Got my Data Card, now what does it all mean?

[Cameron]

In accordance with Ed's (superb) advice I wrote to MB in Germany and they (naturally) promptly and officially sent me a copy of my Data Card, which is barely readable. I have scanned it and tried to get it clearer - see attached. Now what does it all mean? I have visited MB Spares site here in Oz "Data Cards Explained" which is good but I would dearly love a complete de-code. Any suggestions? Like for starters, item 17 (upholstry I think) reads "Texl.blau L 1". What does this mean?

[wpuryear]

I do not know German but here are some of my best guesses from my build sheet using a dictionary and http://world.altavista.com/

I am continuosly editing this as new translations appear below. Thanks to Phillip & Joakim for their help:

Lackierung - Paint
Polsterung - Upholstry
Fahrgestell No. - Chassis No
Motor Nr - Motor Number
Aufbau No - Build Number
Versandes - Date of Shipment
Wohnort..Strasse - Address..Street
Km Stand - Km Driven
Getriebe - Transmission
Vorderachse li. - Front Axle left
Vorderachse re. - Front Axle right
Hinterachse - Rear Axle
Bereifung 5-fach - Tires, 5
Lendung - Steering Box
Lenkungsschloss - Ignition switch key
Tur Tank Handschunkastenschloss - Door Tank GloveBox Key No.
Rader - Tires
Scheinwerfer - Headlights
Scheibenwischer - Windshield wipers
Batterie Volt - Battery Voltage (Duh)
Sonderpolsterung - Special Upholstry
Instr.a.engl.Boschriftung - English Instruments Bosch - SA 10125/10177/102266,55187
Scheinwerfer a.getr.Shandlicht - Sealed Beam Headlights (???) - SA 51.106
StoStarkenhorner - Extra Loud Horn-SA 55031/1
BWF Scheibenwaschanlage - Windshield Washing System - SA 55190/72
Sonnenblende- Sun Visor - SA 55126/1
Schild Made in Western Germany - Shield - SA 10267
Anordining Kennsefchenschile - knowing calibration sign or putting in an orderly sequence, perhaps one of the shields - SA 55304/3
Ruckfahrscheinwerfer - Backup Lights - SA 55305/1 + 10292
Ruckblickspiegel susson lose mitgel - jerk view mirror outside draws to along gel ??? - SA 55057/5
Wegfall der Lichthupe - Omission of the High Beam - SA 10312/3

[bertfam]

Walt,

Hey, not bad! "Jerk Ticket Throwers???" Was that an option?!

And speaking of translations, I'm still trying to gather enough data to compile an article/WEB posting for translation of the 1955 - 1959 Build Sheet. (The 1959 - 1963 Data Card is pretty well taken care of, but us poor slobs with the early style are mostly out of luck.) So anyway, here's my request:

If you have a 190SL manufactured between 1955 and 1959, and have a READABLE copy of the Build Sheet (and would like to participate), please copy it and send it to me.

If I can get enough people to participate, I should be able to compile enough information to actually be of help!

I've got a few, but need a LOT more for this to really work.

Please be assured that the Build Sheet information (key numbers, etc...) will be kept confidential and will NOT be given out.

How 'bout it gang...

Ed

[wpuryear]

Great idea!!! Besides, I having trouble finding my "jerk ticket throwers".

[RonRapp]

The mirror translation should be something to the effect that the mirror was sent lose in the car. Meaning it was not installed due to breakage. But was to be installed at the dealership.

[Cameron]

1. Is there a perfect copy of a data card (not build sheet) somehere I can look at?
2. I have all the headings pretty much translated, but would like to know what upholstry type "Texl.blau L 1" is, and what type of carpet "Boucle blau L1" is. How would I find this out?

[bertfam]

Casmron,

The first one is Blue "MB TEX" (texleather) which is Mercedes answer to vinyl.

The second one is blue, but I have no idea what the "Boucle" part is.

There is a very good shot of the Data Card here:

http://www.mbspares.com.au/datacardsexplained.htm

Although it's not exactly like yours, you should get the idea...

