Sticky Business: Label locations on Pagodas

Article by William “Sherlock” Reese
Photography by George Vieth

Everyone loves a mystery. That’s elementary, my dear Mercedes lovers. This mystery was concerned with a 1969 280SL roadster, but could apply to any of the W113 Pagodas. Quite simply, it could be called the “Missing Labels Caper.” You see, most of the labels were missing on the Red Beauty that lives in my garage. 

Now, my name is not Sherlock, and even though I am a retired police chief, I was at a loss as to what to do. John Lindeman, a fellow MBCA Orange County Section member, must partially bear the guilt of starting me on the hunt for label-position solutions. He owns a correctly labeled 250SL, and he suggested that my Red Beauty looked partially naked without the festive markers. From Will Samples of Texas, a supplier of the correct labels and stickers, I obtained 11 of the missing items for approximately $100. Samples told me he had been researching the labels for 20 years. But who in the Mercedes universe might know where to affix the gems correctly?

Comedian Milton Berle once starred on a TV show, “Texaco Star Theater,” that advertised, “You can trust your car to the man who wears the star.” So where to start? This sleuth first contacted George Murphy, who is adept at solving technical mysteries. He didn’t know, but he suggested Pete Lesler, former MBCA president and committee chairman for concours. Pete alertly sought out his resource man, Jack Weir, who in turn contacted his source, Richard Simonds, another former MBCA president, acting publisher of this magazine and SL owner. Lo and behold! The ex-school teacher suggested that I go to the bookshelf and consult a reference written by Laurence Meredith in 1996, “Original Mercedes SL.” Alas, even the detailed book could not supply all the answers to my dilemma.

After following this circuitous route, I concluded that there is a lack of specific information about label placement. A last-minute e-mail from a friend of Pete’s identified some of the labels he placed on his SL, which in turn helped me to identify the correct placement of certain labels. I have applied the labels on my 280SL, photographing each one as I attached it. They are positioned as accurately as I can determine, based on the information I’ve tracked down. Each has been numbered to correspond to the placement. I pass on this information for the edification of those who wish to reap the rewards of my discoveries and thus share with me the fruits of a case pursued diligently and hopefully
solved.

*See #'s 1-7 with images below

Sources:

1-7, 9-11 from Will Samples, S&S Imports, Dallas, Texas; ssimports@ global.net; (214)-826-5977.

Other labels reproduced by George Vieth, Daily Photo, 1130 Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena, CA 91030; [email protected].

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