yes I did, but only the speaker frame and cover, NOT the speakers. I bought a pair of broken Becker speakers and a new pair of Alpine 4" 2-way (concentric dual cones) speakers and matched them up. Also changed the color on the old speaker covers.

DaveB · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2008, 19:58:27 »

..and mounted them further forward/higher than they would be in a 280 by the looks? does that mean you were able to avoid cutting new holes? How do you like the sound? Thanks for your clear and illuminating photos btw!

66andBlue · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2008, 22:50:26 »

No I had to cut - but only on the left (driver) side since there is no opening in the metal panel.
I have an automatic antenna which limited where I could place the speaker. After I cut the hole for it in the cardboard panel and checked that it worked I placed the right board over the left and cut a hole in the same position. Then I used that board and marked the metal panel where it needed to be cut, so the positions of the speakers is a mirror image.
BTW, do you have a RHD car? If so, is the opening still in right foot well panel as on a LHD, or reversed?

The Becker has plenty of output to drive the speakers and I am happy with the sound - I listen mostly to a jazz station in town.

DaveB · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2008, 00:51:14 »

My car is an ex-San Francisco LHD (LHD is legal to drive in Western Australia) but the RHD drive cars retain the antenna position on the right so I presume they also have the cutout on the right and a solid panel on the left.

Largeowner · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2008, 19:44:28 »

Today I took a look under the dash, only to find the amplifier mounting bracket is missing (gone with the Becker). Also, the PO did enlarge the dash opening to accomodate the P.O.S. Eighties radio. The opening is now 2 1/8" by 7 1/8". The radio sits so low on the dash that is pushes the leather trim out of alignment with the glove box trim.

The solution, of course is to start over with a new clock/lighter/radio dash piece. (Used to be $4.95 at Budz Benz)

However.....There are none available worldwide...I guess MB does not make them anymore. I am thinking about getting a local body shop to make one for me.

I have decided to go with a later Europa II to avoid having to accomodate an amp. I might as well have the dash cutout sized to fit that radio.

Thanks one and all for all the postings and help

Large

66andBlue · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2008, 23:10:15 »

quote:
Originally posted by Largeowner

.....There are none available worldwide...I guess MB does not make them anymore. I am thinking about getting a local body shop to make one for me.

A member of the German group (Pagodentreff.de) makes a repro and sometimes sells them on eBay under the name "Pagodendoktor". Contact him through eBay and check whether he has more.
But if you want to have one made for you, here are the dimensions:

J. Huber · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2008, 10:27:43 »

quote:
Originally posted by Largeowner

I have decided to go with a later Europa II to avoid having to accomodate an amp...
Large

Hey Large, that is exactly what I did. Some idiot had taken some rusty snips to my dash opening to make way for a vintage 1988 Sony Stereo... (someone who I happen to know very well :? )

Anyway, I was able to obtain working Europa II and it fit the "new" opening just fine. Easy to install -- no amp to worry about. It also feeds my two footwell speakers that were part of the 80s "upgrade". Best of all, it has an ipod jack -- so I get to listen to all my favorite oldies... The Euro II knobs are more appropriate for the later Pagodas, but I have some smaller 230 ones that I interchange sometimes.

66andBlue · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2008, 14:23:38 »

quote:
Originally posted by Largeowner
... I might as well have the dash cutout sized to fit that radio...

Large,
the standard DIN opening is 180 mm x 55 mm. You could put a Europa II Stereo in, or even a Mexico Stereo with station seek and Cassette, if you wanted.

KevinC · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2008, 18:26:23 »

My car is October 1966 production 1967. It sports a Europa TR. Same issue for me as the P.O. unstalled an indash CD player. My dad fashioned a bracket that allowed the Becker to be fixed to the dash plate from behind. I then found a thin black plastic bezel that covered the gap (about 1/8" shows). Seeing the bezel is ceratinly a trade-off but I hardly notice it any more.

jacovdw · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2008, 01:29:58 »

quote:
Originally posted by 66andBlue

A member of the German group (Pagodentreff.de) makes a repro and sometimes sells them on eBay under the name "Pagodendoktor". Contact him through eBay and check whether he has more.
But if you want to have one made for you, here are the dimensions...

Thanks for that Alfred.

I still don't understand why some people would just hack away at a pagoda dash to install the wrong radio. :evil:

I am sitting in the same boat as KevinC and others - I have a larger radio opening in the dash plate compliments of the PO. :?

I removed the incorrect radio and fitted a period correct Blaupunkt radio for the time being. At least until I can rectify the problem with the dash plate and source a appropriate Becker Europa TR.

News:

Author Topic: Which Becker Radio? (Read 18769 times)

Largeowner

Rolf

Largeowner

Largeowner

KevinC

jacovdw