Ed

[Cameron]

Soooooo, the blue leather seats currently in the car are not original then. Hmmm. My wife thinks "Boucle" means "loop pile".

How about the numbers in the big box, 0125/10177, 10266/10306, 55 320/3? Any ideas what these mean?

Lastly, no date? There is a very faint stamp in the big box which looks like "19 0? 1960", but I have been told (by Damlier Chrysler here in Perth)the car left the factory on 4 Nov 1960. How can I sort this out for sure?

Again thanks for the help!

[bertfam]

Cameron,

Your car is Chassis number 20-018827. This indicates two things:

1. Your car is a Right Hand Drive (Hense the "20")
2. Your car was manufactured 912th from the last one in 1960. (The last one manufactured in 1960 was Chassis number 019739. Take this number and subtract your 018827 and you get 912).

So more than likely the Dealer in Perth is correct, give or take a week or so...

I can't tell what the date stamp is. It's way to light. This doesn't necessarily mean anything though. It may just be a stamp that was put on there when the factory copied your card to microfiche. Who knows...

You are correct with the seats. Your original seats were "L-1 Texleather Blau" (Blue Vinyl). Someone must have had them redone at some point in leather.

I don't think the "Boucle" translates to Loop Pile, as Mercedes didn't use this style of carpet. They used what is called Square Weave. It MAY indicate the binding. Leather interior cars got leather binding on the carpet and MB Tex cars got either cloth or MB Tex binding.

Finally, the numbers in the big box are all options. These are still being compiled but the 10125/10177 equates to Gauges (instruments) with English writing. The others don't look familiar, but like I said, we're still trying to get through all the numbers...

Ed

[Cameron]

Fantastic Ed, your help is much appreciated!

[Joakim]

Sonnenblende = sun visor

[ChadF]

My chassis number is 10-015719. Can anyone (Ed) tell me what number my car was in the 1960 production series? And where can I get that information?

[bertfam]

Chad,

Your car was built in late 1959.

As a matter of fact, 1959 was a transition year for the numbering system used by Mercedes Benz. For the first half of the year the old system was used where the Chassis number started over with each model year. (The first car for 1955 was 55-00001, the first car for 1956 was 65-00001, the first car for 1957 was 75-00001, etc... ) Half way through the 59 year, DBAG changed the numbering system to reflect the cumulative production number of the car.

The cutoff car was Chassis Number 95-02398. This car was the last to use the old system. The next car off the assembly line started using the new system and was Chassis Number 10-014211, or the 14,211th 190SL manufactured since production began in May of 1955.

Your car, Chassis number 10-015719, came late in the year as the last car produced in 1959 was Chassis Number 10-015762.

Doing some simple math, you take 15762 (last car built in 1959)and minus 15719 (your car) and you get 43, which means that your car was the 43rd one from the last! Very late indeed.

There was a total of 3949 190SL's manufactured in 1959, so if you take that number and divide by the number of WORKING days in the year (approximately 250), you get around 16 cars built per day. (Of course, this is just an "average" number as some days more cars were built than in other days.) That means that your car was (probably) built in the last week of December. (Not sure about the EXACT day as I don't know how many days the Germans took off for Christmas. This date could be a bit earlier depending on this...)

The production numbers are available in just about any book ever written on the 190SL and it's also in the Newsletter (July/Aug, 2001).

Ed

[Cameron]

Ed - what are the 2nd (121042-20) and 3rd (05370291) numbers on the top line?
Also the fourth number is 166 - I assume this is the the colour code (same as yours Ed I recall!), but what is the blank box immediately to the right?

[Philip J. Langl]

Cameron, the 121 042 -20 means your car was a right hand drive roadster without a hardtop fitted (installed) to the car. The third number is the Auftrags (Order) number. Check out the website that Ed mentioned and download the 26 page numbering system of MB. It is titled Data Cards Explained. The word Walt could't translate, Handschuhkastenschloss =Glove Box Key Number from block #16
Tur = door lock
Tank = gas tank.