Vintage Mercedes "8 Day" VDO Clock ... Info?

[SilverFox123]

Hi there,
I just picked up an "'8-day" VDO clock at a yard sale ... the ol' fella who had it only mentioned to the seller (his son) that it was from an old Mercedes. I'm a huge W123 diesel nut but I must admit I'm not too familiar with any 50's/60's accessories. I did remember hearing about the 190SL's in the late 60's having "8-day" clocks and from looking online, this one is close but not identical. If anyone has any info on the thing I'd love to find out more. Here are a few pics....

http://s318.photobucket.com/albums/m...t=IMG00479.jpg

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by SilverFox123

Hi there,
I just picked up an "'8-day" VDO clock at a yard sale ... the ol' fella who had it only mentioned to the seller (his son) that it was from an old Mercedes. I'm a huge W123 diesel nut but I must admit I'm not too familiar with any 50's/60's accessories. I did remember hearing about the 190SL's in the late 60's having "8-day" clocks and from looking online, this one is close but not identical. If anyone has any info on the thing I'd love to find out more. Here are a few pics....

http://s318.photobucket.com/albums/m...t=IMG00479.jpg

There are no 190SL cars made in the late 60s, I think you mean late 50s.

This looks like the replacement to the wind-up clock that MB had in their fintails and the PERHAPS the W114-115 models (68-74).

Does it work accurately? That would be a first, I've never seen an older clock that was accurate, or kept running.

Some of these clocks, maybe not MBs, had a capacitor that would act as a pacemaker and jolt the clock to keep working over more than a 24 hour period, if the car was left parked say, for three days.

[JimFreeh]

The SL clocks were completely mechanical and mounted in the glovebox door.

Opening the door, you could see the winding wheel, which when wound, gave you a week's worth of clock. Clock was not illuminated when dash lights were switched on.

Yours is different in the following ways:

Number font is incorrect for SL Benz.
Plug is for what? Light, Electric wind? Or both?
Case looks like it's a universal ex post facto factory mount style, i.e.: aftermarket accessory.

Jim

[JimFreeh]

Originally Posted by strelnik

This looks like the replacement to the wind-up clock that MB had in their fintails and the PERHAPS the W114-115 models (68-74).

W114/W115 had the same clock as the W108/W109 cars.
Early versions were mechanical, later were a quartz movement.

Neither remotely resembled this one.

No idea about a fintail, never cared to own one.

Jim

[SilverFox123]

Thanks for the leads thus far guys ...
I figured it wasn't a 190SL clock but it seems to be an interesting benz accessory. It's been ticking and keeping time (although I haven't been watching it to the millisecond) since I've gotten it ... 4 days or so? It's mechanical (wind-up) and the cig lighter lights the numbers. No mercedes parts number/ logo etc obvious ... it says VDO just below the hand post and "made in germany" tucked high in small font at the top of the face. I have a call in to the son of the old fellow to at least see if he can't find out what year and model it may have came from.

[aTOMic]

Old VW font maybe?

[wolf_walker]

I would post that on The Samba, I'm sure one of those vintage nuts will know what it is, they make most of us look lazy in our car knowledge. At any rate it's very cool.