A relative of mine has MB OEM(edit not MB , ---Dayton---) knock off wheels that we've never seen anywhere else. She's had the car for a number of years now and she wants to sell it.
There's a posting here with the details in the Cars forum.
'82 380SL w/ knock off OEM MB wheels
How rare are these things?
I think the wheel mechanism needs to be modified from original to accommodate.
Can anyone comment on an original oem price, or if these were at all available as an option in the US, or if this was something done especially for this car?

*(resolved--Cliffs: Dayton aftermarket wheels, but still nice. See link for pics)*

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

Although they are lovely I doubt they are factory.

I was initially very excited since the only centerlock wheels I could think of are the ones on a gull wing or 300SL roadser. A set of those is probably worth thousands.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

There are a couple of manufactures of wire wheels that look just like those...Dayton (which I used to work for many years ago) and Zenith, just to name two. I'd like to see pictures showing an M-B part number as proof these are genuine M-B rims. Having the knock-off hubs with the M-B center in it is relatively easy to re-create at any machine shop.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

They do look like they could be daytons.

I sent off my old Ferrari 250 borranis off to be polished and respoked by Dayton. They did a beautiful job and even had new borrrani stickers to apply. The borranis were super light, though I never weighed them with the 600 x 16 tires on them they felt like a feather.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Beautiful wheels (and one of the few that look good/fit on the car) but I don't thin they are factory. I can't think of any MB that would have centerlocks like that, unless they were from older (pre 50s).

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I looked at the pics before reading the posts and concluded that they were probably Daytons. As for the need to modify the Mercedes to accept the knockoff feature, each wheel hub probably has a bolt-on adapter that could be removed to convert the car back to bolt-on wheels.

Is the spare tire mounted on a wire wheel?

Daytons. I'm sure you could get a pretty penny for those in the 'hood.

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http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...-RESIZED-1.jpg
1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

Thanks all for looking as well as the advice.
I had never heard of Daytons, but then again I don't frequent the whole thing about wheels, aside from stock.
There is apparently one other wheel in the attic without a tire on it, so I'm having them check for a part number or some other identifying mark.

Personally, I think they should keep the car or give it to me.
The 300TD in the garage is all the wife can handle. Another car would put her over the edge, but we do at least use the wagon as the family truckster.

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

The $19k asking price is pretty optimistic, considering the central locking system isn't working, the hood pad is missing, and it has after-market wheels. Even if the car was perfect, this economy won't support prices like that. I once considered selling my '87 560sl through Barret-Jackson...then i researched what the going prices were in the market nation-wide. They haven't been bringing in the high dollars in a number of years.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I'll add a vote for Daytons. I saw a set on a Euro-spec W123 in the wrecking yard last year.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

In the 1990's perhaps...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

No doubt about it. Dayton wheels.
Yeah, not OEM, but quality, they do look good on the car, and definitely not what everybody else has.
2 pics uploaded
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/members/laughinggravy-albums-82-380sl-w-hard-top-knock-off-wheels-fs.html

I'd be happy.

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

I wasn't knocking on the wheels...I like the look of them on the 107.

Thanks for confirming the manufacturer. The nice thing about Dayton rims is that, if you curb it and have an issue with roundness afterward, you can send it back to Dayton and they can repair it (for a nominal fee) and it will be like new.

I built and designed a number of assembly and checking fixtures for them in the past, as well as working for them part time when hours at my regular job were decreased. Their quality is second to none.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Daytons are expensive, and the wheels themselves are adaptable for just about any car. You just need to have the right kind of hub converters.

I would say it is rare just because so few of people choose to do that, not the wheels themselves. I would think Dayton would still sell the adapters so someone could put the "knock off" wires on.

I bought an '83 300D with dayton wires once. quickly found bundts and sold the wheels for pretty cheap (around $300 IIRC) to someone who mounted them on his SL.

I initially had some very strong opinions against them.

I think I need to rescue this one

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

I'm not much of a fan of what was on the 300D...but what's on the 107 are pretty nice looking. I'm guessing they were picked up in the late 80's/early 90's, judging by the design of the rim. They originally went for about $1700 back then.

You're right about the adapters...Dayton will make them in any configuration you want...but makes sure to have the old ones stripped and dipped at the same time as the new hub ass'y...this will insure that both oare of the same color and luster. Chrome from 20 years, even if in GREAT shape, won't match the chrome of today, due to the fed regs in the chemicals used now.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles