"Euro" 220SEb ?

[NutmegCT]

Good day.

I've learned of a 1961 220SEb coupe described by its owner as a "Euro" model. It was originally purchased in Germany and later brought to the USA by its owner.

What does "Euro" mean for that car? If it was manufactured for use in Germany, I'm concerned that a "Euro" model wouldn't meet my state DMV regs (lights, instruments, other parts or concerns, etc.), that replacement parts would be more difficult to find, and that I wouldn't learn these details until too late. I figure that "Euro" could have just been a sales gimmick, or it could be that many features will be problematic.

Also, what's the significance of the "b" in 220SEb?

Thanks.
Tom in Connecticut

[t walgamuth]

euro would have had one piece tall headlights with halogen bulbs (nice), kilometers on the speedo, etc. and not much else different.

Those items are probably changed on yours when it came into the country.

[sjefke]

Ask around how strict your DMV is. Most inspections I have been part of go pretty easy on the classics as long as the essentials (brakes, bulbs, tires, chassis) are sound. Most cannot even spot the difference between european and US spec lights. And some rules may not apply to anything over 25 years because Federal regs exempt anything over 25 years old from Federal safety and emission regulations. In general, the older the car, the fewer differences there were between "Euro" and "export" models. US started changing laws in mid to late sixties and after that you see changes in models occurring.

Bert

[Pooka]

The biggest differences would be in the headlights. If you have big one piece 'globes' you still have the Euro lights and not the US 'sealed beams' from 1961.

The US laws have changed since then then and we no longer have to have the round headlights. Just drop by an inspection station and ask them about it. Normally the mechanics that do these state inspections love old cars and know all the regulations concerning this.

I really do not think you will have any trouble with an inspection concerning the age of the auto.

The 220SEb has fuel injection and uses a two element pump to deliver fuel to the injectors in the intake manifold. This is opposed to an injector system where the injectors are in the head. This system uses a mechanical FI pump, so the fuel pump is likly a pricy one.

It appears the 220SEb uses a system that could be just bolted on to the same head as a carbed version, but I am sure ther are also cam differences. There usually are between FI and carb versions of an engine.

These injectors look like those on a 6.3, so that means they are easy to service and cost a LOT to replace (I used to have a 6.3 so that is what I am basing this statement on). They are really very simple devices, though, and all that seems to ever go wrong on them is that they need to re removed and cleaned out now and then.

But having said all of that I am sure there is a lot about them I do not know. Hopefully what I have written here will jog the memory of someone else with more knowledge of this injection system than I have that can pass on further details.

If you get this car and need the tuen-up specs let me know as I have them here in front of me.

[wbain5280]

There was an earlier 220SE in Ponton form or 'Round Body'. It was also fuel injected and used a similar setup, except the intake manifold was different. There was also a 220S in Ponton form. When the Fintail came out in 1959, the model numbers were the same so a small 'b' was added to differentiate between the two models.

The major difference between Euro and USA/Canada versions would be headlights and instruments in metric or English.