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W116 Datacard and Body Plate info

Started by Type17, 18 January 2012, 02:17 PM

arman

I have code 881 as the only 'wenig gewünscht' code (E) and I have rear headrests. I thought they were standard on a 450SEL like central locking and some other things, but I can't find anything which indicates that rear curtains (which aren't there) have been mounted before.
1974 W116 450 SEL 340.000km
Black exterior (040), olive green velours interior (966)
[url="http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/"]http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/[/url]

marku

How about driving lights? Does yours have the same code or again would it have been standard in Sweden and not an option?
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

arman

#17
Hi Marku,

The strange thing with my Swedish w116 is that I have no special wiring for the driving lights, that is I have to switch on my lights like every other car in Europe at that time. However I do have the Swedish country code '569' in my data card order number. All cars I have seen here in Sweden have their lights on when ignition is on, since a long time. But I didn't live in Sweden in the early seventies, so I don't know what the rules were about the lights for foreign car brands sold in Sweden at that time.
Could it be that early w116 models (mine is built nov '73) didn't have special light wiring for Sandinavia yet? I don't know really.

Another strange thing is that I have fog lights in the front but no fog light in the rear?! If I look at my left-hand rear lamp holder circuit board the lead to the 25W fog bulb position is not there, but the bulb holder is there? As if they masked this lead when making boards for Scandinavia? My rotary light switch has  a 2-position pull, but doesn't have the tiny bulb for indicating rear fog light either. I wonder if the wiring is present for the rear fog light (e.g. from rotary switch to rear LH lamp house), in fact I will try to replace the missing lead with a piece of wire one day to test this.
1974 W116 450 SEL 340.000km
Black exterior (040), olive green velours interior (966)
[url="http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/"]http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/[/url]

marku

So your car does not have the option code 236? I haven't investigated what that refers to in the wiring - the engine rebuild is currently taking up all my time. But there does not seem to be any method of turning it on although I would have thought that the lights should come on with the ignition. Perhaps a subsequent owner did disconnect it. Hopefully Type 17 will continue to investigate the subject.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

Type17

I found this page - very useful, as it contains the periods that each code indicated the various items (they changed over the years)


http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~mtor/mbcodedsc.html


236 mentions Standing Lights for Norway - standing lights are also known as parking lights.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

arman

Priceless Type17! Now I can decipher my datacard. Everything seems right except for one code which says that I have a height adjustable co-drivers seat, which I have not (well not that I know of).

My codes are:
UT 040: Black exterior
Ausstattung 966: Velour Pine Green
401: Single seats
480: Self-levelling suspension
524: Paint coat preservation
560: SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT, CO-DRIVER'S SEAT (this one doesn't seem right)
624: Version for Sweden
658: Phoenix tires (note that earlier 658 code says: 'Tires for Sweden, Fulda tires')
881: HEADREST IN THE REAR, LEFT AND RIGHT (earlier code 881 says: 'curtain in the rear')

I assume that other options like electric window regulators, central locking and a heated rear window were standard for the 450SEL at that time?
What I not have is cruise control, air conditioning nor a sun roof, which is a shame in a way. I feel my 450sel is a bit of a poverty model. However when I see some of you guys struggling with these options to get them right, I may just be better off... :)
1974 W116 450 SEL 340.000km
Black exterior (040), olive green velours interior (966)
[url="http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/"]http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/[/url]

marku

Yes really very good Type 17 - can we persuade you to produce it as the definitive guide?  As far as poor relations go I look in dismay at the options fitted on some of the 116 here. How about powered rear leather seats? Although I did get mine with the thought of it being as uncomplicated as possible and easy to work on it does sometimes seem lacking some of the luxury that was available. No air conditioning, velour interior, no heated rear window (although the datacard says different), no wood veneer but it does have a sun roof!
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

Oswaldo

Hi Ken,
I found this your useful explanation on the codes on the plaques, wonderful, thanks! Just an additional comment to expand yours, believe it or not apart from Sindelfingen the w116 was built also and only in Barcelona-Venezuela back in the late 70's, which proves how things have change, for bad, in this my now troubled country, Venezuela.

danielmercedes

Could you help me with why the VIN isn't also on the Data/Body Plate under the front hood?

Thanks sooo much...   (images attached)

Type17

From the late 1960's, US Federal law stated that vehicle ID plates for all US-market vehicles (domestic and imported) must be placed on the door frame of the driver's door, so this is also a handy way of confirming whether a vehicle is originally a US car or a 'rest of the world' one.
Not sure if that's still true today, but since the mid-90's in Europe it is also mandatory to have the VIN shown in a small window at the base of the windscreen, and I presume that this was adopted from a US regulation - it's handy to be able to confirm a car's VIN when the doors are locked because, in many countries, it may have no registration plates whilst it is being sold as used.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

rumb

the number on the radiator support tag is the body number, as opposed to the VIN.  The numbers are close, but probably never the same.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

danielmercedes

Thanks guys for your answers, this clears things up.

I´m actually buying the ´78 300SD today!

Pete49

Gavin116 I have to post the info here as I couldn't attach picture to a pm.
Pete
What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
Edward Langley,  Artist (1928-1995)

raueda1

Quote from: Type17 on 26 January 2012, 01:51 PM
I found this page - very useful, as it contains the periods that each code indicated the various items (they changed over the years)

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~mtor/mbcodedsc.html

236 mentions Standing Lights for Norway - standing lights are also known as parking lights.
Thanks for the link. Super helpful!
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

gavin116

#29
Hi Pete
Lets have a see:


The first line
long number starts with a 5 = car ordered in 1975 (could be built in this year, but perhaps also in early 1976, but from the construction serial number it would have been built early in 1975)


Second line
first number 116 = S-class, 033 = 4.5 lt long wheel base
second number 22 = 1st 2 a right hand drive vehicle built in Germany second 2 automatic transmission
third number 00053 = 53rd 450SEL built in 1975
fourth number 5 = Bulit for Europe (only European RHD market is/was UK European RHD countries include UK, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, but from options code 320 it is a UK ordered car)


Third line
first number 906G = grey blue metallic (Glassurit)
next letter M = metallic paint
last character - = not equipped with a sunroof


Fourth line
first number 320 = ADDITIONAL PLATE AND REAR SEAT BENCH STOP FOR GREAT BRITAIN
second number 511 =BECKER RADIO MONZA CASSETTE STEREO LW/MW/SW/USW
third number 531 =AUTOMATIC ANTENNA
fourth number 580 =BEHR AIR CONDITIONER
fifth number 592 = GREEN HEAT-INSULATING GLASS ALL ROUND, HEATED REAR WINDOW, LAMINATED SAFETY GLASS - TINTED STRIP


Hope this helps,
Gavin
1979 450SE "Mrs White"
2022 Touareg-R 3.0TSi Hybrid
[url="http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/my-first-w116-here-at-last/"]http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/my-first-w116-here-at-last/[/url]
[url="http://forum.w116.org/the-org/british-near-london-meet/msg97613/#msg97613"]http://forum.w116.org/the-org/british-near-london-meet/msg97613/#msg97613[/url]