Date of manufacture for W116 450SEL

[CraigS]

That is the options plate. The VIN does not appear on that one. The numbers along the top are production codes, and to the best of my knowledge, there is no way of interpreting these. The second row is the model designation and type, plus some unknown additional codes. The VIN is on the black plate to the left of it.

Simply, YES, if you are talking about the black plate on the radiator support. That one should match the one on the firewall cutout. The options plate does not have the VIN.

I have one plate on the radiator support that has paint 906G, sunroof 410 and Aus 625, at the top it has two long numbers, no idea what first one is, second one looks like a VIN but it doesn't match the firewall.

koan

[koan]

That is the options plate....  The VIN is on the black plate to the left of it.

OK.

I don't have the black plate, is it a sticker or screwed on? No holes either.

koan

[CraigS]

I have made some headway towards decipherng the top line of the options plate. For example, the top line of my plate reads:- 1 85 9554435 80

I BELIEVE this is interpreted as follows:

1 = unknown
85 = Factory shift No.
9554435 = Production No.
80 = Production year

On the second line, below the production number is 268. This seems to be a build number.

This information comes from translating the "Produktions- Auftrag 1" form, which on my car is shown as option code 992, and shows two further options, which from memory relate to the outside lighting i.e. headlights and perhaps taillights.

On the same form are forecast completion date (mine is shown as 11.79) and a order and/or store number - 240  01737.

If I follow the form correctly, the order was issued on October 5, signed off by someone on October 9, someone else on October 10, and completed,  I believe around 13 November.

Don't know if this really helps anyone though !

Craig

I assume you have worked out most of the code plate - I have never known how the top line was deciphered - any assistance gratefully accepted.

[Andrew116]

It helps me  I now know where to look to check if my car is really from '78...
Thanks guys... and keep on going

[CraigS]

The VIN plate is shown here, as well as the Options plate:-

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/

[koan]

The VIN plate is shown here, as well as the Options plate:-

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/

I can see what I'm missing and correction I do have 2 empty, possibly never used screw holes.

koan

[CraigS]

You should be able to buy this plate and have it stamped. I know you can for the earlier models, and I have just had one reproduced in Germany for my 300b.

[/quote]

I can see what I'm missing and correction I do have 2 empty, possibly never used screw holes.

koan
[/quote]

[oscar]

I have made some headway towards decipherng the top line of the options plate. For example, the top line of my plate reads:- 1 85 9554435 80

I BELIEVE this is interpreted as follows:

1 = unknown
85 = Factory shift No.
9554435 = Production No.
80 = Production year

Hi CraigS,

I thought you had a breakthrough there regarding the year build but not so unfortunately. AFAIK, build date on Aussie cars at least are hand stamped on the firewall plate in a larger font to the rest of the plate.  Unfortunately the DoM can't be found on the datacard which was a silly oversight and from another thread which I'm still trying to find, one can purcahse a birth certificate through the classic centre to prove year of build.  FWIW, here's pics of my 280s then 350se plates.  My 280 has a clear "75" stamped on the firewall plate and the 350 has a barely recogniseable 1973.  As you can see from the option plates, 14 and 30 don't match my cars.  I wish I could help more with this plate;

Try these two from MBSpares.
data cards
chassis number
There's also a german site that has all option codes for a w116 but I forget to bookmark these things sorry.


1975 280S




1973 350se

[CraigS]

The date of manufacture is on my data card and the Produktions -Auftrag form - both of which I have as original copies. I also have a punchcard that I haven't yet extracted much data from, but only because I haven't really looked at it. All of the information I needed was on the aforementioned forms. I don't imagine that the data card changed from the 350 SE to the 6.9

Craig

[/quote]

Hi CraigS,

I thought you had a breakthrough there regarding the year build but not so unfortunately. AFAIK, build date on Aussie cars at least are hand stamped on the firewall plate in a larger font to the rest of the plate.  Unfortunately the DoM can't be found on the datacard which was a silly oversight and from another thread which I'm still trying to find, one can purcahse a birth certificate through the classic centre to prove year of build.  FWIW, here's pics of my 280s then 350se plates.  My 280 has a clear "75" stamped on the firewall plate and the 350 has a barely recogniseable 1973.  As you can see from the option plates, 14 and 30 don't match my cars.  I wish I could help more with this plate;

Try these two from MBSpares.
data cards
chassis number
There's also a german site that has all option codes for a w116 but I forget to bookmark these things sorry.


1975 280S




1973 350se




[/quote]

[CraigS]

The link for the "Birth Certificate" is here:-

http://www.mercedes-benz-oldtimerservice.com/content/classic/retailer/classiccenter/en/home/home/home/oldtimerservice/the_certificate/the_certificate.html


[/quote]

one can purcahse a birth certificate through the classic centre to prove year of build. [/quote]

[oscar]

That's the one, cheers.

Where abouts on your datacard is the DoM.  Personally I wouldn't be surprised if there was a change between 1973 and 1980.  In style at least.  Same as the manuals changed within the production run.   I'll look for my data card and post a pic.  I haven't seen to many so don't know hwo to compare but I'll throw up a pic soon and you can compare it with yours.  I don't have the 280's datacard.


Also, what's Produktions -Auftrag form. I haven't heard of these before.  I haven't got any original sale docs for my cars so I've always relied

[CraigS]

I have posted pics of the Data card and Produktion-Auftrag (my translation is Production Order) here:-

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/Produktion-Auftrag.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/DataCard.jpg

If I could figure out how to post them directly here, it would be much easier !

If you look at the data card, you will see I have hand written "992" on the right hand side. This is because the original 992 was cut off on the copy. This "option" means to refer to the Produktion Auftrag, and on this, you will see ZU 992, and below it the additional options commencing KW and SA.

Craig

[oscar]

Craig, I don't get your datacard. I can see it but can't see "80" or "1980" anywhere?

However, going on what you said about Produktion-Auftrag etc, I found my datacard and looked closer.
Under the Prod.-Nr bit, the number ends in 73. (highlighted in photo)
Could this be it?  Can anyone else match this suffix with their know DoM?

[OzBenzHead]

If folks are having difficulty figuring out their Benzes' "birthdates", just e-mail Silvie_Kiefer/VV/DCAG/DCX@dcx.dcx with VIN and Engine Number.

No need to purchase a certificate (although it might be nice to own one); I have been courteously supplied with my cars' "birth dates" on all four occasions that I've asked.

Here is a breakdown of the VIN system (without the three-letter prefix that indicates place of manufacture).

.

Note: If the eighth digit were a "1", you'd have a Hydrak transmission (semi-auto from the Ponton era) - although most of those were replaced by frustrated owners and/or their mechanics.

[CraigS]

The "80" is not shown on the data card, but on the options plate on the car - top row, last 2 digits. This was only a guess, - it seemed to make sense, and there didn't seem to be any other logical explanation, but I believe the other explanations/descriptions for the top row of the options plate were correct. The data card I posted is a copy from Daimler Chrysler - and hence why it doesn't look like your card type. I have this as well. Looking at your data card, there is no 992 code, and hence you would not have the Produktion-Auftrag form. This form contains information not normally shown on the data card, so I guess I was just fortunate that the car came with some additional options that required this form to be included.

I will have to get my original data card out and compare it to the copy so that I can also verify the additonal numbers below the Chassis and engine numbers. I suspect they are the gearbox and other driveline component numbers. In any event, they are not as detailed as the data card for my 1955 300b, which also has the numbers for the steering box, diff, keys, etc.

Craig

Craig, I don't get your datacard. I can see it but can't see "80" or "1980" anywhere